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dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 08:55 PM Dec 2015

Hey Gang! Just came in here to share with you about our Bernie phone bank tonight...

Hi Kids!!!

Tonight we had our second Bernie phone bank (I’ve donated the use of my restaurant for phone banking and other activities for Bernie) and although its anecdotal, I think HRC’s campaign is going to have a big shock on their hands in terms of women. Out of the small group assembled this evening (more were coming but I was too fatigued to stay longer) only ONE of them was male. The rest were women and the minority of the women were white. Half of them were I’d say 45+ and the other half were under 30. There was ONE white guy. One.

The same thing happened last week but there were two men, one white, one Asian-American.

So...again, purely anecdotal but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to find that this is happening with volunteer groups all over the US. So if her chief weapon of surprise (no it’s not a comfy chair) is this army of women who are allegedly backing her I think she’s going to be unpleasantly surprised. Most of us are not going to vote for a woman just because she’s one of us, they’re going to vote for the candidate who is going to do the best by their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and generations to come. That’s what we’re interested in. This isn’t team sports. AND SPEAKING OF TEAM SPORTS, remember I am IN Hillary’s home turf so she doesn’t even have home-field advantage.

Anyway, that’s it. Just wanted to share what I think is significant.

I miss our daily give and take but I’ll be back after Bernie kicks ass in the primaries. Much love to you all!!!

35 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Hey Gang! Just came in here to share with you about our Bernie phone bank tonight... (Original Post) dorkzilla Dec 2015 OP
If you happened to find out... Scootaloo Dec 2015 #1
I will ask, Scootie! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #3
Much love to you from us as well! :) nt retrowire Dec 2015 #2
That's been my experience too. zentrum Dec 2015 #4
That’s what I’m talking about!!! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #5
I feel it too Plucketeer Dec 2015 #7
Thanks for the good news. libdem4life Dec 2015 #6
Happy to share it! nt dorkzilla Dec 2015 #8
I'm a middle-aged mom... CoffeeCat Dec 2015 #9
Thank you for weighing in! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #13
So nice to see you, dorkzilla! senz Dec 2015 #10
There may be a connection with RA and MS dorkzilla Dec 2015 #12
I've heard that, too. senz Dec 2015 #14
they are both auto-immune diseases...i have RA Punkingal Dec 2015 #16
So sorry to hear that dorkzilla Dec 2015 #17
she was diagnosed at 62...things had gone on for a while Punkingal Dec 2015 #18
The older you are at diagnosis the worse it is generally dorkzilla Dec 2015 #19
I'm so sorry, dorkzilla. senz Dec 2015 #21
Thank you, dear senz dorkzilla Dec 2015 #22
I appreciate that senz Dec 2015 #24
so sorry... Punkingal Dec 2015 #26
Thanks, and I you. nt dorkzilla Dec 2015 #28
When active in a (liberal) church, I visited some members w/MS senz Dec 2015 #20
good care and i have learned what does and doesn't work Punkingal Dec 2015 #27
So far the only DMARD I've used senz Dec 2015 #31
Thanks for this... Thespian2 Dec 2015 #11
Thank you very much for all you do. Enthusiast Dec 2015 #15
HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!! WillyT Dec 2015 #23
This is what a friend of mine refers to as an Ultimate Truth: BadGimp Dec 2015 #25
I'm a female progressive who has worked all of her professional career + swilton Dec 2015 #29
Amen sister! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #30
Don't take this the wrong way, but, Admiral Loinpresser Dec 2015 #32
Then you'd deprive us of a wonderful ally! dorkzilla Dec 2015 #33
Roflmao. Admiral Loinpresser Dec 2015 #34
My volunteer group is also mostly women. JDPriestly Dec 2015 #35
 

Scootaloo

(25,699 posts)
1. If you happened to find out...
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 09:00 PM
Dec 2015

For how many was this their first active primary? Or how many just registered as Dems?

