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 Kansas is pleased to announce an Activist and Candidate Training will be conducted on Saturday, March 12 in Ithaca, New York to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists and candidates.

The political training will take place at the VFW located at 423 W. State Street in Ithaca from 9:00am-2:00pm.  Registration opens at 8:45am.  The cost is $30 if you pre-register online by March 1st and $40 at the door.  Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

The Citizen Activist Training Program:

• Community Organizing for Freedom – Steps you can take in your community to find new leaders, increase transparency and find the votes.
• Building Coalitions – In this presentation we cover specifics on how to lead an organization, how to hold elected officials accountable, and how to work together with other organizations in your area. 
• The System We Face — An in-depth look at the system we’re in, the problems we’re faced with, how we got here, and what we can do about it.
• Patriotism and Communication – An exploration of how activists today can utilize social media to win the hearts and minds of fellow citizens, much like the pamphleteers of the American Revolution.

The Candidate Training Program:

• The System We Face — An in-depth look at the system we’re in, the problems we’re faced with, how we got here, and what we can do about it.
• Successful Campaign Planning – A campaign without a plan won’t get very far- this covers what a campaign plan should look like, what should be on it, and how detailed and flexible it should be.
• Effective Fundraising – The one thing every campaign needs, and can never get enough of is money. Learn what you need to know before you start fundraising.
• Strategic Communications – What is your message and how will you get it out? What kinds of media attention do you want to attract or avoid? What is the press saying about you, and how do you influence that?
• Getting Out the Vote –This presentation teaches you what you need to know in order for your last minute push for supporters to be successful.
• Campaign Online – Learn about how an online campaign reaches people that person-to-person contact never could, and opens up a new opportunity for fundraising.

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

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Beka Romm at (913) 940-7369 or e-mail Rebekah@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.

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. American Majority’s political training is designed to enhance your campaign effort through targeted education and resources.

American Majority is hosting a Candidate and Activist Training on Saturday, March 12 at the La Quinta Inn located at 311 Stadium Dr, Waxahachie, TX 75165. Upon completion of this political training seminar, candidates will receive continuing education materials, access to podcasts and other presentations, communications curriculum, and suggestions to help them utilize think-tank resources.

* Candidates: The training will run from 10:00am to 3:00pm- registration is $55 at the door, doors open at 9:30am. Topics will include:
- Fundraising
- Messaging
- GOTV, and more.

* Activists: The training will run from 10:00am to 1:00pm- registration is $30 at the door, doors open at 9:30am. Topics will include:
- The System (a look at the political system we have, how we got here, and what we can do about it)
- Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
- Modern Pamphleteering (harnessing the power of the web and social media for your cause or campaign)

Save $5 per person by pre-registering before March 10th!

I recently rediscovered an incredible John Adams quote that I absolutely love.

Ambition is one of the more ungovernable passions of the human heart. The love of power is insatiable and uncontrollable. There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty

What a gem – don’t you think?

The interesting thing about many of our Founders (Adams especially) was the disconnect often present between their philosophy and actions when in positions of power. Personally, I don’t think that speaks to a weakness in their character, but more so an understanding of their own lot in life; imperfect humans.

As we note in our training called “The System”, progressive historians like Philip Davidson and John C. Miller who want excuses to demonize a philosophy that is antithetical to the pursuit of their agenda, often attack the individuals espousing thoughts they disagree with, instead of discussing the merits of the views themselves. I think that’s an intellectually weak and juvenile way of trying to further one’s own ideas. Sadly, however, it’s also something you see from today’s militantly ideological wings of both the right and the left, and it adds nothing to the political discourse.

A perfect philosophy will always be shared with the world via an imperfect human. That’s why I don’t see men like Adams, Jefferson or Madison (among many others) as hypocrites. On the contrary, I believe they were humble men, inherently aware of their own imperfections via their comprehension of human nature.

That’s why their goal was to limit the breadth of power government could have in our lives in a structural sense; which we see via the philosophy that informs the values set forth in our Constitution. A rule of law, not of men, is the ideal. The extent to which that noble notion can be realized in practice is an entirely different issue, deserving of exploration in its own right.

