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Welcome to WHAT IF Wednesday!
WHAT IF... More states started massive Voter Registration?
Even though most Democrats are aware of the commonly held idea that when more Votes are cast, more Democratic candidates win, the Gerrymandering of our nation's Congressional Districts has depressed the value of Democratic votes so far that headlines and stories like this one from The Nation, published Nov 7, 2014
Republicans Got Only 52 Percent of the Vote in House Races. How did they end up with 57 percent of the seats?
We’ve already released our projections for 2016—that’s two years away, folks—and picked sure winners in 373 districts, leaving only 14 percent of the House even potentially in play. To win a majority of 218 House seats, we project that Democratic candidates would need to win ten million more votes than Republicans.
[emphasis added for clarity]
have been rampant over the past few years.
So yes, more votes in general means more Democrats will win their races, but not always.
In addition, the 2020 election cycle will be upon us faster than you can blink, and THAT cycle is going to be the one that matters in ways large and small. Because the makeup of our Statehouse Congresses in January 2021 will determine which Party is in charge of most of the Redistricting that takes place that year.
Can you image what those carnival barkers on the right will do if they are still the ones running the show in 2021? It'll be like Robert Heinlein's Future History stories about Nehemiah Scudder. The Lunatic Religious Right will be voting in a National Religion (guess which one), overturning the Windsor SCOTUS decision with an Amendment to prohibit same sex marriage, and a lot more. A lot more.
I don't even want to ponder the heinousness which will ensue in the Capitol Building and in the Statehouse Congresses if that is the future which awaits us.
So why not do something to alter the course of history and change our fate?
What we need, and I'm not exaggerating one whit here, is a MASSIVE national voter registration drive starting in the spring of 2016. What would that look like? Guess what, there's already a group at work to put that idea into motion.
90for90.org is a Voter Advocacy group which has been working their tails off in the State of Virginia all year this year. They have already registered over 100,000 new voters and their goal of "a Quarter Million for the Old Dominion" by November of 2016 is within their grasp, because they are ON TARGET to meet or exceed their goal!
What is the single idea which has propelled the amazing results in Voter Registration in Virginia this year?
More Voters is a GOOD idea
That's it. It's not complicated or hard to understand or explain.
You don't have to believe me, listen to the words of these wonderful people who all believe it, too:
90 for 90 Initiative: Honoring Dr Ferguson Reid, Sr
So please consider becoming a Voter Advocacy Activist in your state. You don't have to contribute a lot of money or even a lot of time. You can even start your work right here at Daily Kos, on the Group I've just started Voters R US. Our goal is: The campaign to add more new registered voters in every state in the Union. All year, every year. Because where better to start a national movement to build the biggest ADD NEW VOTERS drive in history? Please add a comment asking for an invite to the group. Strategies and actions will be laid out in the coming weeks.
Because in my own state of Washington, we could add as many as 560,000 newly registered voters, which I covered in detail in this WA State Open Thread diary.
If we do this in all 50 states, we could add as many as 15 to 25 Million newly registered voters across the nation. We could throw nearly the entire Republican Party out of office with those numbers.
As Virginia has shown us this year? It's entirely within our grasp to achieve.
Will you join me and help us turn the direction of our nation around? Your contribution by participation has never been more needed.
as always...
#StrongerTogether for a better future for OUR posterity |
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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.
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Saturday, Nov 14th
Florida Georgia Line Kos Meet-up in Valdosta, Georgia
Join us for a day of inspiration and encouragement aimed at registering voters ahead of the 2016 elections
Would love to have you participate and share your knowledge and energy.
Florida Georgia Line Kos:
This group will serve as a gathering place for North Florida and South Georgia Daily Kos members and all others who are interested. Our focus, both online and with real life meet-ups, is sharing and organizing political activism; disseminating social, political and progressive issues; community building; and support and encouragement for our red state brothers and sisters. We will organize meet-ups in both the panhandle and eastern seaboard of our states as well as share information on events of interest in our areas in order to build a strong coalition dedicated to turning our states a more pleasant shade of blue.
TIME: 10:30-3:00 PM
LOCATION: Ole Times Country Buffet
1193 N St Augustine Rd • Valdosta, GA
ORGANIZER: Send JaxDem a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. JaxDem
2. Vetwife
3. Vet
4. kay3295
5. Lily O Lady
6. PHScott
7. Nannyberry
8. nancyjones
9. susanala |
Maybees:
soaglow
pajoly
Josiah Bartlett
foresterbob
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Latest diary: FL/GA Line Kossacks Scheduling a Meet Up -- Decisions, Decisions
Saturday, Nov 14th
Baja Arizona Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Zayna Mediterranean
4122 East Speedway Blvd • Tucson
ORGANIZER: Send Azazello a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Azazello
2. Mrs. Z
3. rasbobbo
4. elk18
5. DaNang65
6. ItsaMathJoke
7. Dave in AZ
8. cosmic debris
9. ramara
10. buddabelly
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Maybees:
AZ Sphinx Moth
Bisbonian
sneakers563
pineapple pow
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by Lenny Flank ♥ for Nashville KosKats
The Nashville KosKats welcomed Lenny Flank with his own personal pizza and T-shirt! You can read about it here and there's still time to recommend his diary!
L-R:ZenTrainer, Mr. Marykk, Marykk, JonSitzman and Lenny Flank
You can join Nashville KosKats by sending a Kosmail to ZenTrainer.
by John Crapper ♥ for Seattle & Puget Sound Kos
The Seattle & Puget Sound Kos group keeps their regular meeting schedule to continue bonding and keeping each other apprised of what they're working on locally.
L-R: doingbusinessas, Momomia and bleeding blue
L-R: TB Apollo, Mrs. Crapper and John Crapper
Please visit John Crapper's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Seattle & Puget Sound Kos by sending a Kosmail to John Crapper.
Dallas Kossacks Round Up and Meet Up!
byAndyT ♥ for Dallas Kos
Andy T held another meet-up in Dallas and also listed some Bernie and Hillary events. Check his diary for deets. Also the next event has been announced for Oct. 24. See above in the roster of CUA events.
L-R: ?, Andy T, ?, ?, ?
Identities welcome by kosmail to navajo.
Please visit AndyT's diary. You can still REC it. You can join Dallas Kos by sending a Kosmail to AndyT.
by Chrislove ♥ for Houston Area Kossacks
Another Houston event! Great job, Chris. Photos below:
L-R: Chrislove, Delilah, scott5js, cosette & suesue
L-R: htowngenie, her son, Blood, JJR1971 and PIZZA!
You can join Houston Area Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Chrislove.
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.