I would like to wish everyone in Ozaukee County a very Happy New Year! As a small business owner and mother of a first-grader, the Presidential inauguration represents for me the dawn of hope for the future--for our beloved family business struggling with rising costs and diminished sales, our great country, and our sacred planet. I would like to invite everyone, particularly teachers and parents of young children--to please join in this historic inaugural celebration by participating in some kind of service to the community, in the days leading up to the Inauguration and beyond. Perhaps you could attend and participate more than usual in services at your church, help a friend or neighbor in need, contribute time or talent to your favorite charity, buy one of those bags of food for the needy at the grocery store, or choose to shop at your local store rather than big chains or online. Every little bit helps.
Change can start in every neighborhood across the country one household at a time. I believe in the neighbor movement and created NeighborPal.com to support it.
NeighborPal.com supports households who share the same street block, apartment building or subdivsion, and want an easier way to connect and exchange neighborly information.
Two months ago I put an Obama sign in my yard. Many of my previously friendly neighbors became not so friendly.
It first started with two other neighbors putting up multiple McCain signs which is fine of course it is their right. One of these neighbors initially faced her signs at my front door rather than the street. Odd, but whatever, right?
Other neighbors were more subtle. Not waving back as they used to, dirty looks, you get the idea.
Then the emails started. The one neighbor with the signs facing my house started emailing me all the bogus lies about Obama as if fact and told me to listen to Glen Beck among other things. At first I would research each comment and send her the link that debunked her comments. The emails kept coming so I started to just address the non-political topics brought up.
The emails stopped for a short while and then today I got an email about Ashley Todd and other issues. The email was quite long and to be honest I didn't read it all. I emailed a link showing Todd had confessed to making it all up and expressed my hope she get the help she needs. That was just a few minutes ago.
Last Sunday I woke to find my Obama yard sign gone and another damaged. My fiance and I promptly donated $200 to the campaign and made a new sign saying, "someone stole our Obama sign so we donated $200 to the campaign. Obama for President." I doubt this neighbor did it. In fact another neighbor told me he saw the theft late Saturday night by someone in a black Jeep Liberty. I made a police report and called back today to give them the additional info but they haven't called back. Frankly I'm supprised the sign lasted as long as it did in this bloody red state (KS). In '92 my Clinton sign, the only other sign I have ever planted in my yard, lasted only three days.
Today we advance voted and the place was hopping! Now I park my vehicles in the garage. I will probably remove my Obama sticker on election day. It could get ugly around here.
Because of my support of Obama I have lost two 'friends' (and some squirrelly neighbors) but met two new wonderful friends. I'd say it was a good trade!
Namaste.
Barack says in his speeches, ads, and i even found it on the script of my neighbor-to-neighbor walklist, that in order for change to truly take place we all have to want it to. I hope that "Turning off the TV" goes beyond rhetoric and hyperbole this time around.
Barack has done alot to energize a great many of us, and my hope is that if he is elected our energy does not dwindle back into complacency and that we don't rely on Washington to bring us all the change we need. In doing neighbor-to-neighbor canvassing, while i may only be able to dedicated four or five hours a week to it, i have relearned why volunteering is so crucial to the spirit of our country.
When did the word “Liberal” become a dirty word? I read articles in Letters to the Editor, and some people seem to think that merely labeling Obama as a “Liberal” ( insert shudder and gasps) is enough to make people not vote for him.
Well, I am a Liberal, I lean further toward things Liberals stand for: the common man, the American worker, labor unions’ right to exist, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, voting rights, and civil rights. The right of every person to be shown respect as a human being regardless of race, sexual orientation or religion. I believe in the individual’s right to decide how to live their life and what to do with their own body in their own privacy, and the right to access to medical and health care benefits, as do Liberals. I, as a Liberal, believe after working for 30 or 40 years and paying into a pension or 401K you have the right to collect a retirement. Liberals believe in fair taxes and expect fair taxes on the wealthy as well as the poor. We believe people don’t mind tax increases as long as they benefit all citizens and not just the top 10% of the wealthiest individuals and corporations. We believe tax cuts should be used judiciously and not just to win an election, but consider the current state of the country’s economy.
Liberals, myself included, believe in the right to voice an opinion, without fear of reprisal. We anticipate the hope to live in peace and not fear. We support policies that do not weigh our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren with our irresponsible fiscal policies and lack of oversight, putting them deeper and deeper into debt. We value the opportunity to make a living wage, and being able to walk down the street without the fear of being shot.
