Ray Seaman's Blog
Progressives made big strides nationally in the 2008 elections. However, much of this momentum didn't translate down to the state and local level. There are a number of different areas in my view that Florida progressives will need to focus on in the coming year. I discuss each of these areas in the "Road Ahead" series.
Two weeks ago I discussed the problem of Florida's current redistricting system and how this process unfairly punishes one party or another (in the present case the Democrats) and distorts the electorate's political wishes.
However, a fair redistricting system won't matter at all if there aren't any progressive candidates available to suit up and take the field in key races. The second most important task for progressives in the next couple of years is to build a stronger bench of progressives at the local level.
The multitude of municipal races that will occur in 2009 presents a big opportunity for progressives throughout Florida to build their bench in a significant way. The typical municipal race is the easiest type of campaign to win. These races are typically low-turnout, all GOTV style races. If the race takes place in a small to medium-sized city, races are won with only hundreds of votes. It's mostly a matter of having a decent message and then going door to door (or phone to phone), reaching as many voters as possible.
I don't know the nature of all the races progressives ran in 2008. However, I think it would be wise for some progressives who lost to consider running locally if they're up to it.
It's not just important for progressives to win locally for the sake of political gain, it's just as important for the sake of that core progressive principle: good government. People's faith in government has been mostly shattered due to the overall failure of conservatism as a governing philosophy. Now more than ever we need principled yet experienced hands on deck. Prospective progressive state legislators and congress members, if possible, should better understand policy and process before seeking office. One of the best ways to do this in my view is to serve in local office.
This is, by the way, one major way how conservatives came to power in an otherwise diverse state that supported a raise in the minimum wage, smaller class sizes, and strict environmental conservation measures. Conservatives took power in local governments throughout Florida during the 1970s and 80s, and their rise to higher office has only been recently checked. Just take a look at a conservative congress member or member of the legislature in your area. If you research their past, you'll likely find out they were a former legislator, county commissioner, county constitutional officer, city councilmember, or mayor.
Part 3 of this series will be posted next week, and will focus on the need for some key progressive policy wins both in Tallahassee and Washington.
Two weeks ago I discussed the problem of Florida's current redistricting system and how this process unfairly punishes one party or another (in the present case the Democrats) and distorts the electorate's political wishes.
However, a fair redistricting system won't matter at all if there aren't any progressive candidates available to suit up and take the field in key races. The second most important task for progressives in the next couple of years is to build a stronger bench of progressives at the local level.
The multitude of municipal races that will occur in 2009 presents a big opportunity for progressives throughout Florida to build their bench in a significant way. The typical municipal race is the easiest type of campaign to win. These races are typically low-turnout, all GOTV style races. If the race takes place in a small to medium-sized city, races are won with only hundreds of votes. It's mostly a matter of having a decent message and then going door to door (or phone to phone), reaching as many voters as possible.
I don't know the nature of all the races progressives ran in 2008. However, I think it would be wise for some progressives who lost to consider running locally if they're up to it.
It's not just important for progressives to win locally for the sake of political gain, it's just as important for the sake of that core progressive principle: good government. People's faith in government has been mostly shattered due to the overall failure of conservatism as a governing philosophy. Now more than ever we need principled yet experienced hands on deck. Prospective progressive state legislators and congress members, if possible, should better understand policy and process before seeking office. One of the best ways to do this in my view is to serve in local office.
This is, by the way, one major way how conservatives came to power in an otherwise diverse state that supported a raise in the minimum wage, smaller class sizes, and strict environmental conservation measures. Conservatives took power in local governments throughout Florida during the 1970s and 80s, and their rise to higher office has only been recently checked. Just take a look at a conservative congress member or member of the legislature in your area. If you research their past, you'll likely find out they were a former legislator, county commissioner, county constitutional officer, city councilmember, or mayor.
Part 3 of this series will be posted next week, and will focus on the need for some key progressive policy wins both in Tallahassee and Washington.
