What is UniteBlue?

I have been a member of UniteBlue.org since February of 2013. When I joined, I had about 2400 followers on Twitter. Since joining, I have gotten over 17,300 new followers. UniteBlue.org is a "progressive community that first took root on Twitter." http://uniteblue.org/info/about/ It's core mission is to "connect, empower and amplify the Left." Over one million connections have been made through this organization. It is run by volunteers and only exists by donations. Why should you contribute to UniteBlue.org? Please read Zach Green's commentary for the answer:  http://uniteblue.org/community/2014/09/we-need-your-help/

I know you are being asked on a daily basis for donations to important causes. I am too. BUT, we have to step up to the plate now,  before it's too late. Right now the Values Voters' Summit is happening in Washington DC. They think their values are the only ones of importance to America! They are wrong and you and I know it! They have plenty of sponsors, from Family Research Council to the Liberty Council/Institute. If we sit on our pocketbooks and let these folks have all the political influence, they plan to set up a Theocracy and legislate their values and ONLY their values. If you think I am exaggerating, just take a look at their summit. It is being aired on C-span2 and has a live feed to the main speakers. If you are on Twitter, check out the tweets on #VVS14 and you will see what they plan for us.

If everyone who is a member of UniteBlue.org and others on the left would just donate $5.00, this wonderful organization can continue its presence on Twitter to counter-balance the negativity of the right wing. Please consider going to https://uniteblue.org/donate/index.php  and doing your part for the Liberal cause. Thank you.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

Which Ratings Will Matter?

Many pundits believe that low presidential approval ratings are bad for the same party candidates in the midterm elections. But, is that really true? A recent article in the Wall Street Journal  questioned the validity of that belief. They suggest that past elections see that trend, but, it is not a given.
 http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/09/22/do-presidential-approval-ratings-really-matter-in-midterm-elections/

The disapproval ratings of the US Congress, however, may have an impact on the midterm election outcomes, suggests an article from FiveThirtyEight.com . Harry Enten's June 18th article, "Congress' Low Approval Rating is Hurting Republicans", says that voters feelings about Republican control of Congress may very well affect how they vote in the midterm election.  http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/congresss-low-approval-rating-is-hurting-republicans/ Remember that this article was written before Congress recessed for a FIVE week vacation in August, returned to work for EIGHT days, and then recessed until after the midterm election. The Sept. 8 release of Gallop poll has Congress at their lowest approval rating in history! 14% Gallop's own analysis suggested that voters will be voting Democratic this fall. http://www.miamiherald.com/incoming/article1991336.html

So, don't give up. Keep posting POSITIVE messages about our President and his achievements. If you need ideas of things to share, please see this:  http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_2012/features/obamas_top_50_accomplishments035755.php?page=all  and this:   http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/02/15/a-long-list-of-president-obamas-accomplishments-with-citations/

If we Democrats who are active on social media, commit to daily sharing of positives, we may just be a decisive factor in the November election. In any case, sharing positives can't hurt. Please check out the #POTUSPositive hashtag if you are on twitter and add it to any of your tweets that relay positive information about our president. Thanks for all you do to Get Out The Vote and help Democrats.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

Talk is Cheap

The United Nations passed a resolution condemning terrorism. President Obama said that words spoken and words on paper won't stop these groups. Actions are the only thing that will work to stop them. America wants to work with the nations of the world to address the problems of the world. President Obama is hoping to create a vision for world leaders. As chair of the summit, President Obama cited Ban Ki Moon's "Missile's kill terrorists but only good governance kills terrorism." 

That's the truth the world leaders need to address. If you missed it, here is the President's address:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/09/24/choosing-hope-president-obama-s-address-united-nations

"US President Barack Obama on Wednesday led the UN Security Council in unanimously approving a binding resolution on stemming the flow of foreign jihadists to Iraq and Syria.

The resolution requires all countries to adopt laws that would make it a serious crime for their nationals to join jihadist groups such as Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front." http://news.yahoo.com/un-security-council-passes-binding-resolution-jihadists-191829842.html

President Obama made history today as the first US President to chair the UN Security Council Summit TWICE! I don't know about you, but, I am very proud that I supported him and that he is our President. That's a #POTUSPositive we can all tweet about!

