What Is To Be Done?
Don’t be discouraged by the President’s approval ratings. Remember that many of the people who respond positively to polls did not vote at all in the last presidential campaign and belong to the great non-voting class. Sadly that’s a very large group. What were the statistics in 2000?…something like half the people eligible to vote didn’t do so.
In every campaign there are two useful tools. One of these is the list of registered voters, generally available at your county seat. The other is the canvass of the last two elections, which will show on a precinct by precinct basis, how many people voted Democratic, Republican, Green, and so forth.
The most efficient strategy is to volunteer at Democratic Party headquarters, or at the campaign headquarters of whoever the Democrats choose to run against Bush. But that’s not necessary.
With the list of registered voters, and the canvas, you can put yourself in charge of your own mini campaign. Invite the registered Democrats in your precinct, or from a few blocks in your neighborhood to one or more "coffees" to discus current political issues. Get them to do the same, establish an e-mail list so you can let them know from time to time of the progress of the campaign. Call them on election day to make sure they’ve voted
A political campaign is not an educational undertaking. Don’t waste your time trying to reform conservatives with sweet reason; spend very little time with people who tell you they are undecided, they’re just being polite; preach only to the choir.
Thus endeth the rant.