Despite massive budget deficits and a total lack of leadership on the part of Gov. Crist and the legislature, the citizens of Florida approve of them both. From Quinnipiac via the Palm Beach Post:
Granted this is one poll and we're still months away from the beginning of the gubernatorial gauntlet. Perhaps this is just general optimism following Obama's election that's shedding off onto our state's undeserving leaders. Nonetheless I have to admit I'm pretty disappointed. The people of Florida just simply don't know what their state government is doing.
The budget is in shambles, Florida is last or next to last in a number of key indicators (foreclosure, education, health care), and our leaders have done everything they could to either avoid the problem or do their best to make it worse. There's no reason to approve of anything the folks in Tallahassee are doing to us.
Gov. Charlie Crist is in a strong position for his 2010 re-election campaign with a 68 percent approval rating from Florida voters, according to a Quinnipiac poll released this morning.
It's his highest mark in the poll since July 2007, but voters appear to be in a particularly good mood at the moment: the state legislature received its highest approval rating (46 percent) since 2004.
Granted this is one poll and we're still months away from the beginning of the gubernatorial gauntlet. Perhaps this is just general optimism following Obama's election that's shedding off onto our state's undeserving leaders. Nonetheless I have to admit I'm pretty disappointed. The people of Florida just simply don't know what their state government is doing.
The budget is in shambles, Florida is last or next to last in a number of key indicators (foreclosure, education, health care), and our leaders have done everything they could to either avoid the problem or do their best to make it worse. There's no reason to approve of anything the folks in Tallahassee are doing to us.
Florida Senator Mel Martinez, before being cherry picked by Karl Rove and George W. Bush to run for the Senate in 2004 was the Secretary for Housing and Urban Development (HUD.) While HUD Secretary, Martinez was a champion of the kind of housing deregulation which led to the sub prime mortgage crisis which blew up the housing bubble and sent the economy into a tailspin. Here he is in May 2003 on FOX News with Neil Cavuto:
Yep - just deregulate the system - problem solved. Of course, we know the rest of the story. Now that its clear market deregulation has been a complete disaster, Mel has changed his tune. In a press release sent out today, Mel says:
The core of the crisis is having market deregulators like Mel Martinez in charge in the first place. If we want to keep disasters like the housing market collapse from happening again, we can start by holding Sen. Martinez accountable for his actions.
MARTINEZ: Neil, over 25 years ago… as a result of a congressional enactment put in place, RESPA, by the Real Estate Settlements & Procedures Act, and what that does is essentially froze the marketplace static since that time. We haven't evolved in the marketplace on closing or settlement costs as everything else has in the marketplace.
Back in the days… we were doing it the same way we're doing it today. So my proposal is to deregulate the system, allow the market forces to take over, and then allow competition for settlement services to really be something that consumers can shop for and have the opportunity...
Yep - just deregulate the system - problem solved. Of course, we know the rest of the story. Now that its clear market deregulation has been a complete disaster, Mel has changed his tune. In a press release sent out today, Mel says:
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today called for additional action to help stabilize housing prices and stop the onslaught of foreclosures plaguing Florida and the nation. Senator Martinez's comments came during an oversight hearing held by the U.S. Senate Banking Committee.
"Until we do something about the foreclosure crisis, until we stop the bleeding and find a floor for the downward spiraling home prices, our economy will continue to suffer; more and more families will suffer," said Martinez, a member of the Senate Banking Committee. "We have to get the focus back on the core of this crisis."
The core of the crisis is having market deregulators like Mel Martinez in charge in the first place. If we want to keep disasters like the housing market collapse from happening again, we can start by holding Sen. Martinez accountable for his actions.
A poem worth remembering today on Veteran's Day:
IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Sen. Mel Martinez apparently wants to lose his reelection campaign badly. From Sunday's Meet the Press:
We're talking about health insurance for kids, for cryin' out loud. Besides, Martinez saying that "SCHIP was one of the most divisive issues of the last Congress" is total bull. When the House of Representatives voted to try and override President Bush's veto, 42 Republicans joined 218 Democrats in the vote.
