Tag: Activism

In August of 2006, a man named Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) defeated incumbent Congressman Joe Schwarz (R-Battle Creek) in the Republican primary. Those that live in Michigan's 7th District may remember the vicious primary campaign, in which Walberg– funded by the Club for Growth and other radical right-wing groups– destroyed the name and good work of a dedicated public servant. Schwarz was conservative, but he was honest and hard-working, and was one of the few “good” Republicans left. And Tim Walberg, a former far-right minister, attacked Schwarz without mercy.

A few days after the primary, I started a blog called Walberg Watch. Originally hosted on Blogspot, I wanted to create an online record of Walberg's extreme positions as the 2006 election approached, facing the terribly underfunded Democratic nominee Sharon Renier. Walberg won that election by just four percent, and I found myself with a new blogging mission: following Tim Walberg's adventure through what will hopefully be his only term in the United States House of Representatives.

Over the last two years, a lot has changed, with much of it building toward the re-launch at the new www.WalbergWatch.com. Below the fold, I'd like to walk you through some of the additions to Walberg Watch. I'm excited by what we can accomplish in the next 126 days as we work to bring about better representation. I hope that by the time you're done reading this, you are too.

The Blog

In addition to all of the new features, the original Walberg Watch blog is still up and running, with a new, blue look. I'm still writing about Congressman Walberg's voting record and all the issues of the campaign, and all the other contributors are still more than welcome to post to the new site.

That's not the exciting part. The exciting part is that you can post, too. No, we didn't switch over to Scoop or SoapBlox… that's more work than I'm ready for right now, and we are focused on only one congressional district. So, no diaries for us.

Instead, we've got a nifty form for you to submit your own content. It's not WYSIWYG, but it's got everything you need to start blogging.

Why is this a good idea? It's another level of people-powered politics. I can't tell you how many times readers have left comments saying things like, “Fitzy, why aren't you writing about X?” or “I was at Walberg's town hall and he said…” This is the perfect medium for sharing your thoughts and your stories. Let's face it, I'm not always on top of things. I miss votes, I miss stories, and sometimes, I'm just plain busy. If you're not satisfied with my blogging, or you just want to help out, this is hwo you do it! There is a slight delay, because I'll check over each post before it goes online to prevent spam.

This system can work on so many levels, and it's probably the part that I'm the most excited about. Suppose you're just an ordinary reader, but you just got back from a campaign event with Mark Schauer and you're really excited. Tell us about it! Suppose you're a well-respected Michigan blogger who, in addition to running a major Michigan blog, regularly posts items about Congressman Tim Walberg. Disappointed that Walberg Watch hasn't linked to you yet? Do it yourself!

Anything that you submit through this form will be posted to the Walberg Watch blog under the “Guest Blogger” user, and you'll be credited at the top of the post.

 

Video – Ours and Theirs

The written word can say so much, but sometimes, hours and hours of blogging could be summed up so much more simply with a few simple images and a little audio. That's why Walberg Watch now features a Media Center, which will be the center of 7th District-related media. We already have included every video created by the Schauer campaign and have added the 2006 campaign ad from Sharon Renier and the independently-produced videos from the 2006 and 2008 cycles. As more are created, they'll be added. As Congressman Walberg begins to advertise, I'll be working to include all of that as well.

But it's not just going to be copying other people's work. I'm entering the exciting (and slightly frightening) world of video myself, with weekly Walberg Watch videos. Here are the first two:

Like the blogging above, I'm more than open to adding more content produced by readers as well. Think you can make better videos than I can? Well, I agree, and I'd love to see them!

 

Campaign Calendar

There's no better way to judge a person by actually showing up and listening to what he or she has to say. I've seen Tim Walberg up close, and you should to. It'll give you a clear idea of what a smooth talking, career politician with a radical agenda looks like.

And what about Mark Schauer and Sharon Renier? We've got two Democratic candidates and a primary just over a month away. Sure, you could read their positions on the issues (here and here), but why not ask them questions in person, too?

We've got the answer for that in our Calendar page. Upcoming candidate events are conveniently listed, and there's a handy map which shows where candidates are going and where they've been

Go, ask Tim Walberg the tough questions! Get to know Mark Schauer and Sharon Renier. And remember, Walberg Watch is always there for the latest updates. 

 

Online Resources

It's not just enough for people like me to type away at a keyboard all day. There are a lot of voters in the 7th District that don't know much about Walberg, or are dissatisfied but aren't yet sure about his potential replacements. It's going to take a lot of hard work to unseat Congressman Walberg, which is where you have to come in. Luckily for you, I've got some things that could help out.

At our new Action page, we're compiling all sorts of resources that will help you talk with friends and neighbors about their representative. There's Tim Walberg's voting record, and, coming soon, a printable document outlining what a progressive Democrat representing the district would do differently. There's information on how to register to vote (or how to register others), plus important deadlines. We can show you where to go if you want to contribute to or volunteer with a Democratic campaign in the 7th District, and you can sign up for weekly updates and e-mail action items (which start going out next week).

What kind of action items would those be? We'll be sending out suggested topics for letters to the editor and issues for letter-writing campaigns to Tim Walberg. And, of course, we'll be providing resources for making your letters even better, too.

 

Organize!

The new and improved Walberg Watch is more than just a new domain (www.walbergwatch.com). Following a reader suggestion, I created a Walberg Watch page on PartyBuilder, the social networking site hosted by the Democratic National Committee.

Why is that a good thing? Through PartyBuilder, you can connect with like-minded voters who are as eager as you are to elect someone new. Coming from Lenawee County (and just a short drive away from Tim Walberg himself), I can tell you that for some of us, it can be kind of lonely being a Democrat. There's nothing that energizes you more than learning that you're not alone!

But “connect” is such a vague term. What does that actually mean? Using PartyBuilder tools, it could mean organizing a letter-writing campaign to voice your opinions to Tim Walberg. It could mean coordinating efforts to write letters to the editor in area newspapers. It could mean organizing independent canvassing in more remote parts of the district.

The best part is, any organizing can be done independently of Walberg Watch itself. That's the power of grassroots energy and people-powered campaigning.

That image, of course, is a little out of date… we now have five members, not just one, and I'm hoping to see many more join as I promote the page over the coming weeks.

 

What YOU Can Do

Hopefully, by now, you're as excited as I am. If you're a voter in Michigan's 7th Congressional District, and even if you're not, here are five steps you can take today:

1. Visit Walberg Watch. I'm eager to show off the new look, and to discover technical bugs. Since I'm not a web designer and did the upgrade myself, the new site is a mix of Blogger, Google Page Creator, customized HTML, and a little bit of PHP I had to pick up. I've been fighting bugs for a week and hopefully have
   found most of them, but I could use your help in finding whatever is left.
2. Update your blogrolls. The new location dropped us off the map for Google searches, so if you're currently linking to the old Blogspot page, updating that link will help a great deal. (If you're not already linking to us… well, why not?)
3. Sign up for e-mail updates. You, too, can get the latest on Tim Walberg and action that can help end his time in Washington.
4. Join our PartyBuilder page. Connect with other Democrats and help come up with ideas for advancing progressivism in the heart of southern Michigan.
5. Blog! Start writing about why Tim Walberg needs to go, and help make Walberg Watch a better resource for everyone.

Thank you very much for your time. I hope to see all of you over at Walberg Watch sometime soon!

Cross-Posted from Michigan Liberal and Blogging for Michigan.

Today, November 5th, 2007, is the launch of The Georgetown Progressive.  The Progressive is a new web-based publication written by students at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.  The Georgetown Progressive will be a publication providing commentary and analysis on national and campus issues alike, and will be available completely free at www.georgetownprogressive.com. 

Recently, the GU College Democrats have launched a campus-wide initiative called the Progressive Coalition.  The project aims to unite independent, progressive groups on campus with the common goal of engaging more students in democratic (and Democratic) activism.  The initiative is run by the College Democrats, but look below the fold to learn about the other organizations involved and what you can do to help…

H*yas for Choice
Georgetown University’s unofficial and unrecognized (hence the asterisk) pro-choice, pro-reproductive rights health group.  H*yas for Choice provides information on birth control and women’s health issues.

Georgetown Solidarity Coalition
Formed in the 1996-1997 school year to help university employees form a union, this worker’s rights group has continued to fight alongside campus workers, including recent support for DPS officers’ efforts to negotiate for better wages and benefits in spring 2007, and the Living Wage Campaign with campus janitors that climaxed in March 2005 with a hunger strike by 26 students, drawing national attention to the reality that many universities exploit low-wage workers.

GU Pride
Provides educational and support services to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally (LGBTQA) communities at Georgetown.  GU Pride also provides education, support and referral services to those exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity and other individuals sharing an interest in these issues.

Eco-Action
Eco Action club is dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability on campus. They focus on many issues such as recycling, energy consumption, the utilization of renewable energy sources, and educating students on how to maintain environmentally sound habits.

LEAD
Leaders in Education About Diversity (L.E.A.D.) is a dynamic peer education and leadership program.  L.E.A.D. Activists work to raise awareness of prejudices in order to promote open interaction between people of all backgrounds and build a common understanding among a continually diversifying Georgetown University community.

There are many other campus groups which are getting involved, and we sincerely hope that more groups will join in our effort.

I hope you can all take a few minutes today to explore our site and let us know what you think!  If you like what you see, pass it on to friends and family members.  Hopefully, a few of you may even become regular readers.

The Georgetown Progressive represents a great example of student activism and bottom-up organizing, and it is a story I hope you find worthy of a “Rec.”  Our publication is not a profit-seeking enterprise, and we merely ask for your help to raise awareness and bring readers to our site.  Go check it out!

Wield the Pen,
Alex

(From the diaries – promoted by Trent Thompson)

It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce the next Blue Majority endorsed candidate: Dan Maffei, from New York’s 25th Congressional District.

I am particularly excited about this endorsement for several reasons. First, I am from the district, and ever since Jim Walsh originally won the seat by a few hundred votes back when I was a freshman in high school, I have been itching for someone to defeat him. Second, Dan Maffei epitomizes one of my longest-running arguments about the need to run in every district. In 2004, no Democrat ran against Walsh, but in 2006 Dan came within 1% of defeating him. Third, having met Dan Maffei, I can honestly say that there is no member of Congress, or candidate for Congress, with whom I was more personally impressed and within whom I felt more personally comfortable (there are two or three who I feel roughly the same about). When we talked for over two hours over coffee and pizza, it felt like every idea we exchanged about strategy, policy, and life really clicked (like me, he went to local public schools, and hasn’t exactly made a fortune working in progressive politics). Dan is a serious, brilliant progressive, who absolutely means more and better Democrats. Please, contribute to Dan today.


Here is a video Dan put together to introduce himself and the district to the readers of Dailykos, MyDD, Open Left and Swing State Project a few days ago:

Now, some of you might ask something to the effect of “wait-he is running against Jim Walsh, the Republican who just said he was now opposed to the Iraq War? Isn’t that the sort of Republican behavior we should be encouraging, rather than immediately punishing with a major counter-endorsement?” If you are asking this question, I am glad you did, because even though the Maffei endorsement was decided upon several days before Walsh’s announcement, since that time it has revealed the true danger Democrats face in offering up weak, meaningless, “compromise” bills on Iraq. The NY-25 is the first case study of how Democratic weakness in the House on Iraq can allow Republican to potentially blur the difference between the two parties on Iraq, and thus wipe out virtually our entire advantage heading into the 2008 elections.


Here is the situation. Over the past nine months, Jim Walsh has said he was in favor of withdrawal, and then voted a timeline that would actually mandate withdrawal. Even in discussions with local media yesterday, and in calls I made to his staff, he refused to come out in favor of a timetable. Walsh has said that he is in favor of oversight on Iraq, and then voted against oversight. He said he was opposed to the escalation, and then refused to vote against the escalation. In May, he said he was opposed to a blank check for Bush on Iraq, and then voted to give Bush a blank check on Iraq in the capitulation bill. Everything Walsh is saying now, he ha already said before. The key difference is not hat Walsh has changed his opinion, but that Democats in Congress are changing the legislation they are trying to pass through Congress.

Back in the spring, House Democrats forced votes on stiffer legislation that required real oversight and mandated withdrawal. It only received two votes form Republicans, because the many so-called moderate Republicans who are supposedly against Bush’s policy in Iraq are not willing to pass binding legislation opposing Bush’s policy in Iraq. They are, however, willing to pass meaningless legislation that suggests Bush should change course, but does not actually require him to do so. For example, Walsh is a co-sponsor of the Kirk-Lipinski bill that does not mandate any troop withdrawal whatsoever, but sets it as a “goal.” Compromise bills of this sort are in abundance nowadays, and I imagine Walsh will vote for all of them. However, if a bill comes up that actually mandates troops withdrawal, there is still no indication that he would vote for such a bill. Given everything he has said on the matter, I bet he won’t vote for mandated troop withdrawal.

This is the crux of the problem progressives face in the 2008 elections. Bad, Bush Dog Democrats are coming up with cover your ass legislation that won’t do anything to drawdown our military involvement in Iraq. Instead, the actual impact of these bills will be to allow Bush Dogs and endangered Republicans alike to appear as though they oppose Bush’s policies, and thus strengthen all of their hands for re-election. In short, weak Iraq legislation in Congress will help empower Bush Dogs, and help prevent progressives like Maffei from taking over Republican seats. This is the exact opposite of the more and better Democrats refrain that has been traveling around the blogosphere. Weak Iraq legislation will allow Republicans like Walsh to blur their differences on Iraq all over the country, and the result will be fewer, and worse Democrats.


In the first major case study of this kind for the 2008 elections, we can’t let this stand. Supporting Dan Maffei means opposing weak, toothless Iraq legislation in Congress. It means taking a stand against a self-defeating Democratic strategy that will not only do nothing to drawdown the Iraq war, but will also go a long way toward wiping out any chance of a second Democratic wave election. It means supporting more and better Democrats, instead of reverting to the pro-war, minority status Democratic Party of 2002-2003.


Contribute to Dan Maffei on Blue Majority. Fight Bush dogs and Republican blurring alike. This lean-Kerry district is going to be a very big race down the road, and a place where a true progressive like Maffei can hold a seat for a long time to come.

(From the diaries. Please welcome Darcy Burner to the Blue Majority page. – promoted by James L.)

As already seen on places like Atrios and Dailykos, there is a major blogosphere fundraiser taking place now for Darcy Burner. The Republican incumbent in Darcy Burner’s district, Dave Reichert, is hosting a fundraiser with George W. Bush. As such, the blogosphere is countering by raising funds for Darcy Burner, who epitomizes the phrase, “more and better Democrats.” Darcy Burner has also been added to the Blue Majority page.


Darcy Burner is the anti-Bush Dog. Here she is on FISA:

And here is her Bush indebted opponent, Dave Reichert:





So, chip in some cash to Darcy. Already, more than 450 people have done so, to the tune of more than $18,000. Let’s put more and better Democrats in Congress!

(From the diaries – promoted by James L.)

Today, it is with great excitement that I am able to announce that Al Franken has been added to the Blue Majority Act Blue page that is collectively maintained by Dailykos, MyDD, Swing State Project and Open Left.

