Wednesday, October 25, 2006
--AZ-01: Rick Renzi
--AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth
--CA-04: John Doolittle
--CA-11: Richard Pombo
--CA-50: Brian Bilbray
--CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave
--CO-05: Doug Lamborn
--CO-07: Rick O'Donnell
--CT-04: Christopher Shays
--FL-13: Vernon Buchanan
--FL-16: Joe Negron
--FL-22: Clay Shaw
--ID-01: Bill Sali
--IL-06: Peter Roskam
--IL-10: Mark Kirk
--IL-14: Dennis Hastert
--IN-02: Chris Chocola
--IN-08: John Hostettler
--IA-01: Mike Whalen
--KS-02: Jim Ryun
--KY-03: Anne Northup
--KY-04: Geoff Davis
--MD-Sen: Michael Steele
--MN-01: Gil Gutknecht
--MN-06: Michele Bachmann
--MO-Sen: Jim Talent
--MT-Sen: Conrad Burns
--NV-03: Jon Porter
--NH-02: Charlie Bass
--NJ-07: Mike Ferguson
--NM-01: Heather Wilson
--NY-03: Peter King
--NY-20: John Sweeney
--NY-26: Tom Reynolds
--NY-29: Randy Kuhl
--NC-08: Robin Hayes
--NC-11: Charles Taylor
--OH-01: Steve Chabot
--OH-02: Jean Schmidt
--OH-15: Deborah Pryce
--OH-18: Joy Padgett
--PA-04: Melissa Hart
--PA-07: Curt Weldon
--PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick
--PA-10: Don Sherwood
--RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee
--TN-Sen: Bob Corker
--VA-Sen: George Allen
--VA-10: Frank Wolf
--WA-Sen: Mike McGavick
--WA-08: Dave Reichert
Monday, February 28, 2005
April Fools Day Social Security event (revised)
Goals – Ideally, each local event should provide:
* Proactive publicity through a tangible event that the media can cover, thereby raising the public profile of the Social Security debate in the local community;
* Grassroots recruitment through tangible activities that local Democratic Party organizations can use to raise their profile in the community and develop their grassroots.
Event Description:
On Friday, April 1st, Democratic and progressive activists will meet with their neighbors at some local venue to:
* Learn more about the debate, including specific actions they can take to save Social Security;
* Pick up/purchase “Don’t Fool With Social Security” yardsigns;
* Sign onto an open letter to President Bush;
* Sign up to participate in a phone/letter-writiing campaign, whereby elected officials are urged to sign the “Don’t Fool With Social Security” pledge.
* Meet their fellow activists.
What Needs to Be Done:
* Publicity Material: To provide a visual hook for the media and to “brand” the campaign, we will need yard signs and bumper stickers with the message “Don’t Fool With Social Security.” The Upper Arlington Progressive Alliance (which had enormous success wth yard signs in its earlier incarnation as “UA for Kerry”) is investigating costs. Ideally, some national printing house can be found to accept orders from individuals/organizations holding an event.
* Logo: Still to be designed.
* Website: Particularly if this expands into a nationwide effort, there should be some kind of website (“www.DontFoolWithSocialSecurity.com”?) offering online event kits (.pdf files of logos, materials, etc.) and a lookup feature so individuals can find out where the nearest event is. This still needs to be built.
* Open Letter/”Don’t’ Fool With Social Security” Pledge: Drafts are below; obviously, they will be tweaked as necessary.
* Media Kits/Education Materials: Working with a committee of folks interested in the topic, I will be preparing briefing materials including sample press releases, fact sheets, FAQs, and links to online sources of information.
If any of this sounds remotely interesting to you or if you have questions, please contact J.B. Lawton at jbliiiATcolumbus.rr.com or post a comment here And feel free to pass this idea along others who might be interested. Thanks.
JB
---------------------
Draft Open Letter
April 1, 2005
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington D.C. , 20500
Dear President Bush:
Today, April 1st is a day for celebrating practical jokes and foolish pranks. But starting tomorrow, the jokes have to stop. Privatizing Social Security is not a laughing mattter.
It’s foolish to destroy the most successful social program in the last seventy years of American history.
It’s foolish to use Enron accounting to claim that privatizing Social Security isn’t going to cost trillions of dollars.
It’s foolish to blow saddle our children and grandchildren with a “birth tax” of $360,000 apiece in order to pay the cost of privatizing Social Security.
It’s foolish to propose a “fix” for Social Security that doesn’t even solve the real problems that Social Security is going to face in the future.
