THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER. GET BACK TO WORK

By: Josh
Published On: 10/24/2006 3:36:16 PM

This was written by bonddad at Dailykos.  It's more important for us than for anyone else in the country.


I remember the painful memories of election 2004.  The exit polls gave Kerry Ohio and hence the election.  Sean Hannity was fuming.  Various other conservative pundits -- who had earlier predicted a Republican dominated country for years to come -- were scrambling, trying to find the proper spin.

And then it happened.  As I understand it, the Republican GOTV drive was in high form.  And Bush won the election, giving us 4 more years of budget deficits, failed foreign policy, an economy that benefits the top 10% -- you know the rest.



The latest news is good for Democrats.  More and more seats appear to be competative.  The public mood is anti-incumbant.  Congressional approval ratings are at historic lows.  Bush's approval rating is mired in the 30s.  A majority of people think the country is on the wrong track.

More importantly, the Republicans have started into a post-election circular firing squad with each constituency blaming the other for the failure.  Conservative commentators are laying the groundwork against the proposed Democratic leadership.  We've had hit pieces against Reid and Hannity and company are doing everything they can to smear a proposed speaker Pelosi.

It looks like we've already won.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

At times like this, it's easy to get complacent -- to let up on our efforts.  "They've already lost", will be the refrain, let's take a break.  "We've already won."

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care if Bush comes out with a mea culpa, saying he was wrong about everything.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care if Hastert resigns and says he was entirely to blame for the Foley affair.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care of DeLay says he was wrong.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care if the religious right and all of their factions apologize for attempting to create a theocracy.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care if Bush fires Rumsfeld.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

I don't care if Paulson admits the economy only benefits the top 10% of income earners, and the tax cuts don't pay for themselves.

THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

We've got a few days left.  It's time to push as hard as we can with everything we've got.  It's time to dig down deep to find more to do, more to contribute, more to get done.  This is not the time to quit, to lay-off, to back-off or to get lazy.

The enemy is formidible.  They have built a great electoral infrastructure over the last 20-30 years.  We have not.

We cannot underestimate their ability.

We cannot quit.

We cannot get lazy.

We are close to victory.  But our actions in the next few weeks will determine whethor we win or lose.


THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK
THE ELECTION IS NOT OVER.  GET BACK TO WORK

And this is all I have to say:

Get to work:

Volunteer | Phone from Home | GenerationWebb!

Comments



You are so right. Allen WILL NOT GO AWAY EASY (bladerunner - 10/24/2006 5:48:54 PM)
He will go weeks without sleep. This means more than life to him. If he loses, his life is ruined as he sees it.


Good reminder (Kindler - 10/24/2006 8:52:56 PM)
Many of the races are still neck and neck, and so GOTV efforts are going to make a huge difference.


GOTV doesn't have to take place as part of an organized (Catzmaw - 10/25/2006 12:43:21 AM)
effort.  It can be any opportunity to bring up the election.  Today I ran into a Pakistani friend at the grocery store.  He was complaining about the new cashiers there, all of them working for $6 an hour and not knowing their jobs.  He talked about how many different stores he works at just to make his hours. That gave me the opening to bring up the election and our current economic policies and tax relief for rich people.  He's not a citizen; in fact didn't even know who Allen and Webb were, but it turns out that his sister and a lot of other friends and relatives are citizens.  As a Muslim he wanted to know what Webb would do about Iraq as opposed to what he's seen from the Bush Administration. I told him of Webb's opposition to permanent bases and the proposal to sit down with the other countries and come to a diplomatic solution.  I also gave him Webb's background and described the WaPo article Webb wrote opposing the war.  He was very impressed and eager to tell the voters in his family of the election and to encourage them to vote.  I've offered to answer any questions his friends and relatives may have. 

This is what I'm doing with all my friends, relatives, and even clients.  I have a poster on my office door opposing the Marshall/Newman Amendment and this leads to conversations about the amendment, which then leads to conversations about the Webb/Allen election.  If I could be responsible for 10 votes, and if 5 of those voters talks about his or her vote with 4 or 5 other voters, then it can lead to a real impact on the election. 



I talk (libra - 10/25/2006 4:16:43 AM)
to any- and every-one who's willing to talk about politics, but, at least in SW VA, politics is like pay-scale or date-rape -- private and not to be discussed with strangers.

The only people I find willing to *discuss* politics are the ones who are already on our side. Which, while pleasant, is a bloody waste of time; we can pat ourselves on our backs on Nov 8, if there's something to celebrate.

The others don't discuss; they spout pre-recorded (at least, it sounds like it) talking points.

Back in (communist) Poland, THE Party, stifling as it was, had an interesting approach to the elections (more accurately: "the voting day"; it's not as if one had much of a chance to *elect* anyone )...

Voting was not compulsory, but The Party liked to claim that 90% or more voted, so they really bust their gut on it. Knocked on every door (few people had phones then. And, anyway, I don't think phones are as effective as a F-2-F encounter) to remind you, a week ahead of time and, perhaps, one more time a couple of days ahead.

Then, on the Voting Sunday (far easier than a Voting Tuesday, BTW) one was pestered till one gave in :)

The polls closed at 8PM. If your name wasn't checked off the voting rolls by 6PM, you could expect a visit form a respectful couple (one male, one female). The female would offer to baby-sit, do your cleaning and/or shopping, while the male offered to give you a ride to the polls and back... stopping by the hospital on the way back, if necessary (if you tried to use "I don't feel well" as an excuse)

I wonder if some version of that "pester" could not be applied here, in US. I'd be happy to do the baby-sitting/cleaning/shopping or even driving, if I were given a name and a partner who'd deliver that voter to the polls...