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Abortion and Family Planning

Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage

Minimum Wage

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War in Iraq

College Tuition

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Energy Policy

Environment

Military Draft

http://petition.democracyforamerica.com/page/p/nodraft

Watch the new video at bushandthedraft.com

George Bush is already drafting Americans to fight in Iraq: forcing soldiers to stay active beyond their commitments and ripping apart families by sending unprecedented numbers of National Guard and Reserves to occupy a foreign land. If we "stay the course" with this president, we will face a choice: drastically reduce our commitments or reinstate the draft.

One of the Joint Chiefs and Bush's own administrator in Iraq have both said that we will need tens of thousands more troops to stabilize the country. We have been misled about this war from the beginning. About nuclear weapons, about the cost, and about the progress being made. Now they say we won't need a draft. We cannot afford to take their word for it.

I demand to know how
George Bush plans
to guard the homeland,
protect against threats abroad,
and stabilize and occupy Iraq
-- without resorting to a draft.

http://petition.democracyforamerica.com/page/p/nodraft

As in 2000, I am one of the people responsible for making final decisions about the Democratic Party's swing state efforts. Yesterday, Al Gore wrote you about the painful choices his campaign faced due to a lack of resources during the final weeks. It brought back some bad memories.

In 2000, we didn't have what we needed to compete everywhere, and were forced into difficult choices. I still believe that going for it in Florida and scaling back in Ohio was the right decision -- nonetheless it was a decision that we shouldn't have been forced to make. I'm convinced to this day that if the Democratic Party had the resources we needed during the last two weeks, George W. Bush would never have become president.

Make a contribution before tomorrow's deadline:

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

I hope you'll understand if I'm a little intense about asking you to act before our Saturday morning meeting where we will make key spending decisions. The last thing we can afford is to leave John Kerry and other candidates without the support they need in these final two weeks.

I've known John Kerry for 20 years. I have seen him in the final weeks of some incredibly tough campaigns and can tell you firsthand that he is the best closer in American politics. I'm asking you to help today by telling you the same thing I told the Kerry campaign field organizers in December 2003 as we entered the homestretch of the Iowa caucuses:

If we run a campaign that's as good as our candidate, we will win.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

In one swing state after another, we have the best organizers in America, an extraordinary corps of volunteers, and unbelievable energy. It's going to take all of that to win. We come back to you for contributions time and time again because we don't have the same big money contributors as the Republicans -- only you can provide us with the resources we need as we race to the finish line. Believe me when I tell you that your decision to act will give John Kerry and the Democratic Party the winning edge in these closing days.

Tonight is the deadline -- help put us over the top now.

Thank you,

Michael Whouley
General Election Strategist

October 15, 2004

Special Issue: Election Countdown
Welcome to this special pre-election edition of @Stake. With just 18 days before an election James Carville termed "perhaps the most important since the Civil War," we will focus on ways that each of us can make a significant difference. (We also have developments about some races we've been watching, as well as blog links to other stories).

@Stake launched one year ago this month with this explanation: "In 1948, President Harry S. Truman, underdog to GOP candidate Thomas Dewey, faced a small crowd of voters in Massachusetts: 'You have a stake in this election. It will affect your job, your chance to get a raise, your chance to get a better home...It will mean the difference between moving ahead and moving backward.' The focus of his speech was condemning the "Do Nothing Congress," coincidentally the last time that Republicans controlled the U.S. House of Representatives. "

In that same Inaugural issue we reported: "Welcome to American government with Republicans like George W. Bush and Tom DeLay in control. In just one week, key reports revealed that median household incomes have gone down, the poverty rate has gone up, and the number of uninsured Americans has risen dramatically."

Between now and November 2nd, we should remember a quote favored by another Democratic president, John F. Kennedy: Don't Get Mad, Get Even! We'll show you how to do just that so that we can celebrate Democratic victories on November 2nd.

