If you’ve been reading my posts at all this summer, you know that I cannot stop looking to the past. As a student of history (though by no means an expert), it has been my privilege to blog to such a sizable, open-minded, and appreciative audience as the one here at American Majority. So as my summer internship here at the national headquarters comes to a close, I ask you to indulge me as I recall a few lessons learned, particularly applicable historical ones.

First, consider the American tradition of localized involvement. As I and other contributors have discussed here before, the American colonists were governing their towns and immediate communities in a free and democratic way long before the notion of independence from Britain had even crossed their minds. (For more information, check out the “Days of Revolution” podcast, researched and co-written by AM President Ned Ryun and yours truly). Town hall meetings and local elections predated the American Revolution by centuries in some places, making community government more than just an American legacy. Rather, it is a tried and true embodiment of the timeless pursuit of liberty, a worthwhile, concerted effort to establish and preserve God-given rights that are inextricably linked to our very humanity. Jonah Goldberg, a very astute (and entertaining) pundit once argued that localized policy making is not only traditional, but that it is crucial to the preservation of liberty. “If you win in a democratic fight,” Goldberg said, “and you infringe on the rights or the prerogatives of somebody else in your community, you’ve got to look them in the eye every day.” Imagine, if you will (and if you will permit me to wax Lennon-esque for a moment),  an America in which our elected representatives had to look us in the eye every day. Would politicians truly be able to perpetrate such invasive regulation, irresponsible spending, and unjustifiable intrusion if they had to truly see the effect it has on us, our children, and our grandchildren? Such a system can be established through the vigilance of ordinary citizens and the restoration of locally accountable government.

Second, acknowledge the importance of working within the unchangeable elements of the current system. “Pragmatism” is a word commonly associated with the political Left, but its true meaning is one that is useful for all of us. What is “pragmatic” in politics is that which will ultimately be most useful for achieving victory. There is a strong temptation in the liberty movement today to abandon politically realistic strategy in the name of principle. While this is honorable in the abstract sense, policy is made by politicians who win elections. Unfortunately, a great idea will not win an election without effective marketing, and thus we are constrained, whether we like it or not, to operate within certain limits of our political system. We should by no means abandon principle in the name of achieving victory; indeed, such cutthroat, careless politicking is what created our current condition in the first place. Unaccountable, stagnant, spineless representatives rule our country today because they cared only about winning. However, candidates who scoff at advertising, endorsements, (ethical) connections, or the two-party system in general unnecessarily complicate and almost always shipwreck their campaigns. History shows unequivocally that third parties seldom make a difference, with the exception of splitting what has traditionally been one party’s constituency.

Instead, American Majority’s mission is to make the parties a reflection of the will of the people once again, as has been stated here time and again. Even George Washington, the oft-cited critic of political parties in general, acknowledged that the “spirit of party” was “a fire not to be quenched.” History has certainly proven this to be true. As a result, we can either use the system to our advantage or ignore it at our peril.

Third, we must value most highly a commitment to morality and our Creator. As our Founding Fathers firmly believed, a nation cannot prosper without a reverence for the God who gave us the freedoms and blessings we enjoy. We live in a time when moral degradation and cultural decline go hand in hand, and we cannot bear to ignore an absolute standard of right and wrong. The preservation of our liberty hinges on the involvement of good citizens, and good citizens are produced by good parents. The vast majority of my generation has grown up watching MTV, reality television, gratuitously violent movies, and pornography. We are now preparing to take control of this country. Does that comfort you? Does a generation of leaders flooded with such morally reprehensible content give you hope for the future of the United States? It is imperative to our future prosperity and the preservation of liberty that we reverse the downward spiral by teaching responsibility, moral standards, and integrity to our children NOW.

Finally, I will bookend this summer by restating the thesis of my first post. Liberty, in and of itself, is not our goal. Surely we fight for liberty, but only so that we can DO something with it. In this post, and across the American Majority website, are strategies and tips for restoring liberty, accountability, and integrity to our political system, from the abstract to the nitty-gritty. However, what you will do with that liberty is up to you.

