Summary of DFA May Summit Training in Portland

Written by: John Boettner on Jul 18, 2006 8:56 PM EDT

We suggested posting this information for people to review and possibly comment through this blogg. In order to avoid overload, I'm going to put it out in sections over the coming weeks.

I hope you all get something out of this, please let me know if you have suggestions!

We Are The Ones - We've Been Waiting For
Arshad Hasan

Thom Hartmann - These are some of the best times for democracy!

Stop Thinking in Terms of: "Normal"
· You think about politics every day.
· You understand that politics affects your everyday life.
· You see politics as a means to bring about positive change.
· You are partisan (to an axtent).
· You are reviewing a political training manual right now!

58% of Americans vote.
42% of Americans vote for offices other than President.
8% of Americans have volunteered for campaigns.
>1% of Americans donate to electoral campaigns.

Goals - What can North Seattle DFA accomplish?
Keep Cantwell IN office?
Get Reichert OUT of office?

Friends and I attended the rally for Darcy Burner when Bush was here stomping for Reichert. The difference between these two candidates is a no-brainer! I think Reichert's voting record followed the Delay vote over 90% of the time, he IS vulnerable. Darcy isn't in our voting area, but she might make a good candidate to support to help take the House.Darcy was on Thom Hartmann the following Thursday...and she has been getting monetary and grass roots support.

Push for voter reform?
Legislation for checking 4% of vote records.
Oregon is proposing checking 5% of votes by randomly checking voter records with an optiscan machine located at Portland State University.
Push for election finance reform?
Get corporations out of government?

Oregon running campaign:
Candidates name: Rich CorporateSon, inc.
Campaign manager: Hal Burton

Great websites:
www.ecporegon.org/index.html...
portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/0...

Strategy - What means will we use to accomplish our goal?
Get involved!
Develop plans
Inventory the assets available
www.busproject.org
trick or vote
Tactics - The hands-on actions will we use to carry out our strategy.
Organizing Volunteers
Door to door canvassing
Standing outside storefronts
Phone contacting
Online canvassing
Raising Money
Fund raiser events



Getting Started

Political Landscape Memo
Focus at:
1) District or geographic level of emphasis; then define
2) Election requirements (ie., weaknesses, strengths) ; determine
3) Candidate needing our help; then define potential opposition posed by the
4) Opponent.

SWOT Analysis
Strength - Grass roots notoriety "Blue-collar-mother-turned-soccer-mom-geek"
Weakness - Lack of funds to support campaign
Opportunity - Hard work can pay off
Threats - Swift boating always a reality

What Kind of Campaign Will We Wage?
· Electoral campaigns
· Reichert voting record speaks for itself.
· Reichert distancing himself from Bush adm.
· Issue advocacy campaigns
· Transportation issues
· Alternative energy sources
· Incentives to use mass transit (besides high gas prices!)
· Initiative or Referendum campaigns
· Campaigns against - Tim Iman
· Corporate Accountability campaigns
· www.richcorporateson.com


Developing Your Message
The 27-9-3 Strategy
· 27 words
· 9 seconds
· 3 points

1. Are you confident of the future for your family?
2. Do you feel compelled to want to do your part?
3. Then help DFA take our country back!


The 3 Fs of the NW Environment

1. Fur, Fish, and Forests provided incentive for NW settlement.
2. Fur, Fish, and Forests are still an invaluable commodity...
3. ...and there is NO corporate substitute!

Develop Sensitive Phraseology ie., "Womens Health" versus "Abortion"

"Change" versus "Continuity"

Did anyone do their homework and develop their own concept?

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Location: Shoreline, WA 98155