Head in the Sand Officials

People talk about the liberal left won the election for the Democrats. I don’t quite accept that. Sure they were the most verbal, they did get active and pounded the pavement, knocking on doors and making millions of phone calls.

But when it came to the ballot box it was the middle of the road liberal progressive voters who carried the day. That they waited for six years until things got so bad that they finally decided to get involved.

The populist line of thinking carried the election. Middle of the Road, liberal populist progressive candidates were elected, not the far left candidates nor in most cases the far right except for incumbents who have a huge advantage to start with. Not the middle class as many think of when they hear middle of the road, just the average American who worries about medical bills, food on the table, the mortgage payment and stretching the paycheck.

Millions made the decision to step up and vote, why? Because they are not stupid they know the timing of the Trial in Iraq, the drop in gasoline prices were ploys by the Bush administration and their cohorts. As they say the proof is in the pudding, gas prices jumped TWENTY CENTS a gallon in first week after the election. There was no hurricane, no jump in crude prices, just the oil cartel ripping off the American consumer once again.

Health Care, is finally going to be on the table once again. Hillary Clinton knows what America needs in Health care, and with a Democratic Majority maybe, just maybe this time it will come to pass.

Its just not the average lower middle class or poor who is hurt by the spiraling health care costs, American companies such as the Automobile Industry is losing millions, billions because of these ridiculous health care costs. Every car that is sold has to factor in $1,000-$1,500 just for health care cost. Some Republicans blame the Unions, Democrats Blame the corporations. Both are right to a degree, but the biggest blame goes to Washington and their head in the sand approach to Health Care.

America has to accept the fact that the government has to take a hand in the issue of Health Care, step in and place controls on these drug companies, place controls on health care costs, provide $1,500 to $2.500 to each Family in the form of Medical Supplement Payments. We have to reduce the red tape and paper processing cost. We have to give individuals and companies a fighting chance.

We talk about the loss of jobs overseas, but we aren’t willing to do something about it. No longer can we wait and hope for the best, we must step up and make the tough decisions that will put America on the right track. A viable Health Care Plan would go a long way to achieving this.

As a public servant, our elected officials owe it to the people to provide not only their services but their conscience as well. They can’t make decisions based on getting re-elected or not. We The People elected them because we felt they were the best qualified persons to serve their interests and the interests of the nation. But they must realize they can’t please the people every single time. Sometimes they have to do things that are unpopular when they know its right.

Do we have these kinds of public officials in Washington?

One would hope so, but I have my doubts.

Ron

How to Contribute $1 to WeDemocrats

1. Send a $1 bill in an envelope to:
WeDemocrats.org
6155 Flatt Woods Rd
Simpson, IL 62985
2. Call Ron’s office (618-695-2763) to tell him.
3. Join WeDemocrats to tell the world.
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4. Contribute more http://wedemocrats.org/wddonate.htm
Contributions or gifts to WeDemocrats.org are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
WeDemocrats.org 6155 Flatt Woods Rd, Simpson, IL 62985

You asked; How does WeDemocrats.org differ from DFA or is it a part of it?

We are separate and independent of DFA, their choice. But we are associated with them, we use their tools and training.

WeDemocrats.org is setting up an organizational tree similar to the DNC, State Committee, County Committee framework; with separate apparatus for a blog corps and other Internet based combinations. Where we will differ from the Party model is that our model is virtual and has a great deal more transparency, idealism and energy.

The WeDemocrats "brand" is meant to be an action oriented departure from the "meet up" type discussion groups that are the genesis of DFA and get people away from discussion and on to action. Its also a way to test our ideas without co opting DFA's present groups and structure.

With 1,218 members in first 6 weeks, we feel that this astounding enrollment rate is because many people have become exasperated with the old meetup model that was more about talking than doing. No reflection on DFA, but they are not geared to do what we can do.

Jim Dean went on a national tour this past year trying to motivate the meetup groups into become doing groups instead of talking groups. Some groups are not so susceptible to change.

By offering an alternative form of group within the DFA family, the doers will migrate to the We Democrats groups, leaving the talkers in the old meet up groups. I think it is important to work within the Internet communications system set up by Burlington. But at the same time have alternative backup just in case it is needed.