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

The GOP Lies About ACA Just Don't Hold Up

Almost everyday there is new information released that shows the GOP "facts" about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be complete falsehoods. Just last week, an administration official, Marilyn Tavenner, announced that 7.3 Million enrollee's in ACA had paid premiums. That means that more than 90% of the 8 Million enrolles in ACA had PAID for it!

Speaker Boehner questioned how many enrolled in ACA had actually paid premiums. Do you think he will now tell his followers the truth? Do you think the Right Wing media will tell it? One thing we can count on is that media will be silent on any good news related to the Affordable Care Act.  http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/obamacare-trutherism-out-to-pasture

If you want truth about ACA, where do you go? Here is one site:  http://obamacarefacts.com/affordable-care-act-facts.php Here is the HHS website:  http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/timeline/

Did you know there are helpers called Healthcare Navigators? They provide in-person assistance for people who are trying to enroll or decide upon a plan:   http://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Health-Insurance-Marketplaces/assistance.html

Latest news:  http://www.vox.com/2014/9/24/6836181/in-conservative-media-obamacare-is-a-disaster-in-the-real-world-it-s

The bottom line is that there are resources available to anyone who wants to learn and who has an openness to factual information.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

What is Citizens United?

What is Citizens United (CU)? We've all heard that term and vaguely know that it has something to go with money and speech. Right? First of all, Citizens United is a non-profit group that is dedicated to promoting conservative issues. On the main page it says, "Dedicated to Restoring Our Government to Citizens' Control" http://www.citizensunited.org/ It is strictly a Republican organization with a purpose to promote Republican candidates and values. According to the website it is the Citizens United Foundation (CUF) that is the affiliate that " is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit dedicated to informing the American people about public policy issues which relate to traditional American values: strong national defense, Constitutionally limited government, free market economics, belief in God and Judeo-Christian values, and the recognition of the family as the basic social unit of our society. " Therefore, they claim the CUF does not involve itself in any political activities. This is how they use our tax laws to further their political goals. 

This group successfully sued the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in 2008 and won in a landmark decision at the US Supreme Court. The SCOTUS ruled that the Federal government cannot limit "corporations - or, for that matter, unions, associations or individuals - from spending money to influence the outcome of elections. The ruling led to the creation of super PACs."  http://uspolitics.about.com/od/firstamendment/a/Citizens-United.htm We already covered that topic in a previous post.   http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/2014/08/money-and-politics-and-super-pacs.html?spref=tw

So how did it get to the point that this group sued the FEC? One of the affiliates of CU called the Citizens United Productions (CUP) produced a film entitled, "Hillary: The Movie" and the FEC ruled that it represented electioneering communications and that it was prohibited under Federal Law, specifically the bipartisan McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act of 2002. After their appeal of the decision was turned away by the Federal court, CU appealed the decision to the US Supreme Court, which ruled 5-4 in favor of CU.  For more detail on the case, see:  http://uspolitics.about.com/od/firstamendment/a/Citizens-United.htm

Just to illustrate how ludicrous the whole Super Pac situation has become thanks to the CU ruling, Jon Stewert and Stehpen Colbert taped a segment that has become a classic:   http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/3pwzi5/colbert-super-pac---not-coordinating-with-stephen-colbert

But the good news it that Democrats can also use this ruling to set up their own CU type groups and they have. Because money has become speech, we must all know who is funding our candidates. That is why a group like Open Secrets is so vital to an informed electorate. We must make the effort to find out.
Other relevant links include:  https://movetoamend.org/ and https://www.opensecrets.org/ and http://www.citizensunitedagainstcitizensunited.org/


Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

Tomorrow is National Voter Registration Day

Tomorrow is National Voter Registration Day. Are you registered? Are you sure? What about your family and friends? Hundreds of events are being held across the country on Tuesday, September 23. This link has a directory of events:   http://www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org/events

"In 2008, 6 million citizens didn't vote because they missed a registration deadline or didn't know how to register." http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/about  Now, we want to make sure no one is left out.

"National Voter Registration Day has been made possible in part by a working group of organizations providing coordination and support. These organizations include, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Education Fund, Bus Federation Civic Fund, Fair Elections Legal Network, League of Women Voters, Nonprofit VOTE, Rock the Vote, and Voto Latino."  

It is encouraging to know that over 2000 groups in all 50 states have united to make this happen. Please click on the link and find an event in your area.  http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/events

Also, if you aren't registered, please click on this link to do it:   http://nationalvoterregistrationday.org/register-to-vote

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

Congress is On Vacation Again!!!!

What does it mean when our Congress goes on recess? After just 8 days in session this month, Congress decided to go home until after the midterm elections. Basically, when Congress is in recess, business has been put on hold! Is this the time for Congress to do that? Let's see:  we've just gone to war against ISIS, we still need to act on immigration, need to act on so many things BUT >>> we'd better wait until after the November 4th Midterm election. That way, we won't make anybody mad so they'll vote us out. Well, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. What a bunch of cowards! You know that if you call your representative to complain about the inaction of this Congress, they will sympathize with you but tell you they can't do anything about it. What a bunch of hooey! I agree with murphthesurf, this Congress is REPREHENSIBLE!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/18/1330797/-With-so-much-to-do-CONGRESS-LEAVES-DC-until-after-the-midterms-REPREHENSIBLE#

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

Political Debates - Do They Matter?

Political Debates - Do they matter anymore? A recent article in Huffington Post looked at recent debates to see if they are dying out or still relevant. For many years, it has been a tried and true part of the process of any election. The incumbent would agree to a set number of public debates with the challengers for the office. This process would give voters an opportunity to see the candidates in action and hear their responses to moderator questions and to each other. It seems that this year, many incumbents are declining to debate their challengers. Ask yourself why they would make that choice. See this link for more:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-moulthrop/are-political-debates-dyi_b_5816224.html

Just this week, Senator Mitch McConnell (R) KY, has declined a debate with his opponent, Alison Lundergen Grimes, (D). Apparently, in this debate, McConnell was going to have to answer questions and debate in front of a live audience. Both of these options were not to his liking. So, voters in Kentucky will have only one opportunity to see the two candidates in action. You can draw your own conclusions as to why McConnell would refuse this debate, but, many are suggesting that he is running scared.   http://www.politicususa.com/2014/09/17/mitch-mcconnell-turns-yellow-refuses-debate-alison-lundergan-grimes.html

Are the voters entitled to see the candidates debate in a public forum? To help you decide, please take a few minutes to watch this trip down memory lane of unforgettable moments in political debates:   http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/02/us/politics/debate-moments.html?_r=0

I suggest they are vital to the political process by helping us refine our view of the candidates; and, that electors should demand that candidates provide such a forum.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

Yesterday was Constitution Day

Do you have your own copy of the Constitution? If you have a question about it, do you know where to go to find the answer? Here's one you can bookmark for future reference:  https://www.aclu.org/constitution-united-states-america

Do you know how America got a day to celebrate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787? Senator Byrd attached an amendment to an appropriations bill to designate September 17 as Constitution Day.

Most of us had some kind of civics or American History class where we studied the Constitution but, how much do we really remember. Well, click on the link and you can take a quiz to find out how much you know about our wonderful Constitution:   http://www.constitutionfacts.com/  I took the simple quiz and got 9 out of 10 correct. How did you do?

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

What is Same Day Voter Registration?

What is same day voter registration (SDR)? Why would we want to implement that anyway? According to the National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) , SDR is a process that allows:   "any qualified resident of the state to go to the polls or an election official's office on Election Day, register that day, and then vote."
 http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/same-day-registration.aspx

Currently, ten states plus the District of Columbia allow SDR. Two other states, California and Illinois, will soon be joining them. California will implement as soon as CA's Secretary of State certifies that the state has a statewide voter registration database that, "complies with the requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 (no sooner than January 2014)." Illinois will implement SDR only for 2014 election on November 4 and only in select location. In addition, Utah has a "Pilot project" to test SDR that will run through 2016.

