Dear Group,
I used to think attending a political rally or getting out and marching was unnecessary and somehow beneath my dignity as a logical, thoughtful citizen. I was dead wrong. Over the last two years of self-imposed study to produce this email I’ve learned how little I knew about the people for whom I was asked to vote. Quick! Recite the names of your two State Representatives and your State Senator from your Washington State Legislative District. Can you summon up in your mind’s eye what they look like? Perhaps you can. Two years ago I could not. Knocking on doors I’ve lately met a lot of nice people who remain as un-informed as I was two years ago, nice people uninformed in spite of, or perhaps because of, the continual barrage of national news and local campaign ads, nice people who have tuned out in despair, people who say they haven’t had time to study the ballot.
Elections are won in this country by convincing people their vote might actually make a difference, enough difference to be worth the effort of voting. The most effective way to achieve that is to meet people face to face, engage, listen, explain your values, resonate, encourage, and cajole.
So why rally? Why march? Why try to grab media attention? We are social creatures. It is a rare day I can motivate myself, on my own, to go out and canvass. But I go, week after week, and now day after day because I am inspired by the group of which I am a part, inspired by the people who marched with me at the original Women’s March, the people went to the trouble of bringing the Trump balloon to protest Mike Pence, the women who marched dressed up in the costume of the Handmaid’s Tale. I believe we are awakening enough people in eastern Washington that real change is possible even against the manifest advantages of incumbency.
With all that in mind come join Lisa Brown at the Tribal Gathering Place at 5PM this evening. Dress warmly. Meet nice people. Contribute to the buzz around voting for Lisa.
You have your ballot. Do your homework. For my part, I have met face-to-face at least once with most Democratic candidates for state and federal office named on a ballot in eastern Washington and all of Democratic candidates for office in Spokane County. They are all good people with solid skills for the job for which they are applying. I would be very happy to have any one of them represent me. I found the progressivevotersguide.com very useful in providing reasoned viewpoints for some of the more arcane ballot questions and judgeships.
I close today with a strong recommendation to read Robert Herold’s piece in the Inlander from October 18 on the choice between Lisa Brown and Cathy McMorris Rodgers. In person, I listened carefully to three debates. I have interacted extensively with both Lisa Brown and McMorris Rodgers. For anyone who has been paying attention Robert Herold says it all. I cannot improve on his perspective. Please click and read.
See you at the Tribal Gathering Place (353 N Post St # 367) at 5PM. Bring your filled out ballot to ceremoniously turn in at the Spokane Library. Do your homework. (If you cannot yet decide how to vote on everything you feel compelled choose, come anyway. Swell the ranks. Feel the vibe. It’ll be fun!)
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry