FLASH NEWS! DUers taking action, GOP quaking in boots

[moggie12]

Yes, it's true, some DUers want to whip some Republican butt! How you say?

BY MAKING SURE THAT BARBARA BOXER'S COURAGEOUS STAND RESULTS IN TRUE ELECTION REFORM.

Yep, Jan 6th disappointed many DUers. Some, however, want to capitalize on the Democrats' tiny little baby step towards fighting back against the GOP. Baby step it may have been, but it's a step nonetheless and some DUers, myself included, want the Dems to WIN on election reform: It'll be a MAJOR victory and will encourage more Dems to show some backbone (not to mention preventing fraud in future elections.....)

Below are links to posts made by kick-butt, practical minded DUers since Jan 6th. I'm listing them here because you'll never find them otherwise (most sank like a stone in a sea of teeth-gnashing).

1. "GreenPartyVoter" posted a great link with info about election reform:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

2. "Califooyah Operative"'s post elicited some good miscellaneous info re: election reform:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

3. "Arnheim" got a large number of DUer's to focus on communicating with elected officials about the importance of electoral reform:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

b) Then "Arnheim" took the comments he got and started thinking about how to turn it into a practical action-plan:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x268596

4. "Feminazi" tells you how you can contribute to Boxer's PAC:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

5. "dubyaD40" issued a rousing call to arms:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

6. "DemoDutch" posted Move-On's on-line thank-you letters to Boxer & Reid:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

7. "greenmutha" listed the 11 Senators who "stood" and the 34 Reps so you can write thank-you's if you're so inclined:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x264605

8. "LydiaLeftcoast" asked you to send post-cards to Boxer and Tubbs as a more visible show of support:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

9. "Moggie12" asked for input on strategy re: "selling" election reform:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


Okay, time for a battery recharge before you practical-minded types go out there and get to work securing electoral reform. Visualize this: Cute little Barbara Boxer pumping her fist in the air, celebrating passage of a massive election reform bill!! Stephanie Tubbs-Jones being carried on the shoulders of the House Democrats!! Tom DeLay hiding his tears as he sneaks by reporters, mumbling "no comment".

Yes!! Yes!! It can happen! We've got a winning issue: AMERICANS HATE STANDING ON LINES!! We can win the election reform issue!! All we've gotta do is grab onto it like a rabid dog and not let go!!

That's how the Republicans keep whooping us, you know: They beat the message drum over and over. We've got to beat the election reform drum over and over until our ears hurt. When the Republicans try to shut us up, we've got to point our fingers at them and jump up and down and scream to American voters: "Look, the Republicans don't care that you have stand on line for four hours!!!" Karl gets results by mobilizing his base, doesn't he?? We can get results if we mobilize ours and don't let election reform drop off the radar.

(Hey, I hear what you defeatist whiners are saying. Shoo, scram, beat it!! This post is for action-oriented people who will never give give up. I'm gonna throw up if one more person says "why bother, democracy is dead" or "I'm never going to vote Democratic again". Puh-lease!! We're talking politics here -- only practical talk is allowed. And anyway, if we get real electoral reform, they won't be able to "steal" elections, right??) (Actually, I know you're hurting really bad -- for good reason -- so if you want to come back later, when you're feeling better, please, please, please, do so.)

For those of you in a fightin' mood, I hope this list of posts is helpful. If you've got any ideas for how to go about supporting the Dem's attempt to achieve real election reform in some sort of organized fashion, please shoot me a note. Thanks!


P.S. The post below doesn't address my big bugaboo issue -- electoral reform -- but it's too good not to add here, in case you missed it:

"OrangePeel68" suggest DUers get involved at the local level:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1475606

P.P.S In reviewing the list of posts above, I finally thought of a statement every single DUer can agree with: Many DUers have very creative, clever screen names. (Anyone care to disagre with that?)



(Edited to see if I could get "greenmutha's" post to work -- link didn't work first time)

[GetTheRightVote]

1. Democracy is dead, not whining, hate Dems without a spine but...

Can't vote = no Democracy, that is the true facts. I am fighting mad as well and I demand election reform. I am going on the WAR PATH as my ancestors would say and I want to join up with anyone who wants the same changes. This is a monster of an adminstration we are living under and I hate them and the right wingers with a passion that can not be measured. This passion will fuel me for a very very long time so if you do not mind I would like to join your action groups because I do believe American Citizens deserve better then what this upper class idiots are giving to us, and yes that does include the Dems.

:mad:

[cry baby]

2. Great compilation, thanks, will use it. n/t

[calimary]

15. Don't forget that TOLL FREE number: 1 (800) 839 - 5276 - to Capitol Hill

The switchboard will transfer you to any House or Senate office you request.

