Get involved locally *now*, use DU's State Forums, etc....

[RobertDevereaux]

At this point in the election cycle, besides sharing information in
this wondrous forum known as DU, we should all be *working* to elect
Kerry/Edwards and worthy candidates for Congress and for our state
legislatures.

Here are some things to consider:

(1) Include your state forum in every visit you make to DU. Actively post
useful information there. I haven't visited every state forum of course,
but my visits to my own state's (Colorado) and to a few others show spotty
activity at best. What's posted there is useful, but I'd love to see
every state forum buzzing with activity.

Things you might post there:

o When and where your local Kerry volunteer group is meeting next, and
afterwards, what decisions were made. ("Larimer County Kerry
volunteers meeting Thursday, Sept 16th...")

o Events related to your Congressional races, breakfast meetings by
the candidates, etc. If your news is about a county race, begin
your headline with "Name of County".

o Anything that would help make the case against Repugs in Congressional
or local races, such as pointers to websites that reveal the ugly
truths of their voting records (www.defeatmusgrave.com ,
www.defeattancredo.com ).

(2) If your state is either solidly Democratic or hopelessly
Republican, adopt a swing state and help them. There are folks
in California who have adopted our Colorado county to do phone
banking or whatever else we need. Another option: If you're
within driving distance of a swing state, the website
www.drivingvotes.org can provide you with a packet that
helps target likely Democratic voters in that state.

(3) Make full use of the Plan/Attend Events link at www.johnkerry.com .
Find and attend local events/parties. *Create* local events/parties.
As long as you contribute something to the DNC from that event, you can
also make it a fundraiser for all of your Democratic candidates.
Also, on vacations, incorporate dropping in on a Kerry event in your
vacation spot. Just type in the zip code of that place and see if
anything's planned. Vicki and I spent a great evening in Santa Fe
at a Kerry party, where we watched his acceptance speech and traded
information and encouragement with a house full of progressive New
Mexicans.

(4) Find precinct information. Walk your precinct by yourself or with
other local volunteers, and/or write a personal letter to Unaffiliateds
in your precinct about your heartfelt concerns and why you're voting for
Kerry/Edwards; don't neglect a mention, even if in a list at the bottom
of the page, of your other candidate picks. It's easy in Colorado to
get precinct information, because the Dean folks have put together
www.democracyforcolorado.com , which makes it easy to get a full
voter list for your precinct, including addresses, party affiliation,
etc. Other states must have ways as well. (If you know of them, please
post website information here, and in your state forum as well.)

(5) Don't neglect DU's superb Local Media Blaster resource:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cu/cu.php?az=blaster

The point of this posting is that we need the troops out in the field now!
I urge all of you to add lots of volunteer work to your mix in the next
two months.

Two months in a political year can be an eternity, even as it goes by
in the blink of an eye. We have only until October 4th to register new
voters. That's less than a month away. Act now. Act often. Support
Kerry/Edwards. Support your state and local candidates. Let's restore
sanity to this nation's politics.

And let's vow never to drop our guard again!

[MockSwede]

1. WORK NOW

That's for sure. Remember "Better ACTIVE today than radioactive tomorrow"?

Stephen King and Michael Moore each have said we need to not just vote for Kerry - we each have to get one undecided voter to vote for Kerry.

We each have 8 weeks to achieve this. Find your target and GET TO WORK.

Otherwise, we'll be BUSHWHACKED tomorrow.