If you are thinking of canvassing... but hesitating... take a quick look below at just one of our experiences this weekend. And then go out there (after stopping by an Obama office) and visit with your fellow citizens!!
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"Are you the Obama folks who just left the literature at my door?" asked the women walking purposefully down the sidewalk.
"Uh-oh," I thought. My wife and I were visiting with another young woman and her 2-yr old a few doors down. We were on our second day of canvassing in NoVA, having decided to stop shouting at the Talking Heads on TV and actually get out and do something. You know the feeling... worrying yourself sick about how this country can’t take a 3rd term with these keystone cops who can’t shoot straight in control of things!
"I need to tell you how I feel," said the woman as she came up to us. "I’m a Republican... well I was a Republican. I’ve always voted Republican in the past... but not anymore. We need to clean house. I’m voting for Obama... you need to know that. This country needs to know that!!! I’ve had enough!!!!!!"
"So, you’re voting for a total Democratic slate?" I asked, hesitantly.
"Yes," she replied. "I work in a small government agency, and after 7 years, I’ve come to the conclusion after trying to deal with these Republican appointees that there are just very few of them that are competent or care a thing about what they are doing. In fact, if they screw things up, it just confirms their beliefs, since they don’t believe in government. They simply need to be sent packing."
"OK, would you say you have historically voted Republican, but are going to now vote for all Democrats," said my wife as she filled out the canvass sheet. "How would you describe yourself then, a Democrat, Republican, or Independent?"
The woman thought for a few seconds, and then finally replied, "I can’t describe myself as a Democrat yet... but there’s no way I’m a Republican anymore. They are bankrupt. I guess I have to say that I am now an Independent."
"We are supposed to ask strong Obama supporters if they have time to volunteer for the campaign... can you?" I asked.
"I wish I could, but I just don’t have time right now," the woman replied. "I’ve got a ton of work to do at the office and am trying to get a small business up and running on the side. But I am definitely going to vote for Obama... you can take that to the bank!"
My wife and I turned our attention back to the young mother. She was not on the list of registered voters, but her husband was, and he was not home.
"My husband is undecided, I know this because he told that to some of your people last week," she said as we picked up where we had left off prior to being interrupted by her animated neighbor.
"How about you," I asked adding, "you aren’t on this list, are you registered to vote?"
"I am undecided as well," she replied, and then said. "And I’m not registered either. I have been given registration forms before, but have never gotten them filled our or sent in by the deadline. And then once it’s passed, haven’t bothered."
"We have registration forms with us." I said. "Do you want to fill one out with us right now and we can get it sent in? The deadline here in Virginia is October 6th. There's not much time left."
"Well, I suppose we could if it didn’t take too long. It seems my neighbor seems to think this is a pretty important election." She replied.
"It’s only one sheet long, with about 7 places to fill out," I replied as I whipped out the folder, grabbed a pen and handed the clipboard and form to her.
"Oh, my," she said, "they want your social security number. Wow."
"Yes, that’s asking a lot, for you to give that to a stranger. But I have to fill out a receipt that you can keep. And it’s not like we are sending this out over an email or something." I replied.
"OK. I need to get registered. And if I don’t do it now, I probably won’t get it done again this year." she replied.
To finish this off... the woman filled out the registration form, and we got it back to the campaign later in the day. One more voter who I think will be swayed in the end to vote for Obama.
At least 30 or so volunteers have shown up the last two days at the place we have congregated before heading out. And almost all had not been out before.
We have never volunteered for a presidential campaign before. But we are so beside ourselves about everything that is and has gone on these last seven and a half years - it would take another couple of pages to just begin to list the crap, as you well know - that we simply could not sit and watch this play out anymore without trying to help change things. And yes, we are doing this for ourselves... but we are also doing this for our children, and grandchildren. (we are also telling our kids to get off their duffs as well!)
We will be doing this through November 3rd. On election day, November 4th, we are taking the day off to help get people to the polls... or whatever the campaign wants us to do.
Get out there and get involved.
Oh... and we gave more money to Obama today too.
WE HAVE SIMPLY HAD ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!