It has been an honor and a privilege to intern here at AM, and I look forward to seeing our (everyone’s) hard work pay off in November and beyond! God bless.

Last week Minnesotans had an opportunity to cast their ballot in our state’s primary.  Local conservative candidates seeking office, including 75 trained by American Majority in Minnesota, advanced in great numbers.  Now onto the general…

Where do I start?  How do I appeal to the general election audience?  These questions often come up, particularly from first-time candidates and those that potentially weren’t in a competitive primary.   A proper response to this question, one I might add that should be asked by every candidate/campaign regardless of their situation, is imperative to a successful result come November.

So where does it all begin?  Well, simply put, every campaign needs to think about laying the foundation for their candidate, and that begins with the campaign message.   Below are a few pointers in making certain that such a message is effective and resonates with your targeted audience.

First of all, does the candidate understand their community?  Have they taken the time to identify three or four simple, not complex, values that resonate with their potential constituency?   The idea here is to develop a conversation with voters.  The values identified by the campaign should be clear, concise and easily articulated in any discussion, whether it be with potential donors or with a neighbor unfamiliar with your candidacy.

Secondly, it is important for the candidate to not get bogged down in policy details.  Developing key policy positions certainly is a part of any campaign and should come from those values you have cemented in the voter’s minds.  However, getting caught in policy minutiae is something you want to avoid at all costs.  Constantly going into great detail about complex policies won’t engage voters and will often leave them disinterested in your campaign.

Lastly, remain disciplined.  Yes, your volunteers and base might have heard your message a hundred times, but most have not, particularly those that you are reaching out to in a general election.  Every time you make a public appearance you will surely be introducing yourself to several voters for the first time.   So stay on message, repeat, repeat and repeat some more.

Every elected official, from school board member to state legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom, and the people who hold these offices need the support and scrutiny of concerned citizen activists committed to defending liberty and limiting government. American Majority’s mission is to provide both Activists and Candidates with the tools they need to be successful in either role.

The training session will be held in conjunction with L.A. Clean Sweep on Sunday, August 29 at the The Mayflower Club in North Hollywood located at 11110 Victory Boulevard North Hollywood CA 91606. Food, drink, and snacks will be available for the morning and lunch sessions. Parking is available for free behind the Mayflower building as well as across the street in the Target parking lot.

The activist training will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until noon. Candidate training will be held from 1-5 p.m. We ask that all morning attendees arrive at 8:30 a.m for registration as training will begin promptly at 9 a.m.

Prospective candidates are also invited to arrive early for the activist training session in order to introduce themselves and make the most of the training day.

Activist Training topics include-

* The System: an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it

* Grassroots Action: ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers

* Precinct Power: changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action

* Patriots 2.0: effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms

* New Media Q&A: find out the answers to commonly asked questions about Facebook and Twitter and gain a few extra tips

Candidate Training topics include-

* Get your name on the ballot: Where do you start, when to file and how, how are campaigns run and what is needed, mapping out a strategy, starting with the election

* Communicate precisely and more effectively: Work with seasoned campaign consultants, fine tune campaign talking points, determine issue strengths, practice stump speeches

* Money is the mother’s milk of politics: Learn how to raise money effectively, compare different fundraising strategies, which events will return the largest sum, where to start and how to ask

* Maximize volunteer efforts: Learn the difference between fans and supporters, phone calls, door knocking, and everything in between, plan from election backwards, how to organize GOTV efforts

* Campaigning 2.0: Raising money online, how to leverage social networks, tweeting to success, secrets to a strong campaign website

The cost is $25 per attendee pre-registered, or $30 at the door. The cost for a candidate is $100 per person pre-registered, or $120 at the door (includes admission for spouse/partner). Lunch is provided.  Space is limited – pre-registration is recommended.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Boatright at Laura@ammechanics.org or Jaoni Wood at Jaoni@americanmajority.org, or call 540-338-1251.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

Traveling across the state of Arkansas we have come across some truly effective organizations as well as some that are facing significant hurdles. One of the organizations that has really stood out as an example of a strong group is the Faulkner Co TEA Party.  With well over 400 members and a monthly general meeting attendance of over 200, they are fast becoming an agent of change in their region.

