Sometimes, I fall into a rabbit hole I didn’t even know was going to happen. I was following along with a YouTube thread regarding Stargate SG-1 when it was pointed out a reboot was possible. I, having followed the series, thought, “Cool, cool, I might really enjoy this so tell me more.” I sat down to watch and learned a few things, but within the first three minutes, something interesting came about.
Welcome back to the Nuts & Bolts guide to campaigns. This week I want to talk about issues, and why steering away from some out of fear is just bad, bad campaigning. If you haven’t guessed, I want to talk about the importance of being willing to discuss, and own, pro-choice positions in your campaign. Too often, candidates get trapped into the idea that they need to “hold back” because Republicans will tag them or that it will hurt their campaign.
Welcome back! Every week here on Nuts & Bolts I take time to look at issues surrounding big and small campaigns, and with the help of campaign staff, candidates, and organizations nationally I try to come up with a picture of what goes into a successful campaign, what we learn from the most recent elections, and the trends we think are emerging in the way we communicate our message to voters.
This week, we get to cover a topic that should get a lot more attention.
Imagine being part of an industry bringing in record profits—nearly $174 billion in profits in 2021. You receive incentives to grow through taxes, you have benefits thrown at you through state incentives, you are able to work with people to split their surface and mineral property rights to grow when you need to if you want to find more places that can handle your business. Every indicator is coming up roses for you.
This week in the Nuts & Bolts Guide to the Democratic party, we should take some time to discuss why the Democratic party should not count on young people bailing out the party when election time comes.
There are several significant problems with this analysis, but some of the conclusions are also incorrect. Many conclusions revolve around voter registration efforts, turnout efforts, and making sure we motivate young people to get out there and work in campaigns.
Every time I read the news, I find myself completely baffled by Republicans. Sometimes, I wonder if just being exposed to the winding logic is making us lose our grasp on reality, because I am absolutely lost on how anyone can make sense of these conclusions.
Republicans are supposedly concerned with little girls being violated in bathrooms, trans books, and any teaching of history that involves members of the Black and brown communities.
The moment you walk into a liquor store anywhere near us and they see your birthdate begins with a “1” instead of a “2” they instantly know you’re eligible to drink. The lifespan of Daily Kos isn’t quite there yet, but knowing that the top song in 2002 was Nickelback’s “You Remind Me” is definitely an interesting way to see where we are in a good way, in a bad way, and in a cringeworthy way all at the exact same time.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns! Midterm elections are stressful. Democratic Party candidates and infrastructure feel the stress of holding on to majorities in the U.S. Senate and House in order to keep Joe Biden’s agenda moving forward and especially to make sure that President Biden’s court and administration nominations are successfully approved.
Oh, Peter. You petty billionaire who created a Hulk Hogan conspiracy lawsuit to change laws for your own ends; donated millions to pro-Trump groups; backed conservative candidates like Josh Hawley; and rails in favor of libertarian causes. What on Earth have you gotten yourself into now? Thiel’s newest claim about what is stopping Crypto-currency is a jaw-dropping one, considering the implications.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns! If you listened to the GOP, you would believe that Republicans themselves have the sole monopoly on churches. In their eyes, Democratic ideas, families, and candidates are not welcome inside of a church and may find themselves being stoned with rocks upon entrance. What a bunch of nonsense.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns! The old saying is that Republican voters fall in line and Democratic voters fall in love. There is a lot of truth to that statement. Along with that statement, we need to include something else. Voters in general like to hear some positives about your candidate’s accomplishments and reasons why they deserve to be elected.
Occasionally, you can run against the scandal of your opponent.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. Over the course of more than a decade, I’ve taken time to speak with campaign managers, field directors, communications directors, finance directors, and, of course, been a part of as many campaigns as I could. As election season gets close, there are always questions we ask of candidates who are considering running for office.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. Over the course of more than a decade, I’ve taken time to speak with campaign managers, field directors, communications directors, finance directors, and, of course, been a part of as many campaigns as I could.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. Over the course of more than a decade, I’ve taken time to speak with campaign managers, field directors, communications directors, finance directors, and, of course, be a part of as many campaigns as I can. Through the feedback I receive, I try to build out Nuts & Bolts to better inform Democratic voters and donors how a campaign can and does work.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be. Visit us every week to see how you can get involved!
It was the year 2002. The top movie of the year would be Spiderman starring Toby McGuire.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, so if you are here reading this in real-time, then you are thinking about the difference in America between the haves and have-nots. Watching the game at your house is one thing, attending a game like the Super Bowl in person? We are talking an expense that runs from $6,600 to $100,000 per ticket. Imagine that as an expense.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be. Visit us every week to see how you can get involved!
Another year, another Super Bowl.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. This week, I want us to step back and look at some small and not-so-small campaigns and think about them as businesses.
Let me explain something about my carpentry skills: As a young kid, I was required in eighth grade to go through “Shop” class, where we worked with power tools and learned everything there was to know about being a good “young man.” Girls took Home Economics and boys, Shop. We were not given a choice in the matter. My goodness do I wish I could have swapped, because I had no ability, at all, to work a power tool.
No, this is not going to be a pointed news piece. Yes, this is going to be a rant. (Hey, give me a rant here and there, right?) We have years under our belts of watching Republicans under Donald J. Trump and Republicans out on their own governing their states. It is rare—very rare—that we get any sort of exception.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. A few years ago, one of the more controversial statements I made—whether in this series or on social media—was that there is nothing necessarily wrong with a primary campaign against a fellow party member. I said, and still believe, that there are times when primarying a fellow Democratic incumbent can be healthy for the campaign and for voter registration and energy.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be. Visit us every week to see how you can get involved!
In a supermarket line some time ago, an exchange was going on several customers ahead of us.
Connect! Unite! Act! is a weekly series that seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups meet regularly to socialize, get out the vote, support candidates, and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers that be.
Arson is bad. Arson is something no one wants in their community. I don’t wish it on anyone, and it should be handled accordingly. I also believe that homelessness is bad. Our refusal to really address the mental health issues faced by the unhoused matters. One element of this story that I will agree with is alcoholism and drug abuse can lead to homelessness, and homelessness can lead to alcoholism and drugs.
On June 11, 2020, AT&T noted to customers that Bluetooth devices are not considered secure, and they shouldn’t be used for transmission of any secure data as there are four known Bluetooth security problems that right now aren’t easily addressed because they are “baked in” to the protocol. AT&T’s advice: If you’re doing anything secure, like talking to your bank, don’t use Bluetooth.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. I’ve written about rest in campaigns and why I think it is important. Today I want to talk about rest and ease, and what both can offer potential voters when candidates embrace them.
Tranquility isn’t quite resting, but it is a way to humanize yourself with the voters in your district.
Welcome back to the weekly Nuts & Bolts Guide to small campaigns. A few months ago, I wrote a Nuts & Bolts diary about the lack of solid representation in local offices, particularly law enforcement. Sheriff’s offices and District attorneys are overwhelmingly older white men, and organizations like Reflective Democracy have pointed this problem out repeatedly. In a large number of cases, these positions are held by elected officials.
I have a confession to make. It’s a big one, so bear with me. I like to cook, something I’ve already said in Connect, Unite, Act here on Daily Kos. I talk about it and think about it. Even when I’m with others, I tend to swap recipes. Recently, I’ve had a lot to think about in terms of how hunger has so often made a big impact on how I react—impulsively, I will grab food, decide to cook, or just make changes as I go because, well, I like doing it.