Speak at State Legislative Committees
The best way to fight state legislation is in person. I have reason to believe legislators pay more attention to testimony at committee meetings than phone calls, faxes, emails and letters.  They can put a face on the argument. So, show up and speak at a state legislative committee hearing.  You can bet the other side will have someone speak.
Be Prepared
Know what you are going to say and practice it. Put it on paper. Read and edit it three or four times. Then, when you have all the points and words, read it aloud a couple times. Try various methods of emphasizing a point. Then, try it a couple times without the notes.  Finally, if you think you need it, use only one index card to list important points to which you may refer. Time your talk to be five minutes or less.
The Day of the Meeting
Women should dress in business attire. Men should wear a suit.  Navy suit with a white shirt and red-tone tie is the most powerful color combination.

Allow for adequate travel time. There is the travel time to the capitol building. The real time consumption comes in finding a place to park. Don't keep circling the block. A space will not appear. You will likely park three to six blocks from the capitol building, have to stand in line for the metal detector and try to find the room where the topic will be discussed.  I allow about 45 minutes, in addition to the normal drive, when planning travel time. If the weather is hot add 15 minutes to your time so you can cool down before entering the meeting room.
Sign In
If you are going to speak, you must sign in.  The sheet will have a column or field entitled "Representing".  This is not the time to list your membership in a tea party group.  Always put "self".  If you indicate you represent a group or association you may not be allowed to speak unless you are a registered lobbyist.

I prefer to arrive early, find a seat and wait for others to sign in.  I like to be toward the end of the list.  The last speakers are the most memorable.  And, it gives me a chance to see if others bring additional points I need to counter.  I carry a padfolio so I can make notes. It is also handy for carrying copies of a fact sheet I may want to distribute to committee members.
Your Turn to Speak
Relax.  This isn't any more dangerous than a dining table discussion. Address all comments to the chairman. Be brief and to the point.  This is no time to rant or deliver a sermon.  You don't want to tell the legislators what a bad job they are doing. At the end of your talk say you hope the committee will not approve the bill. Ask if there are any questions. Answer questions then thank the chairman for the opportunity to present your issues in this matter. 

You can move away from the table, but don't leave the room.  The committee will likely make a decision on the bill before they adjourn.  You will want to know the decision.  Killing the bill is the desired result. But, shelving the bill for further study is usually good as a kill.  State legislators have a specified period in which to do the state's business. Their schedules are crowded. So, further study likely won't happen. But, if it is shelved, it could pop up again with short notice.  If shelving the bill is their decision keep on eye on the bill and just be prepared to return to argue against it.
After the Meeting
If your bill was the only item on the committee agenda you should definitely linger in the hall with others who were against the bill.  It may be an opportunity to talk with a committee member off the record.

In 2005, I was asked to help defeat of a piece of legislation.  We gained the desired result. After the meeting, we were all in the hall. The chairman of the senate committee approached me.  I said in the hearing that I lived in his district-about a mile from his house. But, he had to be interested in the fact that I belonged to an association I said could influence over 16,480 votes.  

The senator congratulated me on a great presentation and our victory.  He said, "what would you have done if you lost?"  I told him I planned to let the members of the association know they should call the senator, at home, in the middle of the night, if the legislation caused them problems.  His eyes fluttered and he asked, "you wouldn't have really done that?"  I said, "Of course I would".  I think he was glad we won. 

The point is that you should linger after the meeting.  But, if none of the committee approaches you, it is okay.  You got the victory. This is also a time when others may approach you.  You probably didn't know most of those who spoke for or against the bill.  It will give you a chance to expand your network.  Further, the losing side may want to talk with you about their legislative effort. They will want to know why you feel so strongly about the issue and if there is some common ground upon which you can agree.  Don't go to them. They will come to you.  This is when and where deals are made.  My suggestion: always tell proponents of the legislation you don't favor that such a law would have a harmful effect on your business, life and family and that you would strongly oppose even a modified version.   

Enjoy the experience. When you find this to be fun, you may want to fight other issues. You can expect to see some of the same legislators on other committees if you testify against other legislation.  That familiarity will work for you.  