One of the most exceptional aspects of this group is that they realized early on that there was a delicate balance they would need to strike in order to achieve their goals. They found that – if they built it – people really would come. They began one year ago this month, just a handful of people determined to make a difference.

Today they have members on the school board, city council and quorum court calling to ask for their input. They are building amazing credibility in their region and making a definitive impact.

To read Part One of this series: Click here!

Now, picking up where we left off….

2)       Organization: Structure the way you want the organization to function by creating a leadership team and adopting by-laws. Don’t get bogged down in this. This wheel has already been created. Contact David Crow, Chairman of the Faulkner Co TEA Party and he would be more than happy to share information with you regarding their structure, as well as some best practices they have discovered.

3)       Create committees: The reason for this is two-fold. It helps prevent any one person from becoming overwhelmed and helps people engage at their comfort level, using their skill sets. We are all useful in the process of holding our government accountable.

Here are some committee ideas:

·         Watch Dog- these members will go to public meetings regularly. It is important to have many people on this committee so that the burden of weekly meetings does not become overwhelming. Also consider that many public meetings may be held at the same time. This committee will attend, take notes and report back to the general meeting. I would suggest a concisely written report that can be distributed to all members with information that pertains to your focal points: fiscal responsibility, free markets and limited government. This is also great fodder for an organization blog!

·         Events – these members will be in charge of organizing and executing events. These will hopefully become one of your major recruiting tools and information dispensers. There are tons of people that will come to a special event that will not come to a regular meeting so you have to be sure special events are well planed and thoughtfully carried out. Make sure that you plan a way to capture the contact information of attendees! Even just asking for their email and zip code can go a long way in building your organization’s database.

Some effective event ideas we have found to be effective are: lunches, reading groups and candidate forums. Don’t allow your events to be monopolized by candidates or people will soon lose interest. Even the candidate forums should focus on giving citizens the opportunity to interrogate their potential representatives.

·         Media- this is a fairly small committee and one that is usually run by the organization leadership. This insures that the image of the organization is consistent with the will of the organization’s general membership (assuming that the leaders of the group have been elected). A mission statement, goals bylaws will help make sure that leadership stays on course with the wishes of the larger organization. Remember: accountability is key, regardless of what kind of government you are setting up!

·         Communications- this group will set up email chains, websites, facebook pages, twitter accounts, and blogs. They will make sure that content is frequently updated and on message. Effective communication is vital! This too can be a fairly small group but they need to be detail oriented. Make sure that everything is connected and that all the meetings, events and updates are posted in a timely fashion. American Majority has a wonderful resources page to help with much of this!

·         Letters/phones- When your organization gets up and going this committee will help to engage people in letter writing and phone banking. This is vital in addressing issues, contacting representatives or even helping promote conservative candidates. Contacting your representatives both by phone and letters sends a strong message about the resolve of those involved. If you are involved in resolving a particular issue, a strong “letters to the editor” campaign can be quite beneficial.

·         Education- These are the researchers, making sure that the facts are found. Nothing builds credibility faster than becoming a trusted expert and nothing loses it faster than promoting false information!  When you step into the local fray you will realize that things are not as clear cut as they may have appeared to be, this is why it is vital to be a promoter of facts rather than of opinions. Helping people make educated decisions on their own should be the long term goal of the grassroots movement.

Educating should be a priority.  Learning who your local representatives, city council, school board and quorum court members are is a basic step. Being that we are a Republic, a representative government, meaning instead of us having a “majority rules” mentality we have chosen leaders to make those decisions for us.  The challenge has been that too many of us, including myself, have not been engaged in the process of communicating to our representatives, so they got use to doing things their way and not really asking or even caring about those they represent. We can change that!