It’s foolish to gamble folks’ futures in the stock market casino.
And it’s really foolish to think that we are going to sit back and let you do it. As you said yourself: "Fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."
Well, we aren’t going to be fooled again. We pledge today to stop you from turning Social Security into a joke. And we pledge to raise money, raise awareness, and actively campaign against any politician—Republican or Democrat—who doesn’t sign the attached pledge.
Don’t Fool With Social Security.
--------------------
Draft “Don’t Fool With Social Security” Pledge
[The language has been taken almost verbatim from the Americans for Tax Reform’s “Taxypayer Protection Pledge. Obviously, the specific wording can be tweaked as needed.]
I, ____________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____ district of the State of _________ and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to dismantle Social Security.
Signed
_______________ ________________
(Candidate/Official) Date
_______________ ________________
Witness Witness
--------------------------------
Sample Invitation:
Don’t let politicians fool with Social Security. On Friday, April Fools Day, join your neighbors for a TGIF party as we remember who wants to privatize Social Security, playing a cruel joke on all of us. We’ll meet at [location] from [start-time] to [finish-time] to organize and kick off our local “Don’t Fool With Social Security” drive. Sign our open letter to President Bush, pick up a yard sign, and learn more about wht all of us can do to protect Social Security.
Questions? Email or call [contact person] or check out [www.DontFoolWithSocialSecurity.com or whatever the final website is].
Possible Related Media Events:
* Pre-event phone-bank of volunteers who will call invitees (ideally, this should be scheduled in the morning in order to make the noon local news).
* The party (or parties if there is county-wide/national interest) where an open letter to President Bush will be read, and volunteers will sign up to participate in a campaign calling the White House, Senators, and local Representatives the following Monday. (Ideally, volunteers should sign up for specific times, ensuring that offices will get phone calls and faxes at least every five minutes.)
* Monday phone bank of volunteers making their phone calls. (Again, while calls will be scheduled all day, the media should be invited to a morning kick-off phone bank so that the story will make the local news.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Social Security April Fools Event
Harry Reid (and others) noted that Bush delivered his State of the Union address on Groundhog Day. We'd like to piggyback off the calendar, too. We want to celebrate April Fools Day by highlighting Bush's plans to wreck Social Security.
Any ideas on an appropriate way to turn this into a media event that will get local coverage? Could it be something that other groups across the country could do in their neighborhoods? Let's get creative.
Since April 1 is on a Friday this year, we've got the chance to make it a twofer, not only generating media coverage, but also building our grassroots. It can be a TGIF party/happy hour/gathering for Democratic activists.
So what can we do? A few of us brainstorming have come up with a few ideas. C'mon, you can better than:
- A party/press conference where we invite Bush and local Republican elected officials to finally come clean and admit that all of the talk about "reforming" Social Security was nothing but an elaborate April Fools prank? (After all, would anyone seriously try to gut the most successful social program in the past seventy years?)
- An April Fool Idol contest for the most foolish way to "reform" Social Security, with all of the "contestants" offering actual Republican plans?
- Some kind of a party around Bush's famous garbled line: "Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." (Sept. 17, 2002)?
Monday, October 18, 2004
More Columbus advertisers oppose Sinclair
The total list of pullot so far: HER Realtors, Homes That Click Realtors, Chesrown Buick Pontiac GMC and Kia dealers, Elk & Elk, The Plymale Partnership, and Kenneth's Hair Salon.
Speaking of protests...there will be a group of folks protesting WSYX/WTTE here in Columbus at 6:00. We'll meet in the parking lot just south of the station at 1261 Dublin Rd. Bring a flag, a sign, and an umbrella.
Elk & Elk lawfirm
info@elkandelk.com
We are in agreement with your position regarding our mutual disapproval of WSYX and WTTE's airing of the anti-Kerry documentary, "Stolen Honor". We have already expressed to Sinclair Broadcast Group's management that we disapprove of their airing "Stolen Honor" prior to the November 2nd election. We do not believe this method of "gutter" politics will be beneficial to whoever they support.
Our firm has strongly supported and will continue to support the Kerry/Edwards Presidential Campaign. We have made our offices available for several months now for Kerry/Edwards phone banks, as well as making our staff available to assist with the phone banks. We have distributed yard signs and contributed to their campaign by sending out flyers to our clients in support of their candidacy. We have pulled our 30-second television
commercial spots for the month of October from the stations, but we are not able to pull our billboard/news sponsorships due to contractual commitments.