So what's the big deal with SDR? Whom does it benefit? What are the possible problems? At first glance, it seems like a great idea. Many young people are very mobile and often forget to change their voter registrations in the process of moving. Then, when election day comes, they aren't able to vote in their new location. SDR would seem to help get them to the polls. Possible problems come in with assuring the process is implemented without fraud. First, in order to use SDR, a citizen has to furnish proof of residency and proof of voter identification. Then, many states also apply various other methods to guard against fraud. See the link above. The SDR process works and many people can benefit. Now, ask yourself why so many Republicans are against it. I think we know. They don't want that population voting. They know they will lose if more young people vote. That is why we Democrats need to support efforts to move state toward SDR.  For another view on this subject, see this:  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/09/16/1330145/-Republicans-suppress-because-they-ve-lost-America

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

A Reaction to the NY Times Article on Midterm Election Turnout

If you are running for office, it's pretty obvious that you want to get elected. Political parties want to get their candidates elected. The Times article tells of efforts to reach out to certain demographic groups who have not recently participated in elections. According to research analysis explained in the article the following groups were less likely to be registered or vote in recent elections: voters under age 30, black and Hispanic voters, and single women. The article tells how parties are reaching out to these voters and trying to get them engaged in the up coming November 4 midterm election. It also tells of efforts to reduce voter turnout among these groups.

One idea they mentioned was reminder cards. At registration the person fills out a card and the party mails it back to them prior to the election. Will it work? Who knows, but, coupled with face-to-face, door-to-door voter contact, it sure couldn't hurt. I think it's an idea worth trying.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentaryhttp://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

 http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/opinion/a-bigger-midterm-election-turnout.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

Will Voter Suppression Efforts Backfire?

Everyday we hear of new efforts to suppress the rights of certain segments of the voting population. Just last week a Federal court ruled that Ohio's cuts to early voting days and elimination of same day voter registration violated the Voting Rights Act's ban on racial discrimination. See this:
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/ohios-voting-restrictions-rejected-federal-court

Now, ask yourself why Ohio wants to restrict voting rights? I think you know the answer. They are trying to make it harder to vote on Blacks and other populations that tend to vote for Democrats.

Many of the professionals who study voting patterns believe that these voting restrictions are a key variable in the midterm election. Pundits are wondering whether these restrictions will tilt close races in favor of the Republicans. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/04/us/politics/voting-restrictions-are-key-variable-in-midterm-elections.html?_r=0

In North Carolina, there has been a non-partisan effort to register new voters. Hundreds of NC voters have been disenfranchised by the new voter laws in that state. Just read this story of an Afganistan war veteran:

"Craig Thomas of Granville County, North Carolina, registered to vote before he deployed toAfghanistan with the US Army. After serving abroad for eighteen months, he went to vote early in the state’s primary on April 30. He returned from Afghanistan to the same house, in the same precinct, but was told at the polls that there was “no record of registration” for him.

In the past, Thomas could have re-registered during the early voting period and cast a regular ballot under the state’s same-day registration system. But same-day registration was one of the key electoral reforms eliminated by the North Carolina legislature last year when it passed the nation’s most onerous package of voting restrictions. In 2014, Thomas had to cast a provisional ballot, which was not counted. After fighting abroad, he was disenfranchised at home."  http://www.thenation.com/blog/181566/hundreds-voters-are-disenfranchised-north-carolinas-new-voting-restrictions#   A preliminary injunction was not granted to prevent these laws from going into effect, but, "An expedited appeal to block the new restrictions before the midterms will be heard by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Charlotte on September 25."

According to this article in Think Progress , "more than 24,000 voters in the ten states with strict laws that prevent citizens from casting a ballot if they do not show photo ID at the polls."
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/09/10/3565571/24000-voters-could-be-disenfranchised-in-november-because-they-are-transgender/

Previously (http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/2014/09/voting-laws-impact-on-voter-turnout.html), we looked at voting laws' impact on voter turnout. What impact do you think these efforts to restrict voting rights will have on the people whose rights are being disenfranchised? Will they simply discourage them and cause them to give up and stay home? Or will these efforts backfire and spur those voters to do everything in their power to cast a vote this year? What would you do if they were trying to keep you from voting?

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack

Voting Laws Impact on Voter Turnout

Sometimes things just don't work according to plan. Many states have tried various attempts to increase voter turnout. Some of the strategies are:  early voting, Election Day registration, and same day registration which allows voters to register and vote the same day, but not on election day.  A study funded in part by the Pew Charitable Trusts and reported in the American Journal of Political Science looked at the impact of these attempts to increase voter turnout. An article by Rich Moran on the Pew site, related that early voting when implemented alone actually negatively impacted voter turnout. He also noted that Election Day registration significantly increased voter turnout. Why should this be true? The researchers said, "it’s because early voting robs “Election Day of its stimulating effects,” reducing social pressure to vote and gives less reason for campaigns to motivate their supporters and get them to the polls." For more detailed analysis see this:  
 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/09/23/study-early-voting-associated-with-lower-turnout/

They also say that same day registration takes advantage of all the buzz surrounding the event and the social pressure to actually vote. The researchers said it, “eliminates the need to register before the campaign reaches maximum intensity and focuses social and political activity on a single day.  Election Day is abuzz with discussion, media coverage, and last-minute contacts from parties and candidates, factors that can exert a mobilizing impact on a wider group of potential voters in (Election-Day registration) states.” 

So, we can theorize on what encourages people to get out and vote and write laws to increase voter participation. Or, we can do like some states are doing and write laws and implement policies designed to decrease voter participation within certain demographic areas.  Wonder how well that is working out? In looking for the answer to that question, I found an interesting article at The Brennan Center for Justice, "Voting Laws Roundup 2014." Here, we find that ten states have passed 13 laws this year to expand voting rights and three states have passed 5 restrictive laws affecting voting rights.  http://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/voting-laws-roundup-2014
 It will be interesting to see if laws designed to decrease voter participation actually achieve that goal.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/

Voter Turnout

Several states held their primaries on September 9. One thing they had in common was low voter turnout. Now we know that historically voters don't get too excited about primaries. This is really irrational thinking on the part of the voters who sit it out. As I wrote in an earlier blog, the primary is vital; as in most cases, that is where the candidates are selected for the general election ballot. How often do you hear someone say they don't like any of the candidates? Well, be sure to ask them if they voted in the primary or participated in the caucus that set the candidate slate. Here's a link to my earlier blog on the importance of primaries:  http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/2014/07/how-important-are-primary-elections.html

In the recent New York primary, guess who sat out the election?  http://albany.twcnews.com/content/news/767847/voter-turnout-for-primary-elections-typically-low-across-new-york-state/   According to the article, Democrats' turnout was poor in Saratoga County. Sure it is a Republican stronghold, but; how can it change if Democrats don't vote?

The statistics aren't all in yet on the 2014 primary turnout. But we can look at what things historically affect it. According to http://www.fairvote.org/research-and-analysis/voter-turnout/what-affects-voter-turnout-rates/
there are four things that tend to impact voting rates. They are:  competitiveness of the races, election type, voting laws, and demographics. Obviously, a very competitive race encourages voter turnout. The primary and local elections tend to have lowest, often with mayoral races being decided by just a few votes. In a town near me the current mayor was selected by lottery after she won by TWO votes and absentee ballots came in with TWO for her opponent. http://www.cinewsnow.com/news/local/Havana-mayor-decided-by-lottery-203108351.html

We looked at demographics in a recent blog:  http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/2014/09/ever-wonder-who-actually-votes.html  Soon, we will be looking at voting laws and how they impact voter turnout. Stay tuned.

https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveDemocratsMovingForwardNotBack on Twitter @PDMFNB

What's Up with Political Polls?

It seems like everyday we get another news story about another political poll. One day it's good news and the next we are depressed by the results of another poll. How do we know which poll or pundit to trust? Have you ever wondered how Mitt Romney felt on election night 2012 after polls had him beating President Obama? Romney and his entire campaign put their trust in polls and came up lacking in a big way.

According to the Pew Center, pre-election polling is one of the few ways they can actually measure the validity of their polling. They can look at voting results and compare that data to their polling data.  http://www.people-press.org/methodology/election-polling/

Did you know that there is a National Council on Public Polls (NCPP)? Well, I didn't either until I started this quest about polling validity. According to the NCPP, there are 20 questions that journalists should use in looking at public polling data. I think they are actually good for all of us to know. Are you interested in knowing how the NCAA suggests a reporter analyze a poll? If so, please go here for the article:  http://www.ncpp.org/?q=node/4   Maybe even copy and paste it to your favorite journalist! Here is a PDF file you can send to them:  http://www.ncpp.org/files/20%20Questions%203rd%20edition_Web%20ver_2006.pdf

