"We Do Not Concede" suggests we re-register as independents

[JoMama49]

For more information, visit the We Do Not Concede Coalition website, www.donotconcede.com


DON'T BOYCOTT THE VOTE - BOYCOTT THE POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO CONDONE VOTER DISENFRANCHISEMENT AND PROMOTES A CENTRALIZED ELECTRONIC VOTING APPARATUS OWNED AND OPERATED BY PARTISAN CORPORATIONS

Rather than giving up the power to vote, We Do Not Concede encourages all citizens of legal voting age and standing to register or re-register to vote as an independent pulling support out of a broken political two-party system that continues to take for granted the will of the People.

JANUARY 20, 2005 - INDEPENDENTS DAY!

"A pro-democracy movement is on the rise in the United States of America, and that is something those in Washington are going to have to come to terms with sooner or later," says Kat L'Estrange of We Do Not Concede. "Our politicians deny us, the media deny us, but there's no escaping the determination of those involved in this movement. We have had enough of 'politics as usual' and we will not settle for anything less than a government that is reflective and representative of the People, as was put forth in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. Voting is the bedrock protocol of a democracy, and a stealth attack on the voting system is perhaps the most greatest peril for an established democracy. In America today our votes matter enormously, as is obvious at least to the parties and candidates we see adopting a no-holds-barred approach to winning them. John Kerry conceded his vote, but we the people do not concede our votes in light of fraud and disenfranchisement."

A new action planned for January 20, 2005, will be one that again focuses on voter empowerment. There is no doubt that after the problems encountered in the 2004 election many voters further disempowered and disillusioned by the process will not want to vote at all in future elections. Rather than giving up the power to vote, We Do Not Concede encourages all citizens of legal voting age and standing to register or re-register to vote as an independent pulling support out of a broken political two-party system that continues to take for granted the will of the People.

[imenja]

1. that makes a lot of sense

That means in many states you can't have a say in who the Democratic nominees are. That's a good way to make sure you have no impact on the future direction of the party. Obviously you should register with the party you feel represents you best, and if that is not the Democrats, you should register as Independent, Green, or whichever you like. You, however, relinquish all influence and right to complain about whom the Democratic party chooses as it's nominees.
I personally think we on the left might more effectively influence the party if people we're constantly threatening to leave it. Do you ever wonder why the Democrats who speak most strongly for citizens' rights are African-American congresspeople? They come from constituencies largely comprised of African-Americans, the most loyal Democratic voters. They don't face the same kind of threats to their jobs that come from voters in white districts.

[Hello_Kitty]

6. But it might be a good idea in a state like Arizona, with open primaries.

Where voters who don't designate a party can vote for any party in primaries. We had some fairly decent moderate Republican candidates and incumbents who got unseated in primaries, replaced by uber-Right fundie freaks. Some were in races where there was no Democratic candidate whatsoever (that definitely needs to change but that's what we were dealing with). I'd consider changing my party affiliation were it not for the fact that I'm a Precinct Committeeperson so I can't.

[bush_is_wacko]

24. Are poll workers required to declare a party affiliation?

I tried to change from independent to Democrat a while back. Either they didn't get the paperwork or I did something wrong. I also can vote in the primaries. I just have to declare which party I want to vote at the polls on primary day. I thought of going back and signing up as a Dem, but I have seen no strict value. I can support the Dem's and still stay an independent. I have no political aspirations so this works for me.

[d.l.Green]

26. I got involved in politics...

to make a difference on a local level. We still have partisan local elections, so the local party machines dictate basically who will run and what stances the city council listen to. Thankfully as chair of my local party(after a long, hard struggle to oust a complacent chair and committee) I can now dictate(with hesitancy) along with my new majority on the committee who will run in the local elections. Even though I am a "down low Green" I have to face reality if I want to make an immediate difference. I and my community cannot wait for a third party to establish themselves here. Because Dems have the majority of registered voters here, there's always this power struggle that forces primaries no matter who the committee endorses, so voting in the primaries and GOTV are another way to keep things progressive. On a national level, if there were a choice to do so separately, I think it would be very advantageous to register as an independent (small "i", not Independent!) to keep the machines guessing and force them to work harder towards satisfying the wants of the voters, not the parties...

