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Blog For Arizona
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A Triumphal Whisper for All Democrats
Posted: 04 Nov 2008 02:57 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441886792/your-triumphal-whisper.html
by Michael Bryan
In ancient Rome, when a victorious general would parade triumphantly through
the streets atop his chariot, displaying the booty and enemies he had captured
in a successful campaign, all the citizens hailing him as "Imperator," a little
slave child would perch behind him whispering continually in his ear, "You are
still a mortal man." Thus did the Romans seek to remind even the most exalted
that he was still just a normal person: no magical powers had been won with his
great victory.
I'm going to be that little slave boy for a minute while we've still got
everyone's attention here. That may be a bit of a turd in the punch bowl on
what is almost certain to be a triumphal day, but so be it. I presume, with
plenty of good evidence, that Democrats are going to sweep to an overwhelming
victory today.
Democrats will take the Presidency and larger majorities in Congress, and there
will be a temptation to think that this means that "we the people" win, and
everything will be better at least for the next few years. There will be a
feeling that all our problems will now be solved and we can relax and let our
elected officials get down to the business of fixing what Bush and the GOP have
broken.
Nothing could be further from the truth: this election is only the beginning of
the work to save the American way of life from the folly and greed of the Bush
era. Obama may be a transformational leader, but he is still just a man in a
difficult political environment who needs tremendous support from us to get
anything done.
Our political system simply doesn't work very well. It is hostage to special
interests, riddled with institutionalized corruption, and designed for inertia
and gridlock. Even with one party in command of two branches and a fresh
popular mandate, the people cannot rest assured that reform will come. It never
has without motivated and well-organized mass social organizations demanding
change, rattling the castle gates, and working for reform from outside the
government.
Every great wave of reform in this nation has been the direct result of
sustained social movements first and foremost, not the election of a particular
politician or party. Elections ratify what social movements achieve, elections
don't make social movements unnecessary.
Today is a day to pat yourselves on the back. Hoist a few. Feel good that we
have some folks with the public interest at heart in office. And then get back
to work tomorrow.
Join social organizations working for causes you believe in. Contribute money
and time and sweat to local and national citizen-based groups. Pay less
attention to mere partisan politics and champion specific issues. Hold your
representatives' feet to the fire. Stay involved. Stay engaged. Work as
citizens for those changes you believe are best for this society. If you don't,
then our 18th century political system will tell Obama, "no, we can't." And
that we cannot afford.
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Conservatives Jumping Ship: Gators for McCain Chairman
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 04:45 PM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441435891/conservatives-jumping-ship-gators-for-mccain-chairman.html
by David SafierThis isn't in the Colin Powell/Christopher Buckley category in
the growing McCain Mutiny. Josh Simmons is a college student at University of
Florida and Chairman of Gators for John McCain, apparently one of the nation's
largest pro-McCain student groups. He was at a rally for Joe Biden when this
exchange took place:
“I wanted to see the next vice president of the United States,” said Josh
Simmons, Gators for McCain chairman.
Simmons said he voted for Obama about two weeks ago.
“I’ve seen a different John McCain than the one I signed up to work for,” he
said.
Simmons said he submitted his resignation Sunday night and will no longer be
chairman for the group, which has more than 1,000 members.
“I expect them to be incredibly pissed off,” he said.
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Obama Has "Negative Flakeage Rate" Among Volunteers
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 11:06 PM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441427165/obama-has-negative-flakeage-rate-among-volunteers.html
by David SafierI was just listening to a video interview with Jon Carson, the
national field director for the Obama campaign.
He said things were going well in the key battleground states. In fact he said
the offices were experiencing a "negative flakeage rate" among volunteers.
Instead of people promising to show up and flaking out, they were showing up
and bringing friends with them.
Negative flakeage rate. Great term. I was just at the Pima County Dems'
Headquarters, and they must be having the same situation. Nary a phone was
free. And Howard Dean was in the house for a pep talk.
Dean is going around the country pumping up volunteers. He's not going
everywhere, he said, only to states where Obama has a good chance of winning.
Two weeks ago, who expected that was possible?
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Takin' It Back With Barack, Jack! (For Swing Voters!!!)
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 11:30 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441182356/takin-it-back-with-barack-jack-for-swing-voters.html
by David SafierAny 40s jazz/swing fans out there? This can carry you all the
way to Wednesday morning.
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LD-26: Model Ground Game
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 10:50 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441134626/ld-26-model-ground-game.html
by David SafierIf you want to see how to maximize your chances of beating the
odds, go to the Northwest Dem HQ at Ina and Shannon and watch how Arizona's
26th gets it done.
For weeks, dozens of people have been walking every Saturday, knocking on doors
of Independents and Democrats who aren't guaranteed voters and phoning all week
to remind people to sign up for Vote by Mail, then to vote for our candidates
-- and from now through Tuesday, to go to the polls.
This Saturday at 9am, 50-75 people showed up to walk, so many they ran out of
walking packets. They scrambled to get enough packets ready for the 1pm walk,
when another big crowd came in.
The same thing Sunday morning. Every walking packet was gone, then another
crowd poured into the office at 1pm to pick up more hastily prepared walking
packets. The afternoon crowd included 5 students from Mountain View High. They
had put in some time earlier to get credit for an assignment in their
Government Class. This time they were there, no credit, just because they
wanted to pitch in. It gladdened this old high school teacher's heart.
Next door, there must have been 15-20 people with their ears to the phone all
day, working in 3 hour shifts. And there were two other locations filled with
phoners, probably 8-10 phones each, also packed.
LD-26 is hungry not only to keep the two seats it picked up in 2006 (they were
all Republican legislators before that) but to add the third seat to complete
the win. It's a Republican district, but we have four things going for us:
unbelievably good candidates, Cheryl Cage, Nancy Young Wright and Don
Jorgensen; weak opposition, with two extreme right wingers and one
semi-credible "Tell me what you want to hear" moderate-conservative; the
Independent voters, who tend to be moderate and can trend Democratic; and an
incredible ground game that to get out as many voters as possible and remind
them to vote for our candidates, including both Dems running for the House.
The fifth thing we have going for us, which can't be ignored: Adam and Ashley,
two paid coordinators who have kept the place lively and fun for the last few
months. I get "When are you coming in again?" calls from them on a regular
basis, and whenever I sign up for a shift, I get a call reminding me to get
there. They always make me and everyone else feel like the most important
people in the place. They've spent weeks going down lists of possible
supporters to line up the walkers and phoners for the final push. Volunteers
can't do that. You need paid staff. Young, dedicated, smart paid staff.
We'll know Wednesday how well it all worked. But I don't think the Democratic
ground game could have gone much better.
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McCain Ranch: Presented Without Comment
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 10:18 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441113076/mccain-ranch-presented-without-comment.html
by David Safier
>From Americablog
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An American Tune
Posted: 03 Nov 2008 09:03 AM CST
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/BlogForArizona/~3/441039385/an-american-tune.html
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
>From American Tune, Words & music by Paul Simon
And I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered
or driven to its knees
but it's all right, it's all right
for we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the
road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong
I can't help it, I wonder what's gone wrong
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