In short, here are the 20 questions:

1. Who did the poll?
2. Who paid for the poll and why was it done?
3. How many people were interviewed for the survey?
4. How were those people chosen?
5. What area (nation, state, or region) or what group (teachers,lawyers, Democratic voters, etc.) were these people chosen from?
6. Are the results based on the answers of all the people interviewed?
7. Who should have been interviewed and was not? Or do response rates matter?
8. When was the poll done?
9. How were the interviews conducted?
10. What about polls on the Internet or World Wide Web?
11. What is the sampling error for the poll results?
12. Who’s on first?
13. What other kinds of factors can skew poll results?
14. What questions were asked?
15. In what order were the questions asked?
16. What about "push polls?"
17. What other polls have been done on this topic? Do they say the same thing? If they are different, why are they different?
18. What about exit polls?
19. What else needs to be included in the report of the poll?
20. So I've asked all the questions. The answers sound good. Should we report the results?   

Each of the questions is discussed in depth in the article. I hope you will be better informed and not so quick to panic at the next dire polling report you read or hear about.

For a quick minute explanation go here:  http://www.takepart.com/video/how-political-polls-work-civics-minute-video

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Ever Wonder Who Actually Votes?

The United States Census Bureau through The Current Population Survey (CPS) collects information on reported voting and registration of various demographic groups. The CPS is a monthly survey of 50,000 households and is conducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In November of even numbered years the survey collects data on voting and voting registration. It does NOT provide data on party affiliation. But, it DOES provide valuable information on who votes and it has been conducted since 1996. This gives a picture of changes in voting behaviors among various voting age populations. You can search the data base by state and by voting year.  http://thedataweb.rm.census.gov/TheDataWeb_HotReport2/voting/voting.hrml

For visual learners like myself, this site comes complete with charts and graphs to illustrate the data. For example, it gives information such as:

 Voting and registration rates tend to increase with age. In the United States in 2012 only 41.2 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted, compared with 72.0 percent of those 65 and older.

Voting and registration by age in United States: 2012

According to the CPS, in 2012 women voted at a rate of 63.7 percent and men at a rate of 59.7 percent. This will be important in the midterms this November 4th. Will women increase their rate of voting? What will this mean for Republican candidates? 

Another interesting statistic from the CPS, in 2012 citizens with at least a bachelor's degree had a voting rate of 77.1 percent compared to 38 percent for those who had not received a high school diploma. Now ask yourself which states have the lowest rates of high school graduation? Hmmm! 

There's much, much more at the website. I encourage you to visit and then draw some of your own conclusions.

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Are You Ready to Vote?

Many Americans do not know if they are even registered to vote. Are you one of them? You can find out here:  http://www.voterparticipation.org/register-to-vote/ Many states have deadlines so every citizen needs to be certain that their registration is valid. The Voter Participation Center (VPC) has mailed out 12 million registration forms to Americans. http://www.voterparticipation.org/blog/ This website has many tools for citizens to use to get informed about the voting process. The VPC is a non-profit, non-partisian results driven organization that is dedicated to increasing participation in the electoral process by citizens who are frequently under-represented at the polls. Specifically, three rising demographic groups, The Rising American Electorate (RAE) consists of unmarried women, people of color, and 18-29 year old's. If you know anyone who fits these categories, please refer them to this site:  http://www.voterparticipation.org/

What else can you do to help be sure you are ready to vote? First, know what the dates are for early voting in your state. You can find that information at your Secretary of State's website. To find that information, please go here:  http://www.nass.org/contact/sos-members/  Voting information for your state will be listed on the SOS's website. Once you know when, be sure to vote early if you can. That way unforeseen circumstances will not prevent you from doing your civic duty.