Philosophy is wonderful; but as we’ve seen, despite the perfection of an idea, its execution is another story. I do think our Founders did the best they could in framing the Constitution (for the most part); but to what extent has it mattered in practice?

It makes me wonder if true limited government is actually possible. Frankly, I think it’s probably not – in a pure sense. But, given the tyranny so omnipresent in world history, I have to hand it to our Founders; the American Experiment has thus far, been the greatest example of liberty the world has ever seen.

Jefferson knew that the natural way of things is for government to expand over time, while liberty contracts. It’s why he advocated a new revolution for each generation. Despite the rhetoric, I don’t think Jefferson was calling for a violent uprising. I believe we can reasonably draw that conclusion, because he never sought to overthrow the U.S. government in the 38 years he lived after the Constitution was ratified. He warned, however, that it’s important for the American people to remind our leaders that we can (and will) fight back if necessary.

He said:

What country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance?

Despite imperfections in messaging, image and organization, I think the Tea Party movement is representative of that. I do wish entertainers with national profiles would stop attempting to hijack it for their own glorification – but that’s going to happen anytime a movement gains traction. I kind of consider it collateral damage, worthy of being noted, but ultimately ignored and not catered to.

Despite all obstacles, one thing’s for sure – our Founders knew there was danger from all men; themselves included.

So, the elections are over and the legislative sessions have begun. Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see what those freshmen legislators are going to do, and tea partiers are hanging on every quote and vote to hold them accountable. If you don’t think times are changing, think again. The Pulaski County Quorum Court now has their budget available online here http://www.co.pulaski.ar.us/comptroller.shtml and Arkansas legislators from the last session are having their reimbursements scrutinized with a fine tooth comb here http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/jan/30/expense-tabs-8-10-top-50000-20110130/ It’s never good news for a lawmaker when their expense reimbursements are listed in the state’s largest newspaper. And of course, the newspaper is blamed for doing “a very detrimental thing to the people of Arkansas in the way that you constantly hound elected officials and make them look bad,” Laverty said. “You all do it more than anyone else.”

Transparency….shining the light on the good, bad and ugly. It is one thing that all activists – conservatives, liberals, and just about everybody in between can agree upon.

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.

*The Jefferson City activist training will be rescheduled at a later date.*

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.

This event is being rescheduled- more information will be available when details have been finalized.

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. American Majority’s political training is designed to enhance your campaign effort through targeted education and resources.

American Majority and the Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Candidate Training School and Activist Training on Thursday, February 10.  The training will be held at the Ramada Palms, 201 E. University Ave, Las Cruces, NM.  Registration will open at 8:45am.

Regardless of campaign experience, American Majority’s Candidate Training Program makes running for office easier! American Majority’s Candidate Training Seminars are designed specifically to educate candidates on every level how to run effective and victorious campaigns and prepare them to become successful elected officials.

The American Majority Activist Training offers an opportunity for anyone to learn how to have a greater impact on their government. If you want to have your voice heard then this is the training for you! You will learn how to leverage online tools and engage with your elected officials as well as many other skills!

Lectures* from campaign veterans, including:

• The System: (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• New Media Engagement: The New Ways to Talk to Voters and Engage Supporters
• Patriotism 2.0: Effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms.
• Precinct Power: Build your candidacy or grassroots campaign from the ground up starting with the smallest geographic unit in politics.
• Implementing Freedom: Want to run for office? We will cover topics from traditional media engagement to advertising, from fundraising to GOTV. Come learn what it takes to run a successful campaign!
• Candidates will also have the opportunity for one on one media training!

Upon completion of this political training seminar, candidates will receive continuing education materials, access to podcasts and other presentations, communications curriculum, and suggestions to help them utilize think-tank resources.  Candidates will also have the opportunity to interact with other liberty-minded candidates and will receive a complimentary guidebook full of material to further assist in their campaigns.

Candidates are encouraged to bring their campaign staff or volunteers.  The Candidate training will run from 9:00am-3:00pm and includes lunch. Registration is $50 per person in advance, or $60 at the door.

The Activist training will run from 9:00am-12:00pm. Registration is $25 in advance, and $30 at the door.

Political Training Registration

For more information, contact Raz Shafer at Raz@AmericanMajority.org, or call 254-592-3361.