If Martinez wants to make attacking kids health insurance, not to mention entirely ignoring the health care crisis a central part of his reelection campaign, I welcome it. A progressive will be more than happy to take his seat and get some real results for the people of Florida, rather than regurgitate more right wing hot air.
MR. BROKAW: Would a massive overhaul of the American healthcare system, can that get done in the first two years of this administration, or even in the first term, given the state of the economy?
REP. CLYBURN: But the...
SEN. MARTINEZ: Well, it, it just can't be. I mean, this is precisely what we should not be doing. SCHIP was one of the most divisive issues of the last Congress, where there was no consensus, there was no common ground. To bring that back up now would be to restart the fights of the past, and we need to move past that. We cannot deal with health care in the current crisis mode that we're in.
We're talking about health insurance for kids, for cryin' out loud. Besides, Martinez saying that "SCHIP was one of the most divisive issues of the last Congress" is total bull. When the House of Representatives voted to try and override President Bush's veto, 42 Republicans joined 218 Democrats in the vote.
If Martinez wants to make attacking kids health insurance, not to mention entirely ignoring the health care crisis a central part of his reelection campaign, I welcome it. A progressive will be more than happy to take his seat and get some real results for the people of Florida, rather than regurgitate more right wing hot air.
Progressives made big strides nationally in the 2008 elections. However, much of this momentum didn't translate down to the state and local level. There are a number of different areas in my view that Florida progressives will need to focus on in the coming year. I discuss each of these areas in the "Road Ahead" series.
The first major priority and focus of Florida progressives is to enact significant redistricting reform via constitutional amendment in the 2010 elections. This will be done through Fair Districts Florida.
Barack Obama won the state of Florida with 51% of the vote. Obama ran up big victories in the southeast and made significant inroads along the I-4 corridor by winning a landslide in Orange County (Obama received nearly 60% of the vote in a county that barely went for Kerry in 2004) and winning Hillsborough County. Only pieces of the panhandle actually voted more Republican than in 2004. Almost every county in Florida trended more Democratic. Despite all of this, numbers in the Florida legislature essentially didn't budge. Democrats netted one seat in the Florida house - that was all the change we saw at the state level.
Poor candidates, lack of funding, and the energy-consuming Presidential campaign can all probably be blamed as minor factors in the lack of change in the legislature. However, the fact that legislators draw their own districts to benefit themselves is clearly the biggest and most dominating factor.
Let me be clear: no party, whether Republican or Democratic, should have the power to draw their own districts and choose their voters. This is wrong and undemocratic in every way possible. I've heard enough stories about redistricting from both former and current elected officials to know that this a corrupt and morally disgusting process that must be stopped.
Should the Fair Districts amendment (which removes the power of redistricting from the legislature and gives it to a bi-partisan commission) pass then future elections will be made more competitive. The results we would see at the Presidential level would likely translate into movement at the state level.
The reason this is the number one priority of progressives in the next couple of years is because without a more accountable and progressive legislature, it will be nearly impossible to enact any kind of meaningful reforms for the people of Florida.
Progressives however must understand there will be significant obstacles in the way of passing such an amendment. This will be one of the most uphill climbs we've had to face.
First, when a similar amendment was on the ballot in both Ohio and California, it miserably failed. We will need to better understand why these measures failed and how we can avoid potential mistakes.
Second, when you start talking about redistricting to voters, their eyes tend to start glazing over. We should probably come up with a way to talk about redistricting reform without mentioning the word "redistricting" if possible. I think we'll probably have to frame the issue as a matter of fairness and stopping corrupt and out of touch politicians from continuing to screw up the system.
Third, every Republican politician and their uncle will likely come out against such an amendment. They all stand to lose, and lose big, should such an amendment pass. I wouldn't be surprised if some Democrats come out against the amendment as well. While their party will likely benefit from such a move, some who are wary of political competition will want to keep their ridiculously Democratic districts. We should be the first to come out and say anyone who is against this amendment clearly doesn't like democracy and is beholden to the forces holding Florida back.