We will continue to do everything we can to support the Kerry/Edwards Campaign.
The Plymale Partnership lawfirm
acecil@plymalelaw.com
I write to you in response to an email you sent to Ron
Plymale. Ron has retired so I, as one of the current partners, am undertaking the response on behalf of my firm. I apologize for not being able to respond to each individual note but the task would be too daunting. I will say I am honored and proud that each of you have taken the time to voice your concerns. Please continue voicing your concerns in the future. Be sure to vote on Nov. 2nd.
The Plymale Partnership purchases commercial air time though a buyer months in advance. Once we heard of the Sinclair issue, and before the emails started coming in, I contacted the buyer to express my displeasure and to see if it is possible to pull our current advertising. I have not received and answer as the affiliates, as I understand it, are hoping the "home office" will back down. I have made it
clear to our media buyer that if the program airs, though we may not be able to stop was is already in progress, we can certainly refuse to make purchases in the future.
Just so there is not misunderstanding, this firm is proud to be made up of trial attorneys that represents people. You will not find any kind words coming from Sinclair or the current administration towards our profession. With that in mind, you know which side of this issue The Plymale Partnership is on. Long before the Sinclair issue was raised, we were supporting those that support our clients and profession.
I don't know what will happen. I cannot subject my firm to
lawsuits for breach of contract. I, like each of you, can decide to spend my money elsewhere. There are many tv stations out there willing to take our money.
Thank you for contacting us and expressing your views. I am hopeful that you reach goal to stop the airing of the program. I also hope each of you vote your concerns on Nov 2nd. Take a friend. Finally, while in the voting booth, be sure to vote of Connelly, Fuerst, O'Neill and Pfeiffer for the Ohio Supreme Court.
Andrew W. Cecil
The Plymale Partnership
495 South High St, Suite 400
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614 221-1166 office
614 221-6633 fax
acecil@plymalelaw.com
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
More Columbus Sinclair advertisers
And in case you need incentive to call, here's proof that our work is making a difference. Now (politely) call the companies below and ask to speak with someone in marketing and advertising.
-------MORE WSYX/WTTE ADVERTISERS--------
*3D Disaster Kleenup of Columbus
4110 Perimeter Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43228
(614) 351-9695
(866) 449-8740
Fax: (614) 351-6393
Jane Rogaliner, Sales and Marketing
Email: rogalinerj@3ddki.com
Association of Career and Technical Schools
1-888-541-4242
info@mycareercenters.com
*Bank One
J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
270 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017
212-270-6000
BalletMet Dance Centre
614.229.4860
614.224.1672
614.229.4848
cmitchell@balletmet.org
*Blind Gallery
8603 Columbus Pike
Hilliard, OH 43026
614-777-7787
*CheckSmart
5720 Avery Road
Dublin,OH 43016
614-425-5851
Fax: 614-737-5301
Crown Kia
614-652-6542
From an email sent by Crown Kia: "Kia of America has already pulled advertising from these stations. Crown Kia inDublin has not purchased any air time on these stations."
*Flonase
GlaxoSmithKline
1-888-825-5249
*Honey Nut Cheerios & Pillsbury Rolls
General Mills, Inc.
P.O. Box 9452
Minneapolis, MN 55440
1-800-248-7310
(763) 764-7600
Kaufmann's (May Department Stores)
314-342-6300
Law offices of Kevin Kurgis
1-877-4-Kevin-4
*Med4Home
1-800-207-0647
(816)801-7400
10800 N CONGRESS AVE
KANSAS CITY, MO 64153
New Uses General Store
1-614-760-7283
*Rally's
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants
4300 West Cypress Street
Suite #600
Tampa, FL 33607
*Re/Max
Central Ohio Regional Office
8390 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 200
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
(800) 218-1564
FAX: (303) 796-3203
Resource Real Estate
614-865-9715
ext. 203
Ricart Kia
(614) 836-5321
*Schiff & Associates
866-472-6884
614-621-8888
Spagio (Good italian food!)
(614) 340-1144
*Stanley Steemer
5532 Dublin Industrial Lane
Dublin, OH 43017
(614) 764-2000
800-STEEMER
Columbus-Branch-L@steemer.com
*Telhio Credit Union
96 North Fourth Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614-221-3233
*TheGeneral.com
2636 Elm Hill Pike, Suite 510
Nashville, Tennessee 37214
1-877 GENERAL
Contact: Drew Martin, 615-744-1217
amartin@thegeneral.com
TheGeneral.com has the following contact info for "News Media Relations"
Keel Hunt, The Strategy Group - Nashville, TN
615-321-3110
keel@tsgnashville.com
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Sinclair's at it again!