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.

*Lectures are subject to change.

The Wisconsin political scene continues to be very busy.   The new Governor and Legislature were sworn in on Monday.   Discussions about redistricting are beginning to circulate.  Also, the Spring Elections filing deadline passed on Tuesday.  Campaign Season is here again.

Some races in Wisconsin will not have a primary, but for those races that have a primary, there is not much time remaining. The field will be narrowed down to the candidates who make the general ballot in just over five weeks.  Since these are nonpartisan elections, the candidates do not have a party label next to their names on the ballots.  There is no guarantee that a conservative will make it to the general election just because of their party affiliation. So it is critical that conservative candidates campaign well in the next few weeks.

Conservatives need to not only make the general ballot, but they need to perform well in the primary.  Perceptions influence voters greatly in elections.  Accordingly, if you barely make the general ballot, the voters are less likely to vote for you in the general election because you will not be viewed as a frontrunner.  Voters want to vote for those who they perceive have the best chance to win.  They want to be a part of the winning team.  Conservatives need to emerge from the primaries as the frontrunners.

To learn how to be a frontrunner, you should attend an American Majority training.  American Majority Wisconsin will be in the LaCrosse area on Saturday and is planning additional Micro-Candidate trainings in other parts of Wisconsin. Come learn how to put yourself in a position to be able to win your election.

On a hot day in June 1815, standing atop a distant hill facing a red sea of British troops, Napoleon Bonaparte surveyed the military mass before him and realized Arthur Wellesley — the Duke of Wellington — was notably protecting his right flank with heavy amounts of cannon and artillery. Interpreting this to mean the Duke must be shielding a weak and vulnerable point, the Corsican determined he would launch an attack at exactly that spot, practicing his standard modus operandi of divide and conquer: hit your opponent where he is weak, force him to expend valuable reserves to protect the destabilized position therefore dividing his forces, and then aggressively press the middle to decimate a weakened center. Pointing to a farmhouse directly at the heart of this right periphery, Napoleon ordered his generals, “We’ll begin the attack there, at Hougoumont.”

As history would later dictate, this particular dwelling, Château d’Hougoumont, was held by a resolute British force that pushed back repeated advances from a superior-numbered French infantry. In a unique twist of events the strategy backfired on Napoleon: by sending waves of his men to take the Château, he stretched his troops thin and diluted the sum of his total force. This — combined with a late arrival of Blücher and his Prussian brigade — helped secure final defeat and eventual exile of the French Emperor. Despite its pivotal role in determining the battle’s outcome, Hougoumont stands as a subset of the larger conflict known as Waterloo.

As the 112th Congress convenes in Washington, the United States Senate stands as a modern-day Hougoumont, caught between a freshly minted conservative House of Representatives and a White House steadfastly holding to a Leftist ideology.

Legislation is meant to pass easier with much less parliamentary hassle in the People’s House, a simple majority is all that is needed for passage; conversely the Senate has a tradition of slow-going, debating the finer points of government policy and minutiae — one senator can hold up an entire bill single-handedly, and the filibuster serves as a counter-weight to the majority party, allowing the minority to force the party in power to garner 60 votes to end debate and bring a vote to the floor. At the top of the pyramid stands the White House, attempting to influence proposed law, hoping to have approved legislation it can sign into law and exterminate in congress ones the president wishes to avoid altogether.

Notwithstanding her devotion to all-things-bureaucratic, boundless energy to socialize anything that moves, and ubiquitous plastic smile, Nancy Pelosi has exited the stage far Left. In her absence, along with a presence of a solid Republican House majority, it is largely expected that a slew of conservative bills will emerge and pass the lower congressional chamber en masse. It is already viewed as a bold move that by weeks end Speaker Boehner will present a one-page bill to entirely repeal Obamacare — crown jewel of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid triumvirate, not to mention the recipient of the highest number of ‘Likes’ on Obamacare’s Facebook page from members of the New York City Sanitation Union and Humanities Department at New Hampshire State University. But I digress.

