We’re only two days away from a gaining a 60-seat filibuster-proof US Senate majority.

On Tuesday, December 2nd, the good citizens of Georgia will go to the polls for the second time in less than a month to chose their next Senator in an unexpected run-off election. Currently Democractic challenger Jim Martin trails Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss by only a few percentage points. But the polls mean nothing. Turnout means everything.

We need your help to get out the vote. Will you commit to taking 60 minutes out of your busy schedule between now and 3pm on Tuesday, Dec. 2nd?

Just go to this website to get started making calls:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/votercontact/landing

Why do I say we’re only two days away from a gaining a 60-seat filibuster-proof Senate majority? Because with Al Franken projected to eek it out in a drama-filled Minnesota recount (by only 27 votes, according to fivethirtyeight.com!),  the only thing standing between advancing Barack Obama’s ambitious agenda to reform our health care system, create 2.5 million new jobs with much need infrastructure and green technology programs, get our economy back on it’s feet with responsible fiscal policy, and develope alternative energy programs that will wean us off foreign oil is Saxby Chambliss, a one-term Georgia disgrace, who only got his Senate seat by smearing a triple-amputee war hero as a friend to terrorists.

Just go to this website to get started making calls:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/votercontact/landing

If you’re not already a member on mybarackobama.com, just create a new account. It will take you all of five minutes. Then log on and follow the directions to make calls from your home or office.

Can you commit 60 minutes? Especially on Election Day? Remember, Georgia is 3 hours ahead of us and their polls are open from 7am to 7pm local time. Can you committ to waking up an hour earlier than normal Tuesday so you can make phone calls?  How about shifting your morning workout to the evening?

Isn’t healthcare reform, a clean environment, 2.5 million new jobs and sustainable, renewable energy worth an hour of your time?

Just go to this website to get started making calls:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/votercontact/landing

Jim Martin’s Georgia Senate campaign has reached out to former Obama phone bank groups all over the country, but has made a special effort to reach out to California.

I’m happy to report we’re answering the call here in Southern California. Read on if you want to learn how you can help.

As you might have heard in the news, neither Democratic challenger Jim Martin nor Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss received 50% of the vote November 4th, so Georgia will be holding a runoff election December 2nd, with early voting starting tomorrow, November 17th.

As it stands now, the Democrats are within spitting distance of reaching a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. As of today, it looks like Republican Ted Stevens of Alaska will lose his seat as the last absentee ballots are counted in that state, and Al Franken is within a couple of hundred votes in Minnesota, pending a mandatory recount. If both those seats stay in the Democratic column, it will bring our majority to 59; a successful Georgia runoff bringing us up to the magic number 60.

Republicans are pouring resources into the state, John McCain is campaigning for Chambliss, and the RNC is plastering the airwaves with negative ads.

But Jim Martin has a secret weapon. Us.

Martin’s campaign has reached out to the “Fightin’ 36th” (CD 36)  and other California Obama phone bank groups, knowing we were the engine that drove the GOTV effort for states all over the country.

Missing the old gang? Pining away for call lists and vote builder log-ins?

Have we got the phone banks for you!

Saturday, November 22

Pot Luck Phone Bank

1pm-4pm

913 Marco Place, Venice, CA 90291

Bring your cell phones, your chargers, and a dish!

We’ll provide the drinks!

Sunday, November 23

BBQ Phone Bank and Hot Tub Extravaganza

1pm-4pm

758 Palms Blvd., Venice, CA 90291

Bring your cell phones, chargers, bathing suit and a side dish. We’ll supply the drinks, burgers and hot water!

Please RSVP to [email protected] so we’ll know how much food to prepare. D-day claims he’ll bring Snickerdoodles!

(Another great post from akogun on CA-03. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

CA-03 is a “Safe” District. It is a Republican “stronghold” and the rethugs have a unshakeable stranglehold on it. Are you crazy? Do you seriously believe that your candidate stands a chance against the “shock and awe” political juggernaut of the incumbent? That’s what they tell me.

You are crazy – aren’t you? You are a lunatic, yes you are. You must be a certifiable loco to believe that the 2006 elections would have turned out as posititvely as they did for the Democrats.

30 House Seat net gain? Did you ever think that was possible? If you did, you have more than a few screws loose. Not only that, there is thyme mixed into your bong.

6 Senate Seat net gain? I mean, seriously, that pony you are riding is a unicorn.

You must be crazy to think that the “next big thing since grated cheese”, the inimitable, imposing and everlasting honorable Macaca himself, the next annointed “shoo-in-for-the-Presidency” would lose his seat to a neophyte, a political nonentity.

Too much mushroom mixed in with your free-basing concortion led you to even entertain the possibility that Roach-Man Tom Delay, the inventor of pecuniary lubrication, the super-duper exterminator himself, will not only lose his seat, but also be impelled to ignominously relocate his domicile.