Liberals espouse recognition of the value of education in our country and backing up that recognition by funding education for every child in America, as well as recognition of the value of our elderly and our obligations to our elders. Liberals talk about being willing to stop the discarding of the elderly into homes unfit for any human being, or relegate them to poverty and illness at the end of productive lives based on the mighty dollar. Liberals believe in the right to health care that does not force a choice between bankruptcy and medical care. The examples are legion, but if you want to know, talk to your neighbor.
The values Liberals hold I hold: love your neighbor as yourself, choose peace over war whenever possible, hold life (every life) in the highest esteem, empathy, understanding, trust, individual rights, and the respect for the opinions of others. None of us are less, for we are all intertwined and rooted in the same tree. That tree is the Tree of America, and it stands on the Planet Earth. Therefore, we Liberals think globally, trying to work with, rather than against our neighbors. Last of all, Liberals think for themselves and do not believe everything said to them from the pulpit or the soapbox. Instead they look for truth. As individuals we are not perfect, but we are not ashamed of our label either. I am proud to call myself a Liberal.
For Barack Obama's beliefs and stands on the issues see http://www.barackobama.com/issues/.
VOTE FOR CHANGE!! VOTE FOR A NEW AMERICA!! VOTE FOR AMERICAN VALUES! VOTE FOR OBAMA!!!
I just spent an hour calling 'my neighbors' about their decision in the upcoming election.
With the exception of one person they were all cordial and willing to talk- many are looking for the change that Barok will bring.
I was surprised at how many though are still undecided. Many are former Clinton supporters who are not yet fully convinced- but most are negative toward McCain's recent personal attacks and many others don't like Palin.
Feel free to add your experiences- the hour goes fast talking with people!
Will
Our next door neighbors are very nice people. They're our landlords so I'm grateful for how nice they really are.
At the same time, they're very scared people. Scared of all the people who don't look like them moving into our neighborhood. Scared of the kids dressed like fashionable thugsters who don't have enough to do with their spare time. Scared of sending their child to public schools with the thugsters. Nice, scared, Christian folk. McCain folk.
I know they're scared, because they tell me they are. They're scared of property values dropping, and scared of taxes going up. They're scared that if Obama becomes president, their priviledged way of life will suffer (have I got news for them....)
They're voting for McCain because he looks like them and speaks a language they understand. They don't listen to what Obama has to say because he doesn't look like them, and they've been convinced that 'everyone in politics lies' except Rush and Mr. Straight-Talk.
So, that's my neighbors. Let's call them Stan and Betty (not their real names). I talked to Betty yesterday about the videos and tapes coming out documenting truly nauseating hatefulness and will-to-violence among the crowd at Palin rallies.
She (rightly) pointed out the possibility of agents provocateurs, and that there is a wide spectrum associated with both parties. But Betty said she was certain that Palin would never encourage or foment such behavior. I asked why, then, did McCain and Palin not disavow and discourage supporters making remarks like, "Kill him!" and "Traitor!" and "Terrorist!"
She said that McCain and Palin didn't have a lot of control over the sorts of people who voted for them, and said there were some radicals associated with the Democratic Party as well.
I begged to differ. I pointed out politely that the Dem party was well to the right of anything at all radical - the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Green Party, and the Naderites (whatever they're calling themselves) were all left of the Dems, and that Obama knew better than to count on any support from those folks.
I reminded her that I was, myself, well to the left of a candidate who wasn't mandating Single-Payer Health Care, a Living Wage, and who voted for that Bailout and money to continue the war in Iraq. I reminded her that she's not scared of me or my hubby, radical though we might look to Senator Obama.
And there we stood.
She didn't want to have anything to do with the nasty people yelling hate speech, and neither did I. The fact that these are the people McCain and Palin are playing to in their stump speeches makes both of us queasy. We may not vote the same way, but we have this in common.
Senator McCain, Governor Palin, is this really your constituency? And if not, why is your campaign defending their putrescent bile?
"Barack Obama's attacks on Americans who support John McCain reveal far more about him than they do about John McCain. It is clear that Barack Obama just doesn't understand regular people and the issues they care about. He dismisses hardworking middle class Americans as clinging to guns and religion, while at the same time attacking average Americans at McCain rallies who are angry at Washington, Wall Street and the status quo," reads a statement from spokesman Brian Rogers.
Careful you don't cultivate the constituency from hell at the expense of the real McCain Folk.
