Almost 18 months until the next election.

[Bouncy Ball]

Time to get busy. If you aren't already in touch with your county Democratic party, google your county or parish name plus "Democratic party" and email or call them to see if they need any extra help (they will). You could also contact your local Kerry group (which will have a lot of overlap)and see what they are doing. Or your local DFA people (Democracy for America).

If you have limitations as to what you can do, just tell them about it, and I bet they'll have something you CAN do. Even one hour a week will help. If every Democrat did that, shit, can you imagine?

Is your precinct chair vacant? If not, does your precinct chair need a precinct captain or block captain? Do they need an election judge in your area? Are you a deputy voter registrar?

Also, your county Dem party may need financial help, if you can spare it. Or in-kind things, such as a fax machine or printer, paper, etc.

What about your local Democrats club? Lots of cities and towns have them, and again, there's overlap with the county party, but some in the local clubs are just local Dems, not overly involved with the county. It's a great way to find other Democrats, if you live in an area that isn't super blue.

No republican should run unopposed anywhere for any office, period. If you've ever toyed with the idea of running, even for something very local, think on it some more, because you'll need to declare your intentions pretty soon.

Democrats should have a presence at EVERY county fair, state fair, art festival, holiday celebration, musical festival, outdoor concerts, you NAME it, Dems should have a booth/table/presence in SOME way, shape or form.

If you find your county party to be weak, floundering, or barely existent, contact your state organization to see what needs to be done.

Take inspiration in little rural Robertson County, Texas. Bluer than blue for many years now in a sea of red in Central Texas. (It looks funny if you look at the county map for Texas!) The republicans in that county occasionally scream that the Dems cheat somehow, but every investigation finds that they don't cheat--they simply WORK THEIR ASSES OFF. They register voters, they make personal contact (and granted, this is easier in a rural county with a small population), they drive people to the polls to vote early, and they never let a repuke run unopposed. The woman who heads the Robertson County Democratic party is like a freaking Energizer Bunny--she just never quits. There's no down time for them, either. They work all year round, election years and non-election years. It has apparently demoralized the republicans in that county to the point that they hardly try anymore.

This post was meant as inspiration, not nagging. I want to encourage everyone on DU to find one thing they can do locally, if you aren't already (I know a lot of you already do). Just one thing, please. It doesn't have to take up a lot of your time. Or, you could throw yourself into it and wear out three pairs of shoes and lose your voice by November 2006. And anything in between.

Let's turn things around in 2006, because in 2008, I want to be cheering my ass off.

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[Pawel K]

1. Great post

nominated for front page.

[Bouncy Ball]

2. Hey thanks!

:toast:

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Kick.

I have to run out, but I hope this stays kicked.

:kick: