DEMOCRACY U

MODULE ONE (1/15/17)

DEMOCRACY U IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO INVOLVE U, THE PUBLIC, IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND/OR PRESERVING AN EFFECTIVE, PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY.  IF YOU ARE A LOVER OF FREEDOM, A PROPONENT OF LIBERTY AND AN ADVOCATE OF JUSTICE THEN DEMOCRACY U IS YOUR VEHICLE FOR PARTICIPATION IN AMERICA’S GREAT YOUNG DEMOCRACY.  JUST A HISTORICAL NOTE.  DEMOCRACY WAS CREATED BY THE GREEKS SOME TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.  THEIR METHOD OF REPRESENTATION INVOLVED CITIZENS PLACING THEIR NAMES IN A “POOL” FROM WHICH THEY DREW THE NAMES  AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVES WHO WOULD SERVE IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES OF THEIR GOVERNMENT FOR A SET PERIOD OF TIME.  SO HERE WE ARE WITH OUR FIRST EFFORT IN DEMOCRACY U WHICH WILL BE TO OPERATIONALLY ADDRESS THE IMPORTANT KEY 2018 ELECTION. 

THE FACT IS THAT WE ARE PRESENTLY IN A 21 MONTH COUNT DOWN TO THE 2018 GENERAL ELECTION WHEN ONCE AGAIN AMERICANS CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RE-EVALUATE THEIR GOVERNANCE.  THIS ELECTION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AS IT WILL BE THE POLITICAL BASELINE FOR STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING AS DICTATED BY THE DECENNIUM 2020 CENSUS.

IT IS NOT TOO EARLY TO BE DISCUSSING THIS ELECTION SINCE A CHECK OF PUBLIC RECORDS INDICATES A NUMBER OF INCUMBENTS AND CHALLENGERS HAVE ALREADY FILED THEIR CAMPAIGN DOCUMENTS WITH THE FEC.  THEY HAVE IN PLACE OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND FUNDING SOURCES.  SO ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES, PUT ON YOUR RUNNING SHOES, WEAR YOUR BEST THINKING CAP AND LET’S GET STARTED.

A FEW THINGS FIRST.  TO INVOLVE YOURSELF IN THIS ENDEAVOR, YOU DON’T HAVE TO THINK IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN REPRESENTATIVE…THINK OTHER REPS IN YOUR OWN STATE OR FOR THAT MATTER EVEN ANOTHER STATE.  TO GO TO THE EXTREME CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING YOUR NAME IN THE “POOL”.  IN A FUTURE DEMOCRACY U MODULE I WILL SPEAK TO THE  EVALUATION TOOLS AVAILABLE IN THE DOLLARBILLBRIGADE™.COM DATA BASES.  AN INTERESTING WOW FACT IS THAT A CANDIDATE FOR THE CONGRESS DOES NOT HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY INTEND TO RUN.  IF A CANDIDATE RUNS AS AN INDEPENDENT, IN MANY STATES THEY NEED NOT RUN IN A PRIMARY.  IF A PERSON HAS TO RUN IN A PRIMARY AND IS UNOPPOSED THEY WIN THE PRIMARY AUTOMATICALLY.   IN THE EVENT  A CANDIDATE MAY HAVE TO RUN IN A PRIMARY THEY CAN WIN THAT PRIMARY WITH AS LITTLE AS 6% OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS.

WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, U AS AN ACTIVIST, SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN A SCOUTING EFFORT TO FIND ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES WILLING TO RUN FOR EITHER STATE OR CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES.  FOLKS WITH POLITICAL EXPERIENCE, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, CITY COUNCILS, COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, ETC ARE LIKELY CANDIDATES SINCE THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED POLITICAL FOLLOWINGS.  BUT DON’T BE LIMITED TO POLITICAL FIGURES, ANYONE WITH A DEGREE OF PUBLIC EXPOSURE IS A GOOD BET.  LOCAL TV PERSONALITIES, ATHLETES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, HIGH PROFILE BUSINESS FOLKS, NASCAR DRIVERS, PERFORMERS, CITIZENS WITH HIGH MEDIA EXPOSURE, JUST TO MENTION A FEW.  YOU GET THE IDEA.   AGAIN DO NOT EXCLUDE YOURSELF…I RAN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE SEVERAL TIMES AND WOULD PROBABLY RUN AGAIN IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE FACT I’M 84 AND MY WIFE WON’T LET OUT AFTER 6 PM!

CONVENE A MEETING OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES, HAVE A FREE AND OPEN DISCUSSION AND EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AS WHO IS INTERESTED, TO RUN AND HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.  START TO DEVELOP THE KEY CAMPAIGN ISSUES,  ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, POSITION PAPERS, A BUDGET, ESTABLISH ASSIGNMENTS LIKE SPEAKING COORDINATOR, TREASURER, MEDIA DIRECTOR, PRESS COORDINATOR, SOCIAL MEDIA, PARTY LIAISON, OUTREACH, ETC, ETC.

THE ONLY WAY TO BE AN EFFECTIVE CHANGE AGENT IS TO GET INVOLVED IN A TANGIBLE MANNER.  DEMONSTRATIONS, SIT INS, AND OTHER MILITANT ACTIONS HAVE THEIR PLACE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS  BUT THERE IS NOTHING LIKE REPLACING AN INCUMBENT AND GAIN CONTROL. YOUR WORK IS CUT OUT FOR THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.  REMEMBER WE ARE IN A COUNTDOWN MODE.  YOU CANNOT ACQUIRE TIME.  

I LIKE TO KEEP THESE MODULES DOWN TO A 3 MINUTE READ.  MODULE 2 OF DEMOCRACY U WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT USING THE DOLLARBILLBRIGADE™ AND THE NEXT STEP INCLUDING WHAT I BELIEVE ARE THE TOP CAMPAIGN ISSUES.

 THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!

GEISNER 1/15/17  DOLLARBILLBRIGADE™.COM

MODULE TWO (1/3O/17)

DEMOCRACY U COUNTDOWN CLOCK

• CANDIDATE ID & QUALIFICATION EFFORT         NOW
• FILINGS & PRIMARIES                                            12 MONTHS
• GENERAL ELECTION                                              20 MONTHS
• DOOMSDAY  CLOCK           2 MIN 30 SEC TO MIDNIGHT 

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NOW THAT YOU HAVE READ MODULE 1, YOU HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, AND HOW TO GET THE DEMOCRACY U CANDIDATE PROGRAM MOVING.

LET ME CITE ONE IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THIS QUEST FOR A CANDIDATE AND THAT IS, PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMMATERIAL IN THIS EFFORT.  WE DON’T CARE IF YOUR CANDIDATE’S PARTY AFFILIATION IS RED, BLUE OR GREEN.  THE TWO ITEMS THAT DO MATTER KNOWS NO PARTY.  THEY ARE THE IMPORTANT  “ISSUES” AND THE BASICS OF DEMOCRACY.  BOTH OF THESE SHOULD BE THE FOCUS AND STRATEGY THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO U.  YOUR ISSUES AND OF COURSE DEMOCRACY, WHICH IS THE FOUNDATION OF GOVERNANCE THAT REPRESENTS ALL OF US.

LET’S GET DOWN TO WHAT RACES ARE IMPORTANT AND WHAT ARE THE TIME LINES. THEN WE WILL DISCUSS THE USE OF DATA INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DATABASES OF THE DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM SITE.

DURING 2017 THERE ARE NO CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS, BUT THERE ARE TWO STATE ELECTIONS, NEW JERSEY AND VIRGINIA. THESE TWO STATE RACES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF TWO CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES WHICH I CALL THE “CZARS OF DEMOCRACY” (SEE BLOG OF APRIL 13, 2014), THE GOVERNOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE.  ALTHOUGH THERE ARE THE IMPORTANT STATE LEGISLATORS, ADDING THEM TO OUR CANDIDATE TASK WOULD INCREASE OUR EFFORTS BY THOUSANDS.  WHEREAS, THESE TWO OFFICES BASICLY CONTROL VOTING, VOTING ISSUES, VOTER RIGHTS, GERRYMANDERING AND THE POWER OF THE VETO.  VERY IMPORTANT.

THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE STRATEGIES WE WILL DISCUSS ARE APPLICABLE TO THESE ELECTIONS WITH APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS.  UNFORTUNATELY THE DOLLAR BILL BRIGADE DATA BASE DOES NOT COVER PERFORMANCE DATA ON STATE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES AT THIS TIME.  ONE FACTOR WE MUST KEEP IN MIND, TIME IS CRITICAL AND FINDING CANDIDATES IMPERATIVE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR CANDIDACY.