Our goal is to use our affiliation with DFA to establish coordinators at all county and state levels, for the purpose of providing support to local DFA chapters coordinate with Democratic and other Progressive leaders. I know that local groups, at present may stay in contact with state organizations and DFA but in most cases there is no coordination in efforts to elect more than a local candidate, we will fill this void.

We all work with the Democratic Party, but they don't provide support for a lot of candidates who not only are viable, but also are elect able, with just a few more volunteers or a little more money, our coordinators will fill this need, coordinating between our volunteer groups, trained by DFA, and Democratic candidates and the Local Democratic apparatus.

WeDemocrats.org joins with DFA in their long-term goal to rebuild the Democratic Party from the bottom up—it will take time, but we must start building a base now for the future.

Below are some of the ideas we are kicking around, some have never been applied to politics before, but won't be hard to implement.

Think of WeDemocrats as a brand that can be marketed to new members.
The brand will need a logo, colors, sound, spokesperson/mascot that
is consistent each time it is presented to the market. Engage every
sense. The purpose of this organization must be to establish a voice
that is heard above the fray.

A brand is marketed through a campaign that generates awareness and
integrates with all media. Marketing is interactive... it calls for a
specific response by the target audience, and that response can be
measured (e.g. in letters, dollars, calls, other actions).
Identify a handful of topics to educate the American people on and
have a long term plan to support them. Call ourselves neo-patriots
(neo-pats). Engage the images of the founding fathers and use their
words. Read "Guerilla Marketing." Think visually. Expose hypocrisy in
public policy, and make fun of it.

Create "We The People" online magazine and "We The People" internet radio show.

Establish an ongoing, traveling speakers' forum and hold it at
Independence Hall type/patriotic places.

Establish an awards program (e.g. both for
courage/integrity/WeDemocrats "vision" and for self-serving/short
sightedness).

Challenge the "religious-right" (American taliban), including on tax
exemptions. Call for religious leaders to sign the pledge that they
will no longer be political tools/special interests, but will honor
the separation of church and state.

Publish a list/calendar of special interests that meet with/donate to
Congresspeople. Sponsor legislation that requires them to meet in
public/post meeting notes on the Internet, or requires video cams in
the meetings.

Create a series of WeDemocrats ring tones/ text messages by popular
musicians. Make it cool to question the status quo. (think Apple)
Sponsor legislation. Start with an "Honest vote" Act that requires
every congressperson to sign that they have personally read the
entire bill they voted on. This will shorten the bills and there will
be fewer of them. Who will oppose an "honest vote" act. In the
Internet age, call congress to home for good and let congress people
stay in their own states, where they are closer to their constituents
and away from the perks of office. They can have conference/video
calls, and vote electronically. It will be harder for special
interests to have a presence in 50 states.

Call for a cabinet post for SMALL business. This will emphasize the
real difference/drive a wedge between the interests of the 36 million
small business owners and the special interests/treatment of LARGE
business.

Instead of launching a field campaign three months before an election, we’ll start NOW to recruit leaders, persuade voters, and build a grassroots base for victory. A base that is not only geared to the 2008 election but one that is ongoing and sustainable.

What will help Democrats win elections will be a surge in grassroots energy and a reengaged corps of activists who are working to take their party and country back. Activists who strive to bring America back to democracy, where the Constitution and Bill Of Rights are respected.

We have a long way to go to reach 3,140 counties and independent cities in the United States where we will appoint Coordinators, 51 State Coordinators not to mention the Home Office Staff and the hundreds of thousands of voting district coordinators. Illinois has over 11,000 by itself.

In nine states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin), 7,610 minor civil divisions, which are county subdivisions such as townships, run elections, it will be necessary to appoint Coordinators for each of these.

*1,218* MEMBERS STRONG IN FIRST 6 WEEKS - IN ALL 50 STATES AND DC!!! OCT to NOW, It’s a Fantastic Start.

Join this group, Help Build Alliances between Progressive groups and members.

Does some of this sound extreme? Imagine our country if we lose the
next election and get another GW in the White House.