[bush_is_wacko]

30. I guess I find myself being more liberal than the most liberal dem

at times and that keeps me registered as independent. I have participated in many local grassroots efforts but not in the election process other than as a volunteer for a candidate. I have never had anyone ask me what my political affiliation is. I am wondering though if I want to be a poll worker in the next election if I'll have to declare a party and if independent will be a problem. I actually do vote strictly democrat because I agree that dems have the power and finances to get themselves elected, but I am still watching the "greens" and "others" closely.

[Peace Patriot]

17. imenja...

"You, however, relinquish all influence and right to complain about whom the Democratic party chooses as it's nominees." --imenja

The Democratic Party has never paid any attention to my opinion about who we should nominate--nor the opinions of the majority of progressives in the party. We constantly vote for peace and get war. We constantly vote for more progressive policies, and get less and less and less progressive policies. So, in re-registering Green or Independent--after 44 years as a loyal Democratic voter and political activist--I am not relinquishing any rights at all. I don't have any rights in the Democratic Party.

As for African-Americans' loyalty to the Democratic Party, I trust they will be re-thinking that bad bargain--after the utterly miserable performance of this Party in the 2004 election, the Ohio investigation and January 6, not to mention a thousand and one OTHER betrayals, from "welfare reform," to job outsourcing (NAFTA, GATT--all Clinton-signed bills), to supporting the war on Iraq which many poor, young, black people are the cannon fodder for.

I know there are some good Democrats. 123 of them in Congress voted against the war on Iraq--and that is 121 more than voted against the Vietnam war 30 years ago. But they are not DNC. They are not running the party. And that party did not back John Conyers and Barbara Boxer even in their limited challenge of the election on the outrageous racism and violations of the Voting Rights Act in Ohio.

I say to hell with them! Enough is enough!

[imenja]

20. fair enough

You must do as you feel best, but don't be surprised that the party goes in a direction different from what you would like. The people who shape the party are the ones who are willing to work, not those who on a nearly daily basis threaten to bring it down.
Do you have any evidence African-Americans are changing party loyalty? Where do you think they will go?
I find this an odd time for people to decide it's the time to jump ship. As you note, we've had fairly conservative party leadership under Clinton. Now the Democrats may be poised to move toward a more populist position. For the first time since 1878, a political party opposed the seating of electors in a presidential race. Dean is considered the favorite for DNC chair. Yet you decide you want to leave now, just when the party is at a crossroads searching for a new direction? Then again, if you aren't a Democrat, you should not stay in the party. It is for we who care enough to work for it to shape it's political future.

[d.l.Green]

27. Well said!

I don't see African Americans looking to question the party right now. From what I see they realize that they have been disenfranchised all along and have come to the conclusion that Dems are better for them. A new third party I think is too nuanced, and the trust of some history is still not there. You're right though. Sticking with the party to change it is our only hope... go Dean!

[GetTheRightVote]

2. This is probably one of the best ideals I have heard so far,

get more people to sign up but as independents outside of the 2 parties that are screwing us up over these elections, one stealing them and other to weak to keep it from happening.

:kick:

[EC]

3. Won't solve a thing

should be like here in WI, we don't have to declare a party...that way the parties have a harder time disenfranchising since they can't tell where the Dems are or vise/versa - not full proof, since they managed this year, just by stereotyping who usually votes for which party...

[autorank]

5. Same for Virginia, no declaration other than selecting a primary.

The voter rights movement needs to cross parties, interest groups, and any other political division. This issue should be paramount in our efforts as Democrats. If the Republicans oppose it, they are unmasked as morons. Don't get too excited about 2006 without a 1,000,000 person march. This is an issue for the long haul.

