CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS - Election Reform Group

[Jo March]

(We're still looking for a name. LOL.)

Several DUers have been working on getting a list of action items together in order to keep our wonderful momentum going. Here is our mission statement:

"The mission of the Election Reform Group is to solicit solid action items and then work at those items in an organized manner to promote election reform to our elected officials, media and every American who votes."

I am now calling on volunteers to be either

a.) a point person for the action category
b.) a volunteer for a particular task.

For example, if you want to be a point person for "branding" our movement with a logo, font colors, etc., you could sign up for that category of work. You would then work with others to get all of the tasks that are needed to brand our movement completed. As we all know there is a lot of work that has to be done to get a movement started.

If you would like to volunteer for this great effort, please send me your email and what you want to volunteer for by:

*PM or
*email at [e-mail] or
*the thread linked below

The thread is a bit long, though, so here is the list:
Action Category
*Develop a database for all elected officials
- Develop database arnheim
-Link to website for easy access arnheim
-Develop "blaster" for easy use arnheim
*Create fraud packets to mail/FedEx to elected officials
-Develop "press" type packets to mail liberal43110, nashville_brook
-Develop multi-media CDs
*Create state-specific fraud packets as well
*Create database of all elected officials:
-Federal
-State
--GA rigel99
--FL imenja
-County
-Local seabeyond
*Educate the media by using media blasters
*Educate the "masses"
-Design flyers
-Design strategy for best delivery method
-Distribute flyers to team for distribution
-Infiltrate other non-political boards
*Send BBV book to elected officials
-Get permission to use emcguffie
-Give to Duer who is writing up the message for EO
*Send the Conyers report to elected officals
*Continue to call, fax, email and write with our concerns Bill Bored, Bill MI
*Develop a calling strategy
*Develop a clear and consistent message to deliver to our elected Officials (EO)
*Create a "media tree" for the organized distribution of information
*Election reform "comics" mordarlar
*Work on cleaning up registration process
-Research needs to be done on the rejected ballots
-Research and fix the registration process
-Research into the felon purges: where, when, how
*Expand your network of progressive groups
-Get list of progressive groups katinmn, emcguffie
-Distribute list to team members
-Contact other progressive groups re: our mission
*Meet with other progressive groups
-Obtain meeting schedules emcguffie
-Publish meeting schedules regularly
*Educate major corporations and businesses (especially the BLUE ones)
-Get a list of BLUE businesses
-Develop a marketing pamplet for them
-Distribute to businesses
*Rent a billboard
*Take out ads in the newspaper
*Write Letters to the Editor
*Come up with a "soundtrack" for our movement Pepper32, nashville_brook
*Create a blog for our movement
*Create a mission statement for DU movement Arnheim
*Thanking/supporting EO who act to support us frictionlessO
*Speaking with local groups & clubs
*Work on reframing our message
*Organize marches, demonstrations, etc.
-Election Reform walks
-Marches
*Write Reform Law
*Call for a special prosecutor McCamy Taylor via her thread
*Develop/retain PR firm
*Volunteer to be a Poll Worker
*Brand our movement
-logo
-color schemes, fonts, etc.

The whole list is in this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x262387#268616

Organization is the key. We have the numbers. We have the talent. We have the fire in our hearts. We just need to get together and get organized!

Arnheim

[Wilms]

1. Kick n/t

[Jo March]

2. Kick - the link is fixed. I promise. :) nt

[BeFree]

3. What time are the meetings?...grin

Nice list. Seems like it will have quite an effect.

Ya know, if we all put in a few bucks, we could hire some temp help to keep all the communication moving, and create a website to keep it all in one place. Just some ideas. Keep us posted.

[Jo March]

4. LOL! Isn't that the truth!

I am a Project Manager, can you tell? :)

I am getting some stuff together to put on my website: www.domainofarnheim.com until we get a website of our own. We first have to come up with a name for the group and then we can work on securing a website.

