If your bitching you better be working

[AllentownJake]

Seriously folks. So your bitching about the poll numbers and your bitching about the VP pick and your bitching about the tone of the campaign not taking it to McCain enough. Fine. You don't like the polls get off your ass and get out there and do some work for the campaign. Believe you me I have more to bitch about than the rest of you. I work 30 hours a week for this guy. This past weekend I did a fundraiser and worked 7 hours at a Pride Festival. This week I've spent my time learning the database system helping another person organize their fundraiser, notifying people about the watch parties in my area. Tommorow I have another fundraiser and a volunteer leader meeting. Than another fundraiser on Friday and voter registration for college kids coming back to the big university in my town on Saturday. This is on top of my 40 hour a week job.

What the hell do you expect Barack Obama to do all the work here. What did you think this was going to be fucking easy and the GOP was going to roll over and die for us. Better believe this is going to take work and Barack Obama can only do so much and be at so many places at a time. So if your pissed off about the way things are going with the polls get out there and start knocking on doors, making the phone calls, working in the office, holding the fundraisers, Registering the Voters, and telling everyone who is willing to listen why you want Barack Obama to be the next President of the United States.

That's all I have to say about that.

[tazkcmo]

1. I support my and everyone elses right to bitch.

Without qualifications.

[AllentownJake]

2. LAZY

[tazkcmo]

3. If supporting the Constitution is lazy

then lazy I am.

[AllentownJake]

4. Really how are you "supporting the constitution"

I'm really curious other than talking how are you "supporting the constitution"

I guess in 1776 people could have "supported the declaration of independence" by sitting at home and chatting about with their neighboors about it instead of organizing and working against the Brittish but we'd probably be still singing God Bless the Queen instead of My Country Tis of Thee.

[tazkcmo]

12. By not letting people tell me

what I can and cannot say, think etc when it's protected by law. I guess I could re-enlist in the Army but I don't really want to. Ah, another right I have, so far. We've been losing civil liberties faster than the KC Royals are eliminated from playoff contention and now you want to take away my right to bitch? I worked 12 hours today painting a house. If I wanna bitch, I'll bitch, okay? Oh, and I'm gonna bitch on my day off, too!

You don't know me but so far you've attacked me personally twice. You've called my lazy , and have compared me to people in 1776 that were "...sitting at home and chatting about with their neighboors about it instead of organizing and working against the Brittish...".

[AllentownJake]

16. Yes my post implies that all DUers that are bitching

should be taken away into camps for re-education. Did I say skinner please Tombstone all the people complaining anywhere?

If people are going to complain about the poll numbers I'd respect them a hell of alot more if they are actively working to make the polls go up? Who do you think those numbers are more frustrating for a passive person who has a team or someone who is on the team working their ass off.

[tazkcmo]

24. Again, you don't know me.

I have only asserted OUR right to bitch without working. That is all. I applaude your passion and your work. I would respect YOU more if you didn't find some way to insult me every time you respond.

[AllentownJake]

30. I apologize if you were insulted

but your answers are the typical responses I get on here. I'm probably responding harshly unfarily after reading through what I've seen here today.

[tazkcmo]

37. Thank you

I appreciate that very much and whole heartedly accepted. I do what I can when I can. I do not just sit here and bitch nor am I as actively involved as you are for whatever reasons. Again, thank you for all you do, we are on the same team.

[ilovemesomechickens]

14. hes here aint he ?

exercising the freedoms of the constitution is probably one of the most joyous things you can do in its name. granted its no guns in the streets calling for heads to roll, but it is infact something.

maybe you need to hop down off that high horse.

i agree people need to work hard to get this done, now more than ever... but insulting people whens it not needed isnt going to accomplish anything either.

[AllentownJake]

23. Posting on an internet message board is not "supporting the constitution"

That is excercising a right.

[ilovemesomechickens]

26. a right, which is granted to us by the constitution

seriously.

youd rather him be silent ?

[superduperfarleft]

5. It's "you're" not "your." n/t

[AllentownJake]

7. I'm Rolling

D-Day: War's over, man. Wormer dropped the big one.
Bluto: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Otter: Germans?
Boon: Forget it, he's rolling.
Bluto: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...

Bluto: the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!

Bluto: What the fuck happened to the Delta I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Bluto, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer...
Otter: Dead! Bluto's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Bluto: We're just the guys to do it.
D-Day: Let's do it.
Bluto: LET'S DO IT!

[Kittycat]

6. K&R - I couldn't agree more!

[AllentownJake]

8. Thank you

[Lorien]

9. What are YOU doing? n/t

[AllentownJake]

10. Right now drinking a beer

Tommorow..see above.

