[Iowa-dx] Re: [Iowa-work] My thoughts

[hhart@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu]

Quoting Richard Johnson <seiowagreen@fastmail.fm>:

> Again, we are faced with a "one size does not fit all" situation.  That
> may well be the case out in the western portion of the state, but here
> in SE Iowa I believe that it is possible to build using connections on
> issues that resonate with local folks.
>
> My only concern about bringing "stars" out to talk about Green issues is
> that we have relatively few.  The Green Party just does not have folks
> with the name recognition like the two major parties do.  We do not have
> a Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Bill Clinton, or even a Barak Obama to
> bring out here.  We don't even have a Tom Vilsack, Mitt Romney, or Dan
> Quayle level of person to bring out here.  It's going to take some time
> before we have anyone close to this level of name recognition.

If only Susan Sarandon were doing a film out here..... Bonnie Raitt.....
Well, we can get Nan Garrett - not a celeb, but a former candidate for =20
Governor of GA who is running for president.  Pat LaMarche is doing a =20
book tour.  Other relatively prominent Greens may be coming by this =20
area, so perhaps we should keep an eye out and snare them if they're =20
in the vicinity.

If we had the funds, I think having the nat'l political director or =20
media coordinator out here would be worthwhile - more hands-on =20
participation.   That's maybe a goal to aim for in the future -

Also, I think ex-candidates make a good speakers' bureau.  (Invite =20
Rick to Sioux City and he can talk about CAFO's.)


>
> What we have are people with excellent ideas who could debate the pants
> off any of these big name politicians.  But...as you correctly point
> out...the voters don't turn out for a Howard Zinn, no matter how good
> his speech might be.

But if Howard Zinn were running for a race he could win - then there =20
might be a turnout.

>
> I truly wish it were otherwise.
>
> As for ad money...we are in agreement.  We need to raise money to
> publicize our work, our candidates, and our values & platform.  To do
> that we need people who can mobilize and help raise money.  The GOP and
> Dems simply have a dinner, and people show up to pay the $1000 per plate
> fee to get the rubber chicken.  We need to do a lot more than that.  The
> problem is that across our state I suspect we could pull together about
> as many active, working party members as the Democrats could get from
> one county.  So we have to be creative...very creative...to raise money.
>

Remember, we invented the rubber chicken - rather, Ericka Dana created =20
the Green Debate Chicken in 2000, which caught on around the country =20
and ended up with Ralph Nader brandishing an actual rubber chicken on =20
the Tonight Show, inspired directly by some of our members' appearance =20
at an Al Gore stop in Dubuque.

Of course, the interest that drew came about because it was Ralph =20
Nader who was running.  But now, we no longer need to resort to =20
choreography - the newspapers actually want to hear from us.  The =20
Sioux City Journal even griped when they (mistakenly) thought Wendy =20
had snubbed them!

Seriously, if we're looking at local races, ones we could win, we're =20
then looking at friends and neighbors, people who already know you. =20
Having a celebrity - even a minor one like a former candidate or green =20
visitor from another state - at a campaign appearance will add a draw =20
and hopefully some volunteer support.

My 2-cents.

I'm also interested in the EFT form - Ray Meyer should have that.  =20
Ray, please send it to me as well. I said I'd do this once the loan =20
was paid back, and now it's paid back....



Holly