Fourth, while the amendments in California and Ohio only required 50%+1 to pass, we need 60%+1, which will be quite a task. We won't be able to run an amendment campaign like progressives have run them in Florida before. We'll need a strong media campaign AND a strong grassroots operation throughout the state. Anything less than this just simply won't work.
Next Week: Building the progressive bench.
The first major priority and focus of Florida progressives is to enact significant redistricting reform via constitutional amendment in the 2010 elections. This will be done through Fair Districts Florida.
Barack Obama won the state of Florida with 51% of the vote. Obama ran up big victories in the southeast and made significant inroads along the I-4 corridor by winning a landslide in Orange County (Obama received nearly 60% of the vote in a county that barely went for Kerry in 2004) and winning Hillsborough County. Only pieces of the panhandle actually voted more Republican than in 2004. Almost every county in Florida trended more Democratic. Despite all of this, numbers in the Florida legislature essentially didn't budge. Democrats netted one seat in the Florida house - that was all the change we saw at the state level.
Poor candidates, lack of funding, and the energy-consuming Presidential campaign can all probably be blamed as minor factors in the lack of change in the legislature. However, the fact that legislators draw their own districts to benefit themselves is clearly the biggest and most dominating factor.
Let me be clear: no party, whether Republican or Democratic, should have the power to draw their own districts and choose their voters. This is wrong and undemocratic in every way possible. I've heard enough stories about redistricting from both former and current elected officials to know that this a corrupt and morally disgusting process that must be stopped.
Should the Fair Districts amendment (which removes the power of redistricting from the legislature and gives it to a bi-partisan commission) pass then future elections will be made more competitive. The results we would see at the Presidential level would likely translate into movement at the state level.
The reason this is the number one priority of progressives in the next couple of years is because without a more accountable and progressive legislature, it will be nearly impossible to enact any kind of meaningful reforms for the people of Florida.
Progressives however must understand there will be significant obstacles in the way of passing such an amendment. This will be one of the most uphill climbs we've had to face.
First, when a similar amendment was on the ballot in both Ohio and California, it miserably failed. We will need to better understand why these measures failed and how we can avoid potential mistakes.
Second, when you start talking about redistricting to voters, their eyes tend to start glazing over. We should probably come up with a way to talk about redistricting reform without mentioning the word "redistricting" if possible. I think we'll probably have to frame the issue as a matter of fairness and stopping corrupt and out of touch politicians from continuing to screw up the system.
Third, every Republican politician and their uncle will likely come out against such an amendment. They all stand to lose, and lose big, should such an amendment pass. I wouldn't be surprised if some Democrats come out against the amendment as well. While their party will likely benefit from such a move, some who are wary of political competition will want to keep their ridiculously Democratic districts. We should be the first to come out and say anyone who is against this amendment clearly doesn't like democracy and is beholden to the forces holding Florida back.
Fourth, while the amendments in California and Ohio only required 50%+1 to pass, we need 60%+1, which will be quite a task. We won't be able to run an amendment campaign like progressives have run them in Florida before. We'll need a strong media campaign AND a strong grassroots operation throughout the state. Anything less than this just simply won't work.
Next Week: Building the progressive bench.
Chris Bowers of OpenLeft says it best:
And yes, this is the progressive movement's mandate. A mandate to end the war. A mandate for universal health care. A mandate to solve the financial crisis even if it means nationalization and harsh measures against Wall Street. A mandate to repair the environment. A mandate to restore the middle class. A mandate for a truly free and open media. This is our mandate. The country is with us. Better Democrats have shown we can win. Our tenacity and ingenuity have already demonstrated the ability to secure massive electoral gains in a very short time. Now, let's turn those skills to governing. This is just the beginning, but a progressive governing majority is starting to appear on the horizon. Reaching it is a task worthy of our greatest efforts.
