Pennsylvania

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Pennsylvania
22
Wed, 09-15-2004 - 8:43am
Haven't been able to read the boards of late and I just popped in to share. Spent Sunday canvassing in PA for Kerry/Edwards and a Dem PA Congressional candidate. Spoke to a lot of Registered Republicans. 1/3 were solid Bush, 1/3 were solid "anybody but Bush" and 1/3 weren't sure who to vote for, but most importantly weren't opposed to voting for Kerry. I think from this experience there is a good chance PA will turn blue - forget what the polls say (hearing about a lot of weaknesses in these polls - such as they use more registered Republicans or they don't include the 1 MILLION newly registered voters across the country (I think that number is too low by the way, in my county alone we've had several thousand newly registered)) A lot of really nice people and not one rude interaction (unless you call the President of the housing group who threatened to call the police because we weren't allowed to solicit - which we weren't, typical scare tactic, but that wasn't even rude. I even got the guy to laugh when I said I opposed him wanting to take down the Bush/Cheney sign his neighbor had, which was also against the rules, because I was all for Free Speech - even if I didn't agree with the sign.) My local county took over 100 people, including a WWII vet on oxygen, in "Kerry-vans" - people carpooling to PA. There are other weekends that they're going as well as groups such as ACT and Move-on. My first time canvassing and I really enjoyed it. It was a lot easier after your first door knocking! (And I hear it's the same with phone banks - easier after your first few calls) :-) I told my husband it was like golf, after that one great conversation (great shot in golf), you're hooked. :-)

Sorry this is so rushed/disjointed, but I really thought this was a great experience. Out of the solid Bush camp were a few who worked for the pharmaceutical companies in the area. I don't know that I could put my company before my country, but these same people weren't opposed to reading the campaign literature we had either.

Another reason it was so great is the people that I rode up with - a very diverse group, we had some great conversations on everything from stem cell research to Medicare to rising college costs to Iraq. I'm very optimistic from the weekend, not just the people who volunteered but the almost 3,000 people that were contacted this weekend IN ONE DAY!!!

Lastly, for those who don't think the Democratic party is organized - you don't know this group or this year. I understand why the media won't report it, but it doesn't mean that there isn't a great grassroots movement out there to elect John Kerry and John Edwards to the White House. Chin up Dems and Kerry supporters, it's amazing in the field. Join the fight!!!

The moral of the story is push away from the computer, get off your butt and go volunteer for the cause! Bush Suporters, please remain seated.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 12:53am

LOL! What I can't figure out is what great benefit they are trying to gain that outweighs the consequences of voter fraud!


Renee ~~~

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 1:10am
I'm glad those people got caught! How wrong. Could they not have taken the form(s) home and mailed it in? I would have said "sorry I'm doing it" and did it with an ink pen (that wouldn't erase) and then if they did try to change your party they'd see it cause they would have had to use whiteout and the people in charge would have had to call the person up and the people changing would have gotten caught. Heh heh. But at least they got caught! XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2001
In reply to: mnmgla
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 8:59am
"What I can't figure out is what great benefit they are trying to gain that outweighs the consequences of voter fraud!"

The mindless vote, apparently. My first thought was, if they need that much help filling out a voter registration form, and don't know enough not to let someone else choose their political party for them, then how informed can their vote possibly be? On the other hand, maybe that's what the Democrats are counting on?

Bev

P.S. Yeah, yeah, I know .... I said I'm a Democrat, although sometimes I wonder why. ;-)


Edited 9/16/2004 9:00 am ET ET by bgs3

girl in chair
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
In reply to: mnmgla
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 10:37am
I work with a woman who feels you shouldn't be President unless you served in the military. Although I wouldn't go that far I think it definitely makes you consider your actions when you've served and witnessed firsthand the cost of war. I'll try not to go into the items that have been beat to death, but the fact remains that Kerry did serve and was under enemy fire. The Swift Boat guys have come out every time Kerry has ran and every time they're lies are proven. The same men standing next to Kerry on the campaign trail today have stood by him each time the Swift Boat lies have surfaced. They would follow him willingly, anywhere. That says a lot to me. Unfortunately there are people out there that believe the Swift Boat lies, or they just want to believe them. I like the new ad that asks where are the men that were stationed with Bush in the National Guard. They can't find even one guy? I can't believe they can't just pay one guy to stand up and lie about it like the Swift Boat guys.