Once this revocation of socialized medicine — along with other bills to curtail spending, prevent tax increases, and keep Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his band of merry men out of a United States courtroom — emanates from the House it will most assuredly meet stiff resistance in the Senate, abetted by some string-pulling from White House liaisons to keep such bills away from the president’s desk.

It will be in the Senate where the heavy debating and strategic fighting will take place; where a frustrated public will have to listen to the ‘Gentlewoman from California’ explain why an exploding deficit and threats of hyperinflation are not really a big deal and there is no reason to curtail government spending. Newly elected Senators supported by the growing Tea Party movement will face off with antiquities who have held their seats for time immemorial: will a conservative Rand Paul emerge victorious in a debate with the Leftist relic John Kerry? More voting Americans identify themselves as conservative now than in recent memory, will Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell use this to his advantage, or cut a deal with Senate Democrats? At what lengths, or depths, will Senators go to invoke a filibuster? If the Senate passes a bill and sends it to the White House, under what conditions will Obama sign it into law or further the debate by using his veto pen? Many issues lay just under the surface and are sure to explode in the upcoming session: extending the national debt ceiling, closing Guantanamo, bailing out bankrupt states and cities, addressing illegal immigration, reducing spending levels to previous rates in 2008 or 2006 to mention a few. All of the above and more will have their fate determined in the Senate. And finally, keep in mind how all this will influence the 2012 election.

A lot is out there and much will be on the table, the Senate will serve as the dividing line between Congressional Republicans and President Obama, and that is where the real battle will take place.

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 Minnesota is pleased to announce that a Candidate/Activist Training will be conducted on Saturday, February 19 in St. Paul, MN to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective candidates and activists.

The political training will take place at The Kelly Inn, located at 161 St. Anthony Ave, in St. Paul from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Registration opens at 8:30 am. The cost is $30 per candidate and $15 for each activist or additional person that a candidate brings.

Space is limited.  Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• Your Campaign Plan to Win (Planning for the Time, People and Money to Win).
• Dollars and Sense (Fundraising for What You Need, Not What You Can Get).
• New Media Engagement (The New Ways to Talk to Voters and Engage Supporters).
• Grassroots Action (How Ordinary People Can Get Extraordinary Results).

Personalized communications training from the field’s finest consultants.

Interaction with individuals thoroughly involved with the issues confronting your state.

The opportunity to network with other liberty-minded candidates and activists.

A complimentary resources guidebook full of supplemental material designed to further assist candidates and activists.

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.  A light breakfast and lunch along with refreshments will be provided.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Michael Yost at 651-343-5558 or e-mail at michael@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.

Despite a Budget Deficit that has been estimated to be around $3 Billion in Wisconsin, State Government Agencies have requested a 6.2% Budget Increase from the prior two year period.  These requests amount to an astromical $4 Billion in increased spending.

Big government begets big government.  These requests demonstrate why the Wisconsin electorate this past November voted overwhemlingly for conservatives who would cut wasteful spending and end the era of big government in Wisconsin.  Listen to the people of Wisconsin:  Cut the wasteful spending!

In a story that has been playing out for a few days, outgoing Pulaski Circuit/County Clerk, Pat Obrien is wanting to shred court documents. In an article from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette “O’Brien said the records needed to be shredded to help avert a storage crisis. The files had been electronically duplicated, and made easily and reliably accessible by computer to the judges”

It was also reported that over 50,000 files from cases dating from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s by Obrien’s predecessor. So why the brouhaha now? Maybe someone in Pulaski county could let me know.

I believe that there are a great number of people who would love to get involved, become more effective and make a greater impact on their communities helping to secure the future for their families but they are “so busy” that they don’t see how.

We may often wish for more time but each of us only gets 24 hours, 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds each day. How we use that time and spend our money reflects where your heart is. If you want a real clear picture of where your priorities are then go through your checkbook and your calendar for the last six months and you will see.

I get all the time “man you are so busy how do you get it all done?” So I decided to share some things that have helped me to maximize the 24 hours I have in my day to be the most effective for my beliefs.
Not only am I a political junkie but I am also a PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) enthusiast. As a matter of fact this is my morning video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg... Okay, just kidding.