You didn’t listen to your Doctor’s advice not to mix your prescriptions, right? That led you to believe that an uppity farmer from nowhere will be replacing the “Guatemalan importer” and “Abramoffed” Conrad Burns.

That Santorum will be a past tense today?

That the highly-connected Mike Dewine will not only be disconnected, but also won’t be wining and dining with anyone not wearing orange jump-suit?

That all this will come to pass in your life time? And that all you had to do to be a witness to all this is just believe in the efficacy of your own confirmed insanity?

You must be insane. To think that you could move mountains with nothing but the power of your lonesome self. That when your very individually-insignificant self joins forces with other Lilliputians of indeterminate lucidity, you actually make things happen.

CA-03 is a safe, R+7 District, they told me. And I am crazy to think that Dr. Bill Durston – a Vietnam Veteran – can do to the incumbent what Jerry Mcnerney and his loquacious bunch of “rabid rabble rousers” did to the “unbeatable”, never-met-a-forest-I-didn’t-wanna-plunder Richard Pombo.

I am crazy. But I know that I am in the midst of more irredeemable keyboard-analysts. I am surrounded by lunatics who are more lost than I am.

And now, I ask you. Please act crazy. Help me bring some insanity to the equilibrium that dictates that CA-03 is a “safe” district where a Publican can hold sway forever, without any semblance of accountability to the constituents.

More than anything else, please tell your fellow lunaticos about this crazy movement. Have anyone on your IM, mailing list, rolodex, or buddy list in CA-03 ? Rather than Foley’ing around with them, please send them our way. More than your money, the Campaign NEEDS more Crazy and Phony dis-Believers. PLEASE VOLUNTEER

Disclaimer: I do not speak for the Durston for Congress Campaign in ANY official capacity.

What are you doing the last weekend in April (27-29)? No plans? Well, if you are near San Diego…or want to be, you can volunteer at the California Democratic Party convention! This is an excellent opportunity to be on the front lines at what promises to be a very exciting convention.  So far, Clinton, Richardson, Dodd & Edwards have all announced that they will attend alreandy.  Will you? 

And hey, tell ’em your from the netroots. 😉 Full email over the flip.

Dear Democrat,

The California Democratic Party has always relied on the involvement of our dedicated volunteers and activists and many of you helped make possible our historic victories in 2006.  Electing eight Democrats to statewide office, taking control of both the House and the Senate and making history with California’s own Nancy Pelosi becoming the first woman Speaker of the House — have brought renewed hope and optimism to both our party and our country.

That renewed spirit will be on display at our annual State Convention, April 27-29, 2007 at the San Diego Convention Center.  We expect statewide constitutional officers and legislative leaders to attend, as well as many of our presidential hopefuls.  Our wonderful volunteers and grassroots activists have always been instrumental in making our conventions run smoothly and this year is no different.

We will need more than 600 volunteers to facilitate a productive and enjoyable convention for the approximately 3,500 delegates, guests and press in attendance, and help make our first convention held in San Diego a successful kick-off to the 2008 presidential election.

Volunteers are needed in several areas – some assignments will require sitting, while others may involve standing or acting as a runner. (Please see the volunteer form for more information.) With the volume of volunteers that we need, we cannot guarantee placing you in an area of your first choice; however, we will make every effort to do so. Please let us know of any special needs and/or physical limitations you may have. There will be opportunities for volunteers to attend General Session, and hear some of our speakers.

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the volunteer form at www.cadem.org/volunteer (by April 6, 2007 for best availability). If you have any questions, please call the volunteer coordinator at (619) 838-6866 or email at [email protected].

Please note: In order to participate, you must sign-up in advance to volunteer at the State Convention.

I look forward to seeing you at the Convention.

Sincerely,

Senator Art Torres (Ret.)
Chairman, California Democratic Party

(This may not satisfy Katie Merrill’s demand that the netroots only do what she says, but as with everything online it is a great way to bring together people who want to work together on this. – promoted by blogswarm)

I want to introduce Democrats Work, an organization dedicated to mobilizing grassroots Democrats to perform community service projects . . . as Democrats.  I also want to invite anyone in the Bay Area to two upcoming service events, which are also listed on the Upcoming Events section on Calitics.  Could be a free Democrats Work t-shirt in it for you! 

The “big idea” behind Democrats Work, which I co-founded and am now the executive director of, is our belief that we need to build a service-based approach to politics.  Let’s take the energy and enthusiasm we have around election time and use it to make positive contributions in our communities all year long.  Let’s do tangible things – clean up parks, paint schools, sponosor basketball tournaments, help at neighborhood rec centers – that people can point to and say: “The Democrats did that for this community.”