Unfortunately for right now, it's me and a few others.

I'll keep you posted. You can't hide from me. :evilgrin:

[KittyWampus]

5. Arnheim, Did You See WillPitt's Post Today? It Had A ER Packet To

download.

[Jo March]

7. Cool. I will zip on over and take a look

Thank you!!

[Jo March]

6. I'm kicking my own thread

and you can't stop me!! ;)

[katinmn]

8. Calling all infoferrets!

We're going to have fun pulling this stuff together and educating those who need it most.

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Pepper32]

9. Looking for more song suggestions

I have compiled a great variety of political etc songs (26 total)

I've arranged 16 of them... However, I do want to include everyone! So, if you have a song suggestion please feel free to pm me or post it here. I'm still waiting to hear from nashville_brook, if you are reading this please email or pm me, thanks!

If you would like a list of the songs I have compiled and arranged so far, just let me know. I would post it but I want to wait until I give everyone that wants to suggest a song, that opportunity. Arnheim
has copy already.

Once all of the song suggestions are in, I will post what I've arranged for everyone to give their opinions and to decide on what to keep or not.

I'm looking for volunteers to design the CD cover and to help with the multimedia aspects of the CD. Please respond here or PM me, thanks!

For now I have titled the cd The Patriotic Mix (this is not final)

Here are other suggestions. Please let me know which one you like or suggest another name for the title.

> The DU Movement Mix
> The Movement Mix
> The Revolution Mix
> Anthem of the Disenfranchised
> The Blue Anthem
> Blue Revolution
> Not My President
> America Hijacked
> Project Wake up

--Pepper

[Fly by night]

19. The Orange State Anthem -- Takin' My Country Back

by the Honky Tonkers for Truth (and with support from the Music Row Democrats) I'll get you the CD if you don't already have it.
----------
TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK

COUNTRY MUSIC'S GOT MAMAS AND DADDYS
WE GOT BAR ROOMS AND OLD HEARTBREAK SONGS
BUT I 'M HERE TODAY TO STAND UP AND SAY
HOW I FEEL ABOUT MY HOME SWEET HOME
WHAT'S LEFT, WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG... AND

I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK
SON, YOU AIN'T BEEN DOIN' HER RIGHT
OH I BEEN WATCHIN' YOU AND I DON'T LIKE
HOW YOU'VE BEEN TREATIN' MY STARS AND STRIPES
YOU TOOK OUR JOBS AND SENT ‘EM OVERSEAS
NOW WE OWE BILLIONS TO THE RED CHINESE
YOU BLEW THE BUDGET AND YOU BOTCHED IRAQ
SO I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK

WE HAD A BUNDLE IN THE TREASURY DRAWER
MORE THAN THERE HAD EVER BEEN BEFORE
BUT EVERY DAY WE'RE DROWNIN' DEEPER IN DEBT
MAYBE FOUR YEARS SHOULD BE ALL YOU GET
THEN YOU GAVE TAX BREAKS TO THE MILLIONAIRES
AND TRIED TO MAKE THE WORKIN' MAN PAY
BUT YOU CAN'T TAX A MAN WHEN HIS JOBS NOT THERE
NOW LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY…HEY

I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK
SON, YOU AIN'T BEEN DOIN' HER RIGHT
OH I BEEN WATCHIN' YOU AND I DON'T LIKE
HOW YOU'VE BEEN TREATIN' MY STARS AND STRIPES
YOU GOT TOO MANY FANCY FRIENDS FOR ME
THE SAUDIS TREAT YOU LIKE YOU'RE ROYALTY
YOU BLEW THE BUDGET AND YOU BOTCHED IRAQ
NOW I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK

NOW I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WERE HOT
'CAUSE BIN LADEN NEVER DID GET CAUGHT
SO YOU SAID WE HAD SADDAM TO BLAME
TRIED TO TELL US IT WAS ALL THE SAME
BUT NOW THE YEARS ROLL BY AND OUR KIDS KEEP DYIN'
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN TO BRING 'EM HOME
AND THOSE W.M.D. YOU PROMISED ON T.V.
HEY ADMIT IT, YOU FIGURED IT WRONG...
SO I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK

NOW YOU DON'T KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU KNOW WHO I AM
I'M YOUR EVERYDAY WORK HARD, PLAY HARD
RAISE KIDS AND PRAY HARD COMMON MAN....
AND LORD KNOWS I LOVE THIS LAND...THAT'S WHY

I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK
SON, YOU AIN'T BEEN DOIN' HER RIGHT
OH I BEEN WATCHIN' YOU AND I DON'T LIKE
HOW YOU'VE BEEN TREATIN' MY STARS AND STRIPES
YOU SAY "UNITE" BUT YOU DIVIDE US MORE
CUSSIN' EACH OTHER ON THE SENATE FLOOR
AIN'T WE SUPPOSED TO BE ABOVE ALL THAT ?
HEY I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK
I GOT MY FAMILY AND MY CHURCH AND FLAG...
NOW I'M TAKIN' MY COUNTRY BACK

[Tuesday_Morning]

23. I love that song.

I've got it on my desktop and I hum it all the time.

[Pepper32]

55. Thanks for your suggestion :) eom

[Tuesday_Morning]

20. To the tune of Nilsson's Put the Lime in the Coconut

the short version...from the Cheney Gang

They bought a computer
They bought it from their friends
They bought some more computers
Cause it suited all their ends.

You put the vote in the computer and you tally 'em all up.
You put the vote in the computer and you tally 'em all up.
You put the vote in the computer and you tally 'em all up.
You put the vote in the computer and you call the media.
Wake 'em up and say:

Hackers! Was this election hacked?
You say: Hackers! Did we have a hack attack?
You say: Hackers! Was this election hacked?
You say: Hackers! A Republican attack!

(Low voice) Now lemme get this straight.

Put the vote in the computer
And you press enter.
Put the vote in the computer
And you feel better.
Put the vote in the computer and you shake it all up.
Put the vote in the computer and it don't add up.

You say: Woooo! Ain't there nothin' we can do?
You say: Woooo! Is democracy just screwed?
You say: Woooo! Ain't there nothin' we can do?
You say: Woooo! Is democracy just screwed?

Put the vote in the computer
And you press enter
Put the vote in the computer
And you feel better.
Put the vote in the computer
And you shake 'em all up.
Put the vote in the computer
And count 'em in the m-o-o-o-o-rning.

[BeFree]

47. Woooo! Ain't there nothin' we can do?

That's large, Tuesday. Nice to have a laugh. Hope I hear your rendition on the radio someday.

[cyberpj]

30. I did this for fam and friends building up to the vote! Here's my COVER

Here's my cover (it folds in half so the songlist is on the inside front cover). Of course, this was for fam and friends - otherwise you might have to get copyrights and that can be HARD.

Anyway - I've been doing CD compilations since mid-90s so I'd be glad to help with the cover or anything else you might need on this one. Don't know squat about getting permission/rights though.

I have songlist, liner notes and all lyrics for all songs on this CD.

[Jo March]

36. That is awesome, cyberpj

Can you work with Pepper32 on this? Pepper has a good list of songs together already. If you can get with Pepper to work on the cover art, that would be most cool.

We're hoping that Nashville_Brook can help us to get permission for the songs. :)

[cyberpj]

45. absolutely - w/send PM right now.

[Pepper32]

54. PM me when you have a chance. Thanks! eom

[Pepper32]

10. I am willing to help with this also...

Contact other progressive groups re: our mission (I am willing to email or snail mail letters)
Distribute to businesses (I can help with mailing out flyers etc)
-color schemes, fonts, etc. (I am willing to work with others on this...)