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
3. I will ask, Scootie!
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 09:11 PM
Dec 2015

Last edited Fri Dec 11, 2015, 10:46 AM - Edit history (1)

I’ll send an email to the phone banking coordinator who is still there with them now. I’m *assuming* its the first for at least one of them but I will check.

ETA- didn't get an answer but I'll try and ask people for next week's bank. I think that's the last one for '15 then we'll reconvene in early January but I think that might be an important question to ask people. I know last week we had a woman who phonebanked in 08 for HRC.

zentrum

(9,865 posts)
4. That's been my experience too.
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 10:05 PM
Dec 2015

Not when phone banking but at street sign-up events and store fronts, working on minimum wage increases. The majority of Bernie supporters are women and more than half are non-white.

It's very encouraging. I'm a woman for Bernie too.

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
5. That’s what I’m talking about!!!
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 10:13 PM
Dec 2015

I think this is going to blind-side everyone. Except us of course

 

Plucketeer

(12,882 posts)
7. I feel it too
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 10:32 PM
Dec 2015

Bernie's gonna shake the DNC to it's core. MAYBE it'll even wake a few of them from their zombie trance.

CoffeeCat

(24,411 posts)
9. I'm a middle-aged mom...
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 11:12 PM
Dec 2015

...and I'm making phone calls for Bernie as well.

Lots of volunteers at Bernie's Iowa office near my home. I'd say it was 70/30 women/men.

Go Bernie!! Go us!!!

I'm getting terrific feedback from cold calling registered Dems in Iowa.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
10. So nice to see you, dorkzilla!
Wed Dec 9, 2015, 11:25 PM
Dec 2015

It's very cool that you can donate a space for phone banking; this is a wonderful way to help Bernie without exhausting one's physical resources.

I've also been experiencing debilitating health issues (RA & fm, not as bad as what you're dealing with) and for months was unable to do anything for Bernie except send a decent-sized monthly donation, but thanks to a good RA med have been feeling more normal and so signed up to phone bank for him last Saturday. We had about equal numbers of women and men. Most of the women looked to be around their 40s-50s, with a couple of really old women, me and another gal, and the men seemed to run from 20s to 40s with one guy about 60 or so. One of the young guys was a really nice Ryan Gosling-style millennial whose car had bumperstickers reading "Bernie Sanders: Because Fuck this Shit" and "Feel the Bern" (I had parked behind him.) The woman sitting next to me was sweet, helpful, and fun. It was so good to be with a group of people who appreciate Bernie as much as I do, and they seemed so well-informed I wondered if they could be DUers. Lots of enthusiasm and optimism; several comments about the weaknesses of landline polling methods, etc. I lasted about three hours, then hit a wall and had to leave, but plan to be back next Saturday.

Today my physical therapist mentioned his student debt, so I brought up Bernie, and it turned out he's a huge supporter and volunteer who is, as he said, "feeling the Bern!" Another physical therapist overheard our conversation and was grinning from ear to ear.

We are everywhere!

Please drop by to chat when you feel like it, dorkzilla, and keep us up to date. This group is the warmest spot on DU.

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
12. There may be a connection with RA and MS
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 12:08 AM
Dec 2015

And my cousin had her shoulders and knees replaced because of it, so I'm not sure mine is any worse. But my docs are always interested in the connection. But honestly, I feel like doodoo.

Thanks for all your kind words! Hope to see you at the inauguration!

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
14. I've heard that, too.
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 12:38 AM
Dec 2015

RA is an auto-immune disease; I think I heard MS is also. I read somewhere that they're making inroads into MS. Hope so. I feel the RA most in my hands and feet, but sometimes my shoulders ache like crazy, and I can't raise my arms very high anymore. Am almost afraid to ask my rheumy if that could also be RA. Anyway, methotrexate helps a lot. And I feel fortunate to have come down with this so late in life, after retirement. Most people get it much younger, and that just breaks my heart. My neighbor's son came down with it at age 15. That should not happen. Your docs sound smart and alert, a good thing.

