If we could just get a few more democratic voters to vote in rural areas, we could swing a lot of elections. Trying to convert a voter who is a die hard republican is a thankless job and usually a waste of time. Yet, on almost all projects that we are for, 60 to even 90% of the total population, agrees with us.
Using this logic, why don’t we try to put a petition on the ballot that most agree with. Forget about it being a democratic or republican issue. Make it an issue most want, even need, and then let the republicans try to shoot it down with their illogical arguments.
Let me give an example. In MO, for instance, what if we are collecting a petition for expanding Medicaid. Rural areas of MO are losing small town hospitals and can’t attract Doctors. This meets a key position of issues, it doesn’t cost anything. The argument can be made that states and towns will save enough money from what the program contributes to the state to more than pay for the small amount of shared state cost. In fact, it will save the state millions.
Let the Republicans come out against that petition which they will.
Now while we are collecting signatures on a petition, we can be signing up voters. After all, many of the rural areas will have a large share of the population needing Medicaid. We don’t have to even mention that it is a Democratic issue. When they go to vote, they will remember the huge amounts of money and effort the Republican party has spent trying to keep this benefit away from them.
And if they still vote Republican, at least they will have insurance and at the next election, they will once more hear the Republicans trying to take away their Medicaid.
Let us examine another issue. In MO, the rural school districts struggle because of the lack of money in the counties. The state has been reducing aid. So what if we had a petition bringing in more money for the school districts. If we put the tax on large corporations, then there would be no cost to the rural citizens. Of course, the Republicans are going to try to protect their protectors and the end result might be the same as in the above sample.
I really believe that if we cater to the rural districts without costing them money, we can ensure success. You may want to read my article on Petition Drives posted recently here at Daily Kos.