The Final and Most Important Week

[Michael Lawler]

With just a week left, what more can I do than just vote?  You can participate in any number of activities noted below, but first consider the duty of a citizen to serve the community and the process.

Being politically active and supporting a candidate is a lot different than being a sports fan and supporting a team.  When "your team" loses a season, you feel let down, you go back to to your routine and "your team" plays high end golf for six months.  When you support a superb candidate and the office isn't won, there are direct consequences upon the community at large and your own family.  You feel a sense of regret that more hadn't been done.  We can all do more this week on behalf of Senator Brown's campaign, retain him in office and experience no regret.  Better yet, we return a superb Senator to Washington.  The last week is more important than any week yet.  Here are a few simple tasks anyone can perform to help win this race:

1)Contact your nearest campaign office for signs, brochures or to make phone calls.

2) recognize that personalizing the race for an acquaintance draws a person to vote for the candidate.  When a friend or neighbor sees a yard sign for the Senator, your neighbors and friends are impressed, they see your commitment and are moved.

3) standing out with a sign broadcasts your choice and does effect people who again are impressed that you have chosen a candidate.  Adapt some yard signs or improvise some with friends and stand out at a busy corner, overpass or civic activity.  Smile, wave and make eye contact with folks.  Don't just stand around gossiping. Don't cluster, space yourselves out and "look bigger." If at a civic function or near a religious service when the congregation breaks, show complete respect and deference to the folks you meet.

4)take your signs to the polls, smile and show respect.  Many people who are undecided on the Senate race may make up their mind seeing you, your behavior and who you support.

5) take some time the days before the election and put brochures in the screen doors of your neighbors.  This shows you cared enough for the candidate to make the effort.  It impresses.  Do not put material in the mailbox, only a postal employee can do this legally. Contact local headquarters for brochures.

6) make phone calls to get the vote out.  Again, contact your nearest headquarters about this effort.

7) talk up our man, Senator Brown, in positive terms, as the "independent voice in D.C." or the "jobs guy."  Do not be argumentative with anybody, that doesn't win votes, it just excites your antagonist.  Show respect and gently draw the "fence sitters" over to our man.

You're an activist.  Work at this for one more week, suffer no regrets by having participated and share in the satisfaction of having returned a superb Senator, Scott Brown, back to Washington to represent our families and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.   

Best wishes and God bless you, the South Shore Brigade