No time to pick up your ball and go home just because we lost. The real effort is to clean up as many elections as possible as quickly as possible.

At the same time, we need an open "shame" campaign for people who don't vote. There needs to be a broad movement to get these lazy dudes off their butts and into the voting booths. They should be ashamed if they fail to do so next time.

Changing parties, starting new parties, etc. is like the corporate tactic of reorganizing a company to mask underlying problems. Enron didn't need a reorganization or a new mission statement. It needed an audit...as do our elections.

[imenja]

7. true, but Republicans used marketing information

this election cycle, and they did so to great advantage.

[paineinthearse]

4. Take a lesson from Rove.....

Did the neocons engineer the GOP takeover by quitting? No, they took over at all levels, especially at the grassroots.

Now is the time to get active in very local (town, ward) politics. In my state, caucuses are at the end of January.

Get involved, become a convention delegate. Run for town or ward office.

Move the party toward the progressive end of the spectrum.

[imenja]

8. neo-cons are not at the grassroots

They are in the think tanks. The Christian Right, however, did exactly what you describe.

[Democrat Dragon]

12. They strated out as grassroots

then they went to thinktanks becasue thsoe grassroots became centralized toward their cause.

[imenja]

13. where, who?

Are you suggesting Wolfowitz, Perle and Kristol were at local meetings in Nebraska and Oklahoma? I see a tendency for people to use the term neo-conservative to describe any individual or policy with which they disagree. The neo-cons were a group of intellectuals, former Democrats, who turned to the Republican party out of frustration with the Dem's abandonment of a muscular foreign policy after Vietnam. Their agenda is to advocate the unbridled use of American power to create an American empire and spread what they imagine is democracy and progress around the world. There is nothing grassroots about them. They have no interest in the social and cultural policies that motivate the Republican base today.
Your overall point that we as Democrats need to work to reform the party from the local level is an excellent one with which I thoroughly agree.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Independents Are Excluded from the Primaries in Most States

Why give up any of what little leverage we have?

[Fla_Democrat]

23. Bingo. Closed Primary state

Closed primary state here. Meaning you can only vote in the primary you are registered in. Interesting historical note, this was the first year (04) that they had to have a Republican primary in my county.

When I registered, many years ago, most of our local elections were determined in the primaries, since there were so few Reps.

[genieroze]

10. Why not, it's not like I get to vote in the primaries anyway. NJ primaries

are in June.

[imenja]

11. you only vote for presidential candidate?

You don't care about the nominees for Senator, Congress, Secretary of State, Supervisor of Elections, or other local races? Reforming politics from the local level up is the only way to change the party. They control elections, allocate and collect local taxes, decide on education spending, and countless other measures that effect your life on a daily level. They are also the future potential democratic presidential nominees. If you relinquish responsibility for those decisions to the Democratic party activists, you can hardly complain about the results.

[genieroze]

14. My local politicians are ALL pubs and they make sure it stays that way

If a Dem ever got elected they make him change parties or keep him totally out of the loop. Our Mayor didn't win until he changed parties, same man now republican party. This is Ocean County NJ not one town voted for Kerry, even the minority towns didn't. Even though in 2000 they voted for Gore, 10% more of them did. That's before Mr Diebold came to town. Why bother voting, I don't think my vote ever counted here, now I sure it didn't.

[imenja]

15. sounds like an excuse to me

Help choose Democrats who can win. I seriously doubt there is not a single Democrat in local government: not city councilman, water commissioner, tax commissioner, school board, parks and recreation, clerk of the court . . . ? Even the reddest of the Southern states have a number of local Democrats. Blaming things on Diebold doesn't absolve you from your own responsibility in civic life.
By the way, both of New Jersey's Senators are Democrats, so clearly you do have Democrats running in local primaries.

[Peace Patriot]

18. imenja: "Blaming things on Diebold..."