These are just a few ideas. Feel free to add to add your own below in the comments section! The wonderful thing about the grassroots movement is that it is built on personal relationships and by contributing to the conversation we can help each other in significant ways!

In the first part of this series, I provided several tips for preparing to go out door knocking.  A successful door-to-door operation depends upon the right people and transportation, quality lists, literature and maps, and a tactfully-branded volunteer.

In this part of this series, I will begin the discussion on maximizing efficiency while on the ground.  In this post, I will highlight the key players involved.  This discussion will assume a team of seven, enough to fill a minivan.

KEY PLAYERS

Let’s take a look at the profile of the key players involved on the ground:

Campaign Staffer – The importance of leadership and direction cannot be understated.  While some volunteers may have some experience going door-to-door, a campaign should never assume.  In addition, some methods or approaches may have changed since the last time a volunteer worked on a campaign.  The campaign staffer’s job is to:

• Explain in detail what the campaign wishes to accomplish.
• Provide instructions for how to go about achieving that goal.
• Overview best practices for door knocking.
• Review the map with the team driver and communicate any important local information that would be useful to the team.
• Provide all literature, maps, lists, gas cards, yard signs, water and food (as applicable).
• Encourage the team to do their best and thank them for their support.
• Be available by phone in case the team gets lost.
• Greet and thank the team when they return, ensure all data is appropriately recorded, and all leftover materials are returned.

Driver – The driver plays an integral role in door-to-door operations.  Minimum suggested qualifications are as follows:

• Be at least 21 years of age (25, preferred) and have a valid Driver’s License and proper insurance documentation. (Note: Most rental car companies require that drivers be at least 21 years of age and at least 25 to drive without an additional fee.  There are no age requirements for personal vehicles).
• Possess a level of maturity to ensure the safety of all team members and who is willing to help the campaign meet its stated goals.
• Be in good enough physical health to drive.  (Note: The role of the driver can be given to someone who is not able to walk long distances, but all drivers should be physically able to endure several hours of residential driving with frequent stops and movement in and out of the vehicle.)

The driver has many key responsibilities.  Specifically, the driver should:

• Continually monitor the progress of the team including whether they are achieving goals and the overall attitude and health of the team.
• Encourage the team to keep their energy up and praise them for their progress.
• Plan out the route of the operation in the most efficient means possible.
• Monitor gas consumption and refill during scheduled breaks.
• Shuttle the door knockers from their last location to the start of the next, helping them cover ground when possible.
• Promote the safety of all team members.

Door Knockers (List Keepers) – Each group of two door knockers should designate a list keeper, three in total.  This individual is responsible for recording the necessary response information for the campaign.  The campaign may wish, for example, to record information such as which addresses received literature, houses that contained supporters of their candidate, supporters of their opponent, or undecided voters, houses with yard signs, etc.  Responsibilities include:

• Recording accurate and legible data from their own knocking efforts and that of their partner’s.
• Directing their partner what doors to knock on if the partner does not have a copy of the list.
• Staying in communication with the driver as to the progress of the team.
• Ensuring that the team has enough literature each time exiting the van.
• Keeping themselves and their team member hydrated.
• Practicing safe door knocking techniques.
• Encouraging the entire team in their efforts.

Door Knockers (Team Members) – Last, but certainly not least, there will be three individuals leftover to help carry out the operation.  Responsibilities include:

• Communicating accurate response data to the list keeper.
• Ensuring the team has enough literature each time exiting the van.
• Keeping themselves and their team member hydrated.
• Practicing safe door knocking techniques.
• Encouraging the entire team in their efforts.

Part III of this series will provide tips and tricks for hitting the door-to-door ground running to ensure maximum result.

This training has been postponed.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities.

American Majority is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, September 4th in Milan, TN to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The training will take place at the B.D. Bryant Memorial Library located at 2072 S. First St. in Milan from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm.  Registration opens at 8:00 am.  The cost is $25 per attendee.