Million for a Majority

In the last two weeks, Congressional Republicans have been shocked as the DCCC brought the fight to them on an even larger scale, unveiling new TV and radio ads, launching direct mail campaigns, and unleashing phone banks and grassroots organizers in states like Texas, New York, Louisiana, Colorado, Washington, South Dakota, Georgia, Connecticut, Arizona, Kentucky, Washington, Minnesota, North Carolina and more.

Our "Million for a Majority" campaign will put even more races into play in these final days. We have already raised more than $632,000 - so we have less than $400,000 to go. But we are out of time. We need your help TODAY!

There are a number of ways you can help.

Make a secure donation towards that million dollar mark. It takes a gain of 12 seats to restore a Democratic majority. Whether you can give just $1 per seat ($12), $3 per seat ($36), or more every dollar that you contribute is urgently needed.

Host a House Party on October 24th, and get your friends and family to help us make the mark. It's as easy as inviting a handful of friends over to watch a movie. But instead, you will take part in a conference call and last pre-election briefing with Nancy Pelosi and Al Gore.

Become a Majority Maker by inviting your own friends, family, and associates to contribute through your own personalized fundraising webpage. It's really easy. Just take a few minutes to sign-up and write your introductory greeting. We will provide you with the information updates and appeals you need to email interested people in your address book. You can use, edit, or add to what we send (or write your own messages entirely). Give your friends a chance to get involved in a way that only you can. We really need them.

Time is almost up, and the Majority is ripe for the picking. Don't look back and regret what else you could have done in these last days!

Road Trip for a New Majority

You may have heard the buzz about our "Million for a Majority" campaign, but what does this money go to? Aside from television ads and working directly with candidates, we also seal the deal with aggressive Get Out the Vote efforts (GOTV).

This weekend, we took around 40 people up to help Lois Murphy in Pennsylvania's 6th, who has been endorsed by the Sierra Club amongst many others. She is going to win, with our help.

If you want to get involved with these GOTV trips, head on over to Road Trip for a New Majority and sign up. If you would like to help us keep funding more of these, please give here.

In case you were worried, we pay for food, lodging and transportation. Please note the cheesesteak on the people below.

Here is a shot of everybody - Lois Murphy is in the center.

Here is some of the crew putting packets together at the hotel on Friday night.

These trips are happening in districts across the country, and make no mistake - they make the difference. We cleaned the Republicans' clocks in South Dakota, and in a race that was decided by only a couple thousand votes, the efforts of our hundreds of volunteers were an absolute necessity.

You can sign up at http://www.democraticaction.org/roadtrip/index.php.

If you can't go, please tell your friends by using this form: http://www.democraticaction.org/roadtrip/ftaf.php

Races to Watch: On the Cusp of Victory

GA-12: GA-12: The Max Tax... What's sillier than co-sponsoring a national sales tax of 30% (which still not enough to sustain current revenues) with 19 days left before an election? Doing so when your name fits so nicely into an easy-to-remember jingle. As you read this, Republican Max Burns, one of the most vulnerable in the country is being hammered for supporting Tom DeLay's pet obsession, a national sales tax to shift the tax burden even further from wealth to work. Burns was also compassionate enough to copy his AARP survey answers from the national talking points - sounds like a good fit for this Democratic district, right? Help us make sure Georgia families don't get burned by the Max Tax!

WA-08: Dave Ross Pulling Away... The popular radio and print journalist racked up his second key endorsement, this time from the Seattle Times, citing his "moderation and his broad sophistication on wider world issues." With a recent poll showing him 10 points up against and opponent who has never truly gotten off the ground, and endorsements from the districts two key papers, this seat is looking like a golden pick-up opportunity from the retiring Republican, Jennifer Dunn.

TX-17: Chet Edwards Endorsed... In a race that typifies the unexpected Republican headaches resulting from the Texas redistricting, Chet Edwards is teaching his opponent what it means to be a serious candidate, and The Star Telegram, which happens to be the dominant paper in Arlene Wohlgemuth's home area in the 17th District, recognized it: "At this time in history, Texas needs Edwards in Congress. His experience in national defense issues is important to the entire state, not just District 17."