Last month, in a post on Open Left, I wondered if Al Franken was the best example of a progressive movement candidate we had seen to date, given that his campaign is overwhelmingly people powered (over 45,000 donors so far), he passed the “bar fight primary” with flying colors (more than willing to take the fight to Republicans), he comfortably and repeatedly self-identifies as a progressive, and that he came into politics as an outsider, specifically from progressive media. The response I received to that post was almost universally positive, and while I don’t know if he is the very best example, he clearly is an excellent case, and so I urge you to contribute to Al Franken on the Blue Majority Page. Let’s build the progressive movement together by supporting a first-rate movement candidate.

Today is a particularly appropriate time for us to make this endorsement because, as Jonathan Singer has noted, George Bush is in Minnesota raising money for endangered Republican incumbent Norm Coleman.  Tying himself further to George Bush will only push Coleman’s already low approval ratings in the state even lower, and make him more vulnerable than he already is. Progressives in the state are countering Bush’s visit through a variety of actions, including protests coordinated by Americans Against Escalation in Iraq, and by the Franken campaign itself looking to counter Coleman’s big money fundraiser with small donor, people-powered energy:

Let’s be a part of this effort. With his connections to George Bush, there is an opportunity to knock Coleman all but out of the race in 2007, the way Rick Santorum was all but defeated by a progressive swarm against him in 2005.


As a final note, I want to mention that while Al Franken is involved in a competitive primary in Minneosta, this endorsement comes entirely because Al is so fantastic, not because his primary opponents are clearly defective in any way. Al is a Democrat who I believe will never let us down, and always make us proud. He comes from the progressive movement, and will take the fight to Republicans. He is exactly the sort of candidate many of us have looked for these past few, and we are happy to reward that with our support in and of itself, not just relative to other candidates in the campaign. It certainly is great to make an endorsement for someone, rather than against someone else.

• Contribute to Al Franken on Blue Majority
• Al Franken for Senate official page
• Minnesota Senate race tracker wiki

The awareness phase of the campaign to stop global warming has reached a crescendo, which may also be a plateau. With the exception of front groups sponsored by oil companies, it is becoming more and more accepted that we, in fact, are the cause of global warming.

The action phase, however, trails the awareness phase significantly and most troubling of all is the growing belief that someone else is going to be the somebody to actually do something about global warming. Even worse, and most naively of all, that our federal government is going to solve the problem.

A federal bureaucracy and the people within have significant strengths, and they must be part of the solution, but frankly, can we afford to wait for them? When was the last time your local, state or federal government led the charge on anything? Far less something that is so important, so critical and whose solutions will cause hardship to some. In fact, the stronger the actions, the greater the distortions from those affected — it simply is not a solution custom-made for government action.

So who has the power to stop global warming? Who has the power to lead the environmental movement? You do. I do. And every person who reads this does. Not as individuals, true, but as a collection of people, a constituency of those who are willing to do small acts of greenness every single day. A vast movement that can literally change the world if we green our days and our nights and our weekends.

These actions we must ask of ourselves can be as simple as the tried and the true, ‘turn out the lights’ or as cost-effective as changing to energy-efficient lightbulbs. It’s not that the actions are hard, or difficult, or extreme, it’s just that we need to remind each other and ourselves, constantly, of the constant collective good we can do.

The cumulative effect of these actions would be simply astronomical. I have just finished reading a new book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen that outlines over 400 of these simple action items. The Green Book is a marvel because it shows a series of simple steps that are easy to execute and the vast majority save you money while you are helping save the environment.

Here’s an example from the book. If we each bought Fair Trade coffee, which is a good idea for many reasons, for a whole year, we would each save 9,200 square feet of rain forest. If every household in Seattle did this every year, every year, then in a wonderful ying and yang of research, we would save a rain forest the size of Seattle. The destruction of rain forests is one of the factors behind global warming. So there, in a simple action, multiplied thousands of times, is a solution to what is ailing our planet.

As a coffee drinker, this is something I can do. If it’s not your cup of tea, flip through The Green Book and find things you can. That’s the beauty of it. No one has to do everything. Everyone can do something.

The questions are “what can I do about global warming?” and “how can I help the environment?” The answer is plenty. If we do it together.

co-authored by Carnacki and SLJ of West Virginia Blue.

West Virginia Republican Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02) had a chance to earn our praise yesterday. If she had continued on a path she had begun, we would have been the first to have credited her for doing the right thing for West Virginians and the American people. We would have crossed party lines to sing praises because bringing peace to Iraq, bringing our troops home or freeing them for where they are needed in Afghanistan — that is bigger than partisan politics.

She did not. She deserves to be called out for her cowardly action and this is something you can help with as we’ll explain at the end of the diary.

NOTE: WV-02 is frequently rated at this site as one of the top 40-50 pick-up opportunities in 2008.

She had the chance to take a stand against an unnecessary war that has already claimed thousands of American lives, tens of thousands of Iraqi lives. It has cost us allies, the respect of the world. It has not helped the fight against terrorism. Indeed, according to studies by the Department of Defense, the CIA and the recent National Intelligence Estimate, it has created even more enemies for us.

Capito had been on the course to change

During the election campaign of 2006, she mostly ran away from her previous Rubber Stamp Republican support of President Bush. She claimed she was independent of him and that she was eager to bring the troops home. She won with 57 percent of the vote.

After she won election, she claimed to have heard us.

Capito conceded the war had a major impact on her race and others throughout the nation. She called for the new Congress to “join together in a bipartisan way with the president to bring our troops home as soon as we can.”

Then at the beginning of the year, she opposed sending more troops.

“The No. 1 issue is how to get our troops out of there as quickly as possible.

She was even more forthright with West Virginia’s Hoppy Kercheval, the dean of West Virginia talk radio:

“Capito told me candidly, “I don’t see it (GeeDubya surge plan) as the solution to the problem.”

“The four term congresswoman believes sending more troops would simply put them in “very precarious situations to try to settle a situation that really doesn’t affect our vital national interest.”

“There, she said it. She doesn’t believe the “surge” makes America safer.” Hoppy Kerchival.

But what did she do when it came time to act?

Here’s how the Huntington News described it in an editorial:

Capito sliced it about as thinly as one can in a floor speech during in the House of Representatives yesterday as she made “clear” that, while she still opposes President Bush’s new surge of troops in Iraq, she cannot vote for a House resolution that says…exactly what she believes.

Come again, Congresswoman Capito? Which is it now: yea or nay?

Capito’s tortured reasoning is that, while she agrees with the content of the resolution, she fears that the Democrats may see it as a first step towards taking away funding from existing troops in the field.

Nevermind that the resolution nowhere states such a thing. Moreover, nobody is saying that Capito has to sign on to any further resolution or action by the Democrats if she finds sound cause to reject such future actions.

She said the resolution would be “tying” the military commanders’ hands by not giving them the “resources” they need.

In other words, she for opposing the escalation of the war before she was against opposing it.

Now the problem is that while some of the media did an excellent job in reporting her reversal, the others did not. Poor media coverage of her actual votes and work on Capitol Hill is one of the reasons she’s been able to market herself as a political moderate.

She’s not. She’s a hard-core Rubber Stamp Republican who is able with the complicity or ineptness of some of the media to mask her true self.

Now here’s where we ask you to action. The Rev. Jim Lewis took action. He was escorted out of Capito’s office by police after staging a protest for 10 hours in her Kanawha City office. We’re not asking you to occupy her office. We’re just asking you to call or email some people.

Room for Improvement

Martinsburg Journal, WV – by Lauren Hough – Capito comments on troop resolution

Contact Martinsburg Journal
By Email: news@journal-news.net
By Phone: 304-263-8931, extension list
Form for Letter to the Editor

Key points:
– Their coverage does not make Capito’s two-faced stance clear. Isn’t it odd for a Representative to say one thing and do the complete opposite? Isn’t it newsworthy that her actions (her vote) conflicts with her words?
– Urge them to cover the brave actions of Rev. Jim Lewis and Patriots for Peace. Capito’s action is unpopular. The depth of displeasure is news.

Improving

Daily Mail – Charleston, WV
Original Article by Jake Stump – Capito speaks against resolution critical of Iraq troop surge
Updated Article by Jake Stump – Capito opposes Iraq resolution

Contact Jake Stump
By Email: jakestump@dailymail.com.
By Email via form.
By Phone: 304-348-4842

Key Points
– Thank them for correcting the mis-impression left by their original coverage.
– Urge them to cover the brave actions of Rev. Jim Lewis and Patriots for Peace. Capito’s action is unpopular. The depth of displeasure is news.

Nice List

HNN Huntingtonnews.net – WV
Article (by HNN Staff): Capito Opposes Troop ‘Surge,’ Also Opposes Democratic Iraq Resolution in House
Editorial: Capito Has Her Cake, Eats It, Too, and Then Some

Contact HuntingtonNews.Net
Contact information.

Key Points
– Thank them for their strong coverage of the story.
– Express your interest in hearing more news about anti-war protests in the area including Rev. Jim Lewis and Patriots for Peace demonstration at Capito’s office.

In Summary
Thank you for your help. This is how we stop the Iraq war–this is how we turn a red district blue–by fighting every day for what is right.

We did the beta launch on December 1 of a new progressive netroots site BlueSunbelt.Com for the South and Sunbelt states. We are aiming for a formal launch on January 1. We have the site up and running and are in the process of working out any kinks before the formal launch. We need some testers who would like to post diaries and comments during the beta period.

http://bluesunbelt.c… 

BlueSunbelt.Com will be a progressive netroots community for some of the fastest growing population areas of the United States including the Old South, Border, and Sunbelt states. We will especially be seeking users in those states who can write on local and state races in 2007 and we need users who do national coverage pieces on political issues and the 2008 House, Senate, and Presidential races. Quality user diaries will be bumped to the front page and we will be adding regular front page posters as well as the site becomes established.

We’re going to see a lot of discussion today about problems with voting machines, attempts at voter suppression and intimidation, poll worker confusion and mistakes, and so on.

Here at Common Cause, we’re getting these stories straight from the voters’ mouths.

That’s because we and a number of other organizations are running the 1-866-MYVOTE1 hotline again. We used this in the 2004 elections to show numerous problems with the presidential election that year: long lines, badly trained poll workers, malfunctioning equipment and uneven distribution of machines.

Voters can also call this number to find their polling place as well as to report election problems. Most of the calls we’ve received on this hotline have been for that purpose, although we’ve had significant numbers of calls from people reporting problems in voting.

We want to share these voter stories with all of you, so that you can get reports of problems almost literally as they happen. We’ll also keep you up-to-date on the steps being taken to correct these problems.

Throughout the day, I’ll be updating here with news on problems and the hot spots that are popping up around the country. Check back for the latest stories!

Here are two calls that we received from Wayne County, Michigan:

“Hi, Precinct 13 at Adler Elementary on Fillmore.  The machine that counts the ballots was not operating this morning just after opening.  I left at five minutes to eight; I was there at 7 am, and it was not counting the ballots, so we had to put it in and they assured us it would be hand-counted, but a lot of people were very upset.”

“Uh, the voting machines this morning won’t take the voting cards.  They keep saying error, and like seven or eight of us had to put our ballots to the side while they call in repairs or whatever.”

And we’re receiving reports that voters in Mercer County, PA, are being asked what party they’re affiliated with.  More on that as it comes in…

I just got word from the Lamont campaign that they are in need of help tomorrow in the 4th CD. That’s the part of Connecticut that’s closest to NYC and its suburbs – in fact, much of the district really is a suburb of New York itself. It’s very easy to reach by MetroNorth. So if you don’t already have election day plans – or you had a moment of inspiration and decided you’re gonna call in sick tomorrow – get in touch with the Lamont campaign here:

gmunger@gmail.com

-or-

(203) 854-5219

They’ll be answering the phones/checking e-mail all night.