February 12, 2024

Two things

First thing----I just came back from a business trip that took me through rural North Carolina and South Carolina. I try to stay off of Interstate Highways if I have the time....As I traveled from Western North Carolina to the coast of South Carolina I am happy to report that I only saw one sign for Trump; and only a few bumper stickers. Nobody at the conference I attended wore any red hats. Also didn't see any at any restaurant or store that I went into. Nikki Haley was all over TV in South Carolina, but I didn't see one Trump TV ad. The local news reported that he was holding a rally, and I saw one of those electronic billboards flashed the info about the rally, but that was it. Maybe the fever has broken?

Second thing: I am sitting at my desk making calls, sending emails & texts trying to get a quorum for our Democratic Precinct meeting this Saturday. We're having a free breakfast and it's a great time to get together with folks who agree with you politically--which is wonderful when you live in a red county! So far I have 3 people that are coming (including me).

At the same time I'm trying to get commitments for folks to sit at an information table during the early voting period, as well as on primary day. I always enjoy working at the polls because it gives me the chance to see my neighbors and catch up with how their kids and grand kids are doing. So far I have me and one other who will "look at their calendar" and get back to me.

You can help Democrats and Joe Biden by showing up for your local Democratic Party! If you don't have money to give---share your time. The precinct meetings and county conventions are just once per year. This is how we organize the Democratic Party---from the precinct to the county to the state. This is how we work to get good candidates on the ballot. Here in my red county we have Democrats running for every open seat because our Democratic County Organization works at it! The next county over is not organized and they hardly have any Democrats running for office.

Working at the polls I will have a good book....my laptop so I can keep working on my taxes....and my cell phone so I don't miss an alert from DU or the Washington Post !

Your county and precinct need your help in the next few weeks. Find out what you can do to help!

August 27, 2019

I just finished a long telephone poll and I can see where the Republicans are going

I've taken telephone polls before, but this one was very long. Having studied Political Science, polling and statistics in college (a hundred years ago!) I was disappointed in the leading questions. Here are some of the things I remember:

First question asked me to tell them the main thing I think about when I think about the Trump Presidency. I said children in cages taken away from their mothers.

They asked about my favorability ratings for "Democrat" candidates. Why can't Republicans call us by our name?
The names they asked about were: Sanders, Harris, Warren, Biden and Ocasio-Cortez. I guess that AOC is the new Nancy Pelosi for Republicans!

They repeatedly asked questions about Trump's various "accomplishments" and I was supposed to choose from wholeheartedly supporting him, or supporting him even though I don't like his style, or not supporting him at all.

Some of the accomplishments they asked about were: the great economy and creating 187,000 jobs here in North Carolina, the 4% unemployment rate, and keeping us safe around the world. (No specifics on that last thing---I guess they couldn't bring up Russia, North Korea, and Denmark!)

There were several questions about North Carolina races...Governor and Senate

At the end the leading questions began:
Would you support a Democrat candidate who wanted to censor their opponents or Trump? I balked at that question and told the surveyor that a Democratic candidate would never do that--that in fact Trump attacks and wants to censor the press and wants to lock up his political opponents. She insisted that I answer the question so I said I would support a Democratic candidate no matter what!

Would you support a Democrat candidate who wanted open borders or Trump?
Would you support a Democrat candidate who wanted Socialism over Capitalism or Trump?
Would you support a Democrat candidate who wanted abortion available up until birth or Trump?
Do you see immigration as a problem with criminals and drugs coming over the border or as people coming into the country taking our jobs or a humanitarian crises?
Do you want to have a wall built on the Mexican border?

They asked for me specifically by name--so my guess is that they're calling North Carolina Democrats.

There were lots of questions about Socialism, abortion, the economy and criminals coming over the border.

Not one question about health care.

February 8, 2017

Roll up your sleeves!

This is my first post...sorry it's so long! I just need to rant a little!

Tonight I attended a meeting called "First we marched, Now we Huddle." It is part
of the 10 Actions for the First 100 Days campaign, which launched at the Women’s March on January 21st.

We held the meeting at the local Democratic Headquarters. The idea is for folks to get together
at a grass roots level and take actions to win back the world and country we want.

As a Democratic Precinct Chair I was thrilled to see a full room full of new people. I was happy, thinking
that these are people who have been moved to action and they will join with our coalition to help
move our county and area forward.

We started by introducing ourselves and saying a few words about why we marched and our fears in the
current political climate.

About half way through the room I found myself in shock and confusion. Who WERE these people!
Nobody, nobody mentioned health care. A few folks mentioned the environment. Mostly they wanted to
complain about politicians who are unresponsive to their constituents and political parties that
"divide" the country.

Their comments were full of misinformation and many were ignorant on the issues and pretty clueless
about how the government works. When I mentioned calling my 5 representatives they asked me what I meant!
(That would be my state Congressman, my state Senator, my US Congressman, and my 2 US Senators) If you
don't know WHO they are--how in the heck do you expect them to be responsive to you?

They kept blaming the "elitist political parties." Some folks even said
they had thought about not coming to the meeting because it was at Democratic Headquarters.

Elitist?? I have cooked for hours raising money for the Democrats. I have walked up and down
mountain neighborhoods knocking on doors to talk about our candidates. I have organized and called
and helped with mailings. I have worked in the cold and the rain and the heat at early voting and
on election day.

WTF??? These are folks that I haven't seen at any events or actions over the past 10 years. I haven't
seen them at school board meetings or county commissioner meetings. They didn't phone bank with us
for Obama or Hillary and they didn't help us register people to vote. I haven't seen them at Moral Mondays
or NAACP events.

So you bought a bus or plane ticket and went to Washington to march. Cool. Great. Now roll up
your sleeves and help us fix this shit!

Learn about WHY our government isn't working correctly! Find out about the Citizens United decision
and how money is ruining our democracy!

Find out WHY our country is so divided! Learn about how the elimination of the Fairness Doctrine
helped create and enable the corporate media!

Vote--EVERY time! It is important and you're not allowed to skip it because you "don't know anything
about the candidates." FFS--those judges you don't know about can make decisions that effect
your life!! Those school board candidates will make decisions about your children or grandchildren.

Meet your representatives. Go to their town halls. Call them on the phone. Make plans to see
them if you're in Washington or your state capital.

As for the two party system---it's the system we have and it is entrenched. The
politicians aren't going to change it because they benefit from the way it works right now. They
get elected and re-elected because idiots like you vote for the "person" and not the party. (That means
you check off their name because you heard of them--not because you really know what they did or
didn't do.) Instead--try joining the Democratic party and be part of picking the candidates that run.

Don't get me wrong...I loved the march. I appreciate all the wonderful people who marched all over
the world. I feel it's the start of something...but stop acting like we haven't been doing anything all these
years and educate yourself!