Priorities

First and foremost I HAD to make a list of priorities. This helped me
discern the urgent from the important. I like to refer to this chart~ The Time Management Matrix.
Although I need to get both urgent and important activities done, I should spend less time on activities that are not that important (regardless of their urgency). If I want to gain greater control over my time I must focus on the important activities reducing those that become urgent.

Here’s what my list of priorities looks like~ God, family, friends, country, work, me. About twice a year I have to look back at what I have spent my time, money and energies on to see if it lines up with what I say and want my priorities to be.

To Do List

What helps me most in keeping priorities in line and using my time wisely is making a to-do list and calendar. I keep a calendar that has a view of the year, month and day on me at all times. As soon as an invitation comes in or a scheduled event, I write it in my calendar and then on our family calendar on our refrigerator. Each member of our family is responsible for making sure their “events” get posted.

I started this habit with my children early, each had a color and when school calendars came out they each wrote down what they had to do.(makes for a lot less confusion and missed events).
Each evening, I make a list in my planner of the next day’s
schedule. I use letters to prioritize A, B or C. For instance getting my bills paid is an A, going to the grocery store is B and getting my nails done is a C.  I know that I work Monday thru Friday 9-5 with an hour for lunch. So that means if I need to get my dogs to the vet I plan to take them in at 7:30 and stop at the grocery on the way home, then back to the house by 9 and off to work. Knowing what I have to do the next day (opposed to what I WANT to do)makes life so much easier. When I have something that is due a long time off, for instance: Taxes, I write in my calendar April 15th, but then I go to April 1st and write down “taxes due in two weeks”, then I go to the middle of March and write down “taxes due in one month.” Doing so means no surprises.

Get the gook out

Getting my life organized meant getting rid of a lot of gook. I Now have three bins in my office. Number 1: The must-read or get-paid Number 2: What I’d like to read or donate Number 3: Off to the trash can. It took lots of discipline, but some mail or communications I don’t open anymore because I know they will only be time suckers. If it isn’t something that will help me be a better Christian, wife, mother or citizen, then out it goes.

Eliminating the gook doesn’t only mean all the paper and mail. But I also had to get rid of other “time suckers” like TV, computer games, and fictional reading. It’s not that I don’t enjoy or participate in those things anymore; I just limit that to discretionary time. If I get all my A’s and B’s done then I feel I can reward myself with the C’s like having my nails done, or playing pogo games.
I’m a firm believer in the fact that that each of us has only so many minutes on this planet and what we do with each of those minutes we also will be held accountable for. So I try not to waste too much on what I construe as “frivolous.” I sincerely want to make a difference in my community and the lives of my children. Watching hours of TV a day does nothing to help me achieve that goal. It doesn’t mean that others who delegate their time differently aren’t good and concerned people. It only means this is my perception of how I view what I can do during my own brief lifetime.

Goal Setting

After I set my priorities it becomes important to set some
goals personally, as a married couple and as a family as well as goals for work. For instance, personally I had several books that I wanted to get read, in our marriage we like to play golf, particularly playing together in couple’s tournaments. But that eats up three full days and hundreds of dollars. So we had to choose the ones we liked the best, get them on the calendar and budget for them.

We also wanted to be completely out of debt (which, outside of our home we fortunately are). And as a family we like to travel, so we have to coordinate calendars well ahead and budget for that. For work I wanted to have an average of two trainings each month while also making make a certain number of new contacts across Arkansas. I also prefer to set short-term, mid and long-term goals, which also helps keep me on track. The bottom line is that we all have to find our socks before we can put our boots on the ground and begin making a difference in whatever ways we might choose. I’ve found that it’s crucial to get myself organized and prioritized. And I promise it will work for you, too.

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 Kansas is pleased to announce a series of Activist Trainings will be conducted on September 20, 21 and 22nd in Lexington, Louisville and Williamstown, KY to provide citizens with the tools necessary to become effective activists.

The political training will take place in coordination with the local 912 groups:

Topics* to be covered during the Training include:

• The System (understanding the system we face, the reforms the progressive movement has implemented and what we can do to break the system)
• Precinct Power (learn how to identify precincts within a district to target and what you can do to reach out to targeted voters within those precincts)
• Ten Tips to Victory (learn what you can do in these final few weeks and months leading up to election day)

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

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Beka Romm at 913-940-7369 or e-mail rebekah@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.