Today is the end of a very long period of both working and waiting on behalf of progressives throughout the United States. For over 30 years, Floridians and Americans alike have been told that smaller government is the best government, taxes are evil, people who think, look, and act differently are a threat to the country, and that when it comes to our politics we should settle for less and leave democracy up to the "grownups". A lot of this thinking, known by its common name of "conservatism", will likely be defeated today in a major way for the first time since 1932. Not only that, but the charge will be led by an anti-war black candidate named Barack Obama, whose political viability was made possible by the largest and most aggressive grassroots movement in American history which raised more money and brought more people into the democratic process than anything before it.
Let that sink in for a moment…
American history is fun, isn't it?
The fact of the matter is, regardless of the final tally at the end of the day, great strides will be made by the progressive movement. However, every progressive simply must understand this is one battle of many to come.
Obama, should he be elected, will face immense scrutiny over his cabinet appointments. Once he takes the oath, he will be taking the reins of a country mired in war, deficits, and an economic crisis unseen since 1929.
In Florida, a new legislature will convene in March to address a budget deficit on the rise. The last vestige of Bush Republicanism in Florida, the legislature will no doubt try to get rid of progressive ideas and programs they've been sharpening their knives for for over 15 years. I'm talking about class size, environmental conservation, higher ed, campaign finance, and even Medicaid.
At the local level, the battle between sanity and unbridled development will continue.
Folks, this is the end of the beginning. Enjoy the day and tonight's victories, because tomorrow we go back to work.
Let that sink in for a moment…
American history is fun, isn't it?
The fact of the matter is, regardless of the final tally at the end of the day, great strides will be made by the progressive movement. However, every progressive simply must understand this is one battle of many to come.
Obama, should he be elected, will face immense scrutiny over his cabinet appointments. Once he takes the oath, he will be taking the reins of a country mired in war, deficits, and an economic crisis unseen since 1929.
In Florida, a new legislature will convene in March to address a budget deficit on the rise. The last vestige of Bush Republicanism in Florida, the legislature will no doubt try to get rid of progressive ideas and programs they've been sharpening their knives for for over 15 years. I'm talking about class size, environmental conservation, higher ed, campaign finance, and even Medicaid.
At the local level, the battle between sanity and unbridled development will continue.
Folks, this is the end of the beginning. Enjoy the day and tonight's victories, because tomorrow we go back to work.
Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has passed away. Dunham raised Obama for much of his childhood and was an inspiration to him. She won't get to see her grandson become the first black President of the United States. How utterly and incredibly sad. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences go out to the Obama family.
For those of you who have voted (and if you haven't yet, you really should), you've probably noticed the multitude of third parties who have fielded their own Presidential tickets.
As someone who spent several years working in local Democratic politics, I'm often perplexed at third parties and the people who pour their energies into them. Third parties almost always never win. The system is purposely built for only two parties. Why do people bother with third parties?
This is not to condemn or be condescending towards third parties and the people that back them, but I think a few things should be said.
Despite being a registered Democrat and having worked in Democratic politics, third parties to me are a pretty neat idea. Granted, it makes life more complicated for Republicans and Democrats, but in my view (fair) political competition is both healthy and necessary for democracy.
If third parties actually wanted to be viable political institutions, they would stop expending so much energy on the Presidential race and concentrate on local and state races. They would also push for two key election reforms:
1.) Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)- From InstantRunoff.com:
You can check out a video demonstration here.
2.) Clean Elections- This key campaign finance reform is already in place in Arizona and Maine. You can learn more about clean elections reform here.
Both of these reforms would allow third parties to compete in elections without being a "spoiler." In addition, third parties would be able to compete financially with the two major parties provided they demonstrated some level of grassroots support.
Viable third parties are not an impossibility in the United States as some claim. The Working Families Party in New York, which uses an IRV-like system (called Fusion Voting) is a perfect example of third party viability. However, whether third parties become relevant or not depends on these groups changing some of their priorities around.