CT-04: Shays Learning the Price of Loyalty... As GOP Leader Tom DeLay continues to be pummeled nationwide for his habitual ethics problems, Republicans have closed ranks around him hoping to stifle the damage. But that's a bit of a problem for faux-moderates like Chris Shays, who has spent the past year rebutting accusations from Democrat Dianne Farrell that he was a rubberstamp for DeLay. Shays was the first out of the box to call DeLay "a great majority leader" and then had to choke down a vote not to have an independent investigation. Between that and his complete lack of questioning of Bush's handling of Iraq, the "moderate" label could be a pretty hard sell this time around.

VA-02: Surprise Opportunity, Shameless Attacks... While Republicans attempt to squelch dissent by insisting that any criticism of their president or their party undermines our troops, it is they who consistently seem to produce stories like this one, written about in an editorial from the Virginia Pilot: "Anyone who doesn't back President Bush is soft on terror. Even a U.S. Marine who has put his life on the line in Iraq. So says 2nd District Republican congressional candidate Thelma Drake. In a flier that landed in mailboxes across Virginia Beach and Norfolk recently, Drake attacks her opponent, Democrat David Ashe, as 'weakening the war on terror,' because of his support for the man at the top of his ticket, presidential candidate John Kerry." This seat opened up unexpectedly when Republican Ed Schrock suddenly resigned, and Ashe has pounced on the opportunity, piercing through his opponent's typical Republican rhetoric and showing that simple Democratic message of fairness still resonates, even in Republican-leaning districts.

NE-01: The Return of Fiscal Sanity... After four years of Republicans screaming for tax cuts for the super-wealthy at any cost, a development in this Nebraska race gives a sign that voters and disinterested parties have had enough. When the NRCC tried to attack Democrat Matt Connealy on behalf of Republican Jeff Fortenberry for raising taxes to balance the budget in the state, Republican State Senate Speaker Curt Bromm stepped in to denounce the attacks as "disingenuous and unfair," noting that the Nebraska legislature did more budget cutting than it did tax increases. Voters across the country will be performing this kind of gut-check in a few weeks, and we're betting it won't be good news for the GOPers.

NC-11: Dead Heat... A new poll has this race within the margin of error, with 6% undecided who could easily break for Patsy Keever, a teacher and all-around admirable candidate who is challenging one of the most ethically troubling Members of the House, Charles Taylor.

KS-03: Dennis Moore Fends off Extremism Personified... Democrat Dennis Moore, always a top target of Republicans in this conservative district continues to stand on principle against Kris Kobach, a hero of extremists ranging from Jerry Falwell to anti-immigration nuts. Unfortunately, the Republicans have had this dream before, in which a right-wing zealot emerges from the primaries only to find himself well outside the mainstream and go down to defeat. So it was déjà vu all over again when a local columnist and leading moderate Republican, Steve Rose of The Sun endorsed Moore even as he endorsed Bush for President.

TX-22: Under the Radar, DeLay faces his Toughest Race in Years... Amidst a seemingly endless string of ethics problems, Tom DeLay is in unexpected danger. A local television station reports, "He may come across a scattering of other political signs of the times such as Bush-Cheney signs coexisting with Richard Morrison signs. Democrat Morrison has worked what is often considered the heartland of Republican voters, and some Bush voters say they will cross over. 'It's a fresh start and I think he can add a lot of new blood. He believes in bi-partisan working together. It's kind of an answer as to why there's two different representations in the signs,' says voter Tom Suter." The Morrison campaign has said that they have distributed a full 6,000 signs, in contrast to 600 from DeLay. He may find that Republican voters care more about ethics than do Republican politicians.

News From the Blog

House Dems Fight for Sinclair Investigation
Fighting back against right wing propaganda on the public airwaves.

Less Verbiage in DeLay Rebuke?
DeLay's fellow Republicans "threaten" GOP Member of the Ethics Committee.

Your FDA
...Is working against you.

Above the Law
More "illegal" "covert propaganda" from the Bush administration.

Unfinished Business
A cartoon from Roll Call that tells you all you need to know about the GOP's legislative accomplishments.

