 |
Sun Jul 20 2008 | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Dispatches from the FrontDean Visits Vote Mob by Mark Huntress October 23, 2004 Dr. Howard Dean paid a visit to the Vote Mob headquarters on Wednesday, October 20th, where he spoke and answered questions for almost 200 excited but cramped progressive youth who were packed tightly into a small office space on North High Street. Dean, after dropping out of the Democratic primary race, is focusing on helping the Democratic Party achieve success in the election. He founded the political action committee Democracy for America, which is part of the recent onslaught of groups that is committed to getting progressive voters to the polls. Vote Mob and its parent organization, 21st century Democrats, are allied with Democracy for America under the umbrella organization America Votes, along with thirty or so other groups such as America Coming Together, the League of Conservation Voters, and MoveOn. The purpose of Dean's visit was to "take an opportunity to thank the volunteers of his partner organization and to stress the importance of the youth vote," according to Rose Steller, a Vote Mob worker. Vote Mob is dedicated to mobilizing the bloc of voters between the ages of 18 and 30. It is a 527 organization, which means that they are Partisan, but do not endorse a specific candidate. It does not take long though, to figure out who they support. "Bush has turned his back on the young people," says Stephen Hightower, "by reducing student loans and by revoking overtime pay that many depend on to make their way through college." Summer Loehr says that "Among issues such as the cost of college, civil liberties, health care, and environmental protection, the Democratic Party has progressive policies that represent the interests of the youth vote." She adds that the group tries to ignore the constant chattering about the candidates' personalities. "The issues are what are important. We should be more concerned about what a candidate thinks about health care that what he did 40 years ago." Vote Mob is unique in that they ask individuals what issues are most important to them personally, and then engage them in dialogue about those specific issues. Rachel Machesky says, "I enjoy getting out and connecting with people directly. They are usually open to hearing what we have to say, except at OSU football games. It will be interesting to see how effective this is in swinging the election." The group has talked to 40,000 people in Columbus, and 90,000 in Ohio, but its overall impact will not be evident until after the election. "The more people that are involved, the more effective it will be," states Machesky. Hightower claims that Vote Mob is an important factor because its influence is not evident in national polls. He estimates that it will engender 20,000 new voters, mostly of college age. "We are organizing the passion and the anger of the young people by getting out and talking to them wherever they happen to be. We are bringing our message to them, that your vote is your voice." 21st Century Democrats is also present in the swing states Oregon, Minnesota, and Nevada. Dean said about the strength of the America Votes organizations, "I have not seen as much energy for change since the Vietnam era, when we got rid of two presidents." He commended volunteers' efforts in registering a vast number of new democratic voters, but urged all present to keep up their efforts in turning out voters on Election Day because, "you don't get any points if the people you just registered don't get out and vote." Dean's comments were concise, relevant, and humorous. When asked if he had read John Kerry's book, he replied, "I haven't even had time to read my own book yet," but then assured the crowd that he did it fact write it himself. When someone on the street created a disturbance by playing a recording of Dean's infamous scream from after the Iowa caucus, he seemed amused, and said, "No one told me Karl Rove was going to be here." Dean's presence was warm, though he was often critical of President Bush and Republicans in general with a kind of gentle venomousness that seemed highly appropriate and accurate. His barbs went over well with the audience. When asked why he thought Bush was so popular with many people, he replied, "Bush appeals to the macho nature of people who don't think. He also uses fear, but he is a very likeable person. I have talked to him, and he is smooth, quick, facile and genial. He is fun, and is appealing at a gut level, but he just isn't a good president." He claimed that the Republicans do not support democracy and have no interest in seeing that everyone gets a chance to have their vote counted. "They think that whatever advances their ideology is a good thing." He acknowledged that there are a lot of problems that are likely to arise on Election Day because of this Republican disregard for democracy. He has no faith in touch screen voting, which has already malfunctioned in several states, including many counties in Florida. Republicans are opposed to having machines issue a paper receipt that would allow verification of electronic vote tallies. He is also concerned about intimidation at polling locations, and recommends that lawyers be present to defend peoples' right to vote. In light of the expected high voter turnout, he is concerned that Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell might try to close the polls at exactly 7:30, disenfranchising the citizens left waiting in line. Considering Blackwell's recent attempts to limit provisional balloting, this seems highly likely. Dean encouraged everyone to vote early in the day in order to leave enough time for any difficulties encountered to be resolved. He declared his support for runoff voting, claiming it would enable a third party to play a constructive role without hurting either of the other parties. Mentioning an election with 22 candidates in San Francisco, he said, "The general attitude of the election is very positive. People are actually talking about issues. There is no negative campaigning, because no one can afford to tick off another candidate's supporters. This is what runoff voting can do for elections." He gave some final words of support to the workers and volunteers, telling them to "leave it all on the field," before he left to go to his debate with Bob Dole at the Ohio Union. Email this article to a friend Speaking tour to protect Arctic Refuge this fall by Chad Kister July 27, 2006 Arctic activists, The state of Alaska spent $230 million this year on a lobbying firm that predicts it will win approval of drilling by the end of this session of Congress. Even with a Democratic victory in November, which is predicted, Congress will likely try to pass drilling in the lame duck session in November and December. We need a massive grassroots campaign to stand up against the $230 million in Alaskan oil-industry funded efforts to destroy the last intact Arctic ecosystem left in North America. I am planning a speaking tour throughout the northeast united states in September and early October by 50 mile per gallon car, then a speaking tour in November throughout the United States and Canada by fuel efficient train. Please consider scheduling a stop in your home town. Contact me at chadkister@gmail.com or 740-707-4110. With Democrats likely to sweep Congress in November (though we need to work hard to make sure that happens), we may get a two year break from the constant battle to save the refuge. But we must make sure it lasts into February of next year, so now is the time to organize events, and get local media as has been so effective in the past. Email this article to a friend |
"Photo from December 4 Voting Rights Rally"
Jerry Thomas
December 7, 2004
"Volunteer Request"
Nicole Love
November 17, 2004
"Environmental Advocate Robert F. Kennedy Visits Ohio State University"
Free Press staff
October 1, 2004
"Free the Stansbery 1!"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"Jim Hightower reveals W’s little secret"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"Peacejam"
Lezlie
September 21, 2004
"Attack of the e-voting machines in Florida beaten back"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"Bush knew"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"'Army of God' visit Pride"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"Congratulations to Abe Bonowitz!"