As someone who spent several years working in local Democratic politics, I'm often perplexed at third parties and the people who pour their energies into them. Third parties almost always never win. The system is purposely built for only two parties. Why do people bother with third parties?
This is not to condemn or be condescending towards third parties and the people that back them, but I think a few things should be said.
Despite being a registered Democrat and having worked in Democratic politics, third parties to me are a pretty neat idea. Granted, it makes life more complicated for Republicans and Democrats, but in my view (fair) political competition is both healthy and necessary for democracy.
If third parties actually wanted to be viable political institutions, they would stop expending so much energy on the Presidential race and concentrate on local and state races. They would also push for two key election reforms:
1.) Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)- From InstantRunoff.com:
IRV is a voting system for single-winner elections that guarantees majority winners in a single round of voting. IRV allows voters to vote their hopes instead of their fears by ranking candidates in order of preference without worrying about spoiler dynamics or wasted votes. IRV also eliminates the need for low-turnout, high-cost runoffs.
You can check out a video demonstration here.
2.) Clean Elections- This key campaign finance reform is already in place in Arizona and Maine. You can learn more about clean elections reform here.
Both of these reforms would allow third parties to compete in elections without being a "spoiler." In addition, third parties would be able to compete financially with the two major parties provided they demonstrated some level of grassroots support.
Viable third parties are not an impossibility in the United States as some claim. The Working Families Party in New York, which uses an IRV-like system (called Fusion Voting) is a perfect example of third party viability. However, whether third parties become relevant or not depends on these groups changing some of their priorities around.
While this humorous ad talks about North Carolina, the same can certainly be applied to our state.
For God sake, your neighbors are voting...vote!
If you're not sure where you can early vote or vote on Election Day, go to GoVote.org.
For God sake, your neighbors are voting...vote!
If you're not sure where you can early vote or vote on Election Day, go to GoVote.org.
Reagan endorses Obama from the grave:
Please pass this around to any undecideds you know - it's a pretty compelling ad.
Please pass this around to any undecideds you know - it's a pretty compelling ad.
I'm really glad all these folks are voting, but having to wait more than 3 hours to vote is simply ridiculous:
This looks like yet another area where we need Governor Crist to lead by opening up more early vote locations, and he's conspicuously absent.
Update: I stand partially corrected. Gov. Crist is ordering early vote locations stay open longer. It's certainly better than nothing, but I hope this does something to lessen the lines. Keep voting Florida! Remember 2000!
This looks like yet another area where we need Governor Crist to lead by opening up more early vote locations, and he's conspicuously absent.
Update: I stand partially corrected. Gov. Crist is ordering early vote locations stay open longer. It's certainly better than nothing, but I hope this does something to lessen the lines. Keep voting Florida! Remember 2000!
WFTV's Barbara West, who appears to be nothing less than a political hack from the McCain campaign's communications department, asks a load of ridiculous questions to Joe Biden:
Update: DailyKos paints a better picture:
Update: DailyKos paints a better picture:
Jim Greer is the chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, the so-called party of fiscal restraint:
Jim Greer is the leader of the party that is supposed to get us out of our current fiscal mess here in the Sunshine State. I think we're in for a bumpy ride the next few years.
Speaking of the RNC and prolifigacy with other's people's money, apparently there's a big brouhaha in Florida over state Republican Party chairman Jim Greer's luxury lifestyle. According to Politics1 website Greer apparently uses party funds to fly a lear jet across the state, has run up $500,000 in charges on an American Express account, has spent $3.5 million on absentee ballot mailouts and has used state party funds to print the party newsletter on glossy paper in color with 11 photos of Greer himself to mail to RNC members across the country because Greer plans on running for RNC Chair next year. As you would expect state party coffers are exhausted, the McCain campaign is furious the state party has nothing left to help their cash-strapped efforts which led to, according to the website, the "frustration reaching such a level of fighting that Greer was denied a seat on McCain's campaign plane when McCain hopscotched around Florida a few days ago."