[Triana]

20. A well-earned beer I might add...

...hope it's a good one.

[ilovemesomechickens]

33. hes bitching about people on an internet board

and then saying being on an internet board voicing ur opinion isnt uplifting the constitution..
kinda ironic.
heck, using ur rights is one of the best ways to honor the document.

something the other side wouldnt understand.

[AllentownJake]

38. Fighting for your rights is the best way to honor the document

In nowhere did I suggest people should be kicked of DU for complaining. Seems to me a few people are having a tinge of a concern for the fact elections don't win without the help of people on the ground.

[ilovemesomechickens]

41. these days, elections arent won

unless you have lots of money and connections to the company who made the voting machines.

im sorry things have change, i really am.

depending on how much control those things give , one could argue no amount of registering voters will do any good.. no amount of protesting will do any good ... no amount of volunteering will do any good...

if you hadnt noticed, the elections were taken from the people the last two times and hardly anybody even acknowledged it... and if you did you were singled out as a wacko or crazy(outside of DU obviously).

if youre suggesting an armed revolution on the other hand, ill be right there with ya buddy. i fear it may be the only option.


and for the record, in noway did i say or imply what you just said. "suggest people should be kicked of DU for complaining". please. i never said anything of that nature about you. only saying its ironic that you say being here voicing your opinion means nothing, yet here you are... voicing your opinion.

[DFLforever]

11. I suspect there are not a lot of worker bees on DU

Plenty of drones though..

Thanks for your dedication to the Obama campaign and inspiring us at DU to get off our butts.

[Condem]

13. Well done, Jake

Well done!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. if everyone at DU would register 100 people to vote

how many would that be?

I mean every DUer

[AllentownJake]

25. If 10,000 registered 100

It would be 1,000,000

[Rosa Luxemburg]

42. we have 124,985 DU registrations

if they ALL did that would be fantastic!

[AllentownJake]

46. Voter Registration is hard

The colleges are great places to register as well as the big cities with public transportation since most states have motor voter laws people who don't have driver's licenses are half as likely to be registered to vote.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

54. yes it is hard

[polichick]

17. I've worked thousands of hours since Feb. but if I don't see some serious butt kicking...

...out of this campaign soon, my volunteer days are over. My God, McCain is STUPID, WRONG on every issue, DANGEROUS, bent on going to WAR with countless imaginary foes, favors a DRAFT, owned by BIG OIL, calls his wife a CUNT, etc., etc., etc. Yet Barack constantly praises the man's service and tries to talk reason with a campaign that knows no honor.

I've registered many young people who are worried about a draft ~ if the campaign doesn't grab today's opportunity to do an ad using McCain's own words, I'm out of it (except to vote) ~ and told the campaign as much an hour ago.

[AllentownJake]

19. and I will respect that decision

[polichick]

27. Thanks. It's heartbreaking to watch what's been happening lately...

I'm hoping and praying they get it together ~ especially for the sake of all the kids who could be drafted, and for the planet itself.

[Condem]

32. Second that

polichick! Thank you! He's trying to stay on the high road. He might have to go to the gutter. The stakes are too high. BTW, this post SHOULD be a thread.

[polichick]

35. Thank you too! :)

[Triana]

18. K & damn R - was about to post something similar myself....

...I'm not doing all you're doing but I'm doing what I can. I'm DOING *something*. (besides bitching and moaning on DU!)

[AllentownJake]

22. I'm single

and I don't have kids. So I'm at a good time in my life for this campaign but like I tell all potential volunteers when I'm trying to sign them up that one hour you devote one time a week makes a difference.

[Triana]

52. I manage about 5 hours a week - but NOT the 30 you put in!

As I said, you deserve a beer! :)

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

21. Yes yes telling everyone in the check-out line what the results

are of the Republicans last 8 years in office have been, other people overhear this and it changes their opinion, hummm sounds to simple, but it works.

[Top Cat]

28. Thanks for the post

[cliffordu]

29. KEECKED and RECCOOMMMEENNNDDED

[geek tragedy]

31. Campaigns aren't won on the ground.

Sorry, but this isn't the Iowa caucuses. Message wins elections, not ground game.

[AllentownJake]

34. So if the Obama campaign registers 2,000,000 new voters in swing states

That has no effect. Making sure every democrat gets to the polls has no effect?

The difference between President Kerry and Senator Kerry was 30,000 votes in Ohio.

[ilovemesomechickens]

36. just because he got them to sign up

doesnt determine who theyd vote for.

[AllentownJake]

39. Are you on the inside or the outside?

Because we don't do voter registration drives in areas where we'd get likely McCain supporters. :silly:

We register anyone but we don't hang out where the GOP does.