The training will be conducted by a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer (read more about your trainer at the end of this article).

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Jonathan Webb at jonathanw@ammechanics.org or call 402-730-7688.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

About Your Trainer

Jonathan Webb was born and raised in West Tennessee and has worked for non-profit organizations for the past 8 years.  He is currently pursuing his Masters Degree in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.  He has volunteered for numerous political campaigns and has over 6 years of public speaking experience.  He is passionate about our nation’s founding principles and the Constitution.

The trainer for this event is a certified American Majority Mechanic Trainer as part of the American Majority Mechanics Program.  This individual was identified, trained and certified to conduct Activist Trainings on behalf of American Majority.

The American Majority Mechanics Program was launched in 2010 with goal of training citizen-activists to equip others to become engaged in their state and local communities.  The program is named after the roughly 30 citizens who called themselves “Mechanics” and organized an intelligence network designed to monitor and inform the citizenry about British activities in New England colonies on the eve of American independence.  Among its most notable members was Paul Revere.  For more information on become an American Majority mechanic, please contact us.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority Missouri is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Tuesday, August 31st in Kearney, MO to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Rock Inn located at 400 S. Jefferson in Kearney from 5:30 to 8:15 PM.  Doors open at 5:15.  The cost is $15 if you pre-register online by August 29 and $20 at the door.  SPACE IS LIMITED.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Government 101 (how government operates, how legislative and executive bodies work, how to get involved)
• Holding Government Accountable (how to hold leaders accountable once they are in office)
• Effectively Communicating Your Views (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  Dinner will be provided.

Political Training Registration

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Rachel Hassani at 417-838-3067 or e-mail Rachel@AmericanMajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan political training organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.

* Topics are subject to change.

We are cancelling the training in Merriam on September 15th and doing one larger training in Merriam on September 28th. If you are interested in attending, please see the entry for Merriam, KS on September 28th on the previous page!

A campaign team is made up of everyone that helps in your efforts to get elected.  Choosing the right people for your team is vital to the success of your campaign.

CHOOSING YOUR CAMPAIGN TEAM:

• The Structure

When setting up your campaign team, you must first come up with a campaign structure.  You want to have a main campaign committee with members that oversee other members of the campaign team.  Your campaign committee should be relatively small because every member of this committee should feel comfortable to speak openly in front of every other member.  The committee should consist of the campaign manager, treasurer, and other individuals that oversee a specific portion of the campaign.  These are going to be your “insiders”.  You want only enough of these insiders to cover the campaign activities that you have decided to do.  Keep in mind that not all campaign activities occur at the same time, so it is often possible to have more than one task assigned to a single committee member.  However, don’t allow somebody to be overcommitted.  You don’t want any part of your campaign efforts to be slacked on.  When choosing this group of insiders, you must be sure that they are people that will be candid with you.  You must be able to receive criticism from them.  You will not make any progress as a candidate if you surround yourself with people that will only flatter you.

The rest of your campaign team that is not a part of this inside committee will consist of one or more people to oversee letters to the editor, canvassing, clerical work, brochures, the media, lawn signs, phone banks, fund-raising, get out the vote, direct mail, online efforts, and volunteer workers.  This can be left up to the discretion of the candidate.  The inside campaign committee will oversee the efforts of those that are a part of this portion of the campaign team as well as any other outside volunteers.

• Selecting the Treasurer

When selecting your campaign treasurer, you must choose somebody that will lend credibility to your campaign.  Remember that the name of your treasurer will appear on every campaign publication.  Be sure that the person is qualified and trustworthy.

• Selecting the Campaign Manager:

The campaign manager is the most important position in a campaign.  This is one position that is more open-ended than any other and requires many more responsibilities and time commitments than any other campaign position.  This is why it is often one of the only, if not the only, paid position on the staff.  The campaign manager will likely interact with voters and volunteers more than any other position on your team.  For this reason, you should choose somebody with great communication skills.  It is also extremely necessary for your campaign manager to be very organized, as they will be overseeing a great deal of the campaign and campaign team.

