Several diaries recently have asked what Democrats stand for and what we are doing to win elections and change thinking. This diary is for the behind the scenes teams. For all of us that just post comments on the blogs because we are intimidated by the great research and information from the diaries. We don’t write diaries, and this is my first.
You don’t see us for lots of reasons. Me – I’m painfully shy and work very hard to overcome that because I need to in my profession. One on one or in small, safe groups lots of us are very active just not in the forefront.
Who are we – the behind the scenes team?
-We are the committee members that do the leg work and the research for the next meeting.
-We are on the organization committees that arrange for food and beverage at your campaign fundraiser.
-We put stamps on hundreds if not thousands of envelopes that we just stuffed for campaign mailings.
-We make telephone calls to get out the vote and arrange for volunteers.
-We are the accountants that do the local, state, and national elections filings.
-We knock on doors – one on one – to get out the vote and campaign for candidates.
-We are the database designers that allows all the emails addresses, telephone numbers, and other information about volunteers and donors to be tracked.
-We are the web designers that make sure your website is up and running well in advance of your campaign.
There are lots of us out here…I’m an accountant and my husband is a database designer. I’ve done all of these things…and am active many nights and weekends a month doing them now. You will never see me at the front of the room unless it is a small group that I know. I’ll never do interviews. You will always know that the behind the scenes team is there – because someone else is up front in the limelight.
Add your own contribution – what do you do behind the scenes.
Feedback greatly appreciated – I’m looking forward to hearing other ideas and how others participate.
We are the Democratic Party. Great first Diary Sally! I’m looking forward to more.
Great first diary, and great point. It’s the behind the scenes people that make all the other stuff possible. Everyone has their skill set and comfort level (I prefer to be a backgrounder as well), and all working together make up the whole.
Thanks also for bringing up other ideas for involvement.
Thanks Nanette – almost everyone I know is a backgrounder – except for the three or four crazy friends that are the candidates!
I am glad you decided to come out of the shadows and post a diary. As one who recently overcame my fear of this I quite understand how it feels to push that first post button.
As for what I do behind the scenes, I do whatever I can do with a computer as I am more or less confined to my home area. I write letters to media, and congress and the president, even tho I feel it’s falling on deaf ears. I sign all the petitions that I find and agree with. Do research constantly and of course dialogue here.
I am currently searching for more ways to help and am working on an idea that I will present soon on Boomantrib.
Once again, I am so glad you made the jump to diaries, we especially need the woman’s voices here.
I am more of a stealth weapon. I’m a lawyer with an unpaid “specialty” in NY Election Law. I check petitions for good guys before filing, and scrutinize petitions of opponents, file objections, even start lawsuits if I have to. If you win these suits, you can knock your opponent off the ballot. Not always a good idea, PR-wise. On the other hand, if your opponent is gone, you can live through the bad PR, most of the time.
I am now in exile here locally, because I worked for the opponent in the mayoral race. One would think the winner would be magnanimous in victory, but he wasn’t. I work around them, like I did for Kerry last year (I provided legal advice in Michigan for Voter Protection).
One thing I gotta say for exile – I am no longer required to go to those party functions that are so boring, and unproductive. I can do my own thing. It just hurts to be an active Dem for most of my life, and then have a bunch of idiot Dems now in power exclude you. On the other hand, these guys may be indicted by the summer, and my evil twin self will be laughing….
It always amazes me how vicious local politics can be. As an accountant I’m more behind the scenes but part of the core committees. As part of DFA we recently offended the local Dem Central Committee chair by not supporting him for a State convention seat. The chair is a DINO that wants local name recognition.
The next campaign will be interesting since several central committee members are DFA and we are much more active.
Enjoy the sidelines for a few months…the campaign season should be in full swing by October!
Terrific for a first diary. Hopefully this will also get someone who is shy thinking there are things they can do to help, give them ideas. It is all the background work that makes everything possible for any candidate. The academy award goes to all the background people who made any candidacy possible.
I think these diaries of people telling what they do will also remind everyone that there are people out doing concrete things to help make change happen and spur others on.
Like Diane I am basically and armchair activist, doing what I can with emails and petitions and did get my nephew to vote for the first time this year-democrat of course.
And every time I start thinking of doing my first diary someone usually ends up putting one up along lines of my thinking…but one of these days I guess I’ll have to try and get one up.
Data analysis … as a data manager and someone with some GIS (digital cartography) skills, I can help the local party with the project of making best use of precinct-level election results. What amazes me is the other skills being brought to bear in a small volunteer group — statisticians, programmers, etc.
There’s no doubt in my mind that there are many opportunities to serve and lead, beyond the idea of being a vol. that helps with mailings or phone calls.
I’m also looking forward to working on a progressive campaign or two in our Fall elections.
We’re all going to take our party back, from the bottom up.
What a great skill!
A good portion of our research at the local campaign level is analysis of the the previous 1 or 2 campaign cycles. I’m sure it was someone like you that put those numbers together.
From the grass roots campaigns let me say thanks! The candidates and campaigns live by those analyses.
I think one of my greatest thrills last year was talking a few people into switching sides or voting for the first time. I was very passionate as to my disdain for Bush yet tried to keep to the facts.
Imagine for one moment that each one of us were able to persuade just one person to vote where we would be right now. Imagine if we would help to persuade those that did not even bother to vote last cycle how different things might be. If each of us committed ourselves to just that one goal I could envision a much different country.
Sounds like my wife, though she’s shyer than that (no way would she call anyone). I’m more a “in front of the scenes” kind of guy, if you couldn’t guess. <g>
Alan
Maverick Leftist