Look Ma, I'm An Ultra Radical Extremist!

And so Republicans begin to get nasty, an act of desperation, even on the local level.

Yesterday, the Republican incumbent opponent of a Missouri House Candidate sent out a mailer saying the Democratic challenger (a wonderful woman who has been very careful about taking endorsements in a conservative district that IS winnable with a high DPI) has a campaign manager who "worked for [Organization], an Ultra Radical protest group that supports illegal immigration, abortion on demand, and gay marriage." The Campaign Manager did NOT work for this organization. I sit on the board of this organization, and the campaign manager did a social work practicum for the organization. However, at least the mailer is laughable with a picture of a short-haired, masculine appearing woman screaming into a megaphone.

The campaign I have been working hard for, a State Senate race, got its own ugly mailer from the Republican incumbent opponent. The mailer says, "[Candidate] - Endorsed by [My Organization] an Extremist Group promoting same-sex marriages."

It's a bit demoralizing, as candidates in this area of the state were reluctant to be affiliated with the Gays and the Pro-Choicers, and now their "fears" have been confirmed... if the Republican wins. However, my most dear friend Maria responded with the following:

"Oh my god, sweetie, that's crazy! But I do believe that when one is called an extremist, one has undoubtedly succeeded in her work."

Hollah that, sister. Thanks for the good words. 5 days, and hopefully I can fall asleep with thoughts of hope fulfilled!

"Special Interests"

Somehow my business phone number ended up on the RNC robo-call lists. At least once a day I get a phone call from John McCain, Rudy G, or, like today, Anne who "is Joe the Plumber, an average Joe." Last week Rudy G told me Americans will DIE if Obama and his liberal friends in Congress are elected. Today, Anne told me that Obama wants to spend 3 Trillion Dollars on "special interests." I am so over hearing about "special interests," from both the right and the left.

Here in Missouri, we had a State Rep Candidate whose Democrat primary opponent sent out nasty mailers accusing her of taking money from "special interest lobbyists." It was the most effective mailer her opponent sent out. The "special interest lobbyists" from which this woman took money? A children's non-profit that advocates for money for vaccines, early childhood education, and after-school programming.

I am a special interest. I am also a lobbyist. Yes, of course, we ought to be cautious of "big money" corporate lobbyists and special interests. I am not a big fan of corporate welfare or pharmaceutical companies taking Congresspeople to strip clubs and golf outing in the Tuscany. However, when pundits, campaigns, and particularly Republicans decry the evil of "special interests," they lump into those groups our teacher's professional organizations like NEA, children's organizations, the Girl Scouts, Planned Parenthood Advocates seeking funding for breast and cervical cancer screening for low income women, queer rights groups, labor unions looking to keep their jobs, etc, etc.

I am a special interest, and I bet you are too. Are you a woman? A child? A veteran? A student? A laborer? A parent? A queer person? An uninsured ill person? A racial or ethnic minority? A legal immigrant? A retired person? We are special interests. And we have political organizations and lobbyists in our State Legislatures and Washington, DC who are decent, honest groups & individuals. We give very small amounts money to campaigns to help elect candidates who are in the best interest of our members. We lobby our representatives to vote for bills that protect our health, our jobs, and our rights. And when I say lobby, I mean, we knock on the door and are given maybe 10 minutes to speak with a legislator. We tell her why we would like them to vote for a bill. We try to persuade him with facts, figures, and stories of real lives. There is no golf. There are no strippers.

So, the next time you think evil thoughts about "special interests" and lobbyists, remember that you are a special interest. And I am a lobbyist.

Y'er gettin' silly!

E-Mail Exchange between Boss Man and I while simultaneously watching the debate and doing local campaign work from respective sides of the state:

ME:
152 Households in HD13X.
Stephanie- These are for labels for your mailer. Please note that you will need to "clean up" the zip-code column before being able to mailmerge.
Thanks All!
(P.S. Can I change my name to Joe Six-Pack-The Plumber?)

BOSS MAN:
More like Jo from Fact of Life!

ME:
As my sister Lauren says, "Y'er gettin' silly! Go to bed!"

BOSS MAN:
In my best Ms. Garrit voice "girls, girls girls"....