MANAGING YOUR CAMPAIGN TEAM:

• Meeting Frequency

Once your campaign starts, try to meet with your inside committee at least once a week for about an hour at a time.  Try to meet with the rest of your campaign team almost as frequently as you are meeting with your inside committee.  Obviously, the further into the campaign the committee gets, the more frequently the group will have to meet.  This is why you must make it clear to those who have agreed to help you in your efforts that there is a major time commitment that they must be willing to make.

• Respecting Your Team

You want your campaign team to be loyal and to respect you.  In order for this to happen, you have to be loyal and respect them in return.  This is why it is incredibly important to always keep them informed about anything noteworthy that occurs during the campaign.  Never allow your campaign team to hear about something from the news or outside sources that they should have heard from the candidate.

• Meeting Logistics

Give your committee members campaign packets with sets dates and deadlines as well as an outline for the goals and tasks to be accomplished throughout the campaign.  Also, include job descriptions so that every member knows exactly what is expected of them.

Always, always, always provide agendas at your meetings.  It is so easy for a group of like-minded people to get off track during a meeting because chatting is sometimes more appealing than getting work done.  Having an agenda at every meeting will help to keep the group on track and focused.  Beginning and ending your meetings on time will also help the group to stay focused.  When people know there is a deadline for getting something accomplished, they are much more likely to push chatting aside and do work.

Once your campaign team members have chosen volunteers to help them in their specific efforts, make sure that you keep track of their progress by having them give weekly reports to the rest of the campaign team and inside committee members.

REMEMBER – The function of the campaign team is to serve as a support group for the candidate and a primary source of expertise for the campaign.  The caliber of the campaign team can make or break a candidate’s ability to be elected.  And choosing a high quality campaign team is only half the battle.  You must be able to manage your team, keep them focused, and maintain their respect and loyalty in doing so.

Recently, I was visiting with a county quorum court candidate between sessions during one of our trainings here in Arkansas.  He had recently been victorious during a tough primary battle against an opponent from a well known family in the county.  After months of strictly out-working his competitor, he was telling me about the challenge he has in winning the general election against yet another, well known individual in the area with strong family ties in the local political arena.

Work hard, but work SMART!

This neophyte candidate was SO excited about reaching every single solitary person in his district.  Since it is a local election, his district is only about 4,000 registered voters strong.  He initially thought that the size would be easy to manage and that with a few months of hard work, he would have reached every single voter.  Therefore, he spent every waking hour when he wasn’t at work running his business, knocking on doors, blanketing neighborhoods with homemade flyers and being sure to place his yard sign wherever his opponent had one staked in the ground. 

As you can guess, he completely wore himself out hitting every house on every block, not knowing who was a regular voter or even if there was a registered voter behind the door he was knocking.  Here are some things you should do to help you work smart!

1.  Get a list of registered voters from your county clerk’s office, that way you know exactly who the voters are in your district
2. Sort them by address and party affiliation so you can easily determine whose house you need to stop by as you are in their neighborhood
3. Remember, no need to encourage folks to vote that aren’t going to be voting for you! If they have your opponents sign in their yard….KEEP WALKING!
4. Deploy those supporters of yours that want to help your campaign! Have them knock on doors in their neighborhood as well.  Volunteers are KEY to success!
5. Arm your volunteers with absentee request forms in case folks are interested in having a ballot mailed to their home.  Be sure to keep a tally of those individuals who were given request forms.  This will be helpful during the last couple weeks of the campaign.

Chase those votes down!

What does it take to win an election?  Well, that is quite simple…all it takes is one more vote than your opponent.  Here are a few tasks to make it all that much easier.