Free Press staff
September 21, 2004
"International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners"
Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
September 21, 2004
"March for Women’s Rights"
Free Press staff
July 11, 2004
"Wheels of Justice Tour stops in Columbus"
Free Press staff
July 11, 2004
"CASE-Ohio: Fighting for democracy"
Stephanie Laird
July 11, 2004
"In solidarity with the CWA"
Stephanie Laird
July 11, 2004
"Take Back the Night"
Stephanie Laird
July 11, 2004
"Stand Up for Clean Air - Sierra Club Earth Day Rally"
Stephanie Laird
July 11, 2004
"U.S. Army General Joins the ACLU in Opposing Provisions of the Patriot Act; Calls Current Law a Subversion of Americans' Basic Rights "
Tanya Domi, ACLU
May 30, 2004
"ADC Condemns Murder of Abdel Aziz Rantisi by Sharon Government "
American-Arab Discrimination Committee
April 19, 2004
"Critique of Bush's unilateral disengagement"
ADC
April 16, 2004
"Delegation of lawyers to report on meeting with Aristide"
National Lawyers Gild
April 15, 2004
"Gary Nolan, Libertarian Presidential Candidate to Visit UT "
Ohio Libertarian Party
April 15, 2004
"Win Without War Proposes Emergency International Summit & Transfer of Management Authority to UN "
Tom Andrews
April 11, 2004
"'Night of Noise' to Break OSU Day of Silence "
Zachariah Baird
April 7, 2004
"What a person is worth "
Dan Cantor
April 1, 2004
"Libertarians Prepare Tax Eve Banquet, VP Candidate to Speak"
Robert Butler, Executive Director Ohio Libertarian Party
April 1, 2004
"The Book Party and Reception: The Trial of the Catonsville Nine "
Daniel Berrigan
March 26, 2004
"CLARK to Visit Buckeye State as Keynote Speaker at Annual Democratic Dinner "
Kathy Roeder
March 16, 2004
"FREE '3-STRIKES' VIDEO; 2 weeks left for 'initiative to amend' to qualify "
Ralph Cole
March 16, 2004
"Abducting Democracy: A MADRE Statement on Haiti's 33rd Coup d'etat"
Yifat Susskind, Associate Director
March 16, 2004
"Proving John Byrd’s innocence remains family’s goal"
Free Press staff
March 15, 2004
"Abe’s gone Hollywood "
Free Press staff
March 15, 2004
"Blair monitors case of Scot on Ohio’s death row "
Trevor Mason, Parliamentary Editor (Compiled from article)
March 15, 2004
"Greens want Bush tried as 'war criminal' "
Green Party of Ohio
March 15, 2004
"Rally for Kucinich on February 14 in Clintonville"
Kucinich campaign
March 15, 2004
"Protesting the Defense of Marriage Act"
Rev. Marj Creech of God’s Promise MCC of Granville
March 15, 2004
"May Day — The real Labor Day"
compiled from the St. Louis IWW website
March 15, 2004
"Ohio Libertarians Hire Executive Director"
Ohio Libertarian Party
March 10, 2004
"Two posititions available"
Students for recycling
January 16, 2004
"Announcement of Sierra Club job opening"
Bryan Clark
January 12, 2004
"Ft. Liberte, Haiti humanitarian project"
Free Press Staff
January 8, 2004
"Ballot access setback for third parties"
Dena L. Bruedigam
January 8, 2004
"September 11 lawsuit cites Bush family Nazi dealings and history of war profiteering"
Free Press Staff
January 8, 2004
"Al-Awda media accomplishments 2003 "
Al-Awda
January 4, 2004
Read Articles by Year:
2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2006
All content © 1970-2008
The Columbus Free Press
Disclaimer