[ilovemesomechickens]

47. okay , so how is that helping the consitution?

so, going against the consitution is fighting for it ?
im a lil confused... only registering people with ur like mind is kinda well... supressing... dontcha think? surely you dont think the consitution agrees with that sentiment.

[AllentownJake]

50. WTF are you talking about?

This is a political campaign and I think my guy the constitutional lawyer is going to defend that document more than the military industrial fascist the other side is running. Why would I help the military industrial fascist get voters?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. the system gets the registered Dems to the polls

bus loads

[ilovemesomechickens]

49. ill be sure to remind

the uneducated voter who signed up and then voted for mccain cause 'he dont like that funny name'.

just because people sign up doesnt mean A) they will actually show up to vote or B) actually know anything about the people they are about to push/pull/whatever.

[AllentownJake]

51. You know nothing about the campaign obviously

BTW welcome to DU enjoy your stay :-)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

55. but you have to try

[geek tragedy]

40. Those voters are showing up in polls.

He's still losing ground at a rapid rate.

There is no substitute for a clear, coherent, winning message.

None

[AllentownJake]

53. Actually they are not

The data from the registrations in the primaries is in the state databases provided to the parties and pollsters. Voter Registration data to those parties isn't updated that often. Normally after elections.

The states have data they provide to the parties and pollster but that group of data is not always up to date except for right after an election or primary. Its the reason we photo copy all registrations we submit.

[Kittycat]

43. Confession....

Just thought I would mention. When I have to grab food (or coffee, not latte - coffee) out - I've been asking the drive thru workers if they're voting, registered to vote, and asking them to support Obama. I even gave a guy some Obama stickers that I had in the car the other day.

I have no self-pride when it comes to what I'm willing to do for this election. I'm just out there doing whatever I can, and stepping out in ways that I never would have before. Heck, I even went in to a wal-mart last week (only option in the town we were visiting) wearing my obama stickers. We had just come from an Obama event. My husband looked at me and said, should we take them off? I said, HECK NO - of all the places that we need to wear them, is in wal-mart. So we went in, kids and all - all stickered up, LOL. I had a couple people comment positively, and several smiles and overly friendly workers. On the way out, one mom going in said that she was trying to get her 3yo to say, "Obama in 08". Just then, my 4yo yells out "YES WE CAN" :rofl:

[TreasonousBastard]

45. Go Get 'Em! I'll admit you're doing a lot more than I am...

and you're sure doing more than the keyboard jockeys here-- the ones with all the answers "supporting" this, that, and whoever.

Ignore the kvetchers, kibitzers, and backseat drivers and let's get out there and get our guy elected!

[AllentownJake]

48. Like I said upthread

I'm single right now with no kids and a job that is understanding so I'm in a good position but every voter contact made is progress. So even if you only have an hour its an hour well spent.

[cynatnite]

56. It's "you're" not "your"...

and anyone has a right to bitch about whatever they want. You don't like it...oh, well. That's life. Get over it.

[AllentownJake]

57. I see the spelling police are out tonight

and people can bitch all they want. It doesn't accomplish anything. So if people want to bitch...bitch away just don't ask me to respect or be nice to the bitchers.

[cynatnite]

58. What you call bitching...I call expressing opinions...

Respect is a two way street.

on edit: one misspelled word is okay. The same word misspelled twice? Hmm.

[AllentownJake]

59. Express yourself all you want

I choose to express myself with actions not just words. Probably why I'm not good without spell check.

BTW are you trying to say something because I mispell a few words or did the point of my message fly over your head and get focused on a few typos over someone who is tired and had 3 beers.

[cynatnite]

60. I was being snarky and I apologize for the comments about spelling...

I shouldn't have said that.

People express themselves in a variety of ways. If it's not exactly how you express yourself whether it's action or words...that's your choice. No one's opinion should be marginalized because they don't share yours.

[AllentownJake]

62. Believe me I share some people's opinions concerning

What Obama shoud do over the polls. However, I don't see it constructive for the entire message board to take a demoralizing negative turn everytime a new poll comes out.

[Kixel]

61. Those who bitch without working don't realize...

That it can be VERY demoralizing to those of us who are out there doing the legwork for the campaigns. Honestly, I am so frustrated by the army of people who find fault in everything but don't bother showing up when doors need to be knocked on or phone calls need to be made.

Does everyone have the right to bitch? Yes. Are they helping? Not a whole hell of a lot. This forum is a great place to vent and get our frustrations out, but if we aren't backing it up with action it doesn't matter. The hours I'm logging this week are similar to yours, but spread out up and down the ticket (hopefully working together!). On top of the real job. As a member of local leadership-I have to say that volunteers like you are the people who allow me to be reasonably sane. Thanks for everything you do!