-Pepper

[Tuesday_Morning]

11. kick! n/t

[keepthemhonest]

12. Arnhiem

Holy toledo girl.that looks like a pretty daunting task list.

Not sure what I can help you with. I just joined a ER group here in Georgia today,so it sounds like they need alot done as well.

i wish we had one place we could go and get all the work accomplished.It seems like there are so many different groups and we need to all try to keep most of the same goals and stuff.

Let's say group A is trying to get a bill passed,but groups B has a whole other bill and neither get passed because we did not work together.

We need to have some glue and cohesiveness during these upcoming months and years.

[EFerrari]

13. A Communications & coordinations group n/t

[keepthemhonest]

17. yes

another group LOL

you are right though it is a good idea.

[Jo March]

40. And ours may end up being that

It could be a large hub where we coordinate with other groups to get things done. Picture this:

A bill for election reform comes up for a vote. We hear about it in LBN. Immediately, we put the word out. We mobilize our "troops" here to start working. Meanwhile, the other Progressive groups start doing the same thing at the same time. 100s of actions turns into 1000s and tens of 1000s.

The Press group starts communicating with the other Progressive groups. All of the Progressive groups, including ours, go to work.

The Voter group does the same thing. We mobilize to start handing out flyers, getting the newspaper ads & billboards up to spread the word to voters. We set up public booths and blast our cool soundtrack as we spread the word.

The EO group does the same thing. We mobilize to start sending our EO information about the bill. We start sending a barrage of letters, emails, faxes. We call them. We shout loud and long!!

It can only help to work with other groups. We may just be the link in the chain that brings them all together.

[keepthemhonest]

43. that sounds really good Arnhiem

i will be watching for your posts.

[cyberpj]

16. What can we do to help so many groups get TOGETHER?

I posted this on the original thread just now and then saw you here wondering something very similar so I copied it here as well.

There are SO VERY MANY groups against Bush, for Dems, civil rights, against the war, for election reform, an on and on and on. I feel overwhelmed with emails and signup lists and participation at times and I can't even keep up with all the forums anymore.

Ideally, this was to come together under our political party of choice but it didn't and now there are too many factions. I believe that's why there's such scattered participation at meetings, rallys and demonstrations.

What can we do to help so many groups get TOGETHER? PDA seemed the best new start to me --they have the people, money and clout to bring things together under one umbrella.

Thoughts?

[EFerrari]

18. imo, we put a group of volunteers on it. it is or will be a big job. n/t

[keepthemhonest]

21. It is overwhelming

isn't it all the different emails from all the different organizations.even the same organizations will send you 10-15 emails in one day.We need to get the word out about cutting down on those,so we know when it is really important.(not cry wolf)

we need to get organized though like the Christiona coalition is.Look what they can get done. I noticed today with the group that i joined the opinions were varied and strong,kind of like you see here on DU.
So it is going to be challenging to get things accomplished when people are arguing about side issues.

i would like to help here at DU and with the PDA and with my local group ,hopefully they can be intertwined somehow.

[EFerrari]

27. We'll be fine. Look at all this energy : )

[Jo March]

42. cyberpj, we may end up being the link in the chain between all

of these groups.

[mordarlar]

22. On the other thread there are some people looking into...

trying to combine efforts with other groups. I agree this is extremely important. The list of activist groups is a daunting one. : /

[Jo March]

32. keepthemhonest

That is what I am trying to do. Once we get going, we will work with all of the other groups out there that are trying to accomplish the same thing.

If you'll notice, one of the suggestions was to work with other progressive groups. I think that is a great idea. All of these groups here and there are splintered. My goal is to eventually have us all linked together like a big spider web. When our group needs help, we put out the call to the other groups.

If we network with leaders of these other progressive groups and communicate with them, then we will know what they are doing and can support them.

The thugs do it all the time and they are darn good at it. We need to follow their example being careful to avoid the slime trail of course.

[EFerrari]

14. I'm going to hang out for this first round, Arnheim. Let's see what

people want to do. But, I'm definitely in.

