A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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The orange pinpoints are the location of each organized group of Daily Kos readers.
If you'd like to join a group, click on a point and a box will pop up showing contact links.
If you'd like to start a group, contact navajo for instructions.
View Interactive Map of Daily Kos Regional Communities in a full screen version.
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Is Your Vote 4 Sale ?
Buenos morning my friends. Well, we've got a week to go before the election. I'm sure that many of us are getting ready for a final effort to put our candidates over the top. You wouldn't want to be kicking yourself if your candidate lost and you didn't do everything you possibly could. Election season may be almost over, but we're right in the middle of football season. That means I've been watching more TV than I usually do, and the political ads are driving me crazy. Sometimes there will be three in a row. It seems my district, Arizona's CD-2, is one of the most hotly contested in the country. According to our local alt-weekly, AZ-01 and AZ-02 are among the 5 most expensive races in the country when it comes to outside spending.
But the spending by the candidates has been dwarfed by spending from outside groups. The Cook Political Report rounded up spending by various outside groups in races across the country and revealed that pro-Democratic groups—including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Majority PAC and the Gabby Giffords' Americans for Responsible Solutions—had spent more than $3.5 million in CD2, while groups supporting McSally—including the National Republican Congressional Committee—had spent more than $3.2 million. All in all, the outside groups had poured more than $6.8 million into the race, making it the fourth-biggest district in the nation for independent expenditures.
But coming in ahead, at No. 3, was Congressional District 1, where Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick is trying to fend off a challenge from Republican Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives Andy Tobin.
Outside groups had dumped more than $7.1 million into that race, with about $3 million supporting Kirkpatrick and $4.1 million supporting Tobin.
Jim Nintzel, Tucson Weekly
Why all the money ? Simple, the biggest spender nearly always wins. According to
Open Secrets.org, 8 out of 10 Senate races and 9 out of 10 House races are won by the biggest spender. Money wins elections or, to put it another way, money buys votes. Not my vote of course,
my vote's not 4 sale, but apparently somebody's vote is 4 sale. Lots of somebodies. How did this happen, how is it that winning elections is simply a matter of throwing money at them ?
I think we all know the answer to that. It's TV. The money is spent for television advertising. For the networks and local stations it's a bonanza, a windfall. For the rest of us not so much. The month-long barrage of lame television spots gets worse every cycle. It's enough to turn a person off politics entirely, which is probably viewed as an added bonus by the Koch Bros. I've never changed my mind about a candidate based on TV ads, but then I've never tried a new fast-food concoction based on an ad either. The thing is, it's the effectiveness of TV advertising, the willingness of Americans to trust what they see on the box, that makes it possible for candidates and their outside backers to buy elections. If it didn't work, they wouldn't do it.
The Citizens United decision is to blame for the current obscene levels of campaign spending and there's a movement to amend the Constitution, Move to Amend, which I am in favor of, but there's an easier, simpler solution. What if everybody just Turned the Damn Thing Off ? Who knows what might happen ? Maybe people would read books and newspapers again, maybe they would talk to their neighbors, maybe they would start voting in their own best interests again. Oh well ... a guy can dream, right ?
OK, that's all I got this morning. How 'bout y'all ? Got any news, any links ? Are you planning any last minute campaigning ? and ...
Is Your Vote 4 Sale ?
Latest Updates on Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
by cooper888 ♥ for Sacramento Kossacks
We heard from navajo and Meteor Blades about the initiative by Daily Kos to have active Kossack groups in each of the state capitals. DK is looking for engaged Kossack's ready to roll up their sleeves and participate in many different types of activism/advocacy. For example, delivering petitions to the state capitol, participating in various protests, marches, rally's at the capitol, etc. As Meteor Blades pointed out this won't happen over night and is a long term strategy but I think if we all take the lead in our respective states we can make this dream happen sooner than DK leadership expects.
L-R: Front row: Sychotic1, tgypsy, tb92, trevizolga, Mrs. side pocket. Second row: Arundsdel (sp?), Laurel in CA, Kestrel, Meteor Blades. Third row: Kestrel's two friends, smileycreek, paradise50, Dave. Back row: Clif, Mr. Arundsdel, Neil, cooper888, side pocket, Left foot forward, got mooned & Nate
Please visit cooper888's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Sacramento Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to cooper888.
by John Crapper ♥ for Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks
On Saturday 10/4/14, the Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks had the chance to have lunch with Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant.
...In 2012, Kshama ran as a Socialist Alternative candidate for WA State Legislature and surprised everyone by winning 29% of the vote. The momentum continued in her campaign for Seattle City Council where she boldly ran on a platform of fighting for a $15/hr minimum wage, rent control and taxing the super-rich to fund mass transit and education. In November she defeated a 16-year incumbent Democrat to become the first socialist elected in a major US city in decades.
Kshama Sawant now chairs Seattle City Council's Energy Committee which covers Seattle City Light, alternative energy sources, energy policies and air pollution regulations.
bleeding blue videotaped the address and the Q&A session that followed:
Please visit John Crapper's diary for more details and photos of the event. You can still REC it. You can join Seattle and Puget Sound Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to John Crapper.
by randallt ♥ for DKos Asheville
The Dkos Ashevillites got together again to take a break from registering people to vote. A special thanks to Gordon20024, who drove in from Roanke, for providing all the food!
