<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV>Okay, we have four years. I would start tomorrow gathering signatures and donations, if I knew </DIV>
<DIV>1)where to get a signature sheet</DIV>
<DIV>2)how to file it when it's full</DIV>
<DIV>3) where to send donations (how do you keep track of them so you can prove you have $5 donations and not a couple of corporate donations?)</DIV>
<DIV>I'm up for that kind of action. I'm perfectly happy to be a foot soldier. I don't want to take a class in how to run a campaign. I'm willing to bet there is somebody out there who can answer my simple questions. Well, why don't you?</DIV>
<DIV>Caroline<BR></DIV>
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<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Gerry Gras <gerrygras@earthlink.net><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> Brian Good <snug.bug@hotmail.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Cc:</SPAN></B> sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Mon, February 8, 2010 6:41:43 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [Sosfbay-discuss] How Did Party in Berkeley Go? Anybody Get a Good Picture of Deacon Alexander?<BR></FONT><BR><BR><BR>Brian Good wrote:<BR><BR>> <BR><BR><BR><clip><BR><BR><BR>> <BR>> I was disappointed that so many people abused the strategy session to <BR>> engage in long rambling reminiscences and I fell asleep twice during <BR>> that. <BR><BR><BR>I did not attend. The main reason I would have gone would have been<BR>for the strategy seesion. Sounds like I did not miss
much.<BR><BR><BR>> I'd had little sleep the night before, and because my car had <BR>> broken down on the trip up I stank of antifreeze, so I didn't feel very <BR>> sociable, and I didn't even think of bringing up my strategy issues:<BR>> <BR>> 1. A public finance (Prop 15) campaign would be a great organizing <BR>> vehicle. If we get just 15,000 $5 donations we get a million dollars to <BR>> run a professional Secretary of State campaign, just like a real party. <BR>> If paid staffers choose to use their pay for political activities these <BR>> funds could be a real energizer for the party. Since we have 111,000 <BR>> registered Greens today, if we can't get the 15k donors in four years we <BR>> should just give up.<BR><BR><BR>Or change the org from political party to something else.<BR><BR>Good point.<BR><BR><BR>> <BR>> 2. Campaign Finance reform. The
average congressional rep takes in <BR>> $1.5 million per election, and according to Lawrence Lessig, spends 40% <BR>> to 60% of her time raising that money which, because of gerrymandered <BR>> safe seats, they don't need. Much of this money goes to the Democratic <BR>> party, and much is paid to consultants who get enormous sums with little <BR>> transparency. Since fundraising success is a factor in gaining <BR>> committee chairmanships and other perks, Reps have to spend their time <BR>> as party fundraisers instead of solving our country's problems. The <BR>> Dems suck. We don't.<BR><BR><BR>I am not sure what your point is. I assume that you are trying to<BR>argue for the need to work on campaign finance reform. If so,<BR>I agree. I expect to be working for Prop 15, and supporting<BR>the national Fair Elections effort.<BR><BR><BR>> <BR>> It was great to hear the
inspiring story of how in the early days <BR>> 79,000 people were persuaded to register for a party that didn't yet <BR>> exist. During 2003 antiwar demonstrations it was said that people <BR>> crowded the registration tables four deep to sign up.<BR>> <BR>> Ray said that continuing to run campaigns where we get 5% of the vote <BR>> was just guaranteeing that we'll continue to be ineffective. It seemed <BR>> that few people wanted to hear that. <BR><BR><BR>I wonder why.<BR><BR>> It was nice to see a reunion <BR>> amongst the old timers, people chattering excitedly. But it reminded me <BR>> of 9/11 Truth conventions where people go to have their dissenting <BR>> beliefs reinforced by like-minded people. I wonder if there's something <BR>> cultish about continuing to convince each other that it's enough just to <BR>> pull in a few thousand votes. If we are to convince
the mainstream that <BR>> we are a viable alternative instead of a perennial protest vote, we need <BR>> to convince ourselves of that first.<BR><BR><BR>Seems reasonable.<BR><BR>Gerry<BR><BR><BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> To: <A href="mailto:sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org" ymailto="mailto:sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org">sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org</A><BR>> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 19:40:12 -0500<BR>> From: <A href="mailto:alexcathy@aol.com" ymailto="mailto:alexcathy@aol.com">alexcathy@aol.com</A><BR>> Subject: [Sosfbay-discuss] How Did Party in Berkeley Go? Anybody Get a <BR>> Good Picture of Deacon Alexander?<BR>> <BR>> I'm surprised this e-list isn't crackling with news about the 20th <BR>> Anniversary party up in Berkeley. <BR>> <BR>> How did it go?<BR>> <BR>>
B.T.W. did anybody get any good pictures of Deacon Alexander? I would <BR>> like to post one on my blog. <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Alex<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. Get it now. <BR>> <http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/201469228/direct/01/><BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> sosfbay-discuss mailing list<BR>> <A href="mailto:sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org" ymailto="mailto:sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org">sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org</A><BR>> http://lists.cagreens.org/mailman/listinfo/sosfbay-discuss<BR>> <BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>sosfbay-discuss mailing list<BR><A href="mailto:sosfbay-discuss@cagreens.org"
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