You have no right
to be discouraged. Be
encouraged by humanity's progress. And
every day you ought to thank God that you have a political
conscience, a political passion, and that you live in a
country at a turning point of history, where you have a
chance if you put yourself on the line.
Not in a hateful, or spiteful, or self-seeking way,
but because you care about the future of our children. You
ought to be glad to be a Democrat.
You ought to be glad to be an American.
You ought to be glad to be alive now.
And if you have a real good time and make a real good
case, you'll be very glad of
the results in November.
-- President William Jefferson Clinton, speaking at a
tremendously successful fundraiser for the Arizona Democratic
Party.
As
the last popularly elected President puts it, we have no right
to be discouraged. Especially
not here in Arizona where we are well on our way to important
victories in 2002. Here’s
where your help is absolutely critical.
You can make a difference, if you choose
to make a difference. Not
too long ago, former Presidential nominee Michael Dukakis
noted, “Major parties in this country have almost abandoned
grass-roots campaigning.”
I respectfully disagree.
Don’t blame the party; the grass roots have abandoned
the idea they can make a difference.
The GOP count on that.
But we can and must change that perception NOW!
Dukakis was correct to be
troubled by the demise of grass-roots politics, which has
always been the strength of the Democratic Party.
Here’s how PCs can help:
There
are 5 months left to the general election.
Between now and the last 30 days of the campaign, make
a resolution to contact your precinct Dems and independents 3
times: by mail (postcard or single page letter), by phone, and
door-to-door. If
you can’t do all 3, vow to do 2 of those 3.
(We have general outlines for postcards or letters in
the PC Handbook and Resource Guide.
See below for information.)
You
could call this the beginning of GOTV (get out the vote).
The odds are really good that you live in a precinct
where Democrats have never gotten this much attention (3
contacts) during an entire election CYCLE, let alone this far
out from election day. Even
if you never say it, the unspoken message (which will be heard
loud and clear) is, “This election is different.”
By
sending a card or letter first, you’ll already be on the
voter’s radar when you walk your precinct.
Marketing professionals know that consumers need
exposure to multiple advertising messages in order to get a
message across. Same
thing in politics. The
Arizona State Democratic Party is revving up a Coordinated
Campaign that plans multiple contacts with voters during the
election cycle. Your
efforts are planting the seeds that the State Party will then
continue to grow and cultivate right up to and through
election day.
OK,
that’s a 4-month plan you can begin to lay out now. (There’ll be lots to do in that last month!)
Here’s something else for your calendar:
during the hot months, consider hosting a “candidate
coffee” in your home. Joshua Weiss, one of our PC trainers and creators of the PC
Tip sheet, tells of data indicating that the #1 reason for
voting for someone has nothing to do with ideas or issues; the
#1 reason people cite for voting for someone is the voter met
the candidate. Think
about that! Many
of us have grown so accustomed to being around candidates that
we forget how unique it is to have a close encounter of the
political kind. Yet,
when Rick McGuire went to his very first D8 meeting when he
moved here in 1994, he says, “I was thrilled – THRILLED – to meet a candidate
for Congress.”
This
is why it’s critical that we get our candidates out to meet
the public: because
it works! On June 6th, Jon Beydler will be sworn in as the
Mayor of Fountain Hills.
How does a Democrat win in one of the most Republican
areas in the state? Jon went door-to-door and met voters in small groups in homes
throughout the area. So,
get a group of voters in your precinct to meet a legislative
candidate, for example. Let
them talk about what’s important to them, what they want to
see changed, or what they know can be done better.
It doesn’t have to be fancy; just coffee, iced tea,
and/or soft drinks and a candidate willing to meet and greet.
Finally,
the majority of precincts in Arizona are not currently served
by a precinct committeeperson.
So, if you’re doing a coffee for a candidate, expand
your horizon and invite people from a neighboring precinct,
too. What we’d
like to see is a large number of PCs who are willing to
“Adopt a Precinct.” Ask
your chair for the walking list of a precinct adjacent to
yours where no PC serves.
By initiating communications with these neighbors, the
odds are good that you’ll FIND an activist who is just
looking for a way to get involved.
Target the real high-efficacy Dems (voting in 4 of the
last 4 elections – look for YYYY on the walking sheet) and
we bet you’ll turn up an activist who can help you – and
the Party – soon.
What all of this boils down to
is one simple idea: You
can’t activate the base without giving the base access, and
we’re talking about giving people ACCESS to the Democratic
Party. You create
the doorway to the Party at the grass roots level.
Never forget how important you are in the political
process – and how important you are in really making a
difference!
Got
signatures?
We hope you’ve got your signatures to become a
ballot-elected PC. All it
requires is about 10 signatures from Dems in your precinct.
Unlike appointed PCs, who are “elected” by
acclamation at district meetings, ballot-elected PCs can more
fully participate in party activities, hold party-wide
offices, and help build a stronger, more responsive Democratic
party. And, as an
added bonus, when you become a ballot-elected Democratic PC,
you depress the heck out of Republican activists!
Pick up the forms you need at your County Democratic
office or we’ll mail you the forms.
But remember: they have to be turned in by June 12th!
Spin
This!
Bill
Press, the liberal host and commentator at CNN and the author
of "Spin This," is taking time out of a monstrously
busy schedule to meet Arizona Democrats this Thursday evening.
And what perfect timing!
We're in an age of spin; indeed, we have the first
President to be "spun" into office.
There couldn't be a better time to learn from a man who
cuts through all the R spin with deftly wielded wit. Join us
for this unforgettable evening with columnist and commentator
Bill Press, in support of the Arizona State Democratic Party
and the Northeast Valley Democratic Coalition.
Admission
is $30 per person or $55 per couple in advance, $35 and $65 at
the door. PCs
receive a $10 discount --
do the math! It's a great deal!! NOTE:
A copy of Spin This! (a $26 retail value)
is included with each couple’s donation, so bring a
friend.
You
can help even more by becoming a Sponsor at $300 or a Host for
$150 and join us for a private reception with Bill, too.
Both include an autographed copy of Spin This!
Time
is wasting! Send
checks made out to D8 Democrats to
Leon
Chusid
25150 N Windy Walk Dr, #7,
Scottsdale, AZ, 85255-8103
Join
us Thursday evening, June 6th at 6018 N 33rd St., Paradise
Valley, one block south of Lincoln Drive, off 32nd Street and
Marlette. (Go to www.d8dems.org to print out a map).
Please park in the street only.
(This is being held at a private home, so please let us
know if you plan to attend.)
PC
Handbook
Don’t
forget, the PC Handbook and Resource Guide can be e-mailed to
activists. This
41-page book provides you with everything you need to know to
be a Democratic PC. If you need a copy or would like to request a copy for
someone else, contact Rick McGuire:
rickm@healthandmedical.com.
The
PC Tip Sheet is produced by
Rick McGuire
Ron Owen
and Joshua Weiss
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