Something Completely Different

Politics is on the brain- and on the blogs- a lot these days. Perhaps one day community organizers will be given their own holiday, oh! or parade, everyone should get a parade, or perhaps simply be paid enough so as not to be forced to debate the merits of making a student loan payment vs. visiting critically ill family members more than once per year. This requires community members to support community organizations financially so they can support their community organizers, which is not an easy thing for anyone to do during an election year or economic downturn.

Anyhow, there is more going on in my life than politics, even if I do have to force myself to ask, "Self. What have you done today that is personally productive or makes you feel human?"

I am:

• Reading books, mostly fiction, like it is going out of style. Wait, it IS out of style to read books in this country... Lady Friend says I am still suffering from "bed full of books syndrome."
• Connecting back with friends scattered hither and yon.
• Applying for a second job
• Thinking about, talking to others, and researching ways to more actively build community here in Kansas City
• Making a braided rag rug. The size of this rug will be determined by the length and severity of the winter
• Planning a day when I go to sleep when I am tired, not when the work is finished or after the late news, and waking when I wake, not when the alarm rings or after rolling over to cram in an extra few hours to make up for future lost time.
• Thinking about going back to school in a couple of years for another degree (social work? education? higher ed admin?). Thinking about how to do this without amassing any more student loan debt.
• Looking at homes with Lady Friend and imagining all the blissful ways I want to be a working home-maker
  

Guilty for Obama

Housemates and I have had a very busy Summer and early Autumn. I'm working on state campaigns, because my work is a state PAC, not a federal PAC (so we can't work on Congressional or Presidential races). Housemate #2 also works for a civil rights group not working on Obama campaign. Housemate #3 is working on state campaigns as well. We have come down with "Obama Guilt." We are so busy and exhausted and campaigned-out at the end of the day (or late night as the case may be), we haven't done much for Obama beyond give our $20 when asked and dry off our yard signs and bumper stickers after rain.

I admit, o' fellow progressives, I am avoiding the phone calls of the local Obama people. I do not respond to the text messages. Housemate #2 just GChated me: "What are we going to say we did during the most historical election so far? Watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer for Obama?" We are thinking of making t-shirts, "Bean Burritos and Netflix DVDs for Obama" and "Guilty Busy Progressives for Obama: At Least We Vote" or "Eating Cheezie Poofs for Obama." Fear not, dear Friends For Change, we are assuaging our guilt by hosting an out-of-state Obama GOTV volunteer at our home for a few days before the election.

As Older Sister Number 2 of 4 says, "You're getting silly. Go to bed!"

Notes From The Campaign Trails...

Most protest-goin' folks are familiar with that particular chant, often heard in call and response, "Show me what democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like!" I've been using the phrase "This is what democracy looks like" throughout my campaigning this election cycle. Particularly as young people, there is a sense of giddy power when marching with hundreds or thousands of others at protests or demonstrations. Gathering in the streets to say NO to a government whose actions are deplorable to the people IS what democracy looks like. However, the bone-tiring work of electoral campaigns- from President down to State House Representative- is also what democracy looks like. This protest chant gets me through the days...

I'm out canvassing, sweaty and aching feet, and someone opens the door just enough to yell, "I don't want anyone knocking on my damn door!" I quietly tell myself, just out of earshot of the angry citizen, This Is What Democracy Looks Like.

I'm calling volunteers to ask them to phone-bank our membership lists reminding folks to vote and check out our list of LGBT-friendly campaigns. I tell the students from the university, "I could really use your help phone-banking. This Is What Democracy Looks Like."

I'm standing outside an art gallery during our monthly "art-district wonder-about feeling arty and drink free wine at galleries" registering voters. I have two stickers on my clip-board. Voter Registration Is My Art. ThisIsWhatDemocracyLooksLike.

I'm driving around suburban Kansas City putting out requested yard-signs for a candidate. Without a "drive-by-yard-sign-partner," this looks like driving slowly, stopping every 2 miles, turning off the engine, putting on the emergency lights, opening the trunk, stacking sign in yard. Today, in the rain... in a yard with full-force automatic sprinklers going. I get back in the car, turn off emergency lights, turn on engine, and loudly remind myself- This Is What Democracy Looks Like.

When I get up at 5:00am on November 4th to work a 14-hour day as a non-partisan poll-worker. I will wear a little button under my sweater: This Is What Democracy Looks Like.