Nope, I don't just blame it on Diebold, I blame it the Democrats leadership. What do we have a political party for, except to make goddamned certain that Republican Bush "Pioneers" don't gain control of the election system with secret, proprietary source code that counts all our votes, and no paper trail?

What good is a political party that can't even insure a fair election system, and then promises throughout the campaign that "every vote will be counted," and collects hundreds of thousands of dollars from all of us for a legal fund, and then CONCEDES before the counting is even over, and then utterly abandons us in our struggle to expose the election and recover our right to vote?

"Help choose Democrats who can win." Don't you understand what secret source code MEANS?

[imenja]

21. well if you don't vote it doesn't matter what the source code is

Does it? You've decided the whole thing is pointless because you believe the elections are so fixed that voting is meaningless? This becomes an excuse so that supposed progressives don't even bother to know the party their Senators are from or vote in the primaries? You're Karl Rove's dream come true. They don't need to bother fixing anything as long as people don't bother turning up at the polls.
By the way, last I heard, New Jersey is a Blue State.

[genieroze]

32. No excuse, I lived in this town for seventeen years. Every time

a Dem is elected they change parties. Do you live in my state, county, or town? Go look at the election results for Ocean county NJ, every town went for Bush this year(EVERY SINGLE ONE)even the minority towns. The closest one was South Toms River which is almost totally African American and Bush still won by fifty or so votes. The mayor in the county seat who was an elected Democrat just switched parties to Republican. Ocean County was founded by Republicans for Republicans, especially the southern part. A few towns go Democrat in local elections but not mine. Our councilman was a Dem and he switched parties our Mayor ran as a Dem and lost, the next time he ran as a Repub he won. Same man different party. Now with these electronic voting machines, not only are they winning but by more than ten points when is used to be a point or two. We have a lot of red necks here, and many transplanted Southerners, they call them Piney's because they live in the Pine Barrens. We have to be one of the reddest parts on the NJ map. We also have a huge elderly population who votes Republican, many of them are veterans.

[imenja]

33. You have two Democratic Senators

and they run in the primaries. There are also Democratic elected to some of the municipal councils in your county.