1.  Take a look at the last election cycle’s voter history.  That will give you a decent place to start when determining how many votes you need to be victorious.  Now, once that goal number is decided, you should devise a plan to chase those votes down to the finish line. 
2. Assign someone the task of picking up the voter list for your district every day during early voting.  That way, you can keep track of your voters and determine if they have made it to the polls yet.  This will help you “scrub” your list and keep you from wasting time reminding folks to vote that have already cast their ballot. 

 Election Veterans Provide Useful Information

As we were visiting, I immediately thought about another American Majority candidate alum that has been quite successful.  This particular candidate was baptized by fire a couple of years ago while running for office and has taken our training tips and adapted them quite nicely to work for him for the long term.  Here is one of my favorites that can work like magic when employed correctly.

Mamma’s love those who love their kids…..

We have a local newspaper that reports everything in the county, and I mean everything.  From the Bible Study group that meets at Mrs. Smith’s bakery to the local spelling bee winners to the announcement of the new elementary school principal; everything is in this periodical.  So, why not send a little note congratulating that young couple on the arrival of their new bouncing baby boy? Maybe include a clipping of the article in your correspondence so the proud parents can add that to their scrapbook, memorializing their growing family.  Or the young high school graduate who recently received an academic scholarship to a prestigious college?  Don’t you think she and her parents will be appreciative of someone from her community recognizing her hard work with a handwritten note of commendation?  Of course they will!  In fact, if you send out enough of these small gestures of kindness, every grandmother and parent in the tri-county area will recall your name with praise to every person they know. 

Here’s a suggestion, purchase some nice note cards with your name across the top and a roll of stamps, and you are ready to spread your words of encouragement to your possible constituents at a moment’s notice.

Stay tuned for a few more tips from election veterans in the future.  We all realize that politics is a contact sport and to win, you have to play hard.  However, true campaigners understand the importance of playing smart. 

Check out recent American Majority blogs such as Winning: The Art of Getting It Right and For Candidates, Effort is Everything.  Put all of this together and you will have one heck of a strategy!

Yesterday when the mail arrived at our office, nestled in amongst the bills and junk mail was a letter from a candidate trained by American Majority for this election cycle.  It was a thank you note for the training and resources provided during his campaign.  Towards the end of the letter, he wrote that “My legs are tired and my heart is weary.”

The fact that within the midst of the storm that is campaigning, he wanted to say thank you for our help- well, it made my week.  So today’s post is not about how to do this, or tips on accomplishing that- today I want to remind you, all of you who’ve been working so hard and giving so much time, energy and passion to candidates and causes you believe in, of why you matter.  And I want to say thank you, because I know for many of you, your legs are tired and your heart is weary- and November is still months away.

Did you know that 70+ percent of elected officials in Congress today got their start in local or state politics? The majority of Washington politicians served as city council, county commission or school board members, and moved up from there.  So know this: your efforts for liberty today will be reflected in the leaders we have in DC for the next 20 or more years.

Did you know that in elections where one candidate has the money and another has the grassroots, the candidates with the support of the people can win? And have won, many times in the past.  So don’t despair and don’t feel small, because you are so much of the difference between winning and losing.

Last night at an activist training, we talked to a grassroots volunteer who walked 20 precincts in her city for candidates she believed in.  Her candidates won all but two of those 20 precincts. In the two precincts where they didn’t win?  One candidate lost by one vote.  Another lost by three.  Your efforts matter.

Receiving that letter of thanks was incredibly humbling because really, I am grateful to him.  And to every other candidate who puts their life on hold to campaign so vigorously, and to every volunteer who makes a difference on the ground.  Because I know what’s at stake- it’s my future.  And you’re fighting for it, today, so that I can look hopefully towards tomorrow, with confidence that our nation will endure and that the American dream is still possible.

So thank you.  And just in case you need a reminder of the importance of your efforts: you simply have to watch this video.  It’s hilarious- when you’re not wincing in pain at the ridiculous and absurd wastes of taxpayer dollars.  I hope it will make you laugh- and also that it will spur you on to keep doing all the good work that you are for liberty.  Thank you for all you do.

