You've got to accentuate the positive

The opening lines of this song keep running through my head: "You've got to accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative." So many people I talk to are disappointed, depressed and turned off by today's politics. I try to respect their feelings although I don't always agree with the premises on which they are based.

I tell them why I am working to re-elect President Obama, Senator Bill Nelson, and progressive Democrats down ballot. To me, the 2012 election is so critical. Because of the drastically different visions of the two major parties, the election could bring significant changes in the nation's policies and direction for decades to come. We have seen the start of this movement in the Congress and a number of State legislatures. I want a President, Congress and State officials who share my core values of social justice and equal opportunity. My choice is clear. Re-elect President Barack Obama. Hold the Senate for the Democrats. Take back the House of Representatives for the Democrats.

Reach Out And Touch Someone

It's back to basics. I am making calls on my land line to people in the OIA neighborhood who are supporters of President Obama. I am inviting them to the January 9th organizing meeting. While "not home" and "disconnected" are frequent results, I am getting through to a number of people who answer "Yes. I'm In!" In my previous phone banking experiences, the calling lists have been more diverse. I really don't mind people hanging up on me or saying nasty things. Talking to people who are ready to help the re-election campaign does give me energy to make that next call and the 20 after that. My special thanks to the woman who spent 40 years raising toy poodles and is now putting her efforts into the Obama campaign. Four More Years!

Double Down

I wasn't getting much traction as Precinct Woman for my sparsely populated neighborhood, with few registered Democrats on the books. So I doubled down. Now I am the OFA neighborhood team leader for 13 precincts around the Orlando International Airport. Our first OIA neighborhood organizing meeting is set for January 9th in my tiny apartment. I have made about 30 calls to prospective volunteers, and four people have said they probably will attend. Jessica said she will help out. I am beginning to feel like a real grassroots political organizer. I'll try not to let it go to my head.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Walk Your Precinct! This is the first commandment of the grassroots political organizer. I check the map. From my apartment, at the northern most point of Precinct 437, to the southern most point, south of 417, is 13 miles - one way. I think I'll drive.

The day is bright and mild as I turn off 417 onto Boggy Creek Road. That is nice for the many cows and horses in the fields. I can't say anything about the local residents (Democrats or not) because I don't see any. The few homes are widely spaced and set far back from the roads. There are probably big guard dogs on the premises. I will not be canvassing this area at night, even if my pals Scarecrow, Tinman and Lion come along.

Risky Business - Registering Voters

Last night, I trained to register voters in the Sunshine State and then signed an affidavit attesting to the accuracy of the personal identifying information I provided. The affidavit, a new Florida State requirement for people who want to register citizens so they can exercise their Constitutionally guaranteed right to vote, spells out the penalties if I mess up this process: big dollar fines and/or jail. While this is far from fighting in the Resistance during WWII, registering voters in Florida these days does produce a frisson of danger. Keep the bail money handy. I'm In!

My First Democratic Party Convention

For some reason, the Florida State Democratic Party decided to hold its 2011 convention in a foreign country - Disney World. Armed with my passport, maps, and credentials, I left my apartment before 7:00 a.m. on Saturday to journey to the convention center. After crossing the border and various checkpoints, I parked in the Magic Kingdom lot and set off to find the much-touted (and, at times, fatal) Monorail. On the way, I met J., from Pinellas County, who was close to tears. She had just spent more than an hour driving through unknown lands to the main parking lot after being turned away from the convention center entrance. We hugged and pledged to stay together until we were safely inside the Democrat-controlled enclave.

Highlights of the Convention:

• Hispanic legislators panel, with the Lt. Governor of Puerto Rico.
• OFA workshop on voter registration process to meet new, more stringent requirements
• Ruth's List Florida hospitality suite, with friends and new recruits to the cause
• Feeling of belonging, as I greeted more familiar faces than I thought I would.

Cutting Turf

I am now on VoteBuilder, my window on the 1,500 or so registered Democrats in Precinct 437. The map of the precinct features gray blobs congealed in large clumps in certain areas or sprinkled lightly across the landscape in others. The next step in making sense of this picture and preparing for canvassing the precinct is Cutting Turf. With this process, I can divide the vast, uncharted territory that is Precinct 437 into manageable sections. Great!

It takes hours to cut Turf No. 1, which covers the smallest part of the precinct. I am beginning to have doubts about this whole grassroots organizer idea. There is only one thing to do: call for help from the younger generation, who have a better feel for technology and more experience than I do.

Anna and Jessica answer my call. We gather around my computer in my apartment. They teach me basic technique and a few tricks. Most importantly, they give me moral support. We cut quite a bit of turf, as I make notes for my solo sessions. Then we go out for Thai food and discuss the really big political issues. Thanks, Anna and Jessica!

Running Precinct 437

On Sunday mornings, I run on Narcoossee Road from 528 to Moss Park Road and back. When I pass another runner, I give an especially cheerful "Good Morning!" greeting. She may be a registered Democrat.

Tool of Campaign Trade - The VAN

A key step in learning the trade of Precinct Captain is mastering the workings of the VAN, aka VoteBuilder. This software gives access to information on all registered voters in Precinct 437, with data from the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Click on this link for a map of my precinct.

After excellent but brief training with Nancy J., I receive my login information and am ready to begin. But how? The VoteBuilder user interface is from the dawn of personal computing. The 30,000 year old paintings in the caves of Chauvet convey more meaning than the VoteBuilder icons. "Intuitive user interface" was obviously an unknown concept to the software engineers. As a friend astutely said, VoteBuilder was designed by Tip O'Neill, not Steve Jobs. I need help.

Dispatches from Precinct 437

I am the newly elected Democratic precinct woman for Precinct 437, Orange County, Florida. I will be sending dispatches as I work to register Democratic voters and get out the vote on November 6, 2012. I have never done anything like this before, and I want to keep a record of my re-invention as a grassroots political organizer. I am really curious about how this is going to work out.