[NMDemDist2]

3. LOL what is funny is of the links listed, My browser shows I have

clicked on all but one in the original list

hehehehe guess that makes me a DU activist huh?

good thing I have free long distance on my cell phone with all the 202 area codes I dial :)

[ArtVandaley]

4. I don't think election reform is an impossible goal

I think that election reform can certainly be done. It seems like an issue that even moderate republicans can get behind on, as long as it isn't framed as an anti-Bush or revenge piece of legislation, but a non-partisan reform bill.

[oneold1-4u]

13. Study the best --

elections around the nation and make suggestions to every state.
I think there is at least one state other than OR that uses vote by mail, and all have absentee ballots. Since each state has so many different laws for voting, there needs to be a few changed to start with. Some states make you prove some reason to obtain an absentee ballot,(doctors statement or whatever) but no one should have to go out in a storm or heat wave, to stand in line for hours, to find that they changed the persons precinct, or push buttons on a machine that someone can pull the plug on and declare it wasn't working.
It certainly seems that for the benefit $$$ of a couple of vote machine corporations we have taken a very "modern" backward step.
Try to think of all the outrageous items over the years, that the corporate world "knew" we just had to have, and put voting machines on that list! The "Slinky or hula hoop" is less obsolete!

Just One Good Plan! Others will flow like water in a stream!

[w4rma]

14. Maybe. But, you need to be careful that they don't warp the legislation

into something corrupt like they have been doing with other reform minded bills (such as the "homeland" security bill they just passed).

[calimary]

16. Well, just STAY ON IT, then. If they know people are watching,

and keeping track, they're less likely to try anything fishy. But they HAVE to know people are watching. And on the alert. They MUST be forced to face the fact that NOT EVERYBODY has rolled over and gone back to sleep.

Hell, they're watching us, in one form or other, aren't they? Let's return the favor.

[OnionPatch]

5. I'm with ya here!

I don't see much sense in whining and giving up bitterly because things didn't turn out as hoped and Kerry didn't take the action desired by many here. (Personally, I think Iowa has to stop picking our candidates.)

Election reform should be our number one issue now and reaffirming the GOP flip-flop label for Kerry is doing us no good, IMO. Let's get moving on this. We can win this issue. This is not a partisan issue. Many Republicans agree that we need reform and admit they would be upset if the tables were turned.

On edit: Hmmm....I can't get to those links now, weird. Anyone else having problems?

[moggie12]

12. Links should be working now,

link to "greenmutha" wouldn't work but I fixed it. Did others not work when you tried them??

Your comment was very good. You are exactly right: This is not a partisan issue! That's why we can win it, I think.

[oneold1-4u]

6. Things missing

# 7 the list of those who stood, by greenmutha, will not come up.
Sometimes I wonder about who grabs stuff from cyberspace!
I would like a list because the few more elections I can still take part in are now the most important of my life, if we still have any.
I actually think the names on a nice poster would be a good thing! We do want to remember!

[moggie12]

10. test to see if "greenmutha"'s post will work

Am techno-spaz, so I do't know if this is the best way to do this, but I'll try to see if her post will work this time:

Greenmutha, are you there?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x264605

[steve2470]

7. great post nt

[fooj]

8. Free Press has a letter from Arnebeck to the senators...

It kicks proverbial ass! Go team!

[buddysmellgood]

9. www.nov3.us

[roseBudd]

11. And I will continue to glue BUSH CHEATED to horizontal surfaces...

everywhere I go!

With a can of 3M Super 77 spray adhesive and a trip to kinkos, you can be the media...


go to http://bushcheated.50megs.com/main.html to download high res files to print

[moggie12]

17. Yeah, but

If your goal is to REALLY HURT the con artists of the GOP, the best way to do it is to kick them where it hurts: Get a real election reform bill passed by Congress.

This is just my opinion obviously, but I think the word "fraud" shouldn't even be used as the Dems try to get this legislation!!! I think it plays into the GOP's hands: They are masters at doing everything they can to "marginalize" and "stereotype" us. Election reform can and should be a non-partisan issue. We will win it if we frame it that way and don't let GOP RW's and the Fox slimeballs frame it as "sour grapes" over '00 and '04.

I know, I know, it's galling. BUT I WANT TO WIN THIS ONE. Victory is the best revenge!!

I will shut up now. Thanks for responding to the post. I admire you for putting your wallet where your mouth is!!

[roseBudd]

21. The BUSH CHEATED graphic is to inform the Kerry suppporters

who have no idea because they don't frequent lefty web sites. It is really for the choir and the placement, urban areas which are already graffiti laden are frequented by mostly Kerry supporters. The bystanders who see me doing it have no idea what is going on, and we really need to let them know. We also need to bring the young African Americans out to protest as we cannot expect all these over 60 years old civil rights figures to continue to do all the heavy lifting.

The other part of BUSH CHEATED and the very strong use of words like fraud is that it denigrates and mocks Bush. This is very important. Also you have to shape your message according to it's targeted audience. It also falls into the category of 100 words or less messaging that dems are really bad at.

