JK email & petition: Stop Bush's cutting and running from the truth

[MH1]

Received this email from JK in my Inbox today. I don't see that anyone else has posted it so here it is. If it is a dupe, please issue the appropriate virtual dope-slap and I will delete.

Dear MH,

We're doing what we set out to do -- putting the hardest questions about the direction of President Bush's Iraq policy front and center and demanding a specific timetable from the President about when our troops can come home. The major speech I delivered yesterday has generated an amazing response.

If you haven't yet seen excerpts of the speech, click here.

I'm writing today to ask you to join me in demanding that the Bush administration immediately put forward a detailed plan with target dates for the transfer of military and police responsibilities to Iraqis so the majority of our combat forces can be withdrawn and start coming home to their families. Our brave troops require leadership equal to their incredible sacrifices.

Please sign our Citizens' Petition on Iraq right now

As I made clear yesterday, there is no reason Iraq cannot be relatively stable, no reason the majority of our combat troops can't soon be on their way home, and no reason we can't take on a new role in Iraq, as an ally not an occupier, training Iraqis to defend themselves by the end of 2006.

Now, I need your help to put pressure on Republican members of Congress to stop going along with the Bush administration's disastrous "stay as long as it takes" approach and to start exercising their critical oversight role.

It may take months of effort and organizing by all of us to break through. But, I promise you this, we won't stop working until we do. If Bush doesn't act, we'll demand that Congress steps in to fill the void.

You can help right now by signing our petition demanding that President Bush deliver a concrete, detailed plan to Congress and the American people.

http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/iraq.php

Let's work together to create the kind of enormous public pressure it's going to take to force George W. Bush to change course in Iraq. I urge you to stay engaged in this effort.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

P.S. We're going to have to move mountains to get the Bush administration to change course. Please forward this essential petition to as many people as possible right now.

So, I went and signed it...here is the text of the petition:

President Bush,

I am writing to add my name to that of hundreds of thousands of others demanding that you drop your "stay as long as it takes" oversimplified rhetoric on Iraq and instead level with the American people and offer a clear strategy for a stable Iraq.

It is long past time for you to present Congress and the American people with a detailed plan with target dates for accomplishing our mission in Iraq and bringing our troops home.

There is no reason Iraq cannot be relatively stable, no reason the majority of our combat troops can't soon be on their way home, and no reason we can't take on a new role in Iraq, as an ally not an occupier, training Iraqis to defend themselves by the end of 2006.

If you fail us again, by refusing to come up with a plan of action that makes sense, we will urge Congress to take the decision out of your hands and change the policy.

We can't wait for you to act any longer and neither can our brave troops.

Sincerely,

Your name here

And here's what I put in the comments -

Thank you, Senator Kerry, for your sensible approach to the situation in Iraq. I hope, for the sake of our troops, the Iraqi people, and the credibility of our country, that the Bush Administration will finally correct their course and start doing the things that need to be done, as you have laid out for them time and again.

So...does anyone know what happens when we "sign" one of these online petitions? Do a stack of letters get printed and delivered to the WH, or does it just get sent as an email that bounces off *'s spam filter?

(Just curious. I would sign it anyway just so JK knows I am reading his mail.)

[jillan]

1. I too have always wondered what happens to all of the petitions we sign

I must have joined thousands of groups before the election, I get so much email for progressive groups - along with their petitions.

Do you think these petitions accomplish anything?
Regardless, I will continue to sign, especially if they come from my fav senator!

[MH1]

2. Whether they accomplish anything...

I think depends on the methodology. A huge stack of paper is more visually effective than a list of signatures on a petition. Emails are almost worthless, from what I've heard.

However, if nothing else it is a way to engage the candidate's supporters and get some feedback. When you sign the petition they know you are still reading the email, and that you are interested in whatever the petition was about.

I doubt that Kerry would knowingly do something like this only as a feedback tool when it purports to do something else. However sometimes I think that certain candidates do exactly that.

To be honest it would be nice to hear about this (what happens to these petitions) from JK or FOJK. But I also realize that I tend to be geekier than most in my interest in such aspects. ;-)

[karynnj]

3. Senator Stevens response when Kerry did a petition

on the artic wildlife Refuge coupled with raising money for internet ads for people in a small number of states with possibly persuadable Senators was to go ballistic and to put Kerry's email in the Senate record (which Kerry planned to do himself).

As people sign with name and address, I assume Kerry (or other Senators who do it) can sort and print out the list by state. Kerry won some states with Republican Senators. In addition to signing the petition, the bigger effect is that Kerry gets the issue to 5 million people (plus any they send it to) framed, phased as he wants it - not distorted by those wanting to stop it.

This one is very nicely written and very very strong.

[kerrygoddess]

4. Did anyone get yesterday's email really late in the day?

I got one copy in the morning and two late last night. I have not even gotten this one yet. Just checking because if people aren't getting these they need to know.

[karynnj]

5. KG, I still haven't received this one

which is surprising as we usually heve got them before I here on the net.

[kerrygoddess]

7. Thanks for letting me know

I am emailing someone at the PAC this morning - because I still haven't gotten it. Anyone else?

[Mass]

8. I got my and my husband's yesterday in the afternoon

The delay has to do with the size of the list. It is a classical technical pb. They do not send one email, but 5 million email. This may take several hours (sometimes more than one day) to send. Nothing surprising here.
But they should put the petition on their website as well, this way it would have more visibility.

[kerrygoddess]

15. Similar problems with the list during campaign

I understand that 5 million emails take several hours to send out - there were similar problems with the list during the campaign. Once reported by a few people that they did not recieve the emails they found a glitch in the system.

I got the email with speech excerpts, one early in the day Wednesday and 2 late that night.

Have not received the petition email, nor has my daughter and a few other people I spoke with.

If there is a technical problem - which no doubt it is - they should know so it can be corrected.

[MH1]

9. Timestamp

I received it at: Thu, 27 Oct 2005 1:04 PM

In case that info helps.

[TayTay]

10. Here's my timestamp

Wed, 26 Oct 2005 16:55:44 +0000

That's on the petition.

Tay

[Mass]

13. Timestamps

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 1:23 PM

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 12:04 PM

Sending 5 millions emails takes time. This is perfectly normal.

[karynnj]

11. I did get a different email - data/time stamped 11:45 am oct 26

that spoke about the fact that he was going to give the speech and linking to the speech on Johnkerry.com. But not petition. Given how close this is to the times listed by others - could they have changed the message and not sent the petition to those that got the other?

[Mass]

12. There were 2 emails 1 on wednesday announcing the speech

and one yesterday with a petition.

[TayTay]

14. Opps, Fitzmas has knocked me senseless

this is the petition one, the other one I listed was for the original speech.

Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:26:43 +0000

[sandnsea]

6. Permanent paid vacation

Let Congress set all policy. That would turn people's attention away from the brainwashing rhetoric of this White House.