You are amoral unethical cowardly greedy heartless capitalists! You got yourselves into this mess so why should little America get you out of it? You haven't answered the question yet. You hid behind the President's pant leg begging like a college kid for mummy to send you money because you wrecklessly spent what she sent you last month. You are nothing but snobbish spoiled high brow kids who haven't grown up yet and expect everyone to pay their way in life. You used the average consumer duping them into purchasing homes that you FULL well knew that they couldn't afford! You went to college for financial educations, not the average citizen, so it was up to you to be responsible and make sure those people knew what your dealings with them were. In truth you hoped and prayed that they wouldn't understand so that you could feed off of them like a hyena feeds off the weak prey! No one has mercy or compassion for you now and why should they!
You need to be taught a true lesson and pay the price for your own folly! No one of us average people in the U.S. could give a crap that you got yourselves in this mess. We don't want to bail you out! We paid taxes but you didn't! We don't earn over a billion a year but you do! We don't own multiple homes, multiple cars, private jets, private cruise ships. We don't have excessive savings squirrled away like you do. Why don't you do what the rest of us do and give up everything you have to save your own butt! Isn't that what you expected each and every home owner to do when you forclosed on them? If you died tomorrow no one in the United States would mourn you except for your rich mummies, daddies and possibly your Country Club friends! As for the rest of us in the U.S. we loathe you, we are sickened by your deplorable amorality and greed and we don't feel any sorrow or mercy for you! Some of us are not hear to even speak to you because under the strain of losing everything they committed suicide out of the hopeless dispair in losing their lifelong family homes that you convinced them to refinance without warning them of possible downfalls because you were GREEDY!
In the end, we should all revolt against you and Washington D.C. and demand that you get NOTHING from any U.S. citizen as you gave us NOTHING when we needed your help! Thanks for nothing and may you rot in your filthy mire and live with the guild every day of the rest of your hopefully shortened greedy life knowing that America HATES you and could care less if you are in trouble now! There are good neighbors who reach out with loving hands to meet the needs of their community, but you are not a part of the American community and you don't deserve our support or help! Shame on all of you for even suggesting that we Bail you out! You are the most disgusting lowly bunch of losers that I think I've ever known of! Shame on Bush for supporting you and expecting us to foot your foolhearty disaster!
I was a little nervous to do my first round of canvasing. I went down to HQ and checked in with my field organizer Cathy (We're on Team 25). She helped me to map out my turff in the Vote Builder software and zone my neighborhood into three chunks. It was a quick and fun process to see who would end up on the list and who I already knew!
After promising myself that I would get out there all weekend long, it cam down to Sunday night. I knew that I two hours that I could dedicate to the project while Melissa my daughter was at AWANA at our church. After dropping her off, I felt a little sense of anxiety, but I had a plan. I was going to go home, grab my supplies, put my son in a stroller and just walk my normal route and hit the neighbors on the list.
I floundered at home for a little while debating if it was too chilly to drag the baby around the neighborhood and eventually, my hubby urged me just to get out there and do it.
I chose to start off with my neighbor Jamie as my first "test" door so I could get some practice. I rang the door bell and put ob my Campaign for Change Game Face. As I introduced myself and proceeded to read the lite script provided, I figured that I might need a little more practice. Thankfully, Jamie laughed at me of course and then in a very sweet way, offered to come out and help me.
Jamie pushed the baby in the stroller as I went up to the doors of my unsuspecting neighbors and knocked hoping to greet them with my Campaign for Change Literature, Voter Registration Sheets and my checklist.
The first few neighbors were still undecided, so I cheerfully wrote down their status and moved along. Once we got the first few out of the way, it started to feel FUN. When we got to neighbors that supported Obama, it was like greeting a member of the family. I even high fived a neighbor I've NEVER met before when he told me that he and his wife were already volunteering!What a wonderful sense of untiy.
The best part of the canvas was that I got to meet new neighbors that I hadn't reached out to yet and I found that there are a TON of neighbors who have kids that are the same age as my kiddos! I can see some future Playdates on the horizon!
One particular neighbor stood out in my mind and I am still reflecting on it as I write. He told me Thank you for being about who I support and for getting out there and doing something about it. That was my WOW moment and I am still running it over and over in my head.
There is a sense of unity out there and it is growing. We all have a common ground in the fact that we want the America that Barack Obama is visualizing. To be able to get together as Americans and share the same concerns is a beautiful thing.
I have two more canvasing projects to do and I do hope that my neightbor Jamie will join me again. What an awesome feeling it is to unite neighbors and consider them friends.
Sincerely,Sarah
Sept. 8, ETA: Event is now closed -- we're at capacity!
Greetings, neighbors!
