 My
fellow Americans, the Presidential Campaign has begun. We, the citizens
of America, must start taking action immediately to win next fall. The
following 10 actions are what everyone should start doing now, before the
Presidential race heats up. My suggestion: print out this page, start with
the first action and work your way down the list. Once you've taken the
action, check it off and move on to the next one.
1. Be Confident Your Vote is Counted. Next November, for the first time in American history, states plan on using no paper ballots. Electronic voting machines, which have many potential flaws, will be depended on. The potential problems that could result would make Florida 2000 look like a walk in the park. We can stop the potential problems by having a paper record kept. Sign the petition at www.VerifiedVoting.org and learn more about the problem. Contact your Senators and Congressman (Especially the Republicans!) in every single one of these ways: phone calls, letters, e-mails, faxes, and by visiting their local state offices. Ask them to support the voter confidence bill HR 2239 introduced by Congressman Rush Holt (D) of New Jersey and bill S.1980 introduced by Senator Bob Graham. Go even further by contacting your local newspaper, T.V., and radio stations about the problem. This is the most urgent of all current actions. Tell them if this bill is not passed, a movement will begin to have every American vote via absentee ballots. 2. Choose Your Actions. Think and reflect upon what actions you are interested in taking. For more information regarding what actions are available read activist and campaign handbooks. Consider every single action you hope to take and begin preparing through self-education. Some of the most effective actions in 2004 will be: Registering Voters, Canvassing Neighborhoods, Fundraising, Educating the Public, and Influencing the Media. Sign up for the mailing list at StopBushin2004.com to learn of the numerous actions that will be available. 3.
Choose Your STATE of Action. We must emphasize the importance of
taking action in Swing States and take action in them. If you live in one
of the following swing states, you will likely focus all of your efforts
on your state.
4. Educate Yourself. Keep up on the current political scene and Bush's Record. Subscribe to the following email lists: WashingtonPost.com daily politics, www.AmericanProgress.org and Democrats.com daily newsletter. Bookmark Democrats.org, Legitgov.org, and ThousandReasons.org and utilize their excellent sections on Bush's Record: Emphasize the following issues: Homeland Security, War in Iraq, Health Care, Social Security, Employment and the Economy, Military Treatment. 5. Join a Group or Organization. By 'Join', I do not mean sign up for an e-mail list or give money. I mean using your physical self to attend meetings, provide input, listen to others, work with others, and participate with actions designed to defeat Bush. Get involved with a John Kerry Campaign or special interest group (local Sierra Club, NOW, Democrats, NAACP, etc.) near your hometown. If you'd like, form a group utilizing resources in your local newspaper and phone book, the Internet, and libraries. We cannot act alone if we are to be successful. Organize, participate, and work with others. 6. Donate Money. Money is going to be a huge factor in '04. Each of us must do our part no matter how small. All of our donations of $10, $25, $50, $100, or more add up to give us, the people of America, power and a voice. Start donating money now and be prepared to donate more during the campaign. BushRecall.org and AmericaComingTogether.com are two organizations that need your help and are exclusively devoted to Defeating Bush next year. 7. Support Alternative Media. Send a signal to the corporate media giants that they're not doing their job good enough. Moreover, you'll receive more diverse viewpoints and get the stories not usually mentioned on T.V. For magazines read The Nation, In These Times, The Progressive, Zmag, and Mother Jones. For news websites visit Truthout.org, CommonDreams.org, Buzzflash.com, Alternet.org, and Indymedia.org. For radio and web casts, visit WebActive.com, Meria.net, ieamericaradio.com, NewDimensions.org and Alternativeradio.org.If you can, donate money to the media source. As for news on T.V., I would only watch it for comedic purposes, since nearly every broadcast is joke. 8. Boycott Bush Donors. Why should we support companies that are helping Bush get elected? Are we crazy? Not anymore. We do have a choice, so let’s make it. Put your money where your mind and heart are and boycott companies who favor Bush by donating a disproportionate amount of campaign money to Republicans. Oil Companies include: Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco, and BP-Amoco. Buy gas from Shell or a local facility. Phone companies include Verizon, BellSouth, Sprint and MCI. AT&T, www.WorkingAssets.com and www.RedJellyFish.com are safe. Tech companies include Ebay, Gateway, and Texas Instruments. Everyday companies include Wal-Mart, Coca Cola products, Pepsi products, Anheuser-Busch products, Hallmark Cards, and Tyson Foods. Transportation companies include Ford, Chrysler, UPS, Fed Ex, Delta, Continental, Southwest, and Enterprise. Safe companies are GM, USPS, American, United, and Northwest. Few financial institutions are safe. I put my money in a local bank and credit union. Go a step further and write/call/fax the companies about your intentions to boycott and explain why. There are many more companies that favor Bush. Visit www.OpenSecrets.org to learn more. 9.
Spread the Word. Tell as many friends, acquaintances, family members,
and co-workers why you're taking action to
defeat Bush. Appeal to their self-interest by talking about the issues
they care about. Discuss Bush's record on the issues and give them handouts,
books, magazines, articles, etc. that explain Bush's record. Emphasize
not only the importance of taking action, but how taking action can be
fun and does make a difference. If you reach them, give them a copy of
this list and take action together. It’s much more fun working with people.
10. Make Copies of this List! This is NOT copyrighted; it can be reproduced in any way without the author's consent. Post this list, legally, where people will be able to read it. Make copies and hand them out. Put the public on notice: You are not alone; Tens of Millions of Americans want Bush out. We can defeat him and must. With all of us, including you, taking action, we will succeed. Perhaps then common sense will return to the Whitehouse. |