How many former GOTV will be out in the streets for 2012

[tavalon]

So many people, myself included,gave money we didn't have and walked the streets for GOTV, manned the volunteer centers, manned the call center.

So, are you going to do it again for 2012?

[NightWatcher]

1. how bout a "no volunteering or donating, but I'll vote D in Nov" choice

[LoZoccolo]

2. Not many people at DU volunteer for campaigns or PACs.

Around election times, I start threads - usually very non-descript and without much in the way of provocative language - that simply ask people to post opportunities for volunteering. Now before the inevitable universal dodge that I always get when I bring this up ("How do you know what people are doing or not doing??!!") I will say that people who volunteer almost always know the need for more people, and have an desire to make it known that more are needed; I simply don't buy the explanation that for some unknown, unspecified reason that my opponents can't produce, people don't want to make it known how to get involved, even in an abstract sense. (Every message I post contains opportunities to get involved in my signature.)

These threads sink like rocks.

Sadly, DUers are seldom doers.

So I really don't believe that this poll will turn out honest.

[tavalon]

5. I guess i was makingban assumption that DUers did do a lot of the boots on the ground

I know I have over the years.

[MineralMan]

9. Many do. Many do not.

As with everything, there are far more who do not, for one reason or another. But many DUers are very active in local political activism. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's just that some people belittle such activism here and unrec threads about it. Why? I do not know.

[LoZoccolo]

12. Some people do, and I know two DUers personally who I met outside of DU.

One of them is so active that I don't want to mention what he does because it would be too easy to personally identify him; that's how involved he was. There certainly are people who are active.

But even just some of the way that people talk about how to affect change leads me to believe that they don't even do much thinking about how the system works. People speak in terms of the party giving them bad candidates, when someone with a rudimentary knowledge of partisan politics in this country knows that they are selected through a primary process.

Another notion is that a third party would solve our problems, which fails to acknowledge that the same work that would have to be done to work more progressive candidates in through the primary process would have to be done for a third party, and the Republicans would be given years of, if not indefinite, opportunity to do whatever they want during the years of fighting over the split. People aren't seeing the work that would need to be done, which leads me to believe that they aren't engaged in it. They see politicians on TV, and see the votes going for or against them, and think that that's all that's involved in getting them elected; they don't see everything that's going on outside the bee-line from the TV to their eyes, suggesting that they are passive observers of the political process.

As always, I'm saying some, not all. And I would even say most of the more vocal ones. There's an explanation that would make sense in explaining why more vocal DUers are less engaged: they see the Internet as their only means, or at least the only means they are willing to use.

[Bluenorthwest]

15. That is the opinion of one poster and I do not think it is accurate

at all. There are posters here who think other's reaction to them is other's reaction to the subject matter. Some posters are known for posting bait and low comments about other DUers. I know we have here DUers who have been elected to offices this year, public as well as Union offices. I know several who write, who speak across the country, no less.
I'm wearing my Jeff Merkley tee shirt right now, in 08, Oregon Democrats put him in the Senate while also delivering out electoral votes to Obama. In 2010, Oregon had the largest turn out for a midterm election since the 80's, while much of the nation failed to deliver jack to the Party.
This place is a hot bed of activism. To deny that is to deny yourself a learning resource of great magnitude and usefulness.

[Tesha]

24. I'm with LoZoccolo: any thread I've ever posted or participated in that actually calls for folks...

...to get up and *DO* things in the real world* gets
ignored or collects a lot of derision. DUers are
mostly talkers, no DOers.

Note: This reply doesn't apply to all DUers, but
it applies to many (and perhaps most) DUers.

Tesha


*Whether it's campaigning, protesting, or switching
to more-efficient cars or lightbulbs.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. I am, and SHAME on DUers who could do, but do nothing, or worse, support idiots like Nader

which backfire and get fascists voted in.

[MineralMan]

8. I post frequent calls for local precinct and district activism, and

describe what has been accomplished in my own precinct and state and national districts. Those threads don't do well in terms of recs, but there are a lot of people who post positive replies.