Ron McBride
netquest@shawneelink.net
www.WeDemocrats.org
Join WeDemocrats at: http://dfalink.com/group.php?id=2043

Every year, you probably send between 15 and 40 percent of your income to the IRS. Isn't it worth spending 1 percent deciding who gets to spend that money?
http://wedemocrats.org/wddonate.htm

Contributions or gifts to WeDemocrats.org are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
WeDemocrats.org 6155 Flatt Woods Rd, Simpson, IL 62985

HR 550 is an important bill which has bipartisan support. Write your
congressperson and ask them to support it.

The bill would require that all voting systems produce a voter-verified paper record for use in manual audits; ban the use of undisclosed software and all wireless and concealed communications devises in voting systems; and establish procedures to be followed if there is a discrepancy between
reported results and audit results.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061115/D8LDLJ3O1.html

House Member Wants E-Voting Paper Trail
By Donna De La Cruz
The Associated Press

Wednesday 15 November 2006

Washington - Citing the disputed vote in a Florida congressional
district, a Democratic lawmaker on Wednesday urged Congress to approve his measure requiring a paper trail for electronic voting.

Rep. Rush Holt, sponsor of the bill, said the inaccuracy of electronic touch-screen voting machines "poses a direct threat to the integrity of our electoral system." The New Jersey congressman argued the Florida district, in which more than 18,000 votes have gone uncounted, has exposed the system's flaws.

Florida law requires a recount in all five southwest Florida counties in the 13th Congressional District. But scrutiny is focused on Sarasota County, where touch-screen voting machines recorded that 18,382 people - 13 percent of voters in the Nov. 7 election - did not vote for either Republican Vern Buchanan or Democrat Christine Jennings, despite casting ballots in other races on the ballot. That rate was much higher than other counties in the district.

The Florida Department of State reported Monday Buchanan had a 377-vote lead over Jennings in the race - less than 0.2 percent. The Associated Press' unofficial election night count had the total at 373. Buchanan has declared victory; Jennings has not conceded. The race is one of a handful of races across the nation that remained unresolved in the days after Election Day.

Republican Rep. Katherine Harris, the woman at the center of the
disputed 2000 presidential election, has represented the House district. She failed in her bid for the Senate seat.

Holt contended that even after the votes are recounted and a winner
declared the absence of a voter-verified paper trail will fuel doubts about
the results.

Holt also said at least one electronic voting machine in New Jersey's
Ocean County counted votes twice, and some were also added to vote totals for the Senate, county freeholder and county sheriff races in Lakewood, according to a published report.

Holt's "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act" had the
support of 219 House members before last week's election and now has 221 bipartisan co-sponsors, his office said.

The bill would require that all voting systems produce a voter-verified paper record for use in manual audits; ban the use of undisclosed software and all wireless and concealed communications devises in voting systems; and establish procedures to be followed if there is a discrepancy between reported results and audit results.

_____

The bill is H.R. 550.

Congratulations to David von Ebers, Oak Park, IL who has become our 1200th member.

Official Days Left in Office for George W. Bush - 794

Our strategy has helped expand the playing field and provide the foundation for victories across the nation.

It is overwhelming to think of how many of you have spent your free time making phone calls, knocking on doors, and stuffing envelopes.

Unlike most organizations, we're keeping our operation alive after the election; the staff and volunteer networks will be put right back to work building the party in preparation for 2008 and beyond.

If we're going to win in 2008 we've got to start now.

How? By organizing everywhere, and in doing so we will be laying the groundwork for the presidential race in 2008.

We will not distribute funds based on which candidates I personally like, nor on who were the most loyal Democrats. Our goal is to win the Whitehouse in 2008, and we are going to do it.

No matter how good candidates are, it means little if they do not have cash to advertise and pay campaign workers. We must be in a position to help those who need not only cash but volunteers as well. That can only happen if you have your county organized, your volunteers lined up in advance, and candidates who are worthy of your time, money and effort.

Every year, you probably send between 15 and 40 percent of your income to the IRS. Isn't it worth spending 1 percent deciding who gets to spend that money?

It's important to build a critical mass of Progressives in the Government, so they can keep Congress focused on creating equal opportunity for everyone. And WeDemocrats.org needs your help to get the word out—none of us are able to self-finance, nor are we millionaires. But collectively we can achieve the impossible.

http://wedemocrats.org/wddonate.htm
Contributions or gifts to WeDemocrats.org are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.
WeDemocrats.org 6155 Flatt Woods Rd, Simpson, IL 62985