Walk the Talk

Last week, Valarie Cousin posted a great address to motivate people.  Not only do we need to "talk the talk" but we need to "walk the talk" when it comes to getting Barack elected.  So, what can you do?

Phonebank-calling voters reminding them when Election Day is and to remember to vote for Obama and other democratic candidates in that state

Canvass-Go door to door reminding people to vote and talking with them about all the democratic candidates in their area.  Canvassing is proven to have the highest effect on voters.

Intimidated by the face to face contact with the American public?  There are plenty of behind the scenes ways to support the campaign.

Give money-pretty obvious.  You’ve probably already thrown a few bones Obama’s way, but don’t forget your Congressional and Senatorial candidates!!  They are in need of funding all the way through Election Day, too!

Data Entry-Just about every city has an Obama office (or an office for your Congressional or Senatorial candidate).  All the data collected from phonebanking and canvassing needs to go into the database for future use and campaigns need volunteers to enter it into the computers.  A simple and easy way to help on your own time at home!

Visibility-Put a sign in your yard, sticker on your car, buy an Obama/Biden T-shirt etc.  On Election Day, coordinate with your local campaign office and see where people will be heading to do group visibility.  All this means is standing on the corners of busy intersections holding signs for Obama and your other candidates so drivers to work in the morning are reminded it’s election day.  This is a fun and easy way to get involved in the campaign and your community!

Still not sure?  You like the idea of helping, but you’ve never done this before.  Someone else will do it….you’ll vote and that will be your contribution…you live in a conservative area and don’t think your actions will do any good?……NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!

My parents are both over the age of 50, they have never participated in a campaign in their lives, and they live in one of the most conservative districts in Florida.  My dad called me this weekend to tell me he canvassed 98 houses in two days.  He comes home from work and goes out almost every night to canvass our city for Barack Obama.  My mom has been doing data entry at the Obama office in town for months.  She called to tell me she marched in a rally this weekend that had 10,000 attendees.  Both of them talk constantly to their friends and co-workers about the importance of this election.  They have personally swayed the votes of almost all of their friends.  You can do this, too!!

My parents are not rebel rousers; they are not overtly political.  They are the parents of two college aged kids who go to work and to church, they go to dinner parties and they usually fall asleep in their respective chairs before 10:30pm.  They are normal people who have chosen to dedicate the next two weeks of their lives to perhaps one of the greatest causes we have or will see in decades.  You can do this, too!

How did you feel that brisk day in November 2000 when you woke up find Bush had won the presidency?  How about in 2004?  Do you want that feeling again this year?  Voting is not enough this year.  We must do more!  Don’t wake up November 5^th, 2008 regretting you didn’t knock on one more door or make one more phone call, wave one more banner or talk to one more person.  For the first time in a long time, American citizens have been invited back into the political process.  Take advantage of this exciting time in American history and make a difference!

I’ve never been prouder of my parents for involving themselves in this campaign.  We want Obama to work for us when he gets to Washington, so let’s make him proud by working for him so that becomes a reality.