As we have seen in Wisconsin, the GOP's overreach can be used to our great advantage. The State and Local Action Group is getting geared up to take advantage of the torrent of Teh Crazy hitting many of our Republican dominated states.
Follow me below the squiggly for updates on organizational progress and to learn what you can do to help beat the GOP using their own extremism.
So far we have over 50 people following this group. That's an AWESOME number of people committed to defeating the GOP on the state and local level.
GAINING ACCESS TO VOTER DATA
I'm presently working on getting access to searchable voter data lists with filtering capabilities based on various criteria
Access to voter data with strong filtering capabilities is essential to the success of our effort. Within a week, I expect to be able to update you as to the progress on access to voter data.
Let's take my state, Florida, as an example. With the rejection of High Speed Rail, Rick Scott has cost the state almost 30,000 jobs. These are electricians, construction workers, tradespeople who could've been working, but who now won't be. What a good voter information database would do is allow the State and Local Action Group to filter voters by location (choosing, say, addresses along the I-4 corridor), by registration (Democrat and Independent), by voting frequency (voted last in 2004, for example) and possibly even by occupation. These are the people we want to reach with variations of this message: "Thanks to Republican [insert name here] and his [insert crazy policy enacted here], [insert devastating direct result here]. Remember to vote in all state and local elections. It matters."
Mine might say: "Thanks to Republican Rick Scott and his rejection of the high speed rail project, 30,000 electricians, construction workers, engineers, project managers and tradespeople will have to keep looking for work. Remember to vote in ALL State and Local elections. It really does matter." I might place a photo of tradespeople looking sad and contrast it with a picture of a smiling Ricky Scott.
A snarkier version might be a drawing of a Rick Scott head on the body of a rich baron-type enjoying champagne and a cigar sitting on a yacht off the coast of Florida with his rich buddies. The caption might read: "Well, HE doesn't need a job so why should he care?" Then below that say "Republican Rick Scott just rejected 30,000 trades jobs with his rejection of High Speed Rail. Remember to vote in ALL state and local elections because it really does matter.
FUN STUFF HUH?
Targeting specific voters with specific characteristics and highlighting enacted policies that have a negative and direct effect on their lives is vital to driving up voter turnout in "off years" and in "off elections" in the future.
MEDIA ACCESS
I'm also working on finding an interface for the mailers (and even video media) that can be easily uploaded by those who create it and downloaded by those who want to print (or burn) and distribute it.
It's important that as many people have access to the created materials as possible. That they have the ability to easily download it for printing (or even burning, in the case of a video). The more people who print the media, the more people we reach. I think I've found something that will work beautifully. I am testing it out now on a free trial basis and hopefully will have it figured out and ready to go very soon.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY
Today you can keep track of the crazy legislation that's being enacted in your state and figure out exactly who it effects and exactly how. Be specific.
A closed health clinic in a low income community will have a direct impact on that community. A closed school in a community means an extra 20 minute morning drive for mom and a daily race to get to work on time. Remember to be specific and try to think from the perspective of someone who doesn't follow politics. Keep it handy and then when we're ready to launch, please write a diary letting us all know the havoc that our governors and legislatures are causing. If you're not signed on as a contributor, and would like to be, please send me a request. This way, once we're organized and ready to go, you'll be able create your diary and put in the publishing queue.
We're going to have a very busy few years. And if you're committed to blocking the GOP from taking your state and our country back to the 1700s, please follow this group.