So last night I set out organizing a meeting of local community democrats to sit down and talk about local issues, national issues, the upcoming elections, and how we want to try to organize. So far the response has been minimal. That's ok though! I'm not giving up yet, I promise this much. I am the currently the communications director for the Shippensburg University chapter of College Democrats. This morning I spoke with the president of the group and he let me know we're planning on having a health care rally next week! Very exciting stuff. We'll be meeting this weekend to workout the details and paint some banners. We're going to search for some information to print and make plenty of copies to hand out. I plan to tell the students to e-mail and write their senators and representatives to say we want healthcare reform now! Should be an exciting event.
-Joshua
On November 4th we send a message that "Our ability to come together as a nation in difficult times has never been more important" Barack Obama. Now we must continue to send our message to Washington DC. Lets show America how our ability to come together is stronger than our differences.I know that together we can help resolve our country. Please come out and show your support . Let your voice be heard. If you can not attend the meetings...
YOU can help restore confidence in our nation by making sure your friends, family, and neighbors attend our meeting and learn how the recovery plan will impact our community.
Our President Barack Obama can not make the Changes we need for our Country without YOUR help.
rootscampPittsburgh
What is RootsCampPittsburgh?RootsCamps are participant driven events or forums, using the "unconference" or "open space" format that is born from the desire for activists, organizers, leaders and politicians in the progressive sphere to share and learn in a productive, fast-paced, open environment.
Think of it as a cross between an election debrief and grassroots organizing skills share. The progressive community — everyone from the "netroots" to precinct captains to field organizers to national message consultants — come together to share successes, failures, impart old wisdom and new discoveries.
Find out more about RootsCampPittsburgh at http://rootscamppittsburgh2009.pbwiki.com
When is RootsCampPittsburgh?RootsCamp will be held at the United Steelworkers Building, 5 Gateway Center in Pittsburgh on January 24, 2009.
Who should come to RootsCamp?RootsCamp will be for anyone who played a role in the 2008 elections and/or working in progressive politics. As fellow organizers, we'll be meeting each other, reuniting with team members, discussing the innovations and challenges from this cycle, and most importantly, celebrating!
RootsCamp 2009 will bring together the best and brightest organizers that were engaged in 2008 campaigns, including staff and volunteers from:
Presidential CampaignsDown ballot racesLaborNon-partisan GOTV and voter registration operationsOnline organizationsAdvocacy organizationsTech supportBlogs and other mediaMedia, message, polling and targeting consultants
· Share stories and knowledge with each other from all over Pennsylvania, especially the western part of the state.
· Teach others from the progressive movement what you did and how you did it. Brainstorm ways that the methods you practiced can be exported to unions, advocacy organizations and community organizations.
· Strategize about how to help progressive institutions to sustain what you've started.
To find out more about RootsCampPittsburgh or to register, go to: http://rootscamppittsburgh2009.pbwiki.com
The story of the campaign and this historic moment has been your story. Share your story and your ideas, and be part of bringing positive lasting change to this country.
After 22 months of campaigning, volunteering, phone banking and donations, we have just about reached election day.
I encourage each of you to call that one last friend, talk to your neighbor, make sure your friends and co-workers have a ride to the polls tomorrow. We have all worked too hard to not make this final push to ensure we can celebrate tomorrow night.
The deal is not closed yet. Lets seal the deal like Barack has asked by giving one big last push.
YES WE CAN!
Since 1900, the S&P 500 has increased more under Democratic presidents than under Republican ones (12.3% vs. 8%).
Since 1930, GDP has grown more under Democratic presidents than under Republicans (5.4% vs. 1.6%).
Most of the 20th century bear markets have occurred during Republican administrations.
From 1948 to 2008, income inequality has increased during Republican administrations and declined during Democratic administrations. In other words, when a Republican is in the White House, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Republican presidents do top the Democrats in one category—increasing the national debt, which is growing at a rate of three billion dollars each day.
Under Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, the national debt ballooned, setting new records in each administration. Bill Clinton left office with a surplus. The new president will inherit a ten trillion dollar debt.
So why do people think Republicans handle money well?
My husband, a lifelong registered Democrat, got a fundraising letter from Sarah Palin yesterday! Some of the comments in the letter are so twisted (no surprise!), I thought I'd share them:
"We Republicans reject the Democrats' fearful and pessimistic mentality...The vast majority of the American people agree with our confident, optimistic view..."
"The Obama-Biden Democrats and their allies are set to raise over $1 billion to relentlessly flood America's airwaves with their negative and false attacks..."
"Please help provide the resources we need to battle back against the Democrats and their same old tired-and-failed policies of the past..."
And the kicker...
"P.S. As we enter the home stretch of our campaign, we must cut through the false claims and fearful rhetoric of the Obama-Biden Democrats..."
Yes, you read that correctly. Sarah Palin is accusing Democrats of false claims and fearful rhetoric. I would laugh out loud if I weren't afraid that some people are going to believe her. Needless to say, we are returning the fundraising envelope (let them eat the postage) with a personal note:
Dear Sarah,
Thanks, but no thanks.
With less than a month until the election, McCain couldn't perform in his last debate, is lagging in the polls, is out of fresh ideas, and is getting more desperate by the minute. So, what does he do? The tried and true Republican strategy--Go Negative! Smear your opponent! Scare the voters! Divide the populace! He can't win on the issues, so he tries to divert the public's attention by stoking anger and fear. We need a leader, not a demagogue. We need a President who inspires the best in us, not the worst. We need Barack Obama.
So, PLEASE, please, do whatever you can to ensure that Barack Obama wins this election. You don't want to sit there and do nothing and then regret it in January when the new President is inaugurated. Talk to your friends, donate a little money (even $25 can help!), put a sign in your yard and a bumper sticker on your car, go door to door, help register new voters, phone some undecided voters, drive people to the polls--GET INVOLVED!