SO LET’S START WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM.  UNDER THE “HOW THEY VOTED” MENU ITEM YOU WILL FIND A SENATE AND HOUSE MATRIX.  EACH MATRIX CONTAINS THE NAME OF EACH REPRESENTATIVE OF EACH STATE AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, THEIR PARTY AFFILIATION, THE PERCENTAGE VOTE BY WHICH THEY WON THEIR LAST ELECTION, AND FINALLY HOW THEY VOTED ON MAJOR ISSUES AS CITED IN THE MATRIX INTRODUCTION.  THE SENATE INFORMATION IS KEYED BY UPPER AND LOWER NAME CASE AS TO WHO WILL BE UP FOR RE-ELECTION IN THE YEARS 2018, 2020, AND 2022.  IN BOTH TABLES YOU CAN SORT ON ANY COLUMN OR ANY NAME TO OBTAIN THE SUMMARY OR DETAILED INFORMATION YOU SEEK.  AS INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE AND TIME PERMITS I WILL ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION LIKE WHO HAS BEEN AFFILIATED WITH A.L.E.C., WHO DOES NOT INTEND TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION, ETC, ETC.  LET ME NOTE THAT UNDER %WIN, A WIN OF 100% MEANS THE PERSON WAS UNOPPOSED.

SO HOW DO WE USE THESE DATA BASES?  ONE SIMPLE INFORMATIONAL SORT IS TO SORT ON “%WIN” AND NOTE THOSE REPS WITH THE LOWEST %.  THEY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN THEIR DISTRICT AND/OR PARTY.  SOME MAY BE THE INCUMBENT YOU MAY WANT TO SUPPORT IF THEY VOTED TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION ON THE ISSUES OR IF NOT, THOSE DISTRICTS/OFFICES MAY BE A TARGET FOR A POLITICAL CHALLENGER.  NOW DON’T GET HUNG UP ON PARTY AFFILIATION.  LIKE I SAID ISSUES OVER PARTY.  FOR EXAMPLE, DID YOU KNOW REAGAN WAS A DEMOCRAT BEFORE HE CHANGED PARTY TO BECOME THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE.  SAME FOR TRUMP AND PARTY CHANGES BY DOZENS OF SENATE AND HOUSE MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS.

DON’T BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE NUMBER OF YEARS AN INCUMBENT HAS SERVED, THEIR HIGH %WIN FIGURE OR PARTY CONTROL.  LET ME USE AS AN EXAMPLE, IF KHIZR KHAN WERE TO RUN FOR THE ONLY REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED CONGRESSIONAL HOUSE SEAT IN MARYLAND, HE COULD AND WOULD PROBABLY WIN.  AS I INDICATED IN MODULE 1 A CANDIDATE DOESN’T HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN WHICH THE[Y DESIRE TO RUN.  SO IF DENIRO LIVED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HE MIGHT RUN AGAINST A LOCKED IN INCUMBENT IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, EITHER IN THE INCUMBENT’S PARTY IN THE PRIMARY OR IN THE OPPOSITION PARTY’S GENERAL ELECTION.  DID YOU GET THAT EITHER IN THE INCUMBENT’S PRIMARY OR THE OPPOSITION PARTY IN THE GENERAL OF COURSE S/HE WOULD HAVE TO WIN THE PRIMARY.

LET’S FINISH THIS MODULE AND SPEAK TO SOME POSSIBLE ISSUES WHICH CANDIDATES CAN USE TO DEVELOP A CAMPAIGN.  JOBS, IMMIGRATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, CHOICE, CIVIL RIGHTS, VOTER SUPPRESSION, FEDERAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS, SINGLE PAYER HEALTH SYSTEM, SOCIAL SECURITY/MEDICARE/MEDICAID, LBGTQ, EQUAL PAY, MINIMUM WAGE, HOMELAND SECURITY…JUST TO MENTION A FEW.

ENUFF FOR THIS MODULE, AS I INTEND TO KEEP THESE MODULES UNDER A THREE MINUTES READ. THE NEXT MODULE WILL COVER AMONG OTHER THINGS,  HOW TO GO ABOUT USING SOME DIRTY (MAYBE SOILED) TRICKS.

THE FUTURE BEGIN TODAY !