By golly I'd say the way Republicans spend money, Greer would be the ideal choice to lead the RNC.
Jim Greer is the leader of the party that is supposed to get us out of our current fiscal mess here in the Sunshine State. I think we're in for a bumpy ride the next few years.
Another great, take-it-to-em ad from the Say No 2 folks:
If you watched the video on ACORN, I posted below, you'll likely remember this gem of a quote from right wing activist Paul Weyrich:
There you have it from the horse's mouth, when people don't vote, conservatives win. I'll also take this thought process a step further - when people aren't involved or are disengaged from their community - conservatives win.
Florida is currently run by conservative politicians pushing a conservative, right-wing policy agenda. They are reinforced by like-minded think tanks, interest groups, and media. It's really not surprising therefore to learn that Florida ranks 47th in civic health:
Winning elections is extremely important and the first step at moving Florida in a better direction. However, Florida's problems won't ever be completely resolved until we revive citizenship here in the Sunshine State.
Progressive activists, organizers, and funders need to understand the importance of setting up local institutions to engage citizens on issues that directly affect them, their families, and the community they live in. Only at that point can we truly enact a long lasting and effective progressive agenda.
They want everybody to vote! I don't want everybody to vote. Elections are not won by a majority of people - they never have been from the beginning of our country and they are not now. As a matter of fact, our leverage in the elections, quite candidly, goes up as the voting populace goes down.
There you have it from the horse's mouth, when people don't vote, conservatives win. I'll also take this thought process a step further - when people aren't involved or are disengaged from their community - conservatives win.
Florida is currently run by conservative politicians pushing a conservative, right-wing policy agenda. They are reinforced by like-minded think tanks, interest groups, and media. It's really not surprising therefore to learn that Florida ranks 47th in civic health:
MIAMI - Florida's civic health is among the poorest in the country - ranking 47th among the states - though voters in the state do seem energized by the current presidential election, officials said Tuesday.
Former Sen. Bob Graham and officials of The Florida Joint Center for Citizenship and the National Conference on Citizenship released a study that shows Florida generally ranks low in its rates of voting, volunteerism and attendance of public meetings.
...
The report ranked Florida 32nd in average voter turnout from 2002-2006, 40th in the percentage of citizens who worked with their neighbors to solve a community problem, 47th in attending public meetings and 49th in average rate of volunteering
Winning elections is extremely important and the first step at moving Florida in a better direction. However, Florida's problems won't ever be completely resolved until we revive citizenship here in the Sunshine State.
Progressive activists, organizers, and funders need to understand the importance of setting up local institutions to engage citizens on issues that directly affect them, their families, and the community they live in. Only at that point can we truly enact a long lasting and effective progressive agenda.
You can't make this stuff up. From Dan Gelber's blog:
Wow - whatever Republican staffer who came up with this one should probably lose their job. This plays right into the narrative that McCain is an out of touch, uber-wealthy Senator, who doesn't understand the current economic situation one bit. Millionaire McCain, anyone?
On Thursday the Republican Party of Florida is sponsoring "John McCain's Keep Your Wealth Bus Tour" across our great state. Really, it's not a joke, though it could be a late night infomercial. Perhaps the bus will be driven by Gilligan Island's Thurston Howell III (his wife, Lovey, riding shotgun), and the tour guide will be the CEO of Lehman Brothers who will explain how the policies McCain supported helped you keep your wealth (so long as by "keeping your wealth" you mean you have not lost literally every red cent you had). How will Saturday Night Live even be able to make fun of this unprecedented level of unwitting self-parody?
Wow - whatever Republican staffer who came up with this one should probably lose their job. This plays right into the narrative that McCain is an out of touch, uber-wealthy Senator, who doesn't understand the current economic situation one bit. Millionaire McCain, anyone?
I love it when progressives team up. This time, Brave New Films and ACORN have worked together to produce this quick video explaining the fake controversy that the right wing has stirred up over ACORN's voter registration program:
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