"Vote For the Crook-- It's Important"

[Jacobin]

Bear with me for a minute on this thing. Nader is going to be a problem...we just have to face it. Being in denial is not going to help. We cannot allow another 2000 coup to happen with the help of Nader.

There are a number of people who don't want Smirk at all, but who truly dislike Kerry for any number of reasons. They can't bring themselves to vote for Kerry and are therefore going to vote for Nader. Count on it.

A similar problem existed in the governor's race in Louisiana in 1991, and was dealt with in what I consider to be a fairly clever, and, as it turns out, successful way

In 1991 Edwin Edwards was running for another term as Governor of Louisiana. Because of the screwed up primary system here, David Duke (the self-avowed nazi (not in quotes) and Klansman) forced a run-off for governor. Edwards (a Dem) had done some good things, but he was basically open about being corrupt, had been tried a couple of times for it.

However, when faced with the prospect of the potential of having an avowed nazi as governor and a crook, people got together (even staunch opponents of Edwards) and started a TV ad and bumper sticker campaign, which was:

"Vote For the Crook--It's Important"

Duke was defeated (thank god)by people voting for Edwards who would NEVER have voted for him but for the problem with the naziboy.

The similarity here I think is relevant. If we can somehow convince those who don't like Bush and just hate the idea of voting for Kerry to vote for Kerry with a similar slogan, I think we might get some traction.

Any ideas for such a bumper sticker/slogan?

"Vote for the Liberal--It's Important"?

(Please don't misinterpret this as a slam on Kerry. I'm talking about a campaign for parts of the country where voting for a "librul frum MA" is viewed as quite a departure from civilized behavior. I'm talking about a campaign that will convince those who have lost jobs, don't like the war, don't like Smirk, but are too uptight to vote for Kerry to do so anyway)

[Ysabel]

1. the easiest way...

to get me to do something is to ask me to...

i still might not do some particular thing or another but it is more likely that i might...

the hardest way to get me to do some particular thing or another is to tell me to...

instant turn off in most cases...

unless i really really really care to please the particular person who is doing the telling...

------------------------

p.s. or else if i already was planning on doing a particular thing anyway - although telling me to may just inspire me to temporarily change my mind out of sheer stubborness - thinking - if this person wants to mess with my head then maybe i'll mess back...

[Jacobin]

3. I don't think it was perceived as "messing with anyone's head"

The idea was to make people think. That is, it's more important to vote for someone whom you may despise in order to keep someone who is systematically destroying your country from getting elected.

I think there are parallels. No "trickery" involved at all. Just a way to hopefully let people know that we are dealing with godawful consequences if the moron is re-elected, and that it is more important to hold your nose and vote for someone you really dislike than to allow someone who will benefit by a Nader vote to finish destroying our country. It also "honors" the feelings of those who dislike Kerry, but wouldn't otherwise vote for him.

[tandot]

5. I think Nader voter are aware of the price we all pay if they vote for him

I can't imagine any Nader supporter not getting it. I'll try my best to talk to people. But if they are dead set on voting for Nader, there is nothing more I can do. I still don't think that he'll have a great impact on the election. The (right-wing) media is just blowing the whole thing out of proportion to scare us democrats.

[Jane Austin]

13. Spend your time

on something more positive. Like registering and getting to the polls some of the millions of people who haven't voted before.

There are plenty of quiet, hard-working people out there who just don't feel a part of the electoral process.

It's easier to convince them that they are than it would be to dissuade a Nader partisan.

[Ysabel]

8. make people...

or ask people...

you and i think differently...

[tandot]

2. Nader voter will be smart enough

to make a decision. A friend of mine is a huge Nader supporter but said that she'd vote for Kerry just so Bush will be defeated. She doesn't like Kerry or the Democratic Party but the future of her country is more important than sending a message.

For those who still think this is the time to send a message by voting for Nader, they have to live with their decision if Bush gets re-elected. I guess those people weren't too affected by Bush's policies in the first place and can afford 4 more years. And some of them might not care what's happening to the poor.

[rock]

4. I deny it

Being in denial doesn't mean I'm not right. I think Nader is going to pull off more bush votes.

[Jacobin]

6. Then how do you explain the polls?

The ones I've seen show a direct loss of votes for Kerry.

What am I missing?

On edit, a poll:

Poll: Kerry, Bush tied in Pennsylvania
by Peter Jackson -- Associated Press
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
--
HARRISBURG, Pa. - (...) In the three-way race, Republican Bush is supported by 44 percent of the state's voters, compared with 40 percent for Democrat Kerry and 7 percent for Nader, who is running as an independent, according to the poll by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. Eight percent were undecided.
Without Nader in the race, Kerry and Bush would be running even - with 45 percent and 44 percent respectively - and 7 percent of the voters were undecided, the poll found. (...)
Still, the significance of the horse-race numbers was tempered by a finding that, overall, 24 percent of the respondents said they might change their minds before Election Day. (...)

