Howard Dean: Unprecedented 50-state canvas. Can we do it??

[Horse with no Name]

I say yessssss!!!!

Never before has our party been more organized in advance of an election. With new staff hitting the ground everywhere from Alaska to Arkansas, we are going to fight for every vote in every corner of every state in 2006.

Right now we're preparing for the next big step in our 50-state strategy. On April 29th, thousands of volunteers will recruit hundreds of thousands more Americans committed to changing the status quo this year.

We're going to do it by making personal contact with our neighbors. April 29th will be the Democratic Party's first-ever National Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day. We're going to test our organization and build new relationships among volunteers with door-knocking events in communities across America.

We estimate that we need to print 500,000 pieces of literature to cover these events. With the cost of printing, plus the cost of shipping, staff time and logistics to make these events happen, we need an investment of $107,000 by Monday in order to kick-start this program.

Can you contribute something right now to help make this unprecedented program a reality? Click here to see the literature up close and make your donation:

http://www.democrats.org/doorhanger

All the signs point to this being a big election year for Democrats. But if we want to win in November, we've got to fight now to reach every community and build a solid operation before Election Day.

Volunteers knocking on doors on April 29th will carry a simple piece of literature. It summarizes the Democratic vision and offers an opportunity to make a connection and be a part of the movement for change.

Whether people receive the literature in person or on their doorknob, they will be able to plug into their local volunteer network, which will be crucial to building our organization now and turning out the vote in November.

On one day in April we can deliver a clear Democratic vision and offer people an opportunity to help make it a reality. Will you donate to help pull it off?

http://www.democrats.org/doorhanger

Next week you'll learn more about how to make the national Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day a reality on the ground in your community.

Headquarters staff and state parties are working around the clock to provide staging areas in key neighborhoods and the basic training materials to make the canvass as effective as possible.

It's up to you to execute this ambitious and historic operation.

It will only take 2,200 people donating $50 to fund this program. Please contribute whatever you can to help get this literature printed and distributed to the states:

http://www.democrats.org/doorhanger

Two-thirds of Americans reject this president and the Republican leadership -- and they are waiting to hear from us.

We have a big task in November. We will only win if every one of us takes responsibility for the outcome of the election now -- while there is still time to build our operation. We are all members of one American community and it's up to us to make sure that our country has a government as good as its people.

Thank you for being a part of this unprecedented organizing drive.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

[mattclearing]

1. K&R.

The thought of door-knocking all across America makes me giddy. People in red states will be shocked when real-life Democrats ask them for their votes.

[Horse with no Name]

2. kick

Cause this is falling at warp speed.

[madfloridian]

3. I like how he itemizes the cost of each project.

What a new concept! Telling us where our money will go.

:toast:

[RazzleDazzle]

17. Yeah, and to that add his reputation as, well, "frugal" and

you KNOW the money will be well spent.

[queenbdem87]

4. I want to gay marry howard dean

nuf said...

[Dark]

5. He'll get my money when Democrats start respecting GLBT people.

Until then, the Dems will get my vote, but not my money.

[RazzleDazzle]

15. And just what about Howard Dean makes you think HE doesn't

give enough repect to GLBT people? I'd like to know, because from my perspective he's among the top in the whole party on that issue. I mean he's actually DONE something, ya know?

Further, if you want to punish the Dems, go right ahead but Howard is almost a one-man show trying to organize the Dems from the ground up in order to execute the exact type of change in the party I am sure you'd approve of. Withholding money from Dean/DNC is, IMO, counterprodutive. Not giving money to all the other groups -- the Congressional Committee and the Senate Committe, various PACs perhaps, esp. individual campaigns -- that's another thing entirely.

But if you want to change this party, putting your money in Dean's hands IS the best way forward.

[NoPasaran]

6. K'n'R!

That's how we abbreviate K&R in these here parts!
:dem:

[Coexist]

7. Give 'em hell, Howard!

[Kurovski]

8. K&R

Well, I guess I could put it on the credit card...what's left of it.

[caledesi]

9. You can thank Howard Dean for all of this. Love the man! nt

[NMDemDist2]

10. cool! guess I know what I'll be doing on 4-29 n/t

[UrbScotty]

11. Thank you, Howard! (nt)

[bigbrother05]

12. K&R

[mopinko]

13. show me the plan for safeguarding the votes, and

you will get my money. til then, i love you howard, but no can do. that's my new mantra.

[RazzleDazzle]

16. Here ya go

One vitally important initiative:

National Democratic Law Students Council (NDLSC)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=727262&mesg_id=727262

That's broader than "safeguarding our votes," but it fits right in there nonetheless, and it's only March.

[mopinko]

18. well, maybe he can send them on over to cook county.

we need help.

[mopinko]

21. safeguard the primaries! that may be even more important

speaking as someone whose grassroots progressive candidate was just mowed down by a corporate puppet. by a handful of votes. in an election described as a train wreck. we cannot afford a recount.
so, we need to guard the primaries, maybe even more than the general, if we are to stop the encroachment of corporate interests into out party.
and a roomful of lawyers is not a plan, as you may remember from 2004.

[DLnyc]

19. I sympathize with your point. Why get out the vote if it's

not counted? On the other hand, the best way to ensure the votes are counted might be to organize on the local level: Voting is nominally under state control, but it is local election boards and poll workers who are best situated to catch and object to cheating.
(And, in fact, there are a lot of instances of this occurring right now.)
Also, landslide numbers for Democratic candidates forces those who are stealing votes to steal massive numbers, leading to either not stealing or getting caught in a big way. As long as they can say it was a close election anyway, it's much harder to make the charges stick.

That said, I would jump at the chance to support a candidate who promises to (and actually WILL) contest the results if there is ANY indication of fraud (whether or not it looks like 'enough to change the results').

I did give money here, though, because I really believe in moving party organizing back to the grassroots. (Would have given more if I wasn't broke and unemployed.)

(edit to fix typo)

[SaveAmerica]

14. Yes, we can!! I see our party as a colander with holes exposed

across America. With Dean's plan, we won't just focus on the holes in Florida, Ohio, etc. I see them getting filled little by little across the county. It's great to be a part of; call or e-mail your state democratic party and see what hole needs to be filled in your county. You'll be glad you did.

[Hekate]

20. K&R for Howard Dean

:kick:

Hekate