Hi there.
So, it seems funny that I haven’t posted a diary in almost six months. But, as you can probably guess, I’ve been a little busy. After registering a few voters voters here in Austin, I helped ship a few hundred people out of state with the Obama campaign. Oh, and I was hired as a staff writer for my state’s biggest and best political blog, the Burnt Orange Report. But the real story starts after all that. During the weeks of celebration post-victory, I went to a party with some of the folks I’d packed on buses to New Mexico.
As fate would have it, that’s where I met Chris Riley.
I’d heard about Chris Riley, and how he was planning to run for Austin City Council. My friends had said good things about him. And there he was, at this party. So I said, "I’ve heard good things. But why should I vote for you?"
He began to ask about the issues that matter to me. I said, "transportation." Chris replied, "I don’t own a car. I started the Austin CarShare program, and a group called the Alliance for Public Transportation."
"Wow!" I said. "I don’t own a car, either! I never have. I’m voting for you!" And then I wandered off to go eat the rest of the cashews.
::
So a few weeks later, I heard that Chris Riley was looking for a campaign manager. A staunch advocate for public transportation? Who lives up to his ideals of sustainability and remodeled his home to be the first four-star residential green building in Austin? Who chaired the Planning Commission and Downtown Commission, started a neighborhood association, and served on the boards of countless non-profits? I was sold. (If you want to read more, check out the man's extensive issues pages.)
And ever since mid-December, I’ve been managing Chris Riley’s campaign for Austin City Council. 16 hours a day, 7 days a week (save for the class I still teach at UT two mornings a week), we’re on the campaign trail. It’s a short and fast race. In fact, Early Voting is only 29 days away.
We've been picking up key endorsements all along the way. Chris has been endorsed by the Sierra Club, Police and EMS Employees' Unions, Austin Lesbian/Gay Political Caucus, the Austin Progressive Coalition, and ten local Democratic clubs. He's also been endorsed by the League of Bicycling Voters! We're really stoked about that one.
Now, I’m not just here to tell you what I’ve been up to. I’m here to ask for your help. Tomorrow is a critical fundraising deadline for our campaign. We need to make a strong showing on our fundraising report to propel the campaign forward. Here in Austin, we’ve all been working around the clock to do all we can to elect Chris Riley, but we can’t do it alone. I wish elections were decided solely by determination and effort, but they’re not. We’re running a relentless grassroots campaign, but even that takes some funds. Can you give us some funds?
$10.01 provides 400 flyers about a house party in a must-win precinct.
$25.01 funds 10 yard signs to spread the word on lawns across Austin (aren’t they pretty?)
$50.01 pays the weekly salary of one of our hard-working interns, who knock on doors and call voters until they drop.
Fundraising in this race is really difficult. Our City Council seats in Austin are city-wide, so we have to run a massive, massive campaign, on par with a mayoral campaign. The donation limits are $350 per person, $700 per married couple, so it takes a really long time to raise what we need for TV and direct mail. In the 16th-largest city in America, that stuff isn’t cheap.
I know it might seem really, really obscure--some municipal race in some state where some of you fear to tread. But it’s more than that. Frankly, the Texas Legislature isn’t doing enough on environmental issues and transportation. It’s up to the city government of the most progressive city in Texas to step up, and we need leaders like Chris Riley to go out there and advocate for these causes. Plenty of you came down to Austin last summer, and I hope you feel inclined enough to want to help make it a better place.
I’m also here asking you for this help because if it weren’t for the friendship and support of a bunch of bloggers, many of whom I’ve never met, people who inspired me to get more involved, stay involved, I never would have taken this job. I never would have believed that I could do this, or any of the other stuff I’ve been up to over the past six months. I wouldn’t have known enough, or had the support, to believe I could make a difference. I want our campaign to win, and I want to win with your help. So please, if it’s at all possible for you, please consider pitching in tonight.
And while you mull all of that over, heeeeere’s your Top Comments!
From nonnie9999: In dansk's diary, One of these days..., bkamr has a heartwarming story about her mother and a very special person in her life. It is far too lovely not to share.
From Crashing Vor:
Thunderous applause for Muzikal203's tip jar in this hilarious diary.
From Jill Richardson:
This one made the blogger formerly known as OrangeClouds(somenumber) laugh so hard she snorted.
Also, she nominated this comment about socialist frogs and fertilizer.
From chrississippi:
bsmechanic gets the nod for "...then they came for the carrots..."