At one of our trainings recently, I had the opportunity to sit in on a presentation from American Majority spokesperson Anita MonCrief.  You might remember hearing about her when she blew the whistle on ACORN voter fraud in 2008, having been employed by its writing and research department since 2005.

She shared cases of voter fraud from around the country, including the recent case of Harris County, TX.  Then she taught our attendees how to conduct legitimate and legal voter registration drives, and how to identify, find and expose corruption in their own communities.

We are often questioned about this topic, so I thought I would share a few of her points-

1. Voter registration fraud: what is it?  It is “the act of registering to vote, or registering someone else to vote, when fraud is involved.”
2. Voter registration fraud can include filling out and submitting a voter registration card for a fictional person, or registering a real person to vote without that person’s consent.

To identify voter fraud, here are a few important tips-

1. Get involved before election day.
2. Educate yourself- contact your county board of elections or clerk, and know the laws for your particular area.
3. Become a poll worker.  Monitor what is happening on election day.  My mom became a poll worker last year, and while sitting next to the ballot box knitting away, she makes sure that only people who are legitimately registered to vote are allowed to do so.
4. Gather evidence- be armed with a camera, video camera, etc.  Without evidence, anything you uncover cannot be backed up.
5. Report what you find!  Whether it’s turning it into voter fraud hotlines, contacting your county clerk or publishing the fraud you find on your blog or social networks (facebook, twitter, etc), make sure that you tell your story.

In a country formed such as ours, nothing is more sacred or crucial than the legitimacy of our electoral process.  Use these tips to get involved and make a difference in these important upcoming months!

Growing up in the 80’s one of the mantra’s I’ve heard most of my life is: “Don’t discuss politics and religion.” in polite company.

(As an aside I found this “starter piece” on The Etiquette of Talking Politics, I don’t agree fully but she makes some excellent points, especially for newbies)

I always wondered why that was especially since those pretty much define the belief system of every living person on this spinning planet. Even if a person is an atheist and apolitical, those beliefs still define what they do and how they engage in everyday life. So in effect, what we have done is perpetuate the ignorance of millions of Americans, justifying why they don’t need to be informed and engaged citizens, in the name of politeness or more accurately political correctness.

Politics

Politics defined is the science and art of running a government. Most
of us, however, tend to think of politics as people who are
opportunistic or scheming. It is my belief that this is why most
Folks want nothing to do with it, perhaps for fear of being tarnished. So
why bother? Especially given today’s climate of partisanship and
vitriol, who needs the additional stress?

Well, I would contend that, by default, each and every one of us is

political by our very existence. Our homes are political, our jobs,
our churches even our friendships are political.
Think not? If you are married and you want to purchase something that perhaps your spouse wouldn’t be overly elated about do you think of how to frame the item so it seems more appealing? Have ever embellished a story to impress another? Ever told a friend that you were doing something else because you didn’t want to hurt their feelings? The examples of politics in everyday life are endless.

So why is it when it comes to what affects our lives on a daily
basis – with regard to the laws that regulate our lives and those of our children – do we shy away? It’s been said that people may think they can ignore politics, but politics will not ignore you. Taxes and regulations invade our lives whether we vote or not.

The laws that govern our cities, state and nation dictate things as
simple as where we live, what and where we drive, where our
children go to school, what they learn in school. Our churches are restricted by what they can say. There are laws awaiting approval as I type this that will determine what we eat, how much gas we can use, how much rain run-off we can have and even the size of our lawn mowers and even the types of light bulbs we use.

I’ve also heard it said that no answer is an answer in itself. I guess this is the stance of those who choose not to get involved in politics.

If this is your choice, my question is why? Do you not care about the future of your children (an ADOST (attention deficit Oh Shiney Thing) moment~ little Whitney just for fun), your community your faith? As you “stand idly by” and allow laws and regulations to be passed without your input? After all, your life is being altered and you are choosing to be a victim through your chosen inaction.

So if you are a political junkie like me, a teacher in the Bronx or just a housewife in Minnesota you are needed by your community to get informed and engaged. I’ll repeat from posts of yonder days: If not you, who? If not now, when?