Two calls tonight. First from a volunteer in Massachusetts to roust me out of my chair Saturday morning and get campaigning for Kerry.
Mind you, I used to think of it as "campaigning against Bush" but I've now heard enough to be fully convinced that Kerry's got it right.
Second, from the Center for Biological Diversity. They are an environmental organization I have supported economically and with my time since my days as a student senator of the University of Arizona defending them against the Young Republicans (and I was a registered Repub at the time), 1994-ish. No kidding.
I strongly urge you to give them your time and/or dollars. They do a very lot of good with a very small amount of cash. They are extremely aggressive without being dishonest or illegal.
So, why all the calls and interest and, frankly, desperation lately? Because environmental causes have taken a big hit under Bush and with a poor economy. And because Bush has also laid waste to a number of social and international policies that I thought were generally coming to be set in stone.
Yet, because people are pissin' in their pants, we want someone like Bush who is unclouded about how he goes after bad guys. No "rehabilitation" here, just tough love and executions.
So, yeah, 4 years of Bush should scare the crap out of anyone who cares about:
. Our ability to deal with ever-stronger neighbors such as China.
. Our chance of not pissing off EVERYONE else in the world.
. Our ability to have clean air/water/food/forests for my children.
. Education? hehehe....
. Wanting to deal with a $30 Billion a year drug-war habit. We can't afford it.
. Oil policy? $50/barrel and much of it going to Middle East Princes and terrorists. What a great policy...
. Divisiveness - Bush has torn our country apart farther than anyone in decades.
Two quotes come to mind. The first was from a longtime military advocate (supposedly a shoe-in to support gun-happy Bush) which I published in yesterday's blog.
Second comes from a long-time Republican campaign activist and all-around conservative I was having dinner with a few months ago:
"Shit, if I knew we were going to run $500 Billion deficits with a Republican president and congress... at least if I vote for a Democrat our kids will get an education with all that wasteful spending!"
From Democracy for America's front page a cogent understanding that free-wheeling spending on oil will come back to haunt us:
President Bush needs to understand that America is financing our own attackers by sending money to the Middle East that could be spent in the U.S. on renewable energy. Some of that money ends up in terrorist hands and some ends up financing fundamentalist schools throughout the Islamic world which teach children to hate Americans, Christians, moderate Muslims and Jews. Because we have no renewable energy policy, we are helping to teach the next generation of terrorists and suicide bombers to hate us.
That sucks.
Just a reminder: ya gotta buy more than books and do more than gripe if there's any hope of ditching the Bush habit. 29 days or so left until the election, this is your last chance to give until it hurts!
I've been donating like crazy to everyone I think can win (tight senate races, presidential race) and every group I think that can change minds. Get on the bandwagon or regret the onset of a 4-year hangover!
I used to be "anti-bush" but now after spending some time listening to complete arguments, I'm actually pro-Kerry. I'll be out Saturday morning canvassing for a few extra votes. Hey, if I don't I know I'll be kicking myself come November if things go poorly. Actually, Bush will be kicking me, and all of us, the next 4 years. Hello smog, goodbye sunny skies. Hello drug company profits, goodbye being able to eat and get medicine at the same time... I figure if nothing else the exercise Saturday will give me a head start on staying healthy enough to avoid extra health care I won't be able to afford!
So, where do I give?
John Kerry's Campaign
http://www.johnkerry.com/index.html
Move On - 3rd party organization producing really persuasive, effective, targeted ads
http://www.moveon.org/
Tight, winnable senate races - Like Ken Salazar in Colorado
http://salazarforcolorado.com/
And, aggressive environmental organizations that continue to try and contain the damage being done to our future
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
and
http://nature.org/
Find $25 or $250 or $2500 and get it rolling for a cause - our future.
Posted by BilFish at October 5, 2004 12:26 AM