Streakin' Pete
Republican anti-Janet Jackson crusader found to have a streaky past.

DeLay Editorial Round-up
DeLay's corruption condemned nationwide.

 

There was a time when truth was the most powerful weapon in politics. But this Administration and its Congressional allies have turned ideology into the weapon of choice. From the troubling situation in Iraq to last week's distressing jobs report, the Republicans will try to paint a very rosy picture of the world. In short, there is a massive disconnect between Republican rhetoric and the reality we face at home and abroad. Well, the Republicans can sing the calypso song, "Don't Worry, be Happy" all they want. But the only way to succeed in Iraq, or to lift an economy that has lost millions of jobs in the last four years, is to face the facts squarely. And the only way to counter the rigid ideological approach that has led to failed policies is to end the current Republican monopoly gripping our government. That's why our democracy needs Democrats. And Democratic Senate candidates across the country need your support today. We are just 2 seats away from a Democratic majority in the Senate and $2 million more online is what it will take to get us there. My Democratic Senate colleagues and I need those 2 seats in order to push through a legislative agenda that will work for ALL Americans, not just for a chosen few. That's why we're putting our money where our mouth is by matching your contribution dollar for dollar in the DSCC's Match Campaign. We're doubling your effort in order to double the impact for Democratic Senate candidates in the tightest races. Click here to contribute to the DSCC's $2 Million Match Campaign today. When Democrats regain control of the Senate and I am once again chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, we will demand the truth and hold high officials accountable. When the Secretary of Defense claims we've trained 95,000 Iraqis, contrary to what the truth reveals about the inadequacy of our training programs, the American people will learn the facts and be able to judge for themselves. And as a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will be in a strong position to work with my Democratic colleagues to ensure that nominees to the Supreme Court are approved only if they pass the threshold test of superior merit and experience, not the kind of ideological criteria that has led President Bush to say that his model would be to add another Antonin Scalia or Clarence Thomas to the bench. It will be up to Democratic Senators like me to make sure a Kerry Administration has the full backing of Congress to support new legislation for jobs, healthcare, education and security. And when the NRSC comes out with desperate attacks against Democratic candidates over the next 2 weeks, it will be up to you and me to provide them the resources they need to fight back. The DSCC is watching every Senate race, every hour. With key races in a dead heat, we have a window of opportunity to shape our country's destiny by returning Democrats to the majority in the Senate. Click here to contribute to the DSCC's $2 Million Match Campaign now. With all the bad news we've heard over the past 4 years - failed policies, lost jobs, poorer health care, diminished respect around the world, squandered opportunities everywhere - we must seize this moment.  Together, we have the power to make a change that generations of Americans will remember. Sincerely, Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

You know that George Bush has broken his promises to America's children, and you know that John Kerry has a plan to recruit good teachers, help more students graduate, and ensure that college is universally affordable.

Now we need your help. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and spread the word that when it comes to responding to students' educational needs, John Kerry is the right choice for America.

Take Action

Send a letter to the editor of your local paper.

http://www.democrats.org/action

Tell Your Friends

Help us spread the word about the contrast between the Bush record and the Kerry plan. Click here to tell your friends to write a letter.

The differences between the Bush record of failure and Kerry's plan for a stronger America extend beyond education -- learn more about the differences in other areas by reading our issue contrasts.

BUSH MISLEADS ON OSAMA BIN LADEN

At last night's debate President Bush claimed that,
contrary to Sen. John Kerry's assertion, he never said he was "not
that concerned" about Osama Bin Laden. Bush chastised Kerry
saying, "Gosh, I don't think I ever said I'm not worried
about Osama bin Laden. That's kind of one of those
exaggerations."[1] Bush was completely wrong.

At March 13, 2002 press conference, Bush said "So I don't
know where he [Osama Bin Laden] is. You know, I just don't
spend that much time on him...I truly am not that concerned
about him."[2] Watch the video of Bush's remarks:
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=62685

Sources:

1. "Transcript of Debate Between Bush and Kerry, With
Domestic Policy the Topic," New York Times, 10/13/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=62686.
2. "President Bush Holds Press Conference," The White
House, 3/13/02,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=2131193&l=62687.

