Some Specific Details on WI Senate Recall plans

[Jackpine Radical]

This forwarded message from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) contains information on the recall of 8 Republican State Senators, who they are, how the process works, and how you can help. Please read and forward to friends in the districts of the 8 senators. We need to act quickly on this.
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Dear Democratic Leaders,

Today has been an exciting day. Citizens in 8 State Senate districts filed paperwork to recall all eligible Republican Senators.
First, let me say that the DPW is 100% supportive of this effort. We believe that we can retake the State Senate in the next four months.

Overview:

The DPW will be ramping up as fast as possible to work with all of you to collect these signatures and defeat the Republicans in the recall elections. This will be an intensive effort including a strong volunteer a s well as a paid canvass component.

We have launched the website www.recalltherepublican8.com. I realize that it is very sparse at the moment, but it will be the best way for individuals to sign up to volunteer, donate funds and get information....we will be enhancing it every day. I ask your patience as we get the website fully updated.

This weekend:

This weekend is our first weekend of action. We will be holding multiple canvasses in each of the senate districts - canvass locations will be on the recall website tomorrow. I know many of you are eager to begin collecting signatures - we will be emailing the petitions around tomorrow, after the committee paperwork has been officially approved by GAB.

I realize that these activities will not take place in all of your districts, but I implore you to send volunteers to the locations nearest you. Your fellow county officers in targeted areas are volunteering to run the canvass staging locatio ns this weekend, so please offer your help at the staging locations if you are available.

If you want to help this weekend but aren't sure who your nearest point of contact is, email me and I will connect you.

Other details:

These are the eight Senators that are being recalled:
Robert Cowles (R-02)
Alberta Darling (R-08)
Sheila Harsdorf (R-10)
Randy Hopper (R-18)
Dan Kapanke (R-32)
Luther Olsen (R-14)
Mary Lazich (R-28)
Glenn Grothman (R-20)

In each district we need about 16,000 valid signatures which, as you all know, we need to collect about 24,000 to be safe.
That comes out to about 410 signatures a day and it will take all of us working together to make it happen.

Here is the timeline for the efforts:
Process started = March 2, 2011
Collect signatures = 60 days
Signature challenge period signatures = 12 days
Once signatures are certified and election is called, the election is set for the Tuesday 6 weeks later



Talking Points:

-The questions about the recall are most properly directed toward the citizens within the (X) Senate District who have started this grassroots effort. As a political party, we are helping them with the tools they need. But the anger against Sen. (X) has arisen from within the district.

-Sen. (X) has stood with Scott Walker in seeking passage of what is likely the most divisive piece of legislation in Wisconsin history, a radical change in policy that amounts to a massive assault on Wisconsin's middle class.

-The right to collectively bargain for public employees has existed for seven decades in Wisconsin, and Sen. (X), like Scott Walker this past campaign, never once questioned its legitimacy nor tied it to the budget crisis Walker and Sen. (X) deliberately exacerbated with $140 million in tax giveaways.

-Sen. (X) has stood by Scott Walker in a scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners approach that le aves no room for compromise and seeks political power instead of solutions, that puts party above the people of Wisconsin.

-This is not to mention Sen. (X's) support of Scott Walker's plans to defund our (X) District schools by millions, and state schools by a billion dollars.

-Because of all these things, there arose a grass-roots movement in Sen (X's) district that says "Enough is enough." If Sen. (X) won't stand up to Scott Walker, then it is our duty to find someone who will.

-Scott Walker himself came to office as the result of a recall petition, so he knows well that this is a legitimate tool that is a proper response to the failure of elected officials to listen to the people. Sen (X), like Scott Walker, has ignored the thousands of people from the XXXth Senate District to come to the table and seek solutions together.

-Sen. (X), like Scott Walker, has benefited from the likes of oil tycoons like the Koch Brothers, and we do not unde rtake a recall petition lightly. Walker has made clear that he is going to stretch out his palm for aid from those corporate interests that have every interest in taking away collective bargaining and driving wages and benefits into the dirt.

-But we will force a recall and defeat Sen. (X0 not because an oil tycoon told us to, and not for lack of ideological purity, but because at the end of the day, Sen. (X) just wouldn't listen. Now (she/he) will hear us well.

As always, don't hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns.
And as always, THANK YOU for all that you are doing to move this fight forward.

Best,

MB

Maggie Brick | Executive Director | Democratic Party of Wisconsin

[Lifelong Protester]

1. Very good, Jackpine, I will be doing what I can to help.

[mimitabby]

2. i sent you guys a little $$

good luck.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Thank you--

in behalf of the workers of Wisconsin and the nation.