![]() ![]() |
![]() |
| |
|
Democratic Voters Agree: Bail Us OutPosted on Apr 16, 2008
According to a new L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll, the vast majority of Democratic voters in the next three primary battlegrounds want the government to bail out struggling homeowners. Most don’t seem to care that the Fed rescued Bear Stearns; they just want the same treatment.
Previous item: Grand Theft Slogan Next item: Mr. Brown Will See You Now Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.
By Jack08democracy, May 5 at 2:01 am # Lobbydelegates 'wows' the masses“I get them every day. Tons and tons of e-mails,” said David Hardt of Dallas, an uncommitted superdelegate and president of the Young Democrats of America. Some of the e-mails read like they’re directed from a campaign or Web site, he said, and some are long, drawn-out and nasty. “Someone sent me an e-mail saying, ‘Don’t let your dog out at night.’ “ Web sites like LobbyDelegates.com make it easy for users to click a link and send a fax, letter or e-mail. The Superdelegate Transparency Project is a network of Web sites that seeks to inform users of everything from whom the superdelegates support to where they live, how to reach them by cellphone, and how their districts are voting. Groups like MoveOn.org and Color of Change are busy with online petitions, while the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton regularly send out e-mail to the delegates. Using the Internet to organize and educate voters has already become an integral part of this election. But it’s now vital for anyone who even hopes to catch the attention of the superdelegates in time to matter. Party leaders want the uncommitted delegates to announce their decisions soon to avoid a brokered convention in August. It wasn’t until February that voters and activists realized superdelegates could wind up making the decision for them within a few months – a time constraint that limited the effectiveness of regular mailers or simple organizing techniques. The Internet suddenly became crucial in educating voters on who the superdelegates are and helping to lobby them with sophisticated arguments that the average voter may never have needed to consider. “We’re saying, let’s give the people some power, or at least a voice to inject their two cents into the superdelegates” issue, said Ken Laureys, a founder of LobbyDelegates.com, which lets users send letters, e-mails or faxes from its Web site. “Most of them are elected officials and they have constituents, so even though they have the right to vote whichever way, they can’t totally discount what the constituents have to say.” The Internet also breaks what James Rucker, founder of the black advocacy group Color of Change, called a “psychological barrier” many people have to lobbying their members of Congress: Shyness or inability to effectively articulate their answers. People can go to his Web site, click a link and then sign an online petition and add comments addressed to their member of Congress. “Even making a phone call takes a little more effort,” said Mr. Rucker, whose group is lobbying members of the Congressional Black Caucus. “Being able to click on the link and go to a page and make a comment you know is going to be put in front of your member of Congress is an empowering thing.” Both campaigns have been actively pushing the superdelegates toward their own camps. Jack Add Your Comment |
COMMENT TOOLS:
Hide comments
Show comments
Comment on this article