All the attendees went around the table and talked about what they're involved in at Daily Kos. Details about this on each attendee can be read at randallt's diary. Out-of-state special guests were Land of Enchantment and jnhobbs from Nashville! Love that kind of support!
Dkos Asheville is setting a great example of how to Connect, Unite and Act! Kudos to the whole group that is making this team strong!
Please visit randallt's diary for photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join DKos Asheville by sending a Kosmail to randallt.
by susans ♥ for Los Angeles Kossacks
At the monthly meeting of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, SEIU, airport workers and Daily Kos (represented by susans and Joshua Bloxom) presented them with a 48,000 signature petition demanding safer working conditions. Also present were representatives of CLUE, Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice, who submitted a letter of support to the board.
[...]
The SEIU organizers led a short rally outside of the building at One World Way after the meeting. SEIU represents people who do a lot of different jobs at LAX: they work in the terminals as wheelchair pushers, door openers, janitors, various other positions and on the ramp (outside). Some of them spoke at the rally, again in English and Spanish. They asked me to speak, something I was totally unprepared for. I briefly told them about DK and that I would be writing about the event and posting it online.
A special thank you to Josh, who took multiple trains up from Orange County to support airport workers and represent Daily Kos. It was great talking to you and I look forward to another opportunity to spend some time together.
Please visit
susans's diary for more details. You can still REC it. You can join
Los Angeles Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to
susans.
by Sara R ♥ for Koscadia
Koscadians got together one more time to Stamp Money Out of Politics
L-R: also mom of 5, loggersbrat, Quill, pdxteacher, J Orygun, KitRMP, HRM & Arenosa
Please visit Sara R's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Koscadia by sending a Kosmail to Sara R.
by mimi ♥ for New York City
Here's a great photo recap of all the Kossacks marching in NYC at the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014.
L-R: Raines and Tool holding the banner
L-R: ?, mole jr., Mrs. Mole333, boatsie, The Poet Deploreate, WarrenS, ? mole333 and kathny
Please visit mimi's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join New York City by sending a Kosmail to kathny.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Silicon Valley Kos: GOTV for Mike Honda Nov. 1-4
Mike Honda running for Congress
For Rep. Honda to defeat his "Fat Cat" opponent, he needs volunteers willing to canvass and phone bank. He has the needed voter support to win this hotly contested race, but he needs us to make sure they get to the polls.
TIMES:
Nov. 1-3: 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm
Nov. 4: 8am, 11am, 2pm, and 5pm
Canvassing and Phone Banking opportunities every day until election day, Tuesday November 4th.
>>>RSVP for all events here<<<
Daily Kos members and readers:
If you would like to meet-up, send Glen The Plumber a KosMail or tweet.
RSVPs:
1. Glen The Plumber
(11/1 @ 9am, 11/4 @ 5pm)
2. remembrance
(11/1 @ 9am, 11/4 @ 5pm)
3. TheLittleOne
(11/1 @ 9am, 11/4 @ 5pm)
4. Eric (the plumber)
(11/1 @ 9am)
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Maybees: |
Saturday, November 8th
Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 3:00 PM
LOCATION: Carver's Brewing Company
1022 Main Ave • Durango
ORGANIZER: Send Thinking Fella a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Thinking Fella
2. nzanne
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Spiking the Ball or Crying in our Beer: Time will Tell. Announcing a Four Corners Kossacks Meet-up!
Saturday, November 8th
Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks - Meet Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon
Representative Joe Fitzgibbon, 34th Legislative District, Deputy Majority Whip and Chair of the Washington State House of Representatives Environment Committee will be our next guest speaker sharing his thoughts and plans for Washington State and the Seattle Puget Sound Area.
Cost with Set Menu: $25.00 per person (includes non-alcoholic beverage, gratuity, tax and your choice of food from a limited-choice menu)
TIME: 12:30 PM - No seating after 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery & Restaurant
1201 First Avenue South • Seattle
ORGANIZER: Send John Crapper a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. John Crapper
2. John Crapper's SO
3. Cinnamon68
4. bleeding blue
5. momomia
6. Larissa W.
7. Ted
8. Heather
9. Marcee
10. Robin - Sierra Club
11. Mary - Seattle Environmental Activists
12. Weldon
13. Penny GC
14. TBoneAbollo
15. Piren
16. Eagle Keeper
17. Lefty Coaster
18. doingbusinessas
19. Nelson
20. Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Seattle & Puget Sound Kossacks - Meet Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon - Nov. 8th
Saturday, December 13th
SF Kossacks Holiday Party at Daily Kos HQ
The usual Pot Luck drill - sign-up list posted soon
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately by kosmail • Berkeley
Near Ashby BART
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Markos
2. Will Rockafellow
3. Susan Gardner
4. Meteor Blades
5. Faith Gardner & Roxie!
6. navajo
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. smileycreek
10. paradise50
11. remembrance
12. Glen The Plumber
13. TLO
14. jakedog42
15. edrie
16. dharmasyd
17. catilinus
18. boatsie
19. liberated spaces
20. citisven
21. kimoconnor
22. susans
23. maggiejean
24. 714day
25. Steven Payne
26. scaboni
27. skywriter
28. jpmassar
29. jotter
30. aha aha
31. jeremybloom
32. norm
33. Lorikeet
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Maybees:
Thinking Fella
high uintas
tmservo433
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navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.