No doubt you've heard that Sinclair Broadcast Group, owners of WSYX, is mandating that its stations pre-empt regular programming and air a Kerry-bashing "documentary" between Oct. 21 and 24. There is a national campaign underway to complain, protest, and boycott Sinclair. The key websites to bookmark are:
http://www.stopsinclair.org
http://www.boycottsbg.com
http://loganselm.blogspot.com
We'll probably be doing something locally when this partisan propaganda airs, but in the meantime, here's the contact info for WSYX, Sinclair, and some of the companies advertising on WSYX.* Please give 'em a call and an email and make your opinion known.
JB Lawton III
(*In the credit-where-credit-is-due dept., I've compiled the list of advertisers from the websites above)
-----------------------
WSYX/WTTE
1261 Dublin Rd.
Columbus, OH 43215
614-481-6666
Corporate Headquarters
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.
10706 Beaver Dam Road
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-568-1500 (Main Telephone)
410-568-1533 (Main Fax)
Mark Hyman: mhyman@sbgnet.com Vice President for Corporate Relations
David Smith: dsmith@sbgnet.com CEO
Joe Defeo: jdefeo@sbgnet.com Corporate News Director
Lucy A. Rutishauser: investor@sbgi.net VP Corporate Finance and Corporate Treasurer
American Family Insurance
www.amfam.com
American Family Insurance
6000 American Parkway
Madison, Wisconsin 53783-0001
(608) 249-2111
Atlas Butler Heating and Cooling
www.atlasbutler.com
619 Reynolds Ave
Columbus, OH 43201
1-800-FURNACE
Fax: 614.298.6977
Email: info@atlasbutler.com
Campbell�s Soup
(Also does Pepperidge Farm, Prego, V8, and Spaghettios)
www.campbellsoupcompany.com
Douglas R. Conant
1 Campbell Place
Camden, NJ 08103-1701
1-800-257-8443
856-342-4800
Chesrown Pontiac-Buick-GMC
800-274-3603
Central Ohio Hyundai Dealers
Dennis Hyundai - 614 471-2900
Hatfield's Hyundai Subaru - 614 870-9559
(804) 418-8298
Circuit City PR Rep Kathie Hess at (804) 418-8298
(614) 471-7025
(614) 760-5890
Competition Accessories
(937) 323-0513
Coughlin Chevrolet Geo Toyota
(614) 221-6505
Doug Mann (Personal Injury Lawyer)
1-800-INJURED
Elk & Elk (�Injury Lawyers�)
www.elkandelk.com
info@elkandelk.com
1-888-ELKOHIO
Feazel Roofing
614-882-2782
Geico Insurance Corporate Communications
(937) 484-8911
301-986-2812
Germain Toyota
(614) 868-0300
Hatfield's Hyundai Subaru
614 870-9559
HER Realtors
***CALL HER TO THANK THEM FOR PULLING THEIR ADS FROM WSYX/WTTE!***
www.Herrealtors.com
Harley Rouda, Jr.
614-273-6004
77 East Nationwide Blvd
Columbus, OH 43215
614-459-7400 Office
614-457-6807 Fax
Homes That Click realtors
(614) 268-7653
ITT Tech
614 771-4888
Kenneth's Hair Salons and Day Spas
614.457.7712
Mario Tricoci
614-428-1000
614-764-7611
(800) 874-2624
OSU Ross Heart Hospital
614-293-5123
PepsiCola Bottling of Columbus:
(614) 253-8771
SafeAuto
www.safeauto.com
3883 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43213
614-231-0200 (office)
614-456-2940 (fax)
1-800-SAFEAUTO
Scrubbing Bubbles automatic shower cleaner
SC Johnson Corporate - 1.800.494.4855
Public Relations at 262.260.3709 or 262.260.4402
Tansky's Toyota
(614) 766-4800
Time Warner Cable/Road Runner Online
***THEY ARE KEEPING A TALLY OF CUSTOMERS WHO CALL ABOUT THIS ISSUE TO PASS ALONG TO THEIR EXECUTIVES. JOIN THE LIST!***
(614) 220-0979
(614) 481-5389
Toyota Direct
(614) 476-1979
Toyota West
(614) 870-8200
United Way
(614) 227-2700
Verizon Wireless
Midwest P.R. Manager David Clevenger 847-619-4291
Ohio P.R. Manager Laura Merritt 614-560-2605
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Ohio Dems & ACT respond to Blackwell
First, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) is actively looking for anyone who actually has been disenfranchised:
"If any Ohio citizens has information indicating a voter registration application has been denied because of inadequate paper weight, please notify the Ohio Democratic Party immediately. We stand ready to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that voter registration applications correctly completed by eligible voters are accepted." (ODP's full statement is below.)