How to State Believable Numbers
In the information above, I used the phrase "over 16,480 votes" .  Had I said over 16,000 it would have been impressive.  By using 16,480, it sounded larger and more precise.  The way to sound credible is to be precise when stating numbers. Even if you must make them up.  Large numbers get attention. Precise-sounding larger numbers are best.  Don't round down or round off numbers you want to use to impress.  When you sound precise, you are unlikely to be challenged.

Take Over the Republican Party
Why not take over the Republican party in your county?

All that would be needed is for tea partisans to take over a majority of the precinct committeeman positions in their county.  Then, they control the Republican party in that county.   Each county where the Republican party is controlled by tea partisans puts your favorite candidate closer to victory.  

The primary election is when you can be elected to office.  If there is a current vacancy for a committeeman in your precinct ask the county chairman to appoint you.  Then, when you run in the primary, you can use signs that say "Re-elect.......". If there is no vacancy, work with the present committeeman.  Learn the ins and outs of what they do.  Then, run against them in the primary.  

Until you file for the position, work on your committeeman to support your favorite candidate. 

The party will vote on who to support in the primary.  They will wait for the filing deadline to pass to see whom to support.  The exception to this rule would be if the party already had a "fair-haired boy" in mind.  Worse yet, an incumbent. If the chairman says the party will support the incumbent that will be your cue to decide to support the incumbent or work for a Tea Party Republican.  Whichever you do, give it your best effort. 

Create Confusion
Next time your group attends a large rally, have several wear purple tee-shirts with the big yellow letters  SEIU on the front. Reporters will be curious.  It could cause better coverage of the rally.  Politicians seeing a photo or video clip will be puzzled.  The SEIU  will wonder what is going on.

If a person wearing such a shirt is approached by a reporter, they should just say "no comment".  Another cute ploy would be to look down at the shirt, look back at the reporter and/or video camera and say "Whoops!  I gotta go now."  Then walk away.
Or, simply say "we have the same values as all these folks".  

Next time you go to a congressman's local office, be sure and wear the purple shirt. They will be somewhat disoriented by the shirt on someone with conservative values.  If it is a group with several wearing the purple shirt, it will have a greater effect.

If you have to explain the shirt to fellow tea partisans, just say it stands for "Stop Electing Idiots Understand?".

When the purple shirt starts to fade too much or you just want to expand your wardrobe, get a white tee and copy the ACORN logo off the internet.  This one could be nearly as much fun.

Note: SEIU has a large number of their members who do not agree with the political agenda of SEIU leadership. Don't be surprised if you learn you have SEIU members among your tea party or 912 group. They are likely legitimate.

 Rowdy Up!
Politicians and media reported and decried the rowdiness at town hall meetings in August, 2009.  But, that is good news. That rowdiness and subsequent news coverage resulted in a surge in interested citizens joining and forming tea party groups.  

Whenever there are town hall meetings, don't worry about being called disruptive. Ignore the pleas to keep quiet and maintain order.  The speakers would like to control your actions.  Town hall meetings exist to check the mood of the people. If the people are upset, and show it, the message quickly gets across to the politician.

The politicians probably won't have many town hall or public meetings.  If they do, show up and ROWDY UP!  

(A friend of mine read this and suggested I tell how to smuggle in rotten tomatoes to throw at the speaker. But, I won't.  If it becomes important I'll give him a call to learn this nefarious scheme.)  

Civil Disobedience
In 2003 or 2004, some in the Tennessee legislature were considering establishment of a state income tax. Local radio personalities at various stations urged their listeners to gather at the state capitol and demonstrate against the income tax. 

The crowd was really upset at the thought of a new tax. Things got out of hand. The protestors started stoning the capitol while the legislature was debating the income tax issue.  The stones bouncing off the roof and windows of the building made a lot of racket. The legislators became frightened.  They put aside the notion of a new tax.  Everybody went home.  Some legislators waited quite a while for the crowd to clear.

The spontaneous action by angry citizens made a point and they won the day.  Some legislators had to wonder what would follow if they passed the new income tax.

Your editor does not advocate stoning any capitol building---at this time.