Help me brainstorm easy ways to fight the Republicans

[Carl Yasutomo]

The idea is to come up with a list titled "10 Easy Ways (or 20, or 50, or whatever) to Fight Republicans." Alternatively, it could be titled "Political Activism for Busy (or Lazy) People." I've listed some ideas below. I'm hoping other DU'ers can add their own ideas to this list. Once we have a nice, long list, I plan to email it to my progressive friends and ask them to email it to THEIR progressive friends.

1. Donate to a progressive group. Even small donations matter. If thousands of people make small donations of $10 or $20, we can get a good start on raising the resources we will need to turn the country around. Possible groups to donate to include People for the American Way, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and MoveOn.org. (Suggestions for other groups are welcome.)

2. Sign up for email alerts. Many progressive groups (like People for the American Way, the ACLU, MoveOn, etc.) will send you email alerts on important issues if you sign up. When you receive an alert, you can write to your elected representatives, or the media, or whomever the email is urging you to contact.

3. Write a quick message to the media. For example, when you see a cable news talk show present a biased discussion or a right wing viewpoint that purports to be "news," write to them and demand more fairness in their reporting. Use the Media Blaster on DU to quickly find the right email address. Also, write quick letters to the editors of major newspapers. Writing to the media is easy because messages that are quick and to-the-point are more likely to be read (or even published).

4. Write to your elected representatives. It's easy to send quick emails or faxes on issues you care about. Short messages are more likely to be read than long ones.

ALL OTHER SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME! PLEASE HELP ME EXPAND THIS LIST!

[clydefrand]

1. Stones and car bombs seem to be the weapons of choice in the Middle East

Just being sarcastic.
I have done all of the above. But still feel helpless after this defeat. Just sent an email this morning to the Nicolas Kristoff whose editorial appears in the New York Times.

[laura888]

4. Agreed - I've also done all the above

with obviously no results.

At this point, the only thing I hope for is the other side to screw up (and hopefully not take the country with them).

[BlueEyedSon]

2. MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love Your Country: How to Find Your Political Voice

and Become a Catalyst for Change

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/193072229X.01._PE60_PIdp-schmooS,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[meti57b]

3. I would like to know if moveon.org intends to stay active.

They haven't changed their homepage in a week.

I would like to see them "lead" us in a full court press of TV ads that critique bush administration policy and actions .... starting now.

[cmd]

5. Eat out with other progressives

Discuss politics over your meals. Do it loudly enough to be heard at tables around you but don't be obnoxious. You have a captive audience. Make use of it. Quite often you will find people coming up to you and stating that they agree with what they have overheard.

[Hello_Kitty]

6. Speak up!!

When you are in a group of people and someone starts spewing the latest Rushism, challenge it. Identify yourself as a liberal and defend your position. Don't worry about talking politics in a social setting when you hear something said that is just wrong. Don't let it go by to be polite or to get along with everyone. Being nice and accomodating is what got us in the position we're in now.

[Paradise]

10. yup, cc, no more mr. nice guy! n/t

[meti57b]

7. "blue states pay 90% of the taxes" ......

I've seen this posted here a few times. Can someone post a source for that information? If it is true that blue states pay most of the federal taxes.... that would be important information that we may be able to get some use out of.

[BlueEyedSon]

11. Dunno about the 90% figure, but they get less back per $1 paid.

http://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2004/09/red_states_feed.html

[meti57b]

14. Thank you for that! I should be able to find my answers there.

[BlueEyedSon]

16. I saw a map somewhere with states colored in

i forget where....

like the top 10 "givers" and the top 10 "takers"

[slor]

8. My job ends this Friday, and I plan to start...

a group that tries to bridge the gap between African American and Gay/Lesbian folk...at least in Cincinnati. I was quite saddened by the amount of African Americans in Cincy that worked against Issue 3.

[BlueEyedSon]

12. No question that Gays are the new niggers. The Confederacy was

mobilized against them big time.

[goclark]

15. I would say that Democrats are the new slaves

They have enclosed us in a huge tent.

They will not let our voices be heard.
They will not let our votes be counted.
They make us feel we are dirty and stupid.

We only count to pay the taxes so that Pickles can fix up the Lincoln bedroom.

It is not just gays they are targeting but anyone that does not honor God in their fashion. Anyone that speaks clearly. Anyone with compassion for others and on and on

They have a broad brush and they know how to use it.

[Paradise]

9. *language, and uniformity of such, is major!

*language, i.e. anti-choice, NOT anti-abortion or pro-life.

run for office (any office/any level).

this is a great thread but take the valid ideas and write them in your excellent style, Carl.

[Killarney]

13. email forwards

rethugs pass the word often with email forwards. We've all seen the trash they email around and we all get it in our inboxes so we know how often the message gets out there.

We should be doing this more.

Prime example: that email about Joe Republican and how he gets through his day safely thanks to regulations passed by Democrats.