Just for a change of pace and because I'm curious, has anybody been involved in a local political campaign at the city or county level? I've become the campaign manager for a local District Attorneys race and am learning lots. It's fun but a lot of work. And now I guess I'll never hear the end of this from North Texan who will have wood on me for helping an attorney.[:-]
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RE: Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
Where is Obi Wan when I need him?? Luke, the force. Use the force. A slashing sound of a light saber being drawn and activated pervades the senses as the sound of labored mechanical breathing draws closer.......[:-]
__________________
Jesus Christ--The reason for the season!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.
If you're certain you know everything, there's little opportunity to learn anything.
RE: Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
Yes, I worked on a local campaignfor several months when I first moved to DC. It was for Bill Rice, a Democrat running foran At-Large City Council seat.
I took the job because I wanted the experience more than anything else. A lot of coworkers hated me because I'm a libertarian and loved to argue with them, but I did a great job at workand was on excellent terms with Rice. I spent most of the time overseeing the campaign HQ phone bank, helping to create a voter database, and helping Rice at neighborhood walk-throughs and public forums.Going over voter records I could see that over 80% of eligible voters in DC were registered Democrats, so I figured I'd help the best man win.
Of course, he lost to the only other serious candidate on the ticket. He's now a spokesman for the DC Dept. of Transportation. [&:]
RE: Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
Quote:
ORIGINAL: CalHunter
Just for a change of pace and because I'm curious, has anybody been involved in a local political campaign at the city or county level? I've become the campaign manager for a local District Attorneys race and am learning lots. It's fun but a lot of work. And now I guess I'll never hear the end of this from North Texan who will have wood on me for helping an attorney.[:-]
You sure won't! This thread has been saved to HD, floppy disk and CD.[8D]
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RE: Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
Boysda is absolutely right about one thing. You get tested repeatedly during a campaign. There's a fine line between bringing out differences in candidates and turning things into mud slinging sometimes. I've been involved in 5 local campaigns (including my own city council race that I won) and each one has different challenges and issues that arise. One thing is consistent though--Organizing volunteers is like trying to herd cats through a dog kennel. You think you have a group conscensus and everybody has their assignment and then things simply don't get done or just fall apart. The old saying that you get what you pay for is extremely valid.
And Boysda, I think it would be a hoot to work a campaign with you. The fun thing about local campaigns is you tend not to get caught up in party politics, conservative vs. Liberal, etc. Most local races are non-partisan and it's strictly which candidate you think is better qualified or qualified at all. If anybody has never had the pleasure of working in a campaign, I'd highly recommend it as it gives you an extremely unique experience and viewpoint on American politics. It doesn't jade you but you begin to understand a whole lot more about why things get done certain ways in state and national political campaigns.
__________________
Jesus Christ--The reason for the season!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.
If you're certain you know everything, there's little opportunity to learn anything.
RE: Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
Cal's absolutely right. i don't get involved in the volunteer coordination because a) i dont have the patience to work with people who don't do what they say their gonna do and b) i've been told i scare to volunteers.
i work on the finance side and Cal hit it on the head: you get tested. it takes money to win a race. i suspect i have a slightly more elastic code of ethics than Cal when it comes to campaigns, but even i have been horrified and offended by some of the things people are wiling to door want me to do. it's easy to see how things happen the way they do on the national level, where the stakes are so much greater. everybody should do it at least once just to get that perspective.
Different Topic--Involvement in a Local Campaign