Yes, I hope we will all be celebrating the inauguration!

Hey, we need a Bernie smiley!

Punkingal

(9,522 posts)
16. they are both auto-immune diseases...i have RA
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 03:57 PM
Dec 2015

My sister died from MS. RA is difficult but she sure got the short end of the stick.

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
17. So sorry to hear that
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 04:37 PM
Dec 2015

It must be so difficult to lose a sibling, thankfully mine are healthy (at least as of now they are).

Can I ask what kind of MS she had? How old was she when she was diagnosed? I understand if you're uncomfortable answering that.

Punkingal

(9,522 posts)
18. she was diagnosed at 62...things had gone on for a while
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 04:52 PM
Dec 2015

No one was picking up on it...I would guess she could have been diagnosed at least two years sooner. I am not sure which one she had, but it was one of the worst. She was bed-ridden within 6 months. Her two daughters cared for her for 13 years....and did it beautifully.

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
19. The older you are at diagnosis the worse it is generally
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 04:58 PM
Dec 2015

I was diagnosed recently just before my 50th birthday and I cannot believe how quickly I'm going downhill. I'm in bed right now, too dizzy to stand and cannot feel the bottom half of my right leg. It's not fun.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
21. I'm so sorry, dorkzilla.
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 05:45 PM
Dec 2015

Does not sound like fun. Hope it will lift soon and that there are interesting and/or beautiful things on tv, radio, internet, ipod, etc. in the meantime. Know you've got plenty of fans out here.

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
20. When active in a (liberal) church, I visited some members w/MS
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 05:39 PM
Dec 2015

and there is such a wide variety. Some people can go on indefinitely with relatively minor symptoms and continue normal lives, and for some, like your sister, it acts quickly and takes so much away. It's good she had close and caring children -- and obviously a loving sister. The ones I visited who had severe MS still seemed in good spirits with lively minds and sassy attitudes. I think decent care makes a huge difference, but so does who you are, how spunky you are. In fact, everyone with MS that I encountered was intellectually fresh and stimulating. Wonder if that's a pattern? Plus, remission can and does happen. I don't think they understand these diseases yet.

Dorkzilla is wonderfully bright and funny as hell. Liveliness and fun-loving are a big advantage.

I'm sorry you have RA, Punkingal, but I agree with you that RA, while no picnic, seems easier to live with. My docs know I don't abuse opioids, and it is a great comfort just knowing they're there when needed. Also, for local spot relief, Salonpas patches and China Gel usually help. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FOB5BOK and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MTBH60 respectively. I get Salonpas from Costco and have gotten China Gel from Amazon. I hope you have good care and various sources of relief.

Punkingal

(9,522 posts)
27. good care and i have learned what does and doesn't work
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 08:48 PM
Dec 2015

If you can avoid the biologics like humera do so because I had a bad ecperience with those

 

senz

(11,945 posts)
31. So far the only DMARD I've used
Fri Dec 11, 2015, 04:55 AM
Dec 2015

is methotrexate. The biologics sound kind of exotic but I've heard some people like them. Thanks for the heads up.

BadGimp

(4,016 posts)
25. This is what a friend of mine refers to as an Ultimate Truth:
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 08:13 PM
Dec 2015
"Most of us are not going to vote for a woman just because she’s one of us, they’re going to vote for the candidate who is going to do the best by their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and generations to come. That’s what we’re interested in."
 

swilton

(5,069 posts)
29. I'm a female progressive who has worked all of her professional career +
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 10:02 PM
Dec 2015

raising two boys and going to night school and fulfilling a military reserve commitment. I've NEVER felt that Hillary was 'one of us'!

dorkzilla

(5,141 posts)
30. Amen sister!
Thu Dec 10, 2015, 10:07 PM
Dec 2015

Emancipated at 16, worked my ass off graduating HS early, worked 2-3 jobs and slowly made my way through college. She's not one of us at all IMHO.

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