We have a few popular diaries right now that are full of suggestions for the campaign. Yes, I have even contributed a long post to one of them. While some good points were made (and no offense, but some not so good points) I feel that I must take this opportunity to remind this community what WE as avid Webb supporters can do for Webb and the campaign.
1. GIVE $$. Nothing can get done if the campaign doesn't have funding. So dig deep and dig often, and throw them some bones.
2. GIVE TIME. Don't wait for someone to call you and beg you for your volunteer time; if you haven't signed up with the campaign yet to do so, then go do so right now. Let's get even more boots on the ground and expand this wonderful group of rag tag rebels.
3. PUT A BUMPER STICKER ON YOUR VEHICLE. It's a great way to get name recognition in a country addicted to oil. And before you complain that you ordered one and haven't gotten one yet, remember; you can go to a printer and they can print the graphic onto a nice sized label for you, and then you can get a handy dandy bumper sticker holder so you can make use of your homemade sticker and not damage your car.
4. WEAR YOUR WEBB GEAR EVERYWHERE. Don't have a shirt yet? Go buy one. NOW. Remember, election season is function over fashion.
5. WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. By using this great site, you can easily send out your 150 words or less letter to almost every media outlet in VA. Sit down on a Sunday and pump out 10 or 20. Have a beer while you are doing it if you need to, just DO IT.
6. TALK, TALK, AND TALK ABOUT WEBB. Make everyone sick of you and your passion for webb, and then tell them you'll shut up if they vote for Webb in November. Then keep talking. :)
7. IF YOU ARE A VET, OR KNOW A VET, SEND THEM HERE. Enough said.
8. MAKE SURE EVERYONE YOU KNOW IS REGISTERED TO VOTE. Send them here, or even better-print some out and carry them around.
9. ADD THIS TO ALL OF YOUR ONLINE SUBMISSIONS. If you post on other sites, even non-political ones, use this. You never know whom you may convince to check him out and vote for him.
10. TAKE SOME INITIATIVE. Go to events around your area, and wear a sticker, carry some info, smile, and have fun. You don't need a table with stickers to give out and clipboards to sign and a whole team of volunteers, you can do it alone, too. It's ok to be a Democratic supporter in public. :)
11. BE CREATIVE. Put signs in your car as a a way to keep the sun out, hang them in your window, print some graphics and leave them on cars you see that look like they may belong to a Dem. supporter. Put a sticker on your dog. Call radio shows you like, and talk up webb and the importance of the VA election. Fill political blogs with loads of diaries and comments about Webb. Sometimes, donations can be garnered from it, esp. if what you wrote is interesting. Call C-Span during Washington Journal and try to sneak Webb's name in there at some point. Email news shows with your comments. Email The Colbert Report and ask them if they will have Webb on again. Maybe John Stewart wants to have him on, who knows? Organize an event at a public or private place, and have fun while getting the name out and maybe even getting some donations.
Let's all remember to do our part, guys. That's basically the point. Remember, Republicans have made it so Democracy isn't free (and they steal elections) so we all need to step it up.
Ask not what your campaign can do for you, ask what you can do for your campaign.
In fact, don't ask; just DO.
It's a duck.
I started this discussion here on RK, because I felt certain things were being left unnoticed.
And the majority, a large majority of RK bloggers agree with me. Yes, we may not have all the right answers but.. there is more the campaign can do.
If they need help, even non-paid help.. they should know they can always reach out to the bloggers on this site.
I am not even a veteran of RK, but I am a recent veteran of blogging nationwide and I respect the power of bloggers. I also respect the insight and intelligence of them.
To Dean, Clark, Lamont, and other progressive and aggressive campaigns. They had a large network that's foundation was through it's bloggers.
We are going to break apart unless someone in the campaign brings all of us together, asks us how we can help, and takes our suggestions and criticisms seriously.
Lowell, and others can't keep us together on their own. I know people want all of us to jump in line with what the campaign is doing. And in many ways they have done a fine job, in fact I am REALLY impressed with Jarding.
But, perhaps there needs to be a central person, who gives the campaign a central message. On all of the issues, and finally issues statements to ANYTHING Mr. Allen or his camp shoots at us.
We can launch a very very effective, and passionate campaign against this senator that doesn't really represent Virginia. We all know the issues, we all know the stakes, we all know the task at hand.
I am ready to continue to fight for Jim everday, but I think there should be a liasion or something (this may sound stupid) between RK (possibly lowell) and the campaign. This may already be in place.
I think Lowell, is a fine guy too. I am glad to see him be part of the campaign. But, the time is now to get our team in the right place to fight like hell, to get Jim Webb elected to the United States Senate.
We are still "a rag-tag group of rebels"
But we all have one mission for November.
Derail, George "Felix" Allen.
And we mean it.
I just wanted to also put out there that we also need to make sure we work as hard as we can.
But, the frustration just has gotten the best of me.. I feel like I am alone out here. And I wasn't alone, there's a lot of people who feel like I do.
I am mobilizing or planning to anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 young voter for election day.
I even have possible concerts planned that day with local Virginian bands.
I have a sticker on my car, I have given stickers out, I have put signs up, I give whatever money I can.
I just want to make sure all of our efforts are not going unnoticed. I know Jim appreciates it, he has already thanked us more than the typical candidate.. but.. the campaign needs to do so as well.
And they will, it just needed to be jolted by all of this.
I have faith.
I know we are all willing to pitch in.