[Jo March]

33. Cool beans, sfexpat2000

We are ramping up and this might take a while. :) Although things seem to be moving pretty quickly. :)

[Fly by night]

15. The Orange State 500+ are reporting for duty

We haven't stopped and we won't stop. And we do see the need for some sort of summit SOON to bring together the very many groups that have sprung up overnight as well as those who've been around a bit to do some strategizing that isn't as open or as nonlinear as a DU thread. (Nothing wrong with nonlinear movement, as long as it isn't going in circles.)

So someone with the bucks and the balls ought to get us together. Nashville would be happy to host just such a Gathering, since we're pretty centrally located (and we're in the Orange State). The 500+ folks who've already reported for duty here in the last month are ready for anything.

If there are readers who like this idea, say so on this thread and/or communicate with me by PM or otherwise. What the Repigs expect now is that we'll go quietly away. Instead, let's announce (within the next week) a major offensive that involves massing the troops. Just let me know and we'll start cracking.

[Melissa G]

25. kick!

[Jo March]

37. You are great! I'm all for a conference in Nashville

I used to live in Clarksville and went to Nashville quite a bit. My mom and sister live in Old Hickory.

I want to get on this quickly as well and announce that major offensive ASAP. We have to capitalize on the momentum.

[New Earth]

24. I'm definately up for getting involved

just gotta figure out what i'm best at....

[SaveAmerica]

26. Arnie, I am so impressed!

Can I help with making a list of blue businesses? Maybe there can be a sub-list for smaller businesses in each state, or is that breaking it down too much?

[Jo March]

35. That would be great!

I would suggest (but use your best judgement) that we do this by state. I know that a poster in the NC forum has worked on getting a list of businesses together.

I can put them in my database, which is growing like crazy, so we can query by state or type of business. Sound like a plan?

I'll put you down for the task.

SaveAmerica - you shouldn't be impressed. YOU said that I was "take charge" and I did! ;)

[katinmn]

48. Save America, have you seen this thread?

Lists both those to boycott and the progressive companies, and they're breaking it down by state.

Work with these guys and you will have a lot of your task completed and they'll be able to put their hard work to use faster.:)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=160x4074

[IndyPriest]

28. Put me down as a volunteer for continuing to call, write

fax, e-mail, etc, with Bill Bored and Bill MI.

[Jo March]

38. Gotcha down, IndyPriest!

We can't let up. That's what they want us to do!

[sarahlee]

29. The Voting Rights kit

Posted at:
http://www.truthout.org/fyi/

Saturday 08 January 2005 @ 02:10
Quoting Will:
A lot of people have written me after the Thursday objection and said "Yeah, great, it was good theater, but what do we do now?" Well, some heroes have prepared an answer.

In my article 'Heroes' from yesterday, I highlighted the excellent work of Tim Carpenter, Kevin Spidel and the organization Progressive Democrats of America.

They have prepared a Voting Rights Kit that has everything you'll need to carry this struggle forward at the grassroots level. You will need Adobe Acrobat to read it, and if you don't have it, a free version can be downloaded here. Do it. You need to read this, put it to use, and pass it along.

[Jo March]

39. sarahlee, thanks for that

I am looking at that to get a model of what we are trying to do.

As I go through what all we need to do, I am starting to get a clear direction for this little group. :)

[helderheid]

31. kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiick

[GetTheRightVote]

34. I would like to stay involved as well, make myself useful for some actions

:mad:

The country is run by mad men.

[Jo March]

41. Ain't that the truth. It's time for them to go down. nt

[In Truth We Trust]

44. I'M IN!!!! I will send you an email indicating so.

how fucked up it is that I/we have to do our paid so called representatives jobs for them. I have enough on my plate between work wife and kids and other activities we all participate in. But I see no other alternative to getting a democracy now!

