I apologize for the rant in advance.......
While you (we) are all here gnashing our teeth over the latest polls showing ROMNEY now taking the lead in several different polls, I cant help but notice a need for many of us to look deeper into the data for an "explanation" of why this is possible and how its really no big deal and we dont need to worry. It IS! Why do we have a desire to some way frame the horrible numbers like they are not bad for Obama?
People, get over it. Obama, with his lackluster debate performance watched by 70 Million Americans (!!) did more to set back his own cause then all of the Billions thrown against him by the super pacs. And the only way that its reparable is for him to right the ship (which he has done) and fight harder in the next two debates. But MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE need to take this election over: we all need to be evangelists for Obama. Why are we all sitting here playing Monday Morning Quarterback? We have to stop analyzing the scoreboard and get down and dirty and do the work that needs to be done. This is not the NFL. We can play in this game as much as we can watch it. Each and every one of us. Its time to stop being observers of this and become participants in it on the street just as much as we are here. We all, if we work together have the power to move the numbers. The evangelicals are the master of this "working together" approach. Do you see them sitting back and analyzing polls? NO. They do the dirty work, door to door, person to person. Why is it that the Progressive base is not as active? Why are we not writing letters to the editor at the same level? Crashing conservative blogs (just as they are crashing ours). Calling into right wing talk radio and standing up and fighting! It may seem at times like you are shouting into the ether but you are not. Every day, your goal should be to convert one (or get one to commit) to Obama. One a day. Not much to ask.
This election will be won on very small margins, made smaller by the voting law changes in most of the swing states. Within those margins are people that we know personally..... at work, in our families, at church, at school, at Starbucks..... anywhere that a conversation is possible.
Its up to each of us that believe in the Progressive cause to go out and talk to those who may be LEANING Romney at this point. Particularly those who may have "come out" in support of him after the last debate. Truth be told, people are never public supporting a loser (with the possible exception of The Chicago Cubs). They love to be public when they support a winner. They NOW BELIEVE that Romney can win. And so its safe to finally pound their chests. And its now up to us to explain what could happen IF Romney wins and ask them, is that really the kind of America you want to live in?
Is a vote for Romney a vote IN your economic interest? Explain Romney's distortion of the facts in the debate. Ask why he changes his positions faster than he changes his state residency. Explain the impact of his economic policy on the rich vs the middle class. Explain how he wants to spend additional billions on defense all with no enemy to fight with the additional billions that should be spent on schools and roads putting Americans back to work rebuilding this country. Explain how his budget does not address the deficit and in fact with tax cuts for the rich makes it WORSE. Explain his 47% comments where he writes off half the country, calling half the country moochers while the rich take corporate welfare, particularly subsidies for oil companies, a sore spot with ALL americans. Make them laugh with the fact that Romney said he likes to hunt "varmints". Ask dog owners at the dog park if they really want a President who thinks it was a clever solution to put his dog on the roof of his car in a crate for a 12 hour car ride!! Explain how Bush's neocon cronies are waiting in the wings.
AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, explain how Obama has done some great things to this point after starting DEEP in the hole after Bush. Two unpaid wars. Troops around the world. Bush tax cuts unpaid. Medicare drug program unpaid. Massive deficit. Biggest financial crisis since Great Depression. Despite all of this: Consistent job growth with NO help from the GOP who decided on Inauguration Day to do nothing but say no to make Obama a one term president...... not to mention the European Euro crisis and the GOP's desire to slash government jobs at the state level in the middle of a recession!!!......and yet, he has succeeded (modestly) against this and set the stage for growth in a second term. How Americas standing in the world has improved. How we HAVE left Iraq, good to his word. How we ARE leaving Afghanistan, good to his word. We assisted Libya's independence without one casualty. Osama friggin Bin Ladin! Most of the leadership of the terrorists killed by drone strikes. Increased American energy independence at all time highs, an evolution to renewables underway. These are non outsourceable American jobs! Talk about Obamas support for woman TO woman contrasted with Romneys embrace of the GOP's war on women, calling into question the ability of women to even access birth control! Ask them if they think the rich pay TOO MUCH in taxes even though they are paying less than they EVER have!! BECOME MASTERS OF YOUR OWN PITCH AND SELL THESE PEOPLE. They are out there.
I could go on and on, and when talking to people, I do. But always with respect (even if inside I'm screaming sometimes). The hard sell will not work on these people. this will be an election won on hand to hand combat in the living rooms, workplaces and coffee shops of this country. And the warriors are not on cable TV. They are people like you and me. We will NOT win this election sitting here explaining polls to each other, analyzing the crosstabs...... none of this matters if we all dont get off our butts from now to election day to embrace people who are out there, ripe for conversation, to have a talk about this election. Dont ram YOUR opinion down their throat. This is a conversation. And when you use THE FACTS and Romneys OWN RECORD AND WORDS against him, there is no way that they can ever look at him as someone that shares anything in common with them at all.
Sorry to preach, but GET OUT THERE EVERYBODY. The polls DO matter. But is there really anything we can do about it here, other than stay in touch with whats going on? Lets STOP trying to explain the bad news away. Its time to W-O-R-K. Its more important now than it ever has been. This election is NOT a gimme. Romney, despite the polls has a reasonable chance of victory, especially with another debate performance (by Obama) like the last one. Plus, the media WANTS a horse race. Hand to hand combat. One family member, co-worker, relative (especially those in swing states), stranger in a coffee shop..... be prepared. THAT is how WE (not the Obama election team) will win this election. I dont think any of us want to wake up the day after the election in the first day of Romneys America. Get off the blog and get out into the real world.
And let that word sink in: Romney's America.
PS.
ABOVE ALL, IF YOU LIVE IN A STATE WITH EARLY VOTING, LOAD YOUR CAR UP WITH DEMOCRATS AND DRIVE THEM TO THE POLLS TO VOTE EARLY!!! HAVE A SAMPLE BALLOT IN YOUR CAR TO DISCUSS QUESTIONS. KNOW THE DOWN BALLOT ISSUES TOO. MAKE A LIST OF EVERYONE YOU KNOW AND MAKE SURE THEY VOTE!!! YOU HAVE WEEKS TO DO THIS. WE NEED EVERY VOTE WE CAN GET AND WE DONT NEED TO WAIT FOR ELECTION DAY TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!!! (sorry to shout! Its important!!)