If you're like me, you are getting slammed with requests for assistance from the likes of MoveOn, DFA, the DNC, the DCCC, the Progressive Patriot Fund, etc., etc. Most want money; some, like MoveOn, want your time to make phone calls to help elect candidates in the battleground states.
Just say no.
Whatever time, money, and energy you have, invest it here in Idaho. Sure, in 2004, we could afford to spend our time and treasure helping in more "blue" areas. I myself managed a phone bank to Oregon for about three weeks.
But this year, our own beloved Idaho is a battleground. The governor's race and the 1st Congressional District race are truly neck and neck, and other races are well within range of victory. The very best thing you can do to help elect Dems up and down the ballot right here in Idaho is to volunteer with your local coordinated campaign; call your Democratic Party county office to help. If you still have money to give, you can donate here (via my ActBlue page) to Larry Grant and Jim Hansen, who both need it way more than someone 500 or 1,000 miles away, or here to Jerry Brady. If you do nothing else, write a letter to the editor on behalf of your favorite candidate, and get it in by the first of next week.
We are all of us living in Battleground Idaho. Do whatever you can to help here at home - and do it now.
Great shot, girl!...Keep it up!
Posted by: oldgringoo | October 27, 2006 at 09:22 AM
Don't lump DFA in with the rest of them though, please. Yes we need help locally (I'll attest to that, having just phone-banked by myself last night from state party HQ), but a functioning local DFA chapter would go a looooong way toward helping us recruit/organize potential campaign volunteers. And I have been getting material FROM DFA for use locally, as could any number of others here as well.
Oh, and there's that other matter about how much damage will be done to the Party everwhere, over the long-term, should a certain East Coast Senator who doesn't know when to call it quits get re-elected sans nomination....
Posted by: The Nickel-Plated JA | October 27, 2006 at 09:56 AM
Nickel-Plated,
I take your point, and by the way, I am a DFA Trust member, which means make a small monthly donation from my bank account (but only after I signed up for similar contributions to the Ada and Idaho Dems, and the DNC, for that matter).
I sat in on several of DFA's excellent fall campaign calls and I yesterday recveived my very cool "Vote" post-it notes. As you say, much of what DFA is doing is applicable to campaigns everywhere.
We had a DFA chapter here, but it flagged because the most active people were also serving as precinct captains, in campaigns, etc. I think it may still be meeting, but when push came to shove, I decided my time and energies can only go so far, and the local DFA meeting was the easiest thing to cross off my list.
All I am saying is that if people do have time and money to give in this home stretch, they need to give it here at home, where it will do the most good right now.
I love DFA!!! I think everyone ought to sign up ... but only if they're already donating time and money to their county Democratic party and the Idaho Democratic Party.
Posted by: Julie Fanselow | October 27, 2006 at 10:30 AM
By the way, I agree with you about the certain East Coast senator. But that race is awash in money, and it's far more important to do whatever we can to get IDAHO Democrats elected - and especially to keep one outrageously bad candidate with the apropos initials BS far, far away from DC.
Posted by: Julie Fanselow | October 27, 2006 at 10:33 AM
I'm with you on Mr. BS... to the point of specifically picking a precinct when moving back 1700 miles after 11 years, precisely to bring two votes to bear in that and another (House 16) race!
I'm thinking (as the *other* DfA Trustee in the area) that after New Year's I'm going to take the bull by the horns and try to jump-start DfA locally (it wouldn't be the first group I've pulled together), even if it means mucking through some red-tape and hurt-feelings to make it happen....
And I'm also not sure how much locally someone from, say, Rupert, could accomplish locally beyond the statewide races; so much, in terms of national policy/efforts, is going to be decided on the basis of candidates like Ned Lamont, Jerry McNerney, Claire McCaskill, that I'd find it hard to want dissuade that person from making *those* efforts, especially if they'd already max'd out Jim Hansen's modest, self-imposed ceiling.
Posted by: The Nickel-Plated JA | October 27, 2006 at 12:10 PM
Good call on the "someone from Rupert."
In fact, the Magic Valley (where I lived 15 years and launched a Dean for America group in Twin Falls) is one of the only areas in the state with a good population base that has NOT adequately benefited from the 50-state strategy.
From what I've heard, they simply couldn't find anyone to take the coordinated campaign job there. But I *still* expect Dems to do well, especially behind Jerry Brady, who made a lot of friends in the MV with his strong stand against Sempra.
Welcome back to Idaho!
Posted by: Julie Fanselow | October 27, 2006 at 02:45 PM
It would be great if Larry or Jerry had a computer-based phone-banking operation like MoveOn or even Jack Carter. Then "Idahoans-in-exile" like me could help out with phone calls.
By the way, when Larry and Jerry win, I'm gonna make myself a batch of finger steaks. Can't get 'em where I live now.
Posted by: Golden Trout | October 31, 2006 at 01:26 PM