Friday, July 21, 2006

Easy Activism Against Meier: Do It Yourself

Yesterday, I completed my list of 20 reasons to vote for Michael Arcuri on Election Day. The project has been one in which I've learned to type while holding my nose. Long-time readers here know it's no secret that I'm not at all fond of the way that the Arcuri for Congress campaign has been going about its business. It's been more a campaign of excuses than a campaign of positive reasons to vote for Arcuri. I still have yet to see a single, coherent argument come out of the Arcuri campaign about what makes Arcuri is a worthwhile candidate. Does the Arcuri campaign have a list of 20 reasons to vote for Arcuri?

So, I don't like Arcuri much. Fine. This election isn't about who we like.

It's about who, given the limited choice that we have between Ray Meier and Michael Arcuri, will do the best job in Congress. That person is Arcuri. Of the two politicians, Ray Meier would do a lot more damage to our district and to our nation.

Now, I know that there are a lot of Democrats who, like me, have been underwhelmed by Michael Arcuri. Yet, we don't want Ray Meier in office. What should we do?

I sent a check in to the Arcuri for Congress campaign earlier this year, but I can't bring myself to do that again. I just don't see the Arcuri campaign using donations very effectively. I wouldn't suggest directly volunteering for the campaign either, as there's little to lead us to believe that the Arcuri campaign knows how to use volunteers any better than it knows how to use money.

What I want to suggest to Democrats who aren't fond of the aroma coming from over in Oneida County is to do some independent campaigning yourself. Over the next week or so, I'll be writing a new list. This time, I'll be coming up ten independent ways for you to help get a Democrat in the House representing New York's 24th District without. These are ways for you to help defeat Ray Meier without having to get your hands dirty dealing with the Arcuri campaign itself.

Some of these are really, really simple. But, in politics, it's often the really simple things that make a difference.

I'll start out today with item #1 on the Do It Yourself Campaign list. This one's really easy.

Commit to talking to ten people today - friends, neighbors or coworkers in the 24th District - and tell them that there is a campaign for an open seat in Congress going on around here this year. Tell them who the candidates are. Say that Ray Meier is no Sherwood Boehlert. Mention Michael Arcuri's name, and say that he seems the more reasonable of the two candidates.

That's it. It's not hard, but it's an important thing to do.

It does a couple useful things. First of all, there's an old campaigning cliche that, in order to win, a candidate needs to get his or her name in front of a voter at least seven times. They call it a "hit". I know, hitting voters sounds brutal. This level of campaigning is a blunt thing.

How would you rather hear about the name of the Democratic candidate - through a too-slick television advertisement, or from a friend? By merely mentioning Michael Arcuri's name in a non-negative manner, you're priming your friends to be receptive to other good things they hear about Arcuri.

More importantly, you're reminding your friends that there is an election on. Mid-term election turnout, even in a big year like this one, tends to be pretty low. We need to start getting people generally aware that it's the season for paying attention to politics again.

Don't expect a great reception from your friends. Probably, they'll say, "Oh," and shrug it off. That's okay. Don't get pushy. With this simple action, you're just setting the stage for future action - priming the pump. It is summer, after all, and most people are in no mood to deal with anything serious.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I find it telling that your blog never mentions jobs and taxes; neither does the Arcuri campaign.Breaad and butter issues will win the election.Perhaps those helping on their own can talk of Meier's terrible record re these issues.

24thIndependent said...

Jobs aren't really what a freshman member of Congress can deliver.

Even as a senior member of Congress, what could Boehlert bring? Family Dollar stores. Pathetic.

As I've pointed out before, taxes aren't the problem here. The bread and butter issues are much broader, and the typical taxes and jobs talk is condescending bunk.

Anonymous said...

http://groups.msn.com/UticaAreaDiscussions

Your buddy Bob Hyde is up to his same old tricks. What a loser!

Anonymous said...

24 Dem, I appreciate what you're doing here. Your thinking is realistic enough to be effective.

Anonymous, Arcuri's statements about jobs and taxes are posted on his website. While 24 Dem is right that we may not be able to expect Arcuri to have much impact, he is starting with the right idea.

Anonymous said...

Please do not say taxes are not a problem. It is common knowledge that NY is the highest property taxed state in the nation and people are leaving in crowds.Businesses won't come here and taxes is one of the reasons, along with utilities. Then they do not bring jobs. Taxes is a HUGE issue and to deny it is to ignore the obvious. I have seen lifelong friends I thought would never leave NY pick up and just leave this state for these reasons.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip, 8:19 -

I see they're saying that I'm a member of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee, which I'm not. They're also saying that I have political ambitions, which I don't.

There are some on the Democratic committees who just seem to cherish their little thrones of power, and highly resent the insolence of an independent voice.

As always, I'll regard this kind of cheap attack as an indication that I'm on the right track.

24thIndependent said...

Don't know why it published me as anonymous here - but that last one was, obviously, me. A Blogger script error, I suppose. Sorry, folks

Anonymous said...

You obviously shy away from jobs and taxes due to your lack of understanding of the issues and the area.The tearm, "bread and butter issues" in fact came from economic concerns. Have you ever heard of the phrase,"people vote their pocket books"? And, these issues relate as much to policy as they do to delivering pork.Meier is making the arguement that he will be a more effective rep due to his contacts and jobs and taxes positions. Are you seriously suggesting that Arcuri ceed these issues to him? Perhaps he should follow your thinking and admit that freshmen are unable to deliver.Boy,you are inviting diaster!

Anonymous said...

I am looking to leave the state I was born in because I know that I can give myself an instant LARGE disposible income increase by hopping the line. It most definitely is about taxes and fees and utilities and the horrendous costs of living here in this state. It most definitely is about jobs and income and getting something in return for filling the pockets of our so called leaders. If anything is relevant to showing just what a useless man Meier has been, it is this list of issues. He's been a failure on all counts, and is just one more legislative reason people can't wait to get the hell out of this state and his district in particular. I can't even imagine not pointing this out to the voters. If he has done this to us as a state senator what does he have planned to finish us off when he's a congressman?

Anonymous said...

Great point that Meier's record in job and population loss is key issue for Arcuri but he also needs positions and action plan for what he can do as Rep.It is baloney that a freshman can't be effective in these matters.