You also need to know where your polling place is located if you chose to vote on election day. Finally, know your candidates and any ballot initiatives. Do not wait until November 4th to become informed. There are many places to learn about the candidates and issues, besides your local newspapter, try these websites:

http://www.mytimetovote.com/    http://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page  http://www.lwv.org/

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The September Primaries - Part 2

Today we will look at the primary races in Massachusettes (MA) and Rhode Island (RI). In MA the primary is a mixed primary. This means that unaffiliated voters can chose which party's ballot they want to vote on and still remain unaffiliated. The incumbent Senator Ed Markey is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and there are three candidates on the Republican side. There are nine incumbent Democrats running in the primary for the House of Representatives. In districts five and six, the incumbents have Democratic challengers. Districts one, two, four, and five do NOT have any Republicans running in the primary. The current MA Governor, Duvall Patrick (D), has chosen not to run for reelection. There are three Democratic candidates running for governor, Martha Coakley, Donald Berwick, and Steven Grossman. On the Republican side, there are two candidates for governor, Charles D. Baker and Mark Fisher. The winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will also face three independent candidates in the general election.
For more on the 2014 elections in MA, please see this:  http://ballotpedia.org/Massachusetts_elections,_2014#tab=State_Executives

Rhode Island also has a mixed primary system. The incumbent Senator Jack Reed is running unopposed in the Democratic primary as is his Republican challenger, Mark Zaccaria. In the House race, one of the two Democratic incumbents is facing a primary challenge. In district one, David Cicilline, the incumbent, will face Matthew Fecteau on Tuesday. There are two Republican candidates for district one also. In district two, both Democratic and Republican candidates are running unopposed.

In the RI governor's race, there are four Democratic candidates, two Republican candidates running in the two primaries. The winners will face six independent candidates in the general election. The current governor, Lincoln Chafee (D), declined to run again. For information on other races in RI, see this:  http://ballotpedia.org/Rhode_Island_elections,_2014

If you live in MA or RI, please be sure to vote for Democrats Tuesday!

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The September Primaries - Part 1

This month there will be five primary elections on September 9:  Delaware, Massachusettes, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island.  All are congressional primaries except for New York which is only a state primary as New York held it's congressional primary in June.

Today, we will look at New Hampshire's Primary. NH has a mixed primary system. This means that, "Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary, but in order to do so, they have to choose a party before voting. This changes their status from unaffiliated to affiliated with that party, unless they fill out a card to return to undeclared status."
http://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_New_Hampshire,_2014

Both of the Congressional seats are held by Democrats. Carol Shea-Porter and Ann McLane Custer are currently the Representatives from New Hampshire. Neither one has a Democratic opponent in the Primary.
On the Republican side, there are four candidates in each district running in the primary.

In the Governor's race, the incumbent, Maggie Hassan (D), has two primary opponents. There are also four candidates in the Republican primary to run for Governor in the November 4th election.

Ballotpedia has information on the state legislature races here:  http://ballotpedia.org/New_Hampshire_State_Senate_elections,_2014
http://ballotpedia.org/New_Hampshire_House_of_Representatives_elections,_2014

In New York, the September 9th primary is for state offices only. Their Congressional primary was held earlier.

The Delaware primary will set the slate for the November 4th election for both houses of Congress, the state houses, and three of the state executives. Delaware has a strictly closed primary system. Incumbent Senator Chris Coons (D) has no opponent in the Democratic primary. There are two Republican candidates running for the nomination for senate. The winner will face Coons in November.

Delaware has one at-large congressional district and the incumbent, John C. Carney, Jr. (D) is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. He will have three opponents in the November election.

You can read more about Delaware's 2014 elections here: http://ballotpedia.org/Delaware_elections,_2014

If you live in one of these five states, please get out on Tuesday and vote for Democrats.

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Natalie Tennant, West Virginia Secretary of State, is running for Senate

The current Senator Jay Rockefeller will retire at the end of this term. Natalie Tennant, current Secretary  of State in West Virginia, is the Democratic candidate in the November 4th election. This is what the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has to say about her: "the DSCC is confident Secretary of State Natalie Tennant will hold Senator Rockefeller’s seat next November. As Secretary of State, Tennant has fought for reforms that help West Virginians, worked to make government more accountable, and saved taxpayers millions by cutting excessive spending." You can read more and sign up to help her here: 
http://www.dscc.org/races/west-virginia

Ballotpedia's article on the 2014 Senate race in West Virginia seems to suggest that the state is becoming more conservative. The article cites a poll that gives Tennant's opponent, Capito, a 10 point lead. There are also five other candidates from 3rd parties running to split up the vote.  http://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections_in_West_Virginia,_2014

If you would like to know more about Tennant, please refer to this article:  http://ballotpedia.org/Natalie_Tennant It has good information and current news links to articles about her candidacy. You can also go to Tennant's campaign website to sign up to help:  http://natalietennant.com/

Interestingly, if either Tennant or Capito win, it will be the first time West Virginia has sent a woman to the Senate. Please do what you can to be sure it is the Democratic woman! Thanks.

