http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGAW76T9IND.htmlTAMPA - Most people spout their political opinions to friends and relatives, or maybe to wary strangers in their local tavern.
Not Bob Wirengard.
Three times this month, the 58-year-old retiree spent $4,000 on full-page advertisements in The Tampa Tribune to rail against a Medicare bill, poverty, Florida House Speaker Johnnie Byrd and President Bush's $87 billion plan to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.
In all, it was well worth the $12,000 expense, Wirengard said this week, even though the Medicare measure he opposed passed the Senate and is expected to be signed by Bush.
``I'm trying to educate 280 million people, and that's hard to do,'' he said. ``Now, my mortgage is up to the hilt, so I can't buy any more ads.''
Wirengard, who published his telephone number and e- mail address in his ads, received about 50 calls and a dozen e-mails in response Tuesday, he said. He got fewer after his first two ads ran Nov. 3 and Nov. 24.
<snip>
Bob, if you are here, this one's for you!
:toast:
You da' man!