Total newspaper readership is about 80 Million (including readers of newspaper web sites). Not all of those readers are also reading progressive blogs - some of those readers, I'll guess, are independent voters that we need to reach.
Kos has said that if we want to see what the newspapers will publish next month, read a progressive blog. We can speed that cycle up by writing letters to editors. We can also reinforce one current theme or another by all writing and sending letters about the same topic.
Below the fold, I've posted a draft for a letter that you can modify and send this weekend. If enough people fire off a letter to the editor of their local paper (I'll know from the comment you add to this blog), I'll do the same thing next week and we can do our part to influence the direction of this election.
This weeks draft LTE is themed John McCain Lies.
Dear Editor,
John McCain lies about his ticket, and he lies about Barack Obama. How can we trust a man who will seemingly do anything to be elected President? Republican television ads, approved by John McCain, state that his running mate never asked for earmarks as governor. John McCain is not telling the truth - she asked for $197 million dollars this year and $256 million last year. What kind of integrity does a man have who approves ads that flat-out lie to the American people? What respect does he have for our country?
He's also lied about Barack Obama. Even Republican Senator Orin Hatch said McCain's statement that Obama's "Lipstick on a Pig" comment was about McCain's running mate was "ridiculous." McCain tries hard to shift the focus away from issues - away from our economy, from healthcare, and from the terrible record Republicans have in defending our country. Senator McCain has sacrificed his honor in a last-ditch effort to be elected President of the United States. I think his behavior disqualifies him.
Sincerely,
Please take this letter, modify it as you wish, and send it to your local newspaper. Local papers are good - they are very likely to publish the letter and you will reach your neighbors, people who could well be on-the-fence or ignoring the frenzy on the blogs. You'll have to do some research (ie. Google or go to your local paper's web site) to find the letter-to-the editor address.
Please add a comment if you send in a letter - I'm tempted to make this a weekly event if there is good support.
Update: The theme of this letter (McCain lies) is important today! There are newspaper articles today (The San Jose Mercury News has one on the front page) about "McCain Bends the Truth", with the "balanced" view that Obama does it too. Please send a letter to your paper stating that McCain lies. We don't need euphemisms for what he is doing, nor should Obama be dragged down to the same level by the MSM.