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Mark Warner is the Incumbent Democratic Senator from Virginia

Mark Warner is the current Democratic Senator from Virginia. His opponent is Ed Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Gillespie was selected by delegates at the 2014 Republican State Convention.

Here's what the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has to say about Warner:  "After winning his seat by 31 points in 2008, Senator Mark Warner has delivered on his promise to work toward bipartisan solutions in the US Senate. Senator Warner has been a leader in the effort to build bipartisan consensus to reduce the federal debt and has also been a fighter for small businesses, veterans, and military men and women."  http://www.dscc.org/races/virginia You can sign up to help at the DSCC site.

For more information on Senator Warner, please check out Ballotpedia article here:  http://ballotpedia.org/Mark_Warner  This site has extensive information and links to current articles on Warner's campaign. You can also go to Warner's campaign website to sign up to help him:  http://markwarnerva.com/

This seat appears to be solid for Democrats, but, there are several debates scheduled. Anything can happen; so please help if you can.

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South Dakota Will Get a New Senator in November 4th Election

The South Dakota Senator, Tim Johnson (D), decided to retire this year. The Democratic candidate, Rick Weiland, ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary. Former Republican Governor of South Dakota, Mike Rounds, won the Republican nomination. There are also two Independent candidate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_South_Dakota,_2014

According to Ballotpedia, Republicans see SD as one of their best chances to pick up a seat in the US Senate. http://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections_in_South_Dakota,_2014

So what do we know about Rick Weiland? According to Ballotpedia: "Weiland graduated from the University of South Dakota. While in college, he worked on Tom Daschle’s first Congressional campaign in 1978 and continued working for him until 1996 when Daschle ran for Congress. He has served as FEMA regional director, the state director for the AARP and COO and CEO for the International Code Council, which is the nation’s leading advocate for uniform building codes and building safety. He and his wife also operate a restaurant in downtown Sioux Falls." If you'd like to know more about him, here is the link:  http://ballotpedia.org/Rick_Weiland

You can watch his latest campaign ad or sign up to help his campaign here: http://rickweiland.com/

Please help in any way you can so Democrats don't lose this seat to Republicans! This is serious!

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The Rhode Island Senate Race

Senator Jack Reed is the Democratic incumbent Senator from Rhode Island. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has this to say about Reed: "Senator Jack Reed is a strong voice for Rhode Island’s middle class families. A senior member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Reed helped author the Wall Street Reform bill, protecting consumers and helping families struggling from the housing crisis. In 2008, Senator Reed was reelected by 46 points and President Obama carried the state in 2012 by almost 30 points."  http://www.dscc.org/races/rhode-island  You can sign up at that site to help him get re-elected.

The Rhode Island primary isn't until September 9 so his opponent has yet to be determined.

Both Cook and Sabato has this seat listed a Solid Democrat.

If you'd like to know more about Reed, please see this:  http://ballotpedia.org/Jack_Reed   You may also want to check out his campaign website here:  http://www.jackreed2014.com/

We need solid Democrats in the Senate. Please do whatever you can to help them get elected.

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Labor Day - It's More Than Just a Day Off

What does Labor Day mean to you? It is for many a day off work and school. It's a time for family events. But for many of us, it is much, much more. According to the U.S.Department of Labor, it is a day to recognize the contributions that American workers have made to the "strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." http://www.dol.gov/laborday/history.htm

The history of celebrating Labor Day goes back to 1882 when the Central Labor Union in New York City held the first Labor Day celebration on Sept. 5. In 1884 the Labor Day event was moved to the first Monday in September. So Labor Day was started by Unions to recognize the American worker. Many cities still hold Labor Day parades. Often, there will be speeches by leading Union officials, business owners, politicians, and workers.

What will you do to celebrate Labor Day? Will you attend a sporting event? Have a family reunion? Go watch the local parade? Whatever you decide to do, don't forget to thank a Union member for getting this whole celebration started!