GEISNER 1/30/17  DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM

MODULE THREE (5/19/17)

DEMOCRACY U COUNTDOWN CLOCK

• CANDIDATE ID & QUALIFICATION EFFORT        NOW
• FILINGS & PRIMARIES                                           8 MONTHS
• GENERAL ELECTION                                           16 MONTHS
• DOOMSDAY CLOCK                      2 MIN 30 SEC TO MIDNIGHT

 

Let’s proceed with Module 3 of DEMOCRACY U.

First let me correct an item in MODULE 2 where I indicated there were no Congressional elections scheduled in 2017.  I stand corrected since several Cabinet appointments were drawn from the congressional ranks leaving congressional vacancies and the necessity for special elections.  Candidates for these elections have already been identified and in several cases elections have been conducted.  These elections are significant in one major aspect, they indicate the direction of public sentiments, but are not representative of the 2018 dynamics.  In another housekeeping note, the information contained in the database has been updated with A.L.E.C., Trumpcare, etc. and is current to this module.   A list of filed candidates is also posted under “2018 Congressional Candidates”.

Housekeeping items out of the way, let’s speak to the item of issues where we left off in Module 2.  Keep in mind that as we go through this material and methods they only apply to congressional candidates and elections.

One of first items that has to be defined by the party organization is a unifying motto which bring people together under a basic concept, a phrase such as “2018 DEMOCRACY IS ALIVE” or “DEMOCRACY-2018 A WORK IN PROGRESS” or “MOVE AMERICA FORWARD” states a succinct theme message in a few words, making a clear objective statement.

Assuming that the phrase is established and operative being used wherever possible to identify the candidate with the broad campaign scope message.  Candidates should then focus their campaign on no more than four major issue areas such as-

• HONEST CONSTITUENT REPRESENTATION
• EQUITABLE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE
• EDUCATING FOR THE FUTURE
• ENVIRONMENTAL LIBERTY

Other major issues that are called out by constituent concerns can be relegated to a subset of one of the four issues categories reflected above, e.g. “equal pay” would fall under “educating for the future”, or social security would fall under “constituent representation”, retraining under “educating for the future”, security under “constituent representation”, etc.  The objective is to focus on a few key major issues so that the public knows what the candidate is concerned about, what are the important aspects of those issues and how the candidate intents to address those issues problems.  This simple approach can’t be overemphasized. Wrong issues lose support, too many issues are confusing.  Honest and simple is a winning approach. Remember there are many legislative concerns which do not fall under the purview of congress like the death penalty, foreign policy, street repair, zoning etc so know how to handle these out of scope items and if you are not a candidate make sure you are asking the right questions that deal with relevant issues.

This is a good point to take a moment to chat about what you should be doing now.  At the present time, candidates are filing their intent to run for office in 2018 with the FEC.  With filing beginning and public demonstrations occurring it’s a ideal time to become active and make contacts in your community.  You, your family and friends should participate in organized public demonstrations, office, mail and phone contact with your elected members of congress, notifying all your social media contacts, blog, send letters to the editors of all papers you read and call in to talk radio.  You should do this not only  with your representatives but also those running for office who reflect your point of view on an issue wherever they are running.  The resource for basic candidate information is the DOLLARBILLBRIGADE.COM.  In addition to this wide spread personal direct level involvement it is important to provide the financial support suggested in the DOLLAR BILL BRIGADE.  Financial and people support in the primary is more effective than anywhere else during a campaign and has tremendous impact.  The reason for this is that primary wins are generally won with less than 5% of those eligible to vote, voting.to designate who runs in the general election as the candidate for their party.  The primary process is where we have the opportunity to play our first dirty trick.  But before we get into that we have to divide the public into two categories, those who can vote (A) and those who cannot vote (B).  Those in the “A” category are registered to vote citizens and those in “B” category are work visa holders, felons, no ID, residents of U.S. territories, and D.C. residents.

First dirty trick applies only to A category folks.  If you are not registered in the party which you desire to lose the general election, register.  Then work and vote in the primary for the least likely candidate to win in the general.  After the primary drop any support and tip any negatives to your favored candidate that you wish to win in the general.

This simple party change before the primary can bring about amazing results if you can team up with others who can work together in a collaborative nuance.  But one of the easiest ways to participate is to use the data base of the DOLLAR BILL BRIGADE.COM and fund the candidates that represent your position on the issues.  Again you must keep in mind that funding early in the primary process is the most effective contribution you can make.

Well we are at our time limit, so until the next module see you at the voting machine.

THE FUTURE BEGINS TODAY!

GEISNER 5/19/17 DOLLARBILLBRIGADE™.COM