How does Democrats Work fit in?  We are working to connect Democratic volunteers with visible, tangible service projects in their communities.  We partner with Democratic and progressive organizations – including local clubs, state and county parties, and local chapters of national organizations, campaigns and elected officials – to get their members and supporters to volunteer for local service projects as part of a Democrat-branded “Work Crew.”  Basically, we are building a sustainable infrastructure to keep Democratic volunteers and supporters visible and active during the “off season.”

As for the “big idea,” what could a service-based approach mean for our country and our party? 

First, we simply do some good in our communties.  By making tangible contributions and increasing the visibility of Democrats at the local level, we show our neighbors that Democrats get things done.  When there is a need in a community, we want people to say, “Call the Democrats, they always have people who can help.”  Second, we engage the grassroots during non-election time to keep folks active and involved.  Instead of asking people to get involved every two or four years, we tap into that energy year-round and keep the band together.  Third, we reach out to people who might not otherwise get involved in purely “political” activities, but share our values. Not everyone wants to hand out campaign literature or phone bank or even wants to work for a particular candidate, but they are willing to paint a school or clean up a park with their friends.  And, fourth, we build a unified stable of motivated and easily mobilized volunteers who can help candidates win elections.

Check it out.  Send me your thoughts.  Let’s put our values into action by doing some good in our neighborhoods.

This is kind of late notice, but I got this in my inbox this morning:

Bay Area Democrats – We Need You !
  Phil Angelides Needs You !

Please Join Assemblymembers Loni Hancock and Mark Leno
at a press conference tomorrow. Please join us!

Bay Area supporters of Phil Angelides for Governor will hold a press conference at
San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday, where they will discuss
“Ten Reasons Californians should support Phil Angelides for Governor”.
Take BART (Civic Center Station, only 1 1/2 blocks away). Try to be there by 11AM.

WHO:  Assemblymember Mark Leno
  Assemblymember Loni Hancock
  Supervisor Sophie Maxwell
  Supervisor Fiona Ma

WHEN:  Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 11:00 AM

WHERE:  San Francisco City Hall (Goodlett Steps, facing the Civic Center Plaza)
  1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
  San Francisco

Help spread the word!  Then volunteer to call voters and Get Out The Vote

I just got done reading kid oakland‘s latest greatest.  If you haven’t yet, you really should.

In it, he lists 7 things that you can do to help the Democrats in 2006.  Here is one that I think is important for EVERY SINGLE California race.  Let’s talk about it on the flip, and why this becomes more important the bluer your district is:

2. Get out your dayplanner right now and, if you are able, make a plan to do some form of GOTV (Get Out the Vote) before election day.

We are all pressed for time. But, you know what…the voters we need for victory on election day are pressed for time too. And there is nothing voters respect more than when you help them vote. So, get out that dayplanner. Look at the calender. Plan to do some form of GOTV.

KO writes:

If the GOP response to the Foley scandal is to “muddle through with Denny” and to mischaracterize Mr. Foley’s words as mere “naughty emails”…then it’s high time we tell the GOP that Americans are sick of muddling and we have had enough of their mischaracterizations.

There’s a hole in the Contract with America a mile wide. 

Friends, it’s time we drive a truck through it.

OK, so this is CA-Gov diary, and he is talking more nationally, but I think it is completely applicable.  Are we willing to “muddle through” with Arnold?  Do we really think he will do a better job than Angelides?  If you do, then there is no reason for you to join a Get Out The Vote Effort.

This is California!  We look like we are about to elect (don’t forget he was selected, not elected the first time) a Republican that openly said in a DEBATE about the special election:

There were good ideas there, but I didn’t bring legislators on board.

We don’t have to worry about the electoral college, just statewide turnout!  That is why the bluer your district is, the more important Get Out The Vote becomes!

In case can’t remember what the special election issues were, here you go (from the first link, above).  Every single measure failed to pass:

The failed agenda that Schwarzenegger appears to be embracing anew as “good ideas” included:

-Destroying the minimum school funding law approved by voters and permanently slashing school funding by $4 billion, approximately $600 per student.

-Giving the Governor the power to cut funding for education and public safety without consulting anyone.

-Punishing new teachers by extending their probation period and eliminating their right to a fair hearing.

-Denying public employees, including firefighters, teachers, cops and nurses, a voice in the political process.

-Allowing 3 retired judges to redraw district lines based on outdated census data.