Edit: Here are the results from the Ocean County 2004 Democratic Primary.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
President (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 346 of 346 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - John F. Kerry 8,010 93.60%
DEM - Lyndon H. La Rouche, Jr. 190 2.22%
DEM - Dennis J. Kucinich 237 2.77%
DEM - George H. Ballard, III 63 0.74%
Write-In 58 0.68%
Total 8,558 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House of Representatives: District 3 (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 177 of 177 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Herb Conaway 3,848 99.84%
Write-In 6 0.16%
Total 3,854 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House of Representatives: District 4 (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 169 of 169 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Amy Vasquez 3,992 99.92%
Write-In 3 0.08%
Total 3,995 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freeholders (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 346 of 346 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Gregory S. Kavanagh 7,820 50.59%
DEM - Judith C. Platt 7,624 49.32%
Write-In 14 0.09%
Total 15,458 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freeholder-2yr Unexp. (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 346 of 346 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Deborah C. Whitcraft 7,819 99.90%
Write-In 8 0.10%
Total 7,827 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barnegat Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 11 of 11 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Dennis M. Spangler 254 99.61%
Write-In 1 0.39%
Total 255 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barnegat Light Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 1 100.00%
Total 1 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bay Head Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 1 100.00%
Total 1 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beachwood Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 6 of 6 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - James R. Kay 89 51.15%
DEM - Stephen Gruver 84 48.28%
Write-In 1 0.57%
Total 174 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eagleswood Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Joseph Meglino 14 93.33%
Write-In 1 6.67%
Total 15 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jackson Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 24 of 24 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Joseph D. Grisanti 586 99.83%
Write-In 1 0.17%
Total 587 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lacey Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 17 of 17 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - James K. LeTellier 256 50.29%
DEM - Jeffrey A. Henderson 251 49.31%
Write-In 2 0.39%
Total 509 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakehurst Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Cecilia Richel 26 78.79%
Write-In 7 21.21%
Total 33 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakehurst Council-1yr Unexp. (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 7 100.00%
Total 7 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lakewood Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 34 of 34 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 63 100.00%
Total 63 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lavallette Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 2 of 2 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Joseph Ardito 49 52.13%
DEM - Sara DiMartino Ardito 45 47.87%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 94 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little Egg Harbor Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 9 of 9 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Ciro Grassi 220 100.00%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 220 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mantoloking Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 0 0.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ocean Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 3 of 3 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 2 100.00%
Total 2 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ocean Gate Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - James C. Perrenod 79 48.47%
DEM - James E. Lewis 83 50.92%
Write-In 1 0.61%
Total 163 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pine Beach Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 2 of 2 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Patrick Sheehan 46 51.69%
DEM - Barbara O'Brien 43 48.31%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 89 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plumsted Committee (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 4 of 4 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Mitch Geier 44 36.36%
DEM - Don Knause 52 42.98%
DEM - Howard Nadell 22 18.18%
Write-In 3 2.48%
Total 121 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Pleasant Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 15 of 15 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Joseph F. Rager, III 179 49.86%
DEM - Shawn P. McCarthy 180 50.14%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 359 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Pleasant Beach Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 4 of 4 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Michael DiCicco 88 50.29%
DEM - Michael Corbally 87 49.71%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 175 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seaside Heights Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 5 100.00%
Total 5 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seaside Park Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 2 of 2 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Joseph S. Koury 41 48.81%
DEM - Jack Shenloogian 42 50.00%
Write-In 1 1.19%
Total 84 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ship Bottom Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 2 100.00%
Total 2 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Toms River Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 3 of 3 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Carla D. Kearney 34 55.74%
DEM - Vel Johnson 27 44.26%
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 61 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surf City Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 0 0.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surf City Council-2yr Unexp. (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 1 of 1 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 0 0.00%
Total 0 0.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuckerton Council (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 2 of 2 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
Write-In 1 100.00%
Total 1 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delegates (5th Delegate District) (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 212 of 212 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Kerry for President, Inc. 4,108 97.16%
DEM - LaRouche in 2004 120 2.84%
Total 4,228 100.00%


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delegates (6th Delegate District) (DEM)
Completed Precincts: 134 of 134 (100.00%)
Vote Count Percent
DEM - Kerry for President, Inc. 1,789 96.76%
DEM - LaRouche in 2004 60 3.24%
Total 1,849 100.00%


http://www.oceancountyclerk.com/election/

[loudsue]

16. Better yet, register as a Repuke for the primaries....get rid of the right

wingers and neocons. If 50 million Democrats registered repuke for the primaries, we could get rid of Tom the Bugman, Bill Frist, even Jeb bush, come 2008!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[Peace Patriot]

19. loudsue: Register as a Repuke...

Very creative. I like it!

However, the BushCon-owned secret source code in the central electronic vote tabulation machines can be (and certainly has been) used in primaries as well as general elections. So, until we get that problem solved (state by state, by peoples' action committees--Congress ain't gonna help, mark my words), we won't be able to influence the Repuke Party either. BushCons control the election machinery. BushCons will be nominated and elected forever more, if we don't so something about it.

I meant to say this above. JoMama suggests registering Independent. Why? --when we have the Greens as a choice. They are the ONLY ONES who are fighting for our right to vote. And they are very smart. For instance, they understand that election reform can only be accomplished locally.

[Vinca]

22. Here's a thought.

We all register Republican, vote for the least electable Republican candidate in the primaries, then reregister as Dems. (Chapter 1 from the Karl Rove book of dirty tricks.)

[loudsue]

28. But Peace Patriot is correct, Vinca: If we don't correct the vote machine

problem, it will be a problem, no matter WHICH part of the election is being rigged!

Our greatest efforts need to be with getting a Paper Ballot that is marked w/ Pen, and counted BY HAND. Canada can do it, so can the good ole U.S. of A.

First things first.