If Barack Obama wins on November 4, we all win.
Was anyone else disappointed in the VP debate last night? Not at Senator Biden's performance--I thought he was terrific. He was knowledgeable, confident, respectful, assertive, and everything you would hope to see in a VP candidate. He clearly UNDERSTOOD the questions and the facts, and communicated his knowledge to the audience. He demonstrated authority, a commanding presence, and likeability. HOWEVER, I was hoping for more blatant Sarah Palin gaffes. I was looking for some entertainment. I needed more chuckles. I wanted to see her babble, with her Bush-like command of syntax, or stumble, bumble and fumble her way through like she did with Katie Couric. Don't get me wrong--I thought her performance was abysmal, but it wasn't as amusing as I thought it would be. Her smiling, winking, pointing, smug mannerisms were there--annoying as ever. She talked and talked without saying anything of substance. Yet she seemed quite proud of herself. She reminded me of a high school student who crams for a test and is able to regurgitate a large amount of information without an understanding of its significance or connection to other concepts.
I was also disappointed with Gwen Ifill. How many times did Sarah Palin NOT answer the question? (Most of the time). And how many times did Ifill redirect? (Not at all). Why did she let Palin get away with answers that were completely unrelated to the question asked?
How could anyone watch that debate and say, yes, Sarah Palin could be president of the United States? And what does that tell us about John McCain's judgement?
PA Women for Obama Invite You to CHANGE ROCKS A Very Special Acoustic Appearance By: Bruce Springsteen Saturday October 4th, 2008 Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 20th and 22nd Streets Philadelphia, PA Gates open: 2:00 p.m. Program starts: 3:30 p.m. FREE AND OPEN TO PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENTS & STUDENTS For ticket info, visit: http://PA.barackobama.com/Springsteen
So there was some good news today. In the latest Quinnepec polls, Obama has opened up significant leads in the battlegrounds states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.
BUT....
We must not let this alter our work efforts. We must continue on like we are 10 points down and be sure EVERYONE makes it to the polls on November 4.
This is the last weekend to get folks registered to vote in many places. Make sure all your friends and family have absentee ballets if they need them, and are up to date on voter registrations if they have moved.
Lets not forget our mission we were given at the onset of this election. We will not give up a single vote, or a single precint. Lets make this work!
I don't put much stock in these polls you see on television--especially the ones showing McCain/Palin leading Obama. And I really don't believe that many Democratic women have switched sides because of Sarah Palin. I don't know who is being polled or how accurate the polls are, but two encouraging comments recently offered support for this belief. One was a question from a neighbor, a "middle aged white woman" (aka anti-Obama demographic) who is also a registered Republican. Upon seeing the Obama sign in my yard, she asked, "Do you think we'll win the election?" and proceeded to voice her support for Obama. The second incident took place at work. Shortly after entering the office from the parking lot, where she must have seen me in my car, another "middle aged white woman" told me she liked my bumper sticker, which reads "Women for Obama."
These may seem like two insignificant conversations, but I believe that there are millions more like us, some perhaps only supporting Obama privately because they've never been involved in politics and aren't sure how to start. I'd love to see a surge in political activism, not just among young voters, but among all who believe strongly in the cause and are tired of seeing our country taken over by the loud, self-righteous, self-serving, right-wing minority.
Up with the yard signs and on with the bumper stickers! Talk to your friends and neighbors; let people know you support Barack and tell them why. Let's win back the White House and take back our country!
What a wonderful feeling to know someone has been encouraged by this campaign! I just made a matching donation for a new donor.
I challenge you to do the same. If even just $5. We have only begun to show the world that lobbyist and big government will not run this country. Its time we stand up.
Its also time to volunteer. In as little as 1 hour a week, you can write 4 or 5 letters to undecided voters to share your hope and reasons for supporting Barack and Joe. This may be all it takes to change their minds. There are many offices around and there are online tools to help as well. You dont even have to leave your house.
Lets finish this campaign stronger then ever!
Ignore my former blog info. I will be in Chambersburg PA Oct. 8-31 & wish to volunteer for Obama. Don't send me out for locals as I won't know them! Please let me know how, when & where to volunteer. Don't send info too early as I don't want to clog my emailbox while I'm volunteering as nurse in Honduras. gracias!
We know that this phrase was the mantra of Bill Clinton's presidential campaign, and it carried him to victory. The Obama campaign needs to focus on the economy, attack McCain's ignorance on these issues, clarify Barack's plans, ignore Sarah Palin, and stay on message. Get off the defensive, and go on the offensive. Are we better off now than we were 8 years ago? What will John McCain do to help the average American that is different from what George Bush has done? Who really understands the problems of the middle class families? How can we say the economy is strong when people are losing their homes? The Republican administration's policies of deregulation have led to our current situation. Supply side economics doesn't work--we learned that in the 1980's! We need something different--we need Barack Obama.
Sarah Palin tells us (over and over and over) that she told Congress "Thanks but no thanks" for that bridge to nowhere. Anyone who reads a newspaper or watches a news show now knows that this is a blatant distortion of reality. The GOP's most effective strategy has been repeating these kinds of distortions, inaccuracies, untruths, propaganda, (whatever you want to call it) over and over and over, proving the old aphorism that if you tell a lie often enough people will think it's true.
Fortunately, we still have a free press in American, and some reporters have been trying to tell the real story. If only we can get people to listen...
As for this writer, I have no intention of supporting a candidate simply because of her XX chromosomes. Palin's views are even farther from my own than McCain's are. So, thanks, Governor Palin, but no thanks. I'm voting Obama/Biden.