Second, America Coming Together (ACT) has launched a petition drive against Blackwell.
Here's the ODP press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2004
Statement from Ohio Democratic Party Chair Dennis L. White
Regarding 80-Pound Voter Registration Card Directive
All or part of the following statement can be attributed to Dennis L. White, Ohio Democratic Party Chair.
"I am shocked and appalled by the latest directive from Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell that calls for the disregarding any voter registration form not filed on 80-pound weight paper. This is an antiquated rule and an unnecessary barrier to voter registration efforts going on in Ohio.
"If any Ohio citizens has information indicating a voter registration application has been denied because of inadequate paper weight, please notify the Ohio Democratic Party immediately. We stand ready to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that voter registration applications correctly completed by eligible voters are accepted.
"Please call Dan Trevas at (614) 229-4149 or email dan@ohiodems.org if your applications have been denied.
-30-
And here's ACT's petition:
Desperation and 80 Pound Paper Stock in Ohio
With only a few days left before the registration deadline here in Ohio, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is trying re-instate selective voting. His controls on the voting process will prohibit thousands of Ohioans from voting in the upcoming election.
He will not allow people to cast votes on provisional ballots if they go to the incorrect polling place, even if the voter is not at fault!
Citing an arcane ruling that requires voter registration cards be printed on 80 pound stock paper, Blackwell is threatening to void registrations submitted on a lighter weight paper, demanding they re-apply. There is no time to reapply and thousands of voters could be left off the rolls.This is not only unethical, it's illegal. The 14th Amendment grants every citizen the right to vote--regardless of race, gender, creed--or polling location or paper stock.
Republicans in Ohio are scared--with good reason--ACT's Get-Out-the-Vote effort is working --in Ohio we're out-registering Republicans by 10 to 1.
Sign the petition, and then sign up to volunteer with ACT in a swing state. Be part of the winning strategy.
First, the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) is actively looking for anyone who actually has been disenfranchised:
“If any Ohio citizens has information indicating a voter registration application has been denied because of inadequate paper weight, please notify the Ohio Democratic Party immediately. We stand ready to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that voter registration applications correctly completed by eligible voters are accepted." (ODP's full statement is below.)
Second, America Coming Together (ACT) has launched a petition drive against Blackwell.
Here's the ODP press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2004
Statement from Ohio Democratic Party Chair Dennis L. White
Regarding 80-Pound Voter Registration Card Directive
All or part of the following statement can be attributed to Dennis L. White, Ohio Democratic Party Chair.
“I am shocked and appalled by the latest directive from Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell that calls for the disregarding any voter registration form not filed on 80-pound weight paper. This is an antiquated rule and an unnecessary barrier to voter registration efforts going on in Ohio.
“If any Ohio citizens has information indicating a voter registration application has been denied because of inadequate paper weight, please notify the Ohio Democratic Party immediately. We stand ready to take whatever action is necessary to ensure that voter registration applications correctly completed by eligible voters are accepted.
“Please call Dan Trevas at (614) 229-4149 or email dan@ohiodems.org if your applications have been denied.
-30-
And here's ACT's petition:
Desperation and 80 Pound Paper Stock in Ohio
With only a few days left before the registration deadline here in Ohio, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is trying re-instate selective voting. His controls on the voting process will prohibit thousands of Ohioans from voting in the upcoming election.
He will not allow people to cast votes on provisional ballots if they go to the incorrect polling place, even if the voter is not at fault!
Citing an arcane ruling that requires voter registration cards be printed on 80 pound stock paper, Blackwell is threatening to void registrations submitted on a lighter weight paper, demanding they re-apply. There is no time to reapply and thousands of voters could be left off the rolls.
This is not only unethical, it’s illegal. The 14th Amendment grants every citizen the right to vote—regardless of race, gender, creed—or polling location or paper stock.
Republicans in Ohio are scared—with good reason—ACT’s Get-Out-the-Vote effort is working --in Ohio we’re out-registering Republicans by 10 to 1.
Sign the petition, and then sign up to volunteer with ACT in a swing state. Be part of the winning strategy.