Attention activists: we need your help to restart the DU Activist Corps

[EarlG]

I just posted an announcement in the General Discussion forums (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6482045">here and http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3595450">here) announcing our intention to restart the DU Activist Corps. With just under four months to go until the November elections, we think that now is the perfect time to get people involved.

This time around we would like to operate the Activist Corps on a fixed, weekly schedule, and get take suggestions and ideas for each week's action.

Here's the proposed schedule:

Thursday
On Thursday we will post a discussion thread in the Activist HQ looking for suggestions and ideas for the upcoming activity. Discussion will be open Thursday through Sunday.

Monday
On Monday, we will compile the best suggestions and take a poll in the big forums, so everyone can vote for their favorite suggestion.

Tuesday
On Tuesday we will post the winning action(s) with instructions on how to participate. We will also send a private message to every member of the Activist Corps to announce the latest action.

So what now?

We hope that frequent visitors to the Activist HQ will take the lead in this project. (If you haven't already done so, you can add the Activist HQ to your "My Forums" list by http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=user&saz=my_forums&ssaz=add&forum=106">clicking here.) What we would like you to do is come up with suggestions and ideas for each week's action, which we will then put to the membership as a poll so they can vote for their favorite. Here are a few things to bear in mind:

1) Actions need to be something that members can do individually, without having to travel. While it would be nice to get a group of DUers together to protest in Washington DC, it would also be impractical and not something that the vast majority of the Activist Corps could participate in.

2) Actions don't need to be big things. Letters to the editor, voting in online polls, posting comments at an MSM website - these are all simple actions that lots of people can easily participate in. The action may seem small, but it's the combined force of many people taking part that can make a difference.

3) Actions should be related to the presidential election, or to the congressional elections in general. We'd prefer it if actions were related specifically to electoral politics and not to individual issues. If there is a specific issue in the news which is directly relevant to the presidential election or the congressional elections - such as high gas prices - then of course it would be fine to create an action around that issue. (For example, "Write a letter to the editor criticizing John McCain's energy policy.")

4) Actions should be able to be completed in a timely fashion. While there doesn't need to be a specific deadline for each action, bear in mind that we would like to do at least one a week, so long-term actions may not be appropriate.

5) We aren't going to run any actions targeting Democrats. I'm sure there will be some of you who disagree with this decision, but I'm afraid we don't think it's an appropriate use of the Activist Corps. Our focus is on defeating John McCain and Congressional Republicans this fall.

Finally, we may occasionally need to run an emergency action, if something comes up that requires an immediate response. We'd prefer not to be inundated with requests for emergency actions, so please continue to discuss these amongst yourselves and contact Admin if you all agree that something really requires urgent attention.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

--EarlG, DU Admin

[rainy]

1. Karl Rove is coming to my town, Va. Beach

We are holding mock trial, I'm dressing up as Valerie Plame and we are inviting the local press etc. I suppose this is too local to post in the activist forum?

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[Imperialism Inc.]

3. Try to get the MSM to run stories on McCain's many "flip-flops".

There was a blog entry recently with 61 flip-flops by McCain. I'm using a link to Alternet where it was "reprinted".

http://www.alternet.org/election08/90956/

I guess I should add details. It could be accomplished with emails to MSM outlets pointing to the above link, or letters to editor focusing on specific instances.

[pinto]

4. "The Fifty State Solution" -

A tie in with the DNC's state-by-state approach and Obama's national strategy.

Target a couple of key Senate/Congressional races in each state. Carry them into the State forums here and muster support for activism outside of DU.

Emails, letters, donations, ground work - whatever.

:kick:

(on edit)

http://www.democrats.org/a/party/a_50_state_strategy/

http://www.dscc.org/races

http://www.dccc.org/page/content/races

[babylonsister]

5. I think we need a concerted effort to go after CNN or MSNBC

on their biased reporting. It's so blatant it's disgusting.

[man4allcats]

6. Yesterday, DUer robinlynne

posted some information regarding an effort by the ACLU to "challenge the unconstitutional FISA Amendments Act in court." Specifically:

"...the ACLU will be taking out a full-page ad in a major national newspaper announcing the lawsuit and expressing outrage at this abandonment of our Constitutional principles. Their goal is to run an ad containing the names of tens of thousands of Americans who believe in the Constitution and want Congress to hear our message loud and clear: next time, stand up for our rights."

A form hosted on FireDogLake simply asks that people add their name to the ACLU's ad by signing the online form.

True, it is not an action directly related to the November general election, but it is quick and easy to participate and is arguably at least as relevant as any other issue. Anyway, my suggestion for an initial action to revitalize the DU Activist Corps is for all of us who have not already done so to simply sign this form.

[rosesaylavee]

7. Thank you for that...

Glad I clicked on this thread - happy to sign my name to that petition.

[NMDemDist2]

8. I agree, this is a major Constitutional issue that needs our concerted attention

[babylonsister]

9. Another idea to throw out there; get on judicial regarding what

they plan on doing when subpoenas are ignored. Their threats are laughable; why no concrete action?

[berni_mccoy]

10. We Need To Attack McCain's Credibility. He's getting caught in BIG LIES left and right

And yet the MSM is giving him passes.