[Jo March]

51. ITWT, I have hubby, kids, college full time and I'm trying to start

a business AND I'm looking for a job. I'm in the same boat as you are. Don't know if that's good or bad!! LOL!

What choice do any of us have, really? I can't wait until WWIII to start before I act. Sadly, I think that * is willing to go that far.

[suston96]

46. Do it!

Great idea! Great start!

I am a little too senior to join in but I will be speaking out about election reform - which to me means getting the system away from partisan politics.

Getting the system away from corruptible machines that need frequent "recalibration".

Getting elections away from partisan state officials of any ilk, who cannot by their very nature observe neutrality.

Getting elections away from the partisan thieves and getting them back to the people who own them and whose very freedom depends on free and unfettered elections.

"The right to vote, without which all other rights are illusory". Justice Hugo Black.

[Chili]

49. I don't know yet how I can help...

I do websites, but I'm stretched pretty thin right now, and don't want to commit to anything else unless I can give everything the attention it needs. BUT, I'm happy to say that I'm attending a meeting of the Cuy. Cty. recount group next week, a meeting called specifically to discuss the next move regarding election reform. I'll be glad to be the liaison.

[Jo March]

52. Chili, do you have a template for a nice website?

I just need a good template and I can modify the HTML. If you know of any web templates out there that can be modified by an amatuer, could you send them to me?

I'm willing to host this first effort at my site by my web development skills are horribly lacking, I'm afraid.

Thanks for what you have done so far, Chili. I am a big fan of yours! :hi:

[Chili]

56. aw thank, Arnheim!

You're doing great work, and I fully support what you guys are doing!

No, I do custom pages (and am fairly new at it, too, unfortunately!), no templates, but there are plenty of sites out there that have templates (I don't know of any one design group better than the others, but do a google on 'website templates' and you'll get a good sampling). Here's my site - www.websmithink.com - maybe it can give you some ideas?

I'd be happy to do any website for you, but I'm really afraid of being overwhelmed - never thought I'd have that problem, LOL!

[Jo March]

58. Thank you so much!

One "unwritten" purpose of this group thing is so that we can all pool our resources and work together. We need to have several people working together so that one person doesn't take on too much and get burned out.

:)

Thanks for the help.

[Chili]

59. how about contacting me or giving me a holler when you're...

...at that website stage? You're probably still in the planning phase. I don't know what your schedule is, but... if I can help at that point, I will.

[crispini]

50. I'm in.

I am currently talking to a local voter rights org and we want to get feedback to our state representatives about the anti-BBV bill that is cooking in our statehouse right now. I am mostly interested in working on a state and local level.

I was an election judge, am a precinct chair, a member of League of Women Voters and DFA.

Edit: Need to figure out how best to allocate my time -- I want to make sure and pay attention to this bill and this issue. However we also have a city council election coming in March w. a very important referendum on the ballot. So much to do, so little time!

[Jo March]

53. I know. I feel the same way.

We can definately use your political experience and your ability to whip out floaty hearts at a moment's notice! ;)

:loveya:

[SharonRB]

57. Arnheim

I'd be happy to work with a group on branding the movement. I'm a graphic designer. Working full-time, I don't have a ton of time other than in the evening or on week-ends, but I'd be happy to contribute what I can.

I'd also be happy to do various other action items, such as e-mails, etc. to members of congress.

I'm in the Detroit area.

[Jo March]

60. Thanks! I've got you down! nt

[keepthemhonest]

61. hey arnhiem

you are probably aware of this media blaster given to us by Tom MCcyntire http://www.independentmediasource.com/

but just incase you don't have it,it is an easy way to email the media.thanks for all your hard work.You are really getting this ball rolling.

[keepthemhonest]

62. kick n/t

[Stand and Fight]

63. Kick

:kick:

[rdmccur]

64. I'm interested in helping

to investigate (2004) election fraud but that's it for right now.
Why: I'd love nothing more than to expose the joke that Bush won the election.