From Oh Mary Oh:
dedmonds on patriotism and vegetables.
From lightiris:
GOTV's photo commentary in the context of the diary deserves kudos.
From NonnyO:
Edgewater's excellent comment in ImpeachKingBushII's excellent diary is spot ON!
I also highly recommend ImpeachKingBushII's diary (on the Rec List as I send this, and I hope it stays there for a while), It's Already Begun: The World's Not Going to Turn the Page
From JML9999:
A good pun.
From Seneca Doane:
JeffW's reply to Jed's FP story on media handwringing over Obama's use of a teleprompter (gasp!) is as bon mot as bon mot gets, at least for us old fans of original flavor Star Trek.
Top Mojo by brillig. Thanks, brillig!
Top 30 Comments excluding search-identifiable tip jars and first comments:
1) How about #7406392? by Dallasdoc — 219
2) Srsly? They're advocating Michelle use pesticides by earicicle — 215
3) i know - and i LOVE how they feel threatened by Jill Richardson — 181
4) Well, it could have been a particularly virulent by rontun — 174
5) The Law is the Problem by RedMeatDem — 162
6) Wrong by BlueGenes — 143
7) And, by the same logic by Dump Terry McAuliffe — 107
8) Wish I remembered the details better right now, by earicicle — 106
9) ... by Statusquomustgo — 101
10) The Administration... by philipogog — 91
11) As a 30 plus year organic gardener by flatford39 — 88
12) And if he's got a box of Zip-Loc baggies by Unitary Moonbat — 88
13) 86 by Pluto — 85
14) fantastic first comment to Al's great diary! by sand805 — 84
15) Try now by Al Rodgers — 81
16) lemme draw you a picture... by Henry Porter aka 8ackgr0und n015e — 75
17) this is a case of a stupid and bad cop by vc2 — 75
18) FYI on Harry Belafonte: by earicicle — 74
19) Thanks. One suggestion, though. by Gary Norton — 71
20) My guess is that Obama wouldn't mind if by plumbobb — 69
21) "...then they came for the carrots..." n/t by bsmechanic — 67
22) Time to find a DoJ number for speed-dial by Dallasdoc — 66
23) It was the Vt. Farmer's Protection Act by CanyonWren — 66
24) It's worse than that by kyril — 66
25) Okay, you are an apologist by NearlyNormal — 65
26) . by buhdydharma — 64
27) Problem is BOTH by Uncle Moji — 63
28) Wow... by WarrenS — 61
29) I agree with everything you say by vigilant meerkat — 61
30) Where the hell is Harry Trumen when by blue jersey mom — 60
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions:
1) Tips to the wonderful person by Jill Richardson — 635
2) Seriously -- shot in the chest, point-blank? by Cenobyte — 532
3) Tips for always opposing these war criminals. by ImpeachKingBushII — 397
4) Tip Jar by Muzikal203 — 306
5) 1 by Ray Radlein — 293
6) Tips for the Administration. by FightingRegistrar — 242
7) How about #7406392? by Dallasdoc — 219
8) Srsly? They're advocating Michelle use pesticides by earicicle — 215
9) Tips for Debbie... by One Pissed Off Liberal — 212
10) Tips for Alicia by Zwoof — 203
11) tip jar - does team Obama needs a wake up call? by Freiheit — 193
12) tips BUT... by philipmerrill — 182
13) i know - and i LOVE how they feel threatened by Jill Richardson — 181
14) Well, it could have been a particularly virulent by rontun — 174
15) The Law is the Problem by RedMeatDem — 162
16) Wrong by BlueGenes — 143
17) Tip Jar - 29 March by Jerome a Paris — 134
18) And, by the same logic by Dump Terry McAuliffe — 107
19) Wish I remembered the details better right now, by earicicle — 106
20) ... by Statusquomustgo — 101
21) Tips for miniature equines. :) by NCrissieB — 100
22) The Administration... by philipogog — 91
23) Tips by Trix — 91
24) As a 30 plus year organic gardener by flatford39 — 88
25) And if he's got a box of Zip-Loc baggies by Unitary Moonbat — 88
26) 86 by Pluto — 85
27) fantastic first comment to Al's great diary! by sand805 — 84
28) Try now by Al Rodgers — 81
29) Tips or flames by Haole in Hawaii — 78
30) Crazy Tip Jar by JohnKWilson — 77
Send your top comments in to topcomments(at)gmail(dot)com or else! I don't know, I'm too tired to come up with a credible threat. Do it!