Is that what you want?  For another *four years*?  Compare that to Phil Angelides: 

For teachers:

-Restore and expand California’s teaching fellowship program to attract bright young people and mid-career adults to teaching.
-Roll back Arnold Schwarzenegger’s fee increases on teacher training.
-Roll back Arnold Schwarzenegger’s college tuition and fee hikes and substantially expand state scholarship aid for deserving students.
-Identify the pay and incentives California needs to attract and retain talented teachers and restore funding for teacher support.
-Double the number of public school counselors to support teachers in the classroom.
-Expand homeownership assistance for teachers.
-Award California Tomorrow Fellowships to as many as 10,000 California students a year who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in science, mathematics, or engineering.
-Increase by 50 percent the number of California Partnership Academies for high school students seeking work or community college certificates upon graduation.

As a voice for those who need it most:

On his first day in office, formally request President Bush return our National Guard units to California.

Mobilize governors from across this nation to force a change in national policy — so Guard units can be used for their intended purpose––protecting our homeland, not propping up the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld excuse for a foreign policy.

Walk the halls of Congress to mobilize support for a new direction in Iraq – one that that brings our troops home, and turns our strength and resources to the real tasks of truly rooting out and defeating terror.

Take any action, including going to court, to return our guardsmen and women to California.
All told, 275 Californians have died in Iraq, including 21 members of the California National Guard. Despite the tremendous toll the war has taken on the California National Guard, Governor Schwarzenegger has stood steadfastly behind President George W. Bush and has previously said the war in Iraq is “the right thing to do.”

And on redistricting:

“Candidates should have to work to earn the approval of voters to win seats, rather than rely on incumbency and coast to victory,” said Angelides. “That’s why I believe the legislature should act this year to create an independent citizens commission to redraw districts once each decade after the U.S. Census.”

We are letting Schwarzenengger “coast to victory” on incumbency because we are not out there working for OUR candidate (from kos):

Democrats had a real choice between a DLC-backed milquetoast Democrat and a true progressive in two races — the California governor’s race and the Senate Democratic primary in Montana. In both cases, voters chose the real Democrat, giving their party the ability to offer a clear distinction to the incumbent Republican in November.

A year ago, Phil Angelides demanded his name be taken off the DLC’s “member directory” when told he was on the list. His opponent, DLC fanboy Steve Westly, spent $35 million of his money on his dishonest, losing campaign. That race was so dirty that not only has it seriously wounded Phil Angelides in the general, but it depressed Democratic turnout to the point that it might have cost us the CA-50 race. But ultimately, the right candidate emerged from the muck.

And now he is stuck in Schwarzenegger’s muck.  Are we really willing to see what Schwarzenegger turns into next year?  He is a different person every year.  Let’s make sure he is nothing more than an actor next year.  Like kid oakland said, there are lots of ways to help, but I think that for this, it is really a pure Get Out The Vote operation.  California is Democratic.  We should be able to do this.  We just need to get the message out.

We have had depressingly few diaries about Angelides.  I know more about Congressional races in Indiana, Minnesota, and Colorado.  But the time for just sitting at the computer is gone.  We need to connect with the voters.  And in a real way.

Absentee ballots mail out *TODAY* it is the perfect time to start phone-banking absentee voters.  I heard it said that half of all absentee ballots are returned within the first week.  It is time to start talking to the voters.  There are lots of ways to do it. 

*Here is a list of places to volunteer by county.  Or you can find your closest by putting in your zip code.*

And because mine is not yet listed, here is the important information, in *Richmond, CA*:

Our West County Democrats campaign office is open!

Open everyday starting this Saturday October 7 until Election Day.
Our goal is to get out the Democratic vote for state candidates in West County
Phone banking every day; precinct walking on selected days.
Location: *3431 D Macdonald Ave, Richmond  (Corner of Macdonald and 35TH.)*

Saturdays  10AM  –  2PM
Sundays  12NOON  –  6PM
Mon – Thursday  1PM  –  8PM
Fridays:  10AM to  –  2PM

We have already started making calls to Permanent Absentee Voters.
No need to reserve a seat. Just show up and Dial for Democrats!

Email [email protected] for more information

http://www.westcount…

West County Democrats, an alliance of Richmond, Pinole, Hercules,  San Pablo and El Sobrante Democrats

*We consider our effort vital.  Richmond is 70% Democratic but only has 30% turnout for midterm elections*.  We need these Democratic votes to come in for Angelides and our future.  Schwarzenegger plays a very moderate game, but when it comes down to it he is conservative to the corps.  He has littered California with broken promise after broken promise.

And this will help everything down the ticket, from Debra Bowen for SoS to all the propositions and even Congress in some very competitive races.

So please help.  It is well worth the effort for the future.  Angelides has the right passion for us.  We just need to see it and share it with everyone.  *In the next 4 weeks*

I am a deeply cynical person who is rarely moved to passion especially by or about politicians.

Angelides spoke with true clarity and passion. Real poetry.

He gets it and he gets California.  If every Californian could hear the Phil Angelides I heard tonight he would get 70% of the vote.