12.Oct.2006: Some comments

Written by: Stephen Schuck on Oct 13, 2006 4:11 AM EDT

This is becoming a hectic month. Thank you for taking time to read this.

My slip-up: Thank you, also, for so enthusiastically entering your comments at Jesse's DfA-Link campaign registration. After significant harassment, Jasper's went up a few weeks ago and I neglected to ask you to similarly express your enthusiasm for his candidacy. I see little difference between these two races, EXCEPT that money seems to be favoring Jasper. Both are very motivated, progressive first-time candidates seeking to unseat incumbent (R)s.

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Endorsements: None of my appeals to DfA-National or Jim Dean have elicited any response, nor have I heard of a response to any of your appeals. One glimmer came from Chad Lupkes (he'll hate me for this), a DfA-Bellingham member and one of my sometimes advisors, who lives farther south (Seattle area?) and is very involved in DfA-Washington. Chad said that DfA-Washington might consider doing something that could bring Jesse's campaign a little money. A short note of encouragement (and appreciation) to him might help this process. In DfALink, click his name in the membership list.

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When you log onto www.dfalink.com, you will see an offer for a FREE pad of "Vote!" stickeys. Go for it. They'll probably run out fairly fast. For more than one pad, they want a donation.

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Ice Cream Social: Last week's meeting went a little less well than I thought at the time. I went out of the meeting thinking that we had agreed to repeat our successful "Kick-off" fund raiser for Jesse last month, but in the context of an afternoon icecream snack in the YWCA ballroom, with DfA-Bellingham handling all details except hall reservation/rental and sending the invitations (which were to be constructed similar to the kick-off invitations). During the past week some control seems to have gone elsewhere with the result that a ~1,600 piece invitation mailing apparently does not mention DfA (would have been excellent advertising) and several other activities that we had proposed to draw people on a football Sunday fell by the wayside. One of those was an auction of undetermined character with County Exec Pete Kremen as Auctioneer. This (Thursday) morning I talked to Ellen, Jesse's campaign manager, to wit:
--The event is to be low key, continual in and out, and focus on Jesse.
--The event will run from 3:00p to 5:00p, with hall availability from 2:00p to 6:00p. The hall should provide a couple of tables, and a few chairs.
--DfA-B is expected to help with set-up, serving, and take-down
--Mallard will provide 4 tubs of flavored icecream at half price, the campaign will pay the rest
--The campaign will not bring toppings. DfA-B may, although, Miracle Whip, chocolate sauce and chopped nuts are about the only things that will go with the flavors: Mint Oreo, Strawberry, Moccha, Coconut Almond. The campaign will also not bring cookies, M&Ms or the like.
--Music, if any, was left up undecided, but should be quiet background, not a local rock band.
--Pete Kremen will MC with two people to introduce. The first will be a DfA-mster (nominations? - who did it last time?) for a short explanation of DfA's history and purpose. Second will be Jesse. (I specified that order, Ellen agreed). The campaign has apparently talked to Pete.
--Ellen thought that Jesse might speak once, about half way through, I suggested twice on the half hour. No decision.
--We can hang the banner wherever we want (right behind the ice cream table?) As the dust settles, it appears that we lost the useful advertising in the mailing, nothing much else. All other aspects of this opportunity to contribute to Jesse's campaign seem to remain intact.

We'll need people to help set up, take down, and serve. We'll also need to co-ordinate any goodies we bring. Please let Zetta know what role you can play.

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Election activities: This is an "all hands on deck" election, with both local and national organizations competing for scarce dollars and volunteer hours. Whatcom County's vote by mail system suggests that you can do both. Voter preference inquiries (ID-ing) will end when county ballots go in the mail at the end of next week, and efforts will shift to getting voters that have been identified as friendly to actually open that envelope and do something about it (Get Out The Vote (GOTV)). With vote by mail, the Whatcom County GOTV phase is now two weeks long, instead of one day. During the voting period, the auditor sends out daily lists of voters who have already submitted their ballots. We can remove those people from our GOTV lists to avoid wasting resources and focus on the friendly stubborn non-voters. Thus, there will be huge local efforts on the weekend of 21.Oct to get people to vote early, and on the weekend of 04.Nov to get the stragglers. Most of the national effort to reach reluctant poll voters will probably occur during that latter weekend. PLEASE contribute to the local early efforts being organized through Democratic Headquarters or the Coordinated Campaign, both in the lower level of the Bellingham Hardware building (entrance off Bay, just below Holly). Volunteers are needed for both phoning and lit drops (not ringing doorbells).

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Election training: One hour at 3:00p Wed.18.Oct at the WhatcomCo Courthouse (through security, upstairs, room 514). Please call DfA member Roni Beall, 756-1405, to participate.

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Really care about how votes are being counted: DfA-National recommends sending spare money (what's that?) to Secretary of State races:
---Debra Bowen (CA)
---Jennifer Brunner (OH) - The infamous Ken Blackwell is running for Governor.
---Mark Ritchie (MN)
---Deb Markowitz (VT)

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"Iraq For Sale" parties can be found through www.iraqforsale.org. DfA-National joins many other organizations in advocating this film, which is being shown only by individuals and groups. MoveOn is combining their showings with phonathons.

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Not Political: I dropped by the Bellingham Museum for a look at the Rodin exhibit and was blown away. The exhibit is travelling all over the country and is not here for long. I don't know how the museum did it, but Bellingham is the exhibit's only Pacific Northwest showing.

TAFN

Steve Schuck
"Organizer", DfA-Bellingham

Don't forget Citgo - Northwest at Birchwood, also in Ferndale

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Location: Bellingham, WA 98225