5 Things You Can Do to Help WIN 2006 and 2008! Contribute to this list!

[Dem Agog]

Okay bath time is up. I'm feeling relaxed. Here's my list. These aren't all things that will directly get votes, but they are things that will help you and your friends get a better/stronger mindset to go get those votes!

1. Take some time for yourself. Regroup. Define how long your mourning period will be and stick to it if possible. Treat yourself to a warm bath with candles and wine (As a woman, that's my solution, probably laughed at by you guys) or some equally nice "you" thing that works. Guys, do something similar.

2. Contact your Kerry supporting friends and relatives. Try to surround yourself with them. Commisserate but keep it short and then move on to brainstorming ideas for taking back this country.

3. Join the ACLU, NARAL, NOW, and any other organizations that support civil liberties.

4. Turn off the news for the next week. ALL of it. The Daily Show's allowed, we need humor. Maybe Keith Olbermann too. BUT STOP LISTENING TO RW PUNDITS!!! It does us no good right now!

5. Post 5 things you think other people can do to help win in 2006 and 2008 here.

[NewHampshireDem]

1. Keep your Kerry/Edwards signs and bumper stickers displayed ...

Remind those smirking bastards that WE ARE STILL HERE! (for now anyway)

[fearnobush]

2. I've turned off the media whores a month ago. This Weds I'm gonna go

to my local DNC office and we are gonna have a strategy meeting for our local and state future. This good, I've kicked it and hope to get a big turn out. My 2005 goal is to keep NJ Gov office Blue. This will be a challenge as Mr. McGreevey was a pawn for the Fundies.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[Hamlette]

4. cute...bye bye freeper

[TomClash]

5. Oust him!

[Xipe Totec]

6. I only have one suggestion right now

read this, "How the Democrats Were Betamaxed"

(snip)

In 1982, 45% of Americans identified themselves as Democrats; by 2003, that number was down to 31%. During the same period, the Republican Party made gains in party allegiance from about 26% up to 30%. What is more, nearly twice as many Americans now identify themselves as conservatives than as liberals. At first blush, these statistics would seem to point to an electorate that is moving ideologically to the right. However, public opinion polls consistently show that the majority of Americans are more closely aligned with the Democratic Party on the issues than they are with the Republican Party.

Returning to the notion of a marketplace, let's consider these public opinion polls as indicators of consumer preferences. What we find is that a whopping 86% of Americans believe that there need to be stricter laws and regulations to protect the environment; 77% think it is more important to maintain government services such as Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid than to cut taxes; 72% of Americans favor stricter laws related to the control of handguns; 63% of Americans favor affirmative action programs designed to help blacks, women and other minorities get better jobs and education; 62% don't think Roe v. Wade should be overturned by the Supreme Court; and 62% would prefer a universal health insurance program run by the government and financed by taxpayers.

On virtually every issue, public opinion polls show that consumer preferences are for the policies of the Democrats, and not for those of the GOP. Republicans offer inferior, less desirable policy solutions, while Democrats offer superior policies that are preferred by the majority of Americans.

When an inferior product wins out in the marketplace with superior marketing it is called getting "betamaxed." Remember Betamax? In the 1970s, before there was VHS, there was the Sony Betamax, but, as the story goes, VHS beat Betamax through its superior marketing even though Betamax was the superior video recording technology. If we consider policies as the products in the marketplace of ideas and public opinion polls as indicators of consumer preference, then we can only come to one conclusion: the Democrats have been betamaxed by the Republicans. Conservatives offer inferior policies, but dominate through superior marketing.

(snip)

http://www.alternet.org/story/18395

[pelagius]

7. If there is local Democratic Club in your area...

...join it and go to its meetings regularly.

If there isn't a local Democratic Club in your area, start it and go to its meetings regularly.

The party candidates and agenda are determined by those who show up and show up consistently.

[pelagius]

8. Sorry. Double-post

[billkurtmeyer]

9. Take back the "L" word!

I will add one, we need to work at taking back the conotative meaning of the word liberal - we need to stop running away from it - we need to repeat the famous Kennedy quote about what it is to be a liberal over and over again and be proud!

[gratefull4u]

15. You are right, This is very important!

I'm a PROUD LIBERAL!

[Hamlette]

10. stop using their language to define things

it's not a death tax, its an estate tax.

Everyone hates abortion. We just can't make that decision for everyone.

Government is not evil. It is necessary and it does some things very well.

Values is a meaningless word. It's morals that I'm interested in. You might think homosexuality is immoral but I think it is immoral to discriminate. That is the only thing I can control.

permanent campaign.

[pelagius]

14. Read anything by George Lakoff for more details on this

I like "Moral Politics", but a good, practical introduction is his "Don't Think of an Elephant".

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/103-5853262-3481442

Required reading for liberals trying to reach the "other half".

[LTR]

11. If you get an Arbitron diary or are a Nielsen household...

Let 'em know what you watch and listen to.

If you have an AAR affiliate in your town and get an Arbitron diary, write down when you listen to it. When you let Arbitron know, the station gets ratings, the owner keeps the format, business buy ad time, and stations in other markets will pick it up.

For TV, if you are a Nielsen-monitored household, let 'em know you watch Olberman, Daily Show, 60 Minutes, Sundance, or INdTV (when it signs on). Ratings allow these services and shows to stay on the air and influence potential imitators.

Do NOT report any conservative radio and TV shows/stations! Drive their ratings down!

[mandyky]

12. In your school districts get a civics ed course in middle and high schools

Offer to volunteer to teach or contribute.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. Here's some more

1. Stop pointing fingers at your fellow Democrats. Hey I know we're all upset. But this in fighting doesn't help us and only amuses our opposition.

2. If you've been active in campaigns in anyway you've met new people who are like minded. Keep in touch with them. Build on it. It's called being part of a community.

3. If it's possible, be gracious but not conciliatory with the opposition. You may agree on some things. But do not compromise your principles. This may be hard to do however considering some of the smear tactics employed by the right.

4. Get involved in your local Democratic meet up. These usually occur once a month.

5. If some issue bugs you write a letter to the editor. Or just write one to yourself. You'll be amazed how cathartic it is to get your feelings out.

[mandyky]

16. Donate to Guy James' radio show

Encourage anyone you know to start their own local show, if possible.

[Name removed]

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[billkurtmeyer]

18. Join a local activist Meetup group - today and get active with

like minded individuals - network - talk! Do it tonight.

[Nashyra]

19. I'm going to our DouglasCounty Dem meeting on Thurs.

Take a short break and get involved. The elections of 2006 are going to be here before you know it. Get involved with existing groups and realign your voter registration list. Start to get friends that are qualified and interested to run for public office. I ran for school board and was elected even if they all knew I was the radical Dem on my street. I beat a guy that had a masters in education, I'm a flight attendant by trade and a cheeleading coach, but I have a passion for fairness and don't know how to take no for an answer. The time will go by quickly before the 2006 elections, the repukes plan ahead, we can not let yesterday get us down. Dumbing down of America, we have been trying to reach too many of these people with knowledge, stupid people don't relate to knowledge, we have to reach down to there level, unfortunately we have to stay there until we get elected then we can give them a hand up. Local elections people the more the merrier. And stay on DU, stay up on events. Try to simplify them but scare these idiots. Casual conversation about the 14 bases in Iraq, I told three people who voted for the shrub about how scared I was that my son would get drafted because of those bases and they knew nothing about them. Two of them said had they known they would not have voted for shrub because that does not sound like he wants to get out of Iraq. Duh?