Kerry voted to give the President authority to go to war IF NECESSARY. He would vote that way again because the President should have that power. He would not vote again to go to war in Iraq - but that's hindsight. At the time the Senate and House were told there were WMD's and an imminent threat. After 9/11 Mother Teresa might've voted under those circumstances to go to war. Instead we find the accusations weren't true and there are more real threats in North Korea and Iran. We don't have the resources to go after any more countries. We are in Iraq alone, and paying for it fully, when we were initially told we wouldn't have to. The Bush administration has botched Iraq. Yes, it's nice to remove a tyrant but the cost just wasn't worth it.

Conditions in Iraq continue to deteriorate, even Republicans are starting to speak up - you should see the write-ups in todays papers, if not, let me know and I'll post. There are also reports that Afghanistan is being ignored. The number of terrorists is increasing and they're attacks are spreading around the globe (Spain, school in Russia - there were kids killed here!!! As a mom I'm appalled!!!). We're almost hated by foreign countries for awakening this hornets nest. Bush/Cheney are running a campaign of fear in hopes we'll feel safer with them and they'll win this election, but 9/11 happened on their watch. Similar threats were around during the Clinton administration and yet it happened on a Bush watch. Are you safer now than you were four years ago? I live in Code Orange country and it's a joke. We can't afford to adequately protect our ports. There are reports all the time of what still gets by in airports. I know the US is afraid of an intelligent leader, but if ever we needed one and one to bring a group of intelligent leaders rather than neo-cons with personal agendas, it is now. John Kerry can do it I think. McCain will work with him. The US will hopefully come together and we will be truly united to one common goal. The money that's being given to corporations (pharmaceutical, oil, etc.) could be going toward true security measures.

I think Kerry is smart and we shouldn't be afraid of that. He likes open debate. He asks questions. Challenge isn't seen as disloyalty it's seen as an honest attempt at getting to a "right" answer. This to me is leadership.

Again, it comes down to a character thing with my choice. If you spent the first 30+ years of your life getting Daddy to bail you out, drinking, partying and just having a good time, can you suddenly be reformed enough to run the entire country, maybe you can be a better citizen, but President of the United States? Bush's past four years lead me to believe that no you can't. Meanwhile, Kerry actually went to school for an education, enjoys learning, and built (not to sound corny but) a solid foundation. This will be a lame analogy but it's all I've got at the moment. If a tree is planted in bad soil and spends it's first 30 years with poor nutrition and environment but then gets replanted in a good environment, with great soil, the right amount of water and sunlight, etc. is that tree as strong as one that was planted in good soil/environment to begin with? No I think it's weak at it's core.

(I'm sure you can say lots of things about plants being planted in manure and thriving just fine (LOL), but I hope you understand where I was lamely trying to go. I also hope it doesn't sound too passionate, but I care deeply about the outcome of this election. The part of the Russian school kids still haunts me. My duaghter is only 2. We did that. We made the world less safe. We can change that on Nov. 2nd.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
In reply to: mnmgla
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 10:40am
I'm truly saddened to know that. However, truth will win out.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:15am
And you think you know Hanoi John?????????????????????????????????????????
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:17am
With a gentle push by your husband and his friend to register Democratic no doubt.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:18am
Let the Democrats have them.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:19am
And you Democrats can be trusted by them?????????????????????????????
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
In reply to: mnmgla
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:26am
A simple question...............WHY do you trust Kerry?