Down Ticket

Lately I've been seeing a lot of Lantos State Representative signs popping up in my neighborhood like mushrooms. It has been kind of in the back of my head to figure out what that's about for a while.

Well, one unexpected surprise from the debate watch party was that Sebastian Lantos himself showed up. Turns out he's running for state house in district 67, which is of course my district. This is not an easy district for a Democrat. It's a bit more than 3 to 1 Republican. So really I should be thankful that I simply have someone to vote for.

However, this isn't just someone who threw his name up as the sacrificial lamb this cycle. Lantos is an energetic small business owner who is working his tail off to win this election. After meeting him, I don't think the man is capable of doing a half-assed job at anything. He'd been campaigning since the morning, and had been up late the night before studying issues in preparation for the morning event. He was complaining a bit about being tired after all that, but he did so with a smile on his face. He clearly had more energy left at that point (pushing 11PM) than I did. Just think what someone like that could accomplish for us in the state house! He's also the current president of the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations. What else? Oh yeah..he's been endorsed by The World.

I'll be proud to mark my ballot for him. Win or lose, I hope to see a lot more of Sebastian Lantos in the future.

Oliver!

Moving up the ticket a bit, Georgiana Oliver is running to replace John Sullivan. She's trying to run a bit to the Right, so she isn't exactly a lot of folks' ideal Democrat. However, John Sullivan is just odious. He franks our house regularly with the most hateful mailers imaginable on the taxpayer's dime. If for no other reason than to save the taxpayer a buck or two and make my own house more peaceful, please vote this far-right clown out of office.

Rice-a-roni

Andrew Rice made a bit of news recently, thanks to some vastly improved polling numbers.

This still leaves him a bit over 10 points behind, but the momentum seems to be in his favor big time. I hope everyone reading this will do whatever they can to keep it going to election day.

Inhofe is widely regarded as the United States' worst senator. The stupid crap he says occasionally makes international news. We have the chance to do ourselves, our families, our state, our country, and our world a great service all a once by sending Andrew Rice to take his place as our next senator.

Volunteer Opportunities

We are now entering the part of the race where canvassing, going out and talking to voters, is most important. If you'd like to help us with this effort, please contact Mary-Jo via email or at 269-4400. Training will be provided. If nothing else, this is a great way to meet your neighbors.

Volunteers are also requested to help assemble Obama signs at the Transport Worker's Union during the day and on Saturdays and Sundays. Call 361-8384 to help. The activity goes on at the union's print shop, which is in a couple of sheds behind the offices at 11945 E. Pine.

If your free time is hard to come by, one thing you can do is just stake out a busy intersection when you do have time and hold up Obama signs and wave to cars. Obviously this would be most effective during rush hour, but this could really be done anytime during daylight hours.

We will also need drivers to get people to the polls, both for the early (absentee) voting on October 31st, November 1st and second, and for election day itself on the fourth. If you are interested, again contact Mary Jo via email or at 269-4400.

Also, CWA Local 6012 will be phone banking from now until the 24th. If you are interested in helping, please contact Dave Ratcliff at 906-0662.