If we can get the MSM to pick up on McCain's lies and discredit his word, then it's over for him. He's told some really whoppers lately and this is going to stick better than the McCain flip-flops.

Just recently, he's lied about:

- Vet Organizations ratings of his voting record (disgracefully, right to a fellow Vietnam Vet's face)
- His voting record on abortion and women's access to birth control
- Obama's statements and positions on Iran's Missile tests

If we start a collection, we can build a very credible LTTE that, with the right exposure, could rock his campaign.

[EarlG]

11. I'm pretty keen on this, in combination

with wakinglife's post from above. The McCain campaign is a mess of contradictions but the MSM is giving him a free pass. Going after the MSM would probably have little impact, but we could certainly start our own email campaign. Compile a list of McCain's most egregious flip-flops and lies, and come up with a "John McCain Facts" email. "Did you know...?" etc. Write it in the style of some of these awful Obama emails that are going around (the difference being that our email will contain actual facts.) Then get everyone in the Activist Corps to send it out to their friends and family. See how far it spreads.

This is my favorite idea so far - it's easy to put together, easy to participate in, and could have an impact. First thing we'd need is a solid list of the best McCain flip-flops and lies.

[babylonsister]

12. I have three threads of flip-flops in this link, and there are others:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6487379

[berni_mccoy]

13. Here's my post on McCain's IMO Most Egregious Lie: Lying to a Vet's Face

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/berni_mccoy/395

Also, there's a tag-along point with this: McCain's record on Vets IS TERRIBLE. If you're going to attack McCain WRT to Military Issues, THIS IS ACHILLES HEEL.

[berni_mccoy]

14. Ooo Oooo Oooo, Follow-up points: Timing, Accuracy, Snopes and a Web Page (+URL)

Let's make sure we time the email right. I don't want McCain getting replaced at the GOP Convention! :rofl:... but seriously, let's wait until just after the Convention to release it so it is 1. fresh in people's mind and 2. takes away any momentum.

Also, the email must be extremely accurate. So accurate that we get a blessing from Snopes on it.

Furthermore, we should setup a web-page with the same list of lies but with richer content (the email can reference the web site).

Finally, the email should have RW-pull or something that traps a RWer into reading it. For example, the Subject line should be: "Bill Clinton was Impeached for Lying To The Nation" and that's it. The body of the message should start with something every right winger will be thinking "Amen" until he gets past the first paragraph. For example:

America is a Nation that loves the truth. But so many politicians believe in skirting the truth. Our system of justice is founded on the principle that people must tell the truth or they will pay a price for it. Even the President is not protected against lying. Bill Clinton was Impeached, and although he was not convicted in the Senate for lying, it did lead to the end of the Democratic hold on the White House. And now we are faced with an election where a candidate finds that the truth about his character and even his positions on the issues is not important...

etc.. This is a rush job, but you get the idea... RW lead-in that says everything RWers want to hear.

We'll use the Truth as our Flag Lapel Pin... except this time it will be as accurate as it is damaging.

[Indigo Blue]

15. The 'Activist Milestones' might be a helpful guide:

The Activist Milestones — Developing the Skills to Become a Trained Citizen Activist: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x32062

[dotcommon]

16. actions

Our economy is killing the earth. For people in and around major cities, who don't yet have the courage to organize general strikes, how about getting together with as many friends as possible, and agreeing to drive the speed limit around your city's beltway during morning rush hour, every business day, to contribute at least to slowdowns in business. Stop participating in the madness.

[Time for change]

17. Preventing election fraud

In this post of March 2006 I discussed in detail some major mechanisms for election fraud. I think that there are two types in particular that are imminently preventable:

Prevention of voter registration fraud
Widespread purging of registered Democratic voters (especially in Ohio) was probably the main reason why George Bush won the 2004 election. Great amounts of resources are put into getting out the vote on Election Day. Yet, there is good evidence that hundreds of thousands of voters in 2004 in Ohio alone were turned away at the polls because their registration was purged.

Vigilance is needed to make sure that registered voters STAY registered. It seems to me that a system for examining the voter rolls to make sure that our registered voters remain registered by Election Day is every bit as important as get out the vote efforts.


Prevention of central tabulator fraud
Just one volunteer in every precinct in every country (in states where elections are expected to be competitive), to obtain the pre-calculator vote count at the time that the polls close, should go a long way towards preventing central tabulator mediated election fraud. If the results of an election seem suspicious, comparing the pre-calculator counts to the post-calculator counts to identify mismatches (Mismatches between pre- and post-tabulator counts mean that the vote count was tampered with after it was reported out of the precinct) should identify the problem immediately after official results are reported if central tabulator fraud has occurred. That will tell us exactly where to investigate and what precincts need to be recounted immediately.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Here is something we can do right now

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=32204&mesg_id=32204

[JustAnotherGen]

19. I don't have any original ideas

But will help out however I'm needed!

[Radio_Lady]

20. I'm just too busy with other things to be an activist right now. How do I unhook from this?

Much has happened since I joined up.

Please advise where I delete from participation. I will reconsider this after the summer is over -- hopefully, after a guest here returns home.

That would be the second or third week in September.

Thanks for your help.

Radio Lady Ellen Kimball in Portland, OREGON