On issues, 36 percent of the respondents said Bush's economic policies have hurt Pennsylvania, 34 percent said they have had no effect and 19 percent say they have been helpful. Forty-seven percent said they were very or somewhat concerned they or a family member might lose their job this year.
Fifty-two percent of the respondents said going to war in Iraq was the "right thing" to do, and 39 percent said it was wrong. Support for the war varied with political affiliation - 77 percent of Republicans, 48 percent of independents and only 28 percent of Democrats.
The institute surveyed 1,022 registered Pennsylvania voters by telephone between March 9 and March 15. The sampling error margin for the survey is plus or minus three percentage points.

[tandot]

7. I don't trust polls too much, especially that early

we have 8 more month to go. I think most Nader supporter would like to make a point so their voices are heard. Come voting day, most of them will vote what for what is best for this country.

I think we all should do our best to make sure that Bush gets re-defeated. I don't want to be stressed out for the next 8 month over every new poll they bring. If the polls are the same in September or October I'll change my strategy.

[kayleybeth]

9. For this election,

I'm thinking maybe a better slogan would be this re-worded oldie from Barry Goldwater:

Kerry for President. Bush for King.

Actually, I had one of the "Vote For the Crook" bumper stickers on my car back in '91. I voted for Edwin Edwards even though I couldn't stand him and I had supported Sam Jones in the primary.

The "Vote For the Crook" campaign was clever, but I don't think it in itself swayed too many people. I think it was more the black community getting out and voting in numbers. I helped register voters that fall... there were many, many, many blacks-- some of them quite elderly-- who were voting for the first time in their lives. They were not about to stand by and let a white supremacist (who happened to be a state senator at the time) become their governor. They were energized. That's what did it, IMO.

Edwards later "repaid" the black community by refusing to grant a stay of execution to a mentally retarded, schizophrenic black man on death row (Robert Wayne Sawyer, may he rest in peace), but's that's another story.

To get back to the point, I don't think the people who are planning to vote for Nader are sway-able. If they don't see a difference between Democrats and Repukes by now, well... they are probably beyond our reach altogether.

That said, I think Nader won't be much of a problem in that we can neutralize his impact by simply getting out the vote, especially among minorities. I'm not so much concerned about the Nader factor as I am about the disenchanted minority voters who feel abandoned (and rightly so, in many cases) by the Democratic party. They are a much larger constituency than the Nader voters and they are more likely to stay home in November if Kerry can't manage to energize them in numbers.

It's going to be a tricky balancing act, but equality and inclusion should figure prominently alongside national security and fiscal responsibility in Kerry's platform. If Dems can get out the vote among minorities, the elderly, the disabled, the poor and vulnerable, Nader will not be a factor, Kerry will win, and Smirk knows it. Of course we also need to make sure that they are actually allowed to vote, and that their votes are actually counted. The GOP machine is going to do everything in their power to keep those folks away from the polls on election day. And we need to do everything in our power to prevent a repeat of the 2000 coup.

Just my .02.

Kayeleigh

[Jacobin]

10. I see what you are saying

I know a few Nader voters though, who are not dyed in the wool, principled, progressive, studied voters who know for certain that they want Nader. They just don't like Smirk and think Kerry is an arrogant a-hole who isn't much different and that there is no harm in a Smirk vote. They are just knee jerk voters. I don't know how common that is as my experience obviously is only anecdotal.

I was just hoping that (in some parts of the country at least) there could be some message that would make people stop and think who may not otherwise be aware of how completely screwed up Smirk's policies are (because of the complicit media), and who in frustration throw their vote away, not realizing how serious the consequences will be.

Anyway, your point about getting out the vote is very important. I know the RW is doing the same thing, and any edge we can get could make the difference.

[info being]

11. "Vote for the lesser of two evils"

That's the best endorsement I can muster for Kerry and it actually seems to resonate.

I'll add that the least effective approach is "A vote for Nader = a vote for Bush." The arrogance and tone of that statement makes me want to cast a protest vote for Nader. If you want someone's vote, you have to reach out to them in an honest way.

[Mairead]

12. "Vote for the lesser evil one last time--it might be important"

would be the best I could do, if I were up to it.

the 'vote for Nader = vote for Bush' is soooo simplistic and outrageously 'you're either with The President or against Freedom' sickening that it might even turn over the stomachs of the walking catatonic.

[Jacobin]

14. what can I say

only that a lot of us are trying really hard to help get bush out of the WH. (I personally would like to strangle Kerry with my bare hands for his IWR bullshit and even WORSE his pathetic attempts to justify it, but that's just me)

those who won't be persuaded otherwise and want bush to stay are free to do so. we will all have to live with that.