On Tuesday evening, Sept. 9, I'm going to a GOTV (Get Out the Vote) training session near Diversey and Halsted. Can you come? I hope you will -- just send me a friend invite via this site and mention the GOTV event, and I'll reply with a link to more information about it. I'd love to meet some more people from the neighborhood and this group! There will be snacks and you can meet others who are committed to helping get Obama in the White House. It doesn't matter one iota if you've never done anything like this before -- that's what the training is for.
I believe that if each of us volunteers even just a couple of hours a week, we can put Obama in the White House. (Plus, once you volunteer an hour or two a week, I bet you will want to do more.)Congrats on the success of your party at Joe's. Now let's guarantee success for the Democratic Party!
Please join us (bring a friend if you can) -- it'll be fun and you'll feel great for helping to get our country back on track and focusing on the issues we care about.
Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport.
Today + yesterday: Made 21 calls.
As you may know, whenever you move to a new location you probably contacted the post office (USPS) to inform them where to forward your mail. Well, this information is made available to the public but can only be accessed with a special license. However, there are many companies that will search the USPS National Change of Address Database (NCOA) using their license on your behalf.
So I contacted one firm in particular (information below) who charges $0.15 per listing. They provided me with all the new residents who moved into my postal zip code within the last 90 days (this amounted to 109 listings in my location).
So with this list I went to visit each and every contact. I made sure to introduce myself by saying ‘welcome to the neighborhood’. After greeting them, I asked if they were going to vote in the upcoming election and who they were supporting. If the individual answered in the affirmative and said they were going to vote for Obama (or leaning towards him), I asked them if they were registered to vote in this new precinct and if they wished to help volunteer with the campaign. If they were planning to vote for McCain, I simply said thank you for joining the community without offering to register them. You can also consider creating a greeting card or note that says ‘Barack Welcomes You to the Community’.
Here are some notes on my little experiment:
PROS
CONS
Information on the company that provided the data is located below:
Melissa DATA Corp
Phone: 949-858-3000 Fax: 949-589-5211 Toll Free: 1-800-Melissa Hours of Operation: 6am-5pm, PST. Monday - Friday.
http://www.melissadata.com
I am more energized than ever. After 4 days at the convention, I am convinced that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the leaders to begin the next chapter in the American Experience. My daughters and I were holding up "Change" signs from the convention to all motorists driving past. As a result, 2 stopped and came over. People are energized. We are engaging others to be part of the process. This is a major change in engagement in our Democracy and I encourage you to be a part of it.
Neighbors stopped by, we talked. They shared their hopes. Even those who don't believe Barack has the experience are engaging in dialogue around the election - AND you can tell that they WANT to have hope. They care. They care deeply. Yes, they may be afraid. If so, they need to be inspired. They need confidence. Listen to them. Talk to them. Don't be put off nor discouraged. They need to feel that...
together, YES WE CAN!
For starters - this is the first campaign I've ever helped. I was never really interested in politics before I was inspired by Senator Obama. Up until December 2007, I would usually just gripe about George W. Bush. I had become so angry with President Bush's mistakes. I was - and still am angry about Bush's invasion of Iraq - because I have friends serving over there in Iraq. I want my friends to come home. This war was based on faulty information. Bush is simply wrong. In contrast, Senator Obama brought a new hope to the country. He has better plans for the USA - and his judgment is more solid than McCain's. That's why I'm volunteering for Senator Obama. I urge you all to volunteer or get involved because we can each make an impact in small and big ways.
When I first started volunteering, I wasn't sure I could do it - because it meant stepping outside my comfort zone. But, I realized - that I had to act. I had to do something because I couldn't let John McCain continue Bush's failed policies. I knew we needed new leadership in the White House, and that's why I took that first step - and Volunteered for the Obama campaign. I found that volunteering CAN make an impact. There are lots of things you can do - and I've written some of them out below. Today, I am asking you to take a stand with me. I encourage you to find something you're comfortable with - and put in 110%. If we all STAND-UP and help - then our campaign will WIN. But we have to fight for our campaign. We all want to win - but we have to fight to help Senator Obama. We have to put our energy and ethusiasm TO USE - by becoming hopeful of a better future. Please join me in volunteering. Consider some of the options below, or suggest some!
Volunteering for the Obama Campaign: Here are some ways you can help the campaign
1. Phonebanking: You can help the campaign by making calls. You can make calls to find new volunteers, or you can make calls to find out about the level of interest. The Obama campaign has a good script for these calls and they're easy. I've had lots of good experiences with this.
