General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If You Think the Democratic Party Is Not Doing Its Job, [View all]Hekate
(90,714 posts)... don't even waste the brochure on him because his mind is made up and he'll take the time you could have used to meet a dozen other voters much more productively. Plus after being grilled by him and given a failing grade you'll just want to sit down on the curb and give up the whole enterprise."
I like Democratic canvassers. In a sense, my mind is already made up, too -- I may still be gathering information about individual candidates and issues, but I already know which party I'm not going to vote for. I take their brochures, and I read them. Websites have more info. There are public events every year-- even free! -- where you can meet candidates and incumbents, listen to them, and so on. These are in public venues like parks and the downtown library's big meeting hall, and well advertised. I am not as active as I used to be by a long shot, but I know already whose endorsements have value for me and the issues I care about: Planned Parenthood, local environmental groups, feminist groups, and so on. I also know individuals, so I scan the personal endorsements listed.
Anyway canvassers: I make them feel welcome, thank them for their hard work on a hot day, point out that the couple across the street is solid Dem (two tick marks on the clipboard), but the couple next door and the one across from them are "a house divided," so if the husband answers that's the Repub (more tick marks on the clipboard) and it's the wife who's the Dem. There: I've done part of the block for them already in case no one's home.
For some reason I never seem to get Republican canvassers at my door. I wonder if it's my selection of bumper stickers.