Visit www.Misleader.org for more about Bush Administration
distortion.>>

You've heard us say for months that ACT is building "the largest voter mobilization effort in history" but we've kept quiet on the details... until now.

 

With Election Day just 19 days off, it's time to let you inside our strategy to elect Democrats to federal, state and local elections.

 

With your help, we've done much more than just talk about building the largest field campaign in history -- we've done it.   And now you can help unleash it on Election Day.

$1200 sponsors a GOTV staging area in the battleground states (we'll have hundreds of them.)

 

$136.68 rents a van to shuttle canvassers and voters on Election Day (we need more than 1200 vans in Florida alone!)

 

$75 pays the expenses of an Election Day canvasser (we will have 45,000!)

 

Please make your secure online contribution here. 

 

Just last week, paid ACT canvassers logged over 60,000 hours of targeted door-to-door canvassing.  And it's working!  Thanks to a recent test here in Wisconsin, we have a preview of what's to come: 

Last month, during the Wisconsin congressional primary (September 18th), ACT-WI targeted 70,000 households in a base Democratic areas near Milwaukee.  800 ACT staff and volunteers canvassed the area intensively for 36 hours, knocking on the door of each Democratic household twice. 

 

The result? Unprecedented turnout in a Wisconsin Congressional Primary! For only the second time in Milwaukee's history, African American turnout exceeded white turnout.

There's no secret here.  We're encouraging people to think about the issues and exercise their right to vote.  This is how we'll defeat George W. Bush and elect Democratic leadership in federal, state and local elections here in Wisconsin and around the country.  But it can't be done without your support.

 

Please help fund ACT's Election Day operations today.

 

There is no more effective way to contribute to Democratic victories than by giving to ACT in these final days.  Each dollar you can give will be put directly to work in the specific precincts where votes are needed most. 

 

And we need you on the ground, too.  I encourage you to come work with us in a battleground state this weekend and in the days ahead.  Join thousands who have already signed up to volunteer in a battleground state here .

 

Thank you for everything you've done and everything you will do in the days ahead.

 

Sincerely,

 

Tamara Pogue
State Director
ACT-Wisconsin

 

PS:  Read more about our plan in this week's Time Magazine http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101041018/nmehlman.html and help put it in action by contributing any amount you can give. 

As you know, this Friday, the Democratic Party is facing another critical fundraising deadline. I know from experience the importance of this deadline because it is when strategists need to make key decisions about battleground states like Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, and about all our key races.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

In 2000, my campaign had to make excruciatingly difficult decisions on allocating our resources to the most winnable states. We knew the final margin would be razor thin, but we had to pick and choose which states we could afford to saturate with TV ads during the final drive to Election Day.

We were forced by the limitations of our campaign funding to make a series of tough choices -- including a decision to go for it in Florida and scale back in Ohio. If we had been able to pay for a full TV ad campaign in all of the key battleground states, we might not have lost Ohio by a thin margin. And of course, even though I think we won Florida, well, you know what happened there.

So don't let this happen again -- contribute now.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

In these closing weeks, let's make sure that the Democratic Party has the resources to go all out for John Kerry and the Democratic ticket in Florida and Ohio and Pennsylvania and Michigan and elsewhere. Your contribution right now will make sure the Party has the ability to compete in every single battleground state.

Right now, party strategists are making those tough, last-minute decisions about where to spend resources. With your help, this time the Supreme Court will not pick the next president, and the current president will not pick the next Supreme Court.

https://www.democrats.org/support/kerry.html

You've put George Bush, Dick Cheney, and the Republican attack machine on the run. In these final weeks, they can't win a fair fight -- and you, the members of the Democratic Party's amazing online community, have the ability to make it a fair fight. Please respond as quickly as you can.

Then on November 2, we'll be celebrating our victories up and down the ballot in Ohio and Florida and other battleground states across the nation -- and not only in the popular vote, but in the electoral college too.

On to victory,

Al Gore