[calimary]

22. And I will continue to leaflet every parked car I see with a bush/cheney

or pro-bush or a "w04" bumper sticker on it:

Dear friend and fellow American:

I know how much you support President Bush and the war effort in Iraq. But I noticed that you haven’t signed up to fight yet. It might be because you are too busy, or maybe you just didn’t know how easy it is to join! I know you probably feel guilty about sending other young men and women off to die in your place, so I am sure you’ll take this opportunity to do the right thing:

Sign up for a tour or two in Iraq today!

You will enable some poor soldier who’s stuck there, exhausted, scared, isolated, frustrated, thirsty, poorly supplied, insufficiently armored, under constant threat, lied to about why he’s there and when he’s going to be released, and yearning to come home – to do just that: come home!

What could possibly be more patriotic?

What better way could there be to prove your devotion to President Bush?

“…And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the U.S.A.”

Below are the links you can use to sign up to join any branch of the armed forces!

http://www.airforce.com/contact/locator_fr.htm
http://www.navy.com
http://www.marines.com/request/contact_recruiter_request.asp
http://www.goarmy.com/contact/find_a_recruiter.jsp
http://www.gocoastguard.com/offices/recindex.htm
http://www.dior.whs.mil/forms/DD0004.pdf

Line Up!
Sign up!
Today!

It's printed up, centered on the page. I got most of the copy from a flyer I found on the internet, I think actually from HERE on DU via a link provided by a kind DUer whose name I idiotically don't remember. Nor do I remember the link. But here it is, reproduced. I added only the second large paragraph. Everything else is copied from the original.

Won't be leafleting today - counterproductive. It's raining in L.A. But I keep a coupla hundred in my trunk for when the sun shines...

[InvisibleBallots]

18. go Boxer!

Finally a Democrat with a spine.

[moggie12]

19. Yeah, exactly, and lets encourage the others by helping her!!

Yes, exactly, Boxer's got a spine and I want the other Dems to grow ones! The best way to do with is help Boxer out and not let election reform slide off the table. Some DUer's see the glass half-empty, I see it half-full. I'll take what I can get and run with it. A grass-roots effort to build on what Boxer started is the best way to ensure that her courageous action isn't the last gasp of democracy. SUPPORT BOXER! SUPPORT BOXER! ORGANIZE! GET ELECTION REFORM FRONT-AND-CENTER. HELP THIS GREAT WOMAN!!

Am I on a soapbox or what?

[Kelvin Mace]

20. May I respectfully request you read this proposal

for future actions:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2923295

David Allen
Publisher, CEO, Janitor
Plan Nine Publishing
1237 Elon Place
High Point, NC 27263
www.plan9.org
www.blackboxvoting.com
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[moggie12]

24. That was good stuff, can you elaborate, please ?

That excerpted text in your DU post made a LOT of sense. I read it to be saying:

1) Concentrated effort on one issue at a time is the way to achieve the success of your overall agenda.
2) There's so many issues out there at any given time that the power of the liberal "blogosphere" gets diffused and, therefore, is less effective than it could be.
3) Hence, if the liberal "blogosphere" concentrated on one issue at a time, it would be more effective.

May I ask, have I summarized your text correctly??

Also, did you send that to me "in support" of my argument that we need to focus our efforts right now on election reform?? (Or am I reading my own thoughts into your reply?)

(Oh, please. please say that's why you sent it to me.)

[Kelvin Mace]

25. Yes,

The issue you brought up is exactly the kind of issue I am talking about. You summarized me correctly.

They liberal blogsphere has millions of readers, and if we could tap into a hard core fraction of that (say 10,000) and focus them on an issue, the results would be very effective. A lawmaker getting thousands of calls, FAXes, emails a *day* will cave in short order. He may hold out for a short time, but we will keep poring on the people until he gets the message.

I would like to design the system so that the response grows daily. You don't throw everything at them from day one, you hit them hard the first day and keep increasing the onslaught each day.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

[moggie12]

28. Thanks for getting back to me, very useful...

Thanks so much for sending that original info and responding to my question. I mentioned your concept in a follow-up post, "Is DU letting Barbara Boxer down." I probably buried it too far down in the post, though -- nobody's commented on that aspect yet. I think you hit the nail on the head with what you said. It's so hard to focus on one thing when there are so many pressing issues. Coordination is needed but, boy, is that hard to do...

[Kelvin Mace]

29. Which is why I suggest a site

like that. It becomes teh coordinating site for the people who wish to join.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org

The taste of Republican butt does not improve with age.

"The NeoCons can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They do not feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And they absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

[calimary]

23. Kick!

[proud patriot]

26. Bookmarking

thanks

[sarahlee]

27. Good Job

Thanks!

[moggie12]

30. Shameless self-kicking for a purpose

Please, if you haven't already, get involved in helping achieve election reform. Support Boxer and other Dems who took a stand. (See link #4, in particular, where a DUer asked people to send Boxer and Tubbs postcards of support (regular letters take too long to go through security process...)

Thanks....