On September 30^th and October 1^st women (and men) from across the United States will gather in Washington, DC to network, train and inspire one another in preparation for taking their limited government, free market ideas out into their communities. The Smart Girl Summit will be taking place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, just outside of Washington DC. Smart Girl Politics, the organization planning the event, is a group geared toward drawing more women into the political process, as activists and candidates. They are committed to providing a safe and open community environment for conservative women to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns among those who share their views, without the derision their beliefs often encounter on other internet sites. The event is being co-sponsored American Majority and others, including Faulkner Strategies and Americans for Prosperity.

Confirmed speakers for the event include Congresswoman Michelle Bachman, Dana Loesch, S.E. Cupp, Liz Cheney and many others. American Majority will be providing three hours of training for the event, on topics such as new media, the history of the Progressive movement and micro-targeting precincts. Panel discussions include new media, young women in conservative politics, and the tea party movement.

American Majority is excited to have another opportunity to train members of Smart Girls, and look forward to the great impact that they will have on their communities this fall. We hope you will join us!

More information about tickets, hotels and the agenda can be found here.

Our nation was founded by ordinary citizen activists desiring a government that was accountable to the people.  Today, ordinary citizens across our nation are tired of the status quo and ready to engage for the betterment of their communities. American Majority’s political training addresses these passions by providing education and resources to help you meet your goals.

American Majority Oklahoma is pleased to announce an Activist Training will be conducted on Tuesday, September 14th , in Norman, OK, to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place at Coach’s Restaurant located at 102 W Main in Norman from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  Registration and dinner begins at 6:00 pm.  The cost is FREE with the purchase of food, but donations will be accepted.

However, space is limited, and pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Government 101 (how government operates, how legislative and executive bodies work, how to get involved)
• Holding Government Accountable (how to hold leaders accountable once they are in office)
• Effectively Communicating Your Views (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

You are Invited to Learn how YOU Can Make a Difference in Your Community!

American Majority Arkansas is pleased to announce its Activist Training Program is coming to Springdale AR on Tuesday, August 24th from 6:00pm until 9:00pm.

The event will feature general sessions for individuals interested in becoming more effective activists and those who want to run for public office

The event will be located at the NWA Holiday Inn and Convention Center, 1500 South 48th Street Springdale, AR. Admission is $10 per person and online registration is requested.  If you are unable to register online, please call our office to secure admission.

Attendees will receive three hours of specialized training on subjects such as:

• Utilizing New and Traditional Media (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)
• Building Coalitions and Organizing Meaningful Events  (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Holding Elected Officials Accountable (how to communicate with elected officials and encourage transparency on a local level)
• Political Campaigns and Issue Advocacy Organizations (learn the basics of how to organize a campaign and lay your strategic groundwork)

Included in the training materials will be samples and supplements to help you apply what you learn in the training to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

To register for the event, please click here to use our online reservation system.  If you have any questions, please contact Kerry Baldwin at Kerry@americanmajority.org or Laurie Masterson at Laurie@americanmajority.org or call (501)-801-1030.

You are Invited to Learn how YOU Can Make a Difference in Your Community!

American Majority Arkansas is pleased to announce its Activist Training Program is coming to Nashville, AR on Tuesday, August 17th from 6:00pm until 9:00pm.

The event will feature general sessions for individuals interested in becoming more effective activists and those who want to run for public office

The event will be located at Mike’s Place, 815 South Main, Nashville, AR.

Admission is $10 per person and online registration is requested.  If you are unable to register online, please call our office to secure admission.

Attendees will receive three hours of specialized training on subjects such as:

• Utilizing New and Traditional Media (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)
• Building Coalitions and Organizing Meaningful Events  (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Holding Elected Officials Accountable (how to communicate with elected officials and encourage transparency on a local level)
• Political Campaigns and Issue Advocacy Organizations (learn the basics of how to organize a campaign and lay your strategic groundwork)

Included in the training materials will be samples and supplements to help you apply what you learn in the training to your organization, candidate, cause or community.