Cross Posted at
A Rational Being
Thereisnospoon's Diary says we should take a stand. He (or she) is right. It is easy to be against something. But that's not the same as being for something. Being against something just means that someone else is setting the agenda and we react. We become the tail of the dog...
It is time to be the dog. We must take stands. Come out for single payer health care. When the right says bad things about it, say, "How can you be against everyone having health care?" Do not let them weasel out with "market pressures," "taxes," or some other diluting excuse. Keep hitting them with the "How can you be against..."
Ok, so I oversimplify.
Back to the original point. When I graduated college and paid my first serious income taxes, I became a republican. That lasted until George Bush the elder beat Michael Dukakis. Then I switched to independent. I stayed independent and voted pretty much party line Democrat until just two months ago. Two months ago, I registered Democrat and got nominated to my town's Democratic Town Committee (the people who become delegates to the conventions, hold signs near the polls, put signs up on lawns etc).
Why the switch? Let me use the words of one of my new associates on the Democratic Town Committee, "You want to see things happen." Yes, I want to see things happen, and I am not going to leave it up to chance or the republicans. I took my fist stand.
At the last DTC meeting, we had a guest speaker,
John Bonifaz. John is a candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of State. He is also an attorney fighting for fair elections. He's received endorsements from Rep. John Conyers Jr.
Having just finished Mark Crispin Miller's Book "
Fooled Again," I felt comfortable with the issues of Ohio's stolen election so I asked Mr. Bonifaz the tough questions. He did not blush. He knew the issues, understood the issues and answered my questions. (He chuckled when I asked him about Secretary of State as Campaign Committee Chair, and mentioned Ken Blackwell by name).
At the end of his talk, he came over and thanked me for the tough questions. I volunteered to help. I will be calling delegates before the June convention. I took my second stand.
My third stand will be literal. Look for me at the traffic circle downtown on Saturdays this fall. I will be the one holding the Bonifaz sign.
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