Like you, I have information in my signature line. Local election activism works! It just does. A good-humored, friendly, and knowledgeable person knocking on doors and educating voters on issues and candidates just can't be beat. On a local level, you're talking to your neighbors, not faceless strangers. It's easy to do, and an individual person can pretty much cover an entire precinct in two or three months of spending a couple of hours a day on a weekend. Your local Democratic organization will help you with literature, talking points, and answers to the common questions people will ask. Besides, the folks in the party organization are very nice people. You can't do better than to get involved. In caucus states like Minnesota, participation will lead to becoming a delegate to district and even state conventions. You can make a difference in who gets nominated.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Marr]

3. Local and state only this time for me.

[Upton]

4. Forget about it...

If the hope is gone..why in the hell should I send any money?

[MineralMan]

7. I will be out, as usual, walking the precinct and talking to all those

people I've met before while doing it and to new people. The precinct turned out 60% in 2010 and voted 60% majorities for all Democrats who ran. We're going to shoot for 80% in 2012. I think we'll get it, too.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. Those are numbers to be proud of in 2010, MM.

We had similar results, and turn out larger than any since the 80's for a midterm. This does not happen by accident, although Oregon's vote by mail elections surely help make it easier to get that vote out. You have to actually get them out, get them to go. We just have to get them to find a pen. It helps.

[MineralMan]

19. Thanks for your efforts, as well.

The funny thing is that it's not even hard work. I've enjoyed this type of activism for years. I get to meet people, talk with them, and find out what they're dealing with and how they're thinking. I listen more than I talk when doing precinct walking. And you know what? That's what most people want. They want to tell you what they think. When they do, you can tell them why the candidates you support will help them, and how.

My urban precinct is very diverse, with people from all over the world represented here. I've learned to say "Hello," "Thank You," and "Please go and vote" in eight languages. I don't really need that, because most people who can vote have learned English, but it's a polite thing to do.

In the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, and throughout the state, it's very easy to see which precincts and districts had active people talking to voters. Very easy, indeed. The turnouts and results tell the tale.

We can do this in 2012. But we will only do it if we step out and step up. If we sit and just wish for a better system, we'll fail miserably. This is the system we have. This is what we must do.

[Marrah_G]

10. Staying local

Not going to work for any national races. No money no time. Why should I give a shit about people who clearly don't give a shit about my family? Let them spend their own millions.

[Cleita]

11. Even if I wanted to donate, there will be no money

left after the lack of COLA increases to my SS.

[lamp_shade]

13. You bet I am.

[keopeli]

16. You realize that every single option you listed supports Obama's campaign?

You've not allowed an option for someone who refuses to campaign, contribute or vote in 2012. You've not even allowed an "undecided" option. Apart from some explanatory posts, your poll has no way of even limited reflection of the intentions of DUers.

Please don't assume I would select such an option. I'm just curious why you would post a poll that is so slanted that it has no real value, even as a non-random online poll.

peace

[tavalon]

21. I should have placed an undecided option

To place your first choice would have been to run afoul of the rules here.

I suppose those make me sound like an ardent supporter? I am not. I have rarely been so disgusted with a national politician with a D after his name.

[nevergiveup]

18. Apathy is not an option

on any political governmental level.

[rug]

20. Especially by those in office.

[tavalon]

22. Actually, it may not be an option but I've seen it practiced by many

[Dawson Leery]

23. I will be working to elect Chris Murphy to the US Senate.

[mmonk]

25. For local candidates though redistricting will harm my efforts.

The game is rigged. Rigged big time. We need to spend a lot of time on the ground level building an alternative to the kind of society we are being forced to live under.

[nc4bo]

26. Same here. Redistricting has really made a mess. nt

[mmonk]

27. They are killing us in NC aren't they? We are returning to being

the Rip Van Winkle State again. It's too bad since we were fairly progressive compared to our neighbors.