2. Door-Knocking: We can help register new voters and learn about people's interests by knocking on doors. This part of the campaign is so important - because it helps us to increase our voter numbers. It's easy, and the campaign has a helpful script for this project.
3. Voter Registration: Senator Obama's campaign is having a nation-wide voter registration drive in every state. Please help the campaign - by stopping by and picking up the materials. They can train you on this - and it's very useful. You can help register voters in numerous locations.
4. Visibility and Community: You can help grow this movement by putting up a sign in your window, or a yardside in your yard. Or you can show your support by putting a bumper sticker on your car. These simple acts - can show a common purpose. They help to show a community's purpose to elect better leaders. They help to show that our community wants real change this fall.
5. Support Your Obama Office: Our offices are largely the products of donations. Many people have donated the furniture, the tables, the signs and more. I urge you to stop by your Obama office - and ask what you can donate. They need lots of things. See what you can do. For example, you can make a casserole - to keep the volunteers energized. This helps to keep us going!
6. Data-Entry: Our office needs volunteers to help enter new information into the databases. This is an easy way to help - and there's lots of work to do. Just stop by and ask to use a computer. They can quickly set you up and train you on what to do. This is a great way to volunteer.
7. Beds for Volunteers: Our campaign consists of thousands of out-of-state volunteers who help in the swing-states. For all these volunteers - we need beds. Contact the campaign - and mention that you're interested in housing a volunteer. This helps so much to keep the campaign going.
8. Letter Writing: You can change the tone of the campaign by writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper. These letters can express why you're supporting Barack Obama. They can explain why we need Change in this country. It's simple, and easy. Or, you can help write postcards to local voters - telling them why you're passionate for Senator Obama's candidacy.
9. If you don't have time to volunteer, you can always make a donation to the campaign. Even $10 can help the campaign. We need to keep Senator Obama's campaign running - and we're the spirit of the campaign. Our small-dollar donations add up, so let's help him win the White House!
10. Talk to Friends and Neighbors: Tell them why you're passionate for Senator Obama's candidacy. We need to help our families understand why Senator Obama is the best candidate for November's election. We also need to help our families to register to vote. We can reach a lot of people by talking with our circle of friends. Have an Obama house party and invite them over!
I was thinking neighbors would subside with comments "I will vote for OBAMA only if Hillary is VP", but the lack of information about a VP combined with a dissapointing list of possible VPs has only made this statement more common in my neighborhood. It seems so obvious to many people who he should choose. But many of my neighbors feel that since he does not "get it", that means he is too far removed from the bigger picture and is just approaching it from a male politician stand point.
Is anyone else hearing this around their neighborhood?
Our punch is being felt and we can win. But let's lean into our foe and apply every resource at our disposition. Let's put a smile on this effort to champion the tough odds this presents each citizen wanting change in your State and our Nation.
We of strong will must talk up our desire to win. It costs little to talk up becoming winners. We can and must link arms and marshal more and more forces. Yes let's make this our campaign. Become winners by doing what it takes to be winners. We can do that by taking the lead like we've wanted to for ever so long. Let's work one with the other. Be activists, leaders, followers and doers.
Let's be heard out front leading those awaiting our beacon and call. Let's bring the back field up with the front. Grow an attitude through self talk and cheer leading. Talk this attitude up with your neighbors, co-workers, loved ones and strangers. Let's do it till we know our common influence is felt block by block, community by community and county by county and district by district and State by State.
Even though it may not look like it or feel like it, you are making progress.
Continue working towards progress instead of perfection.
Nothing or no no one is perfect.
Just keep taking steps.
Keep making those phone calls.
Continue following your plan.
Remain focused on your goal.
Do what you have to do right now to get to the next level.
Complete every task.
Keep every promise and commitment.
Don't look back.
Let no one weaken your walk of faith and determination.
Remain teachable.
Place yourself in a blessing position by associating with people on-the-grow.
Talk with teachers.
Walk with winners.
Climb with champions.
Study successful people.
Something great is about to happen for you!
Start giving thanks right now before you can even see the outward manisfestation of your prayers and desires.
Everything you do from this day forward will take you further away or closer to your potential for successful living.
-by Dr. Jewel Diamond Taylor, Motivational Speaker & Author
We have a lot to do. We need to make a big dent in the 500,000 non-registered voters (eligible to vote) that are not registered. We need to get the word out that Obama is the right choice for all Americans. How do we do this? Get out in our neighborhoods, talk to our neighbors and refer people to the Obama'08 web site.
We must do this...Yes We Can!