:kick::kick::kick:

[Bill Bored]

35. Unfortunately, that's in the eye of the beholder

Who among us would have thought that Shrub was reelectable?

[FreepFryer]

25. I'm sorry, but imho this is an incredibly stupid idea. Stay registered...

...and stay committed. If you want to switch parties, fine, but doing this for political purposes is like burning your bra.

If you need a bra, there's a downside. In this case, the downside is you marginalize your own ability to participate politically.

In my opinion, dividing the Democratic Party is the ultimate bad idea.

Just say no to "Dem split-up" threads.

[crispini]

29. Yep, that's the way to change the Democratic party. NOT.

Look, folks, the only thing that will help the Democratic party is MORE involvement, not less. In many states if you don't vote in the D primary or are not registered as a D, you can't become a precinct chair.

NEWSFLASH: Everyone on this board who is interested in changing the Democratic party should become a precinct chair!

Why? Because precinct chairs get to vote on county party chairs, DNC members, platform planks, etcetera.

That's true reform power, folks. Participate and you get it. Opt out and you don't

[demodonkey]

31. NOT Good Idea. In Pennsylvania Indys can't even vote in the primary...

Registering Independent, or "Non-Partisan" (as we call it in my state) means that in many states, that you can NOT even vote in the Primary (except on referenda questions). This a BAD MISTAKE, in my opinion! We NEED people to get involved -- ESPECIALLY in the primaries, which are often where elections are truly decided.

Registering Non-Partisan also sends a message of apathy, not activism.

If you are dissatisfied with the Dems and want to send a message, here are three stronger choices, IMHO:

1) Get involved in the Democratic Party (other than just registering to vote.) Run for something. If you can't run, at least start going to your local and/or county meetings and speak out.

2) Get involved with voting rights/civil rights groups and insist that they hold the Dems feet to the fire about voting and disenfranchisement!

3) If you really want to send a message by changing your registration from Dem, consider registering GREEN. The Greens are, after all, the leading group behind the recount effort. If it were not for the Greens there would have been no Ohio Recount, and probably there would have been no Challenge of the Ohio Electoral Votes on January 6. Greens also share many of the highest values of the true Democratic Party (equal rights, respect for diversity, respect for environment, grassroots Democracy, etc).

[seriousstan]

34. You can't re-register, you can only state your alliance at a primary

At least that is how it is in Ohio. The only time you state your party alliance is when you vote in the primary. If you state independent, you do not et to vote for any primary candidate. You only get to vote on the issues that are on the ballot.

[Bill Bored]

36. 75% of Dems register as Repubs/25% vote in the Dem Primary.

Work on 2 fronts:

1. Help the moderate Repubs take their party back. They will become Democrats Lite.

2. The Dems will still be able to choose their own candidates.

But this would have to be a massive campaign. How can it be done practically?

I do think it says something about party labels though.

How did Lincoln's party get to be where it is now and why shouldn't it shift away from that?

[seriousstan]

37. 75%? How do you motivate that many? You can't get 1% to show

for a protest! We got 1000 people TOPS in DC. We had 900 in Columbus Ohio, including the 300 Jesse brought. You have a better chance of getting a crowd with a keg and a Frisbee.

I am tired of being laughed at because people have pie in the sky ideas. Taking the streets, Ukrainian like protests, national strike, buy nothing day.....B.S.

I guess you are going to get the same 75% that were supposed to vote for McCain in the last primary. Where did they go? They didn't exist!

I wish people would get real and realize they are on a board where everyone is close to being in lockstep but IT IS ONLY A WEBSITE!! 57 million people do NOT read this site and will not follow some "master plan".

Reality....grasp it, embrace it and learn to live in it.

[Bill Bored]

38. Well, I did say it would be hard to implement.

This is why we need to push for Verified Voting! Unlike most of the other issues and solutions, it's something almost EVERYONE can agree on.

[bardgal]

39. I'm in. I'm sick to death of the spinless wimpy dems.