Inside The Big Bad ACORN

John McCain thinks these people are perpetrating the biggest fraud on American democracy. What is that fraud is exactly, no one is really sure except for that the Republicans have done a lot of spinning in the press against them. The truth is they are trying to register minorities so they can vote, regardless of the fear tactics Republicans use against them.

Whats Good For Obama Is Great For Turning The State Senate

Voter registration has skyrocketed across the country and a lot of it is attributable to the inspiration of Barack Obama and this pivotal election in our nation. Even here in New York, unprecedented numbers of new voters have made their intent to cast ballots known. While Obama has had a virtual lock on our 31 electoral votes, that doesn't mean other races that are in play won't be affected.

From Press Connects:

Republican voter advantages in some Senate districts where the GOP held healthy enrollment edges just two years ago have evaporated, enrollment statistics from the state Board of Elections show.

For example, Republicans in 2006 held a roughly 8,600 edge in enrollment over Democrats in Sen. James Alesi's 55th District, which covers the eastern Monroe County suburbs. But with more than 8,200 voters enrolling as Democrats since the last Senate election, the Republican lead is down to just about 500 voters as Alesi faces Democrat David Nachbar.

The 61st District, which is an open seat in western New York and a critical race for both parties, now has 5,800 fewer Republicans than it did in 2006. So instead of a 9,794 enrollment edge the GOP enjoyed, the lead is now about 4,100.

The differential in registered Republicans and Democrats is extremely important here and plays an important role in downticket races all across the country. Though that isn't the only influence the Presidential race has here. Polling throughout the year has shown great levels of enthusiasm in the Democratic ranks while Republicans are far from it with their not-so-stellar choice of John McCain. The more Republicans stay at home next week, the better things look for people like Joe Addabbo, Jim Gennaro, Joe Mesi and many others looking to turn the NY State Senate blue.

Worried About Your Vote Counting? Then Make Sure It Does!

Let's face facts people. Voting in America isn't the easiest thing to do. Some countries compel you to vote, others take holidays and some (including our very own state of Oregon) have it done by mail. Yet for the most part, voting has and is a struggle for us, yet many people remain apathetic. Tell me this, if it really didn't matter, then why have so many people fought and died for the right to choose their leaders? We're not asking you to solve the world's problems, just go out and make sure you are registered and ready to go on November 4th.

Upper West Side Shines For Obama

Here and there we hear about the GOP's chances in New York on the upswing though in reality there is no question about which way our electoral votes are going to be cast this year, as they were for the last twenty years. Barack Obama is going to win here and win big but that does not mean New Yorkers can just sit back and be complacent about things. In the most solid and active Democratic enclave in the city, things are heating up and people are turning out to make sure Obama is elected President in less than two months time.

From The NY Observer:

“You would think this being the Upper West Side, this being a bastion of progressive and reformer politics, that everyone would be energized and ready to go,” said Tim Foley, a former Obama new media director for New Hampshire and New York who now works for the SEIU and organizes many Obama events on the Upper West Side. “But it’s human nature to put things off. So just the sheer number of people who just possibly wouldn’t have been registered in time if we hadn’t been out on the streets is amazing to me.”

Foley was registering voters at 110th Street and Broadway on Labor Day Monday, along with two local Democratic groups. It was the third day of tabling over the long weekend; four additional events were scheduled for the remainder of the week.

On Monday, Steve Max, a longtime member of Three Parks Independent Democrats who has lived in the neighborhood for most of his 78 years, had stationed himself at 105th Street, in front of a temporary phone banking station being painted by a bevy of young volunteers. Max called the weekend’s crop of voter registration forms, which he estimated at several hundred, “totally, totally remarkable.” The registrations came from a mix of people, he said, though young people and African-Americans were heavily represented.

There are events happening all over the five buroughs but things are heavily concentrated between Riverside and Central Park(s). Not only are people doing the standard Get-Out-The-Vote operation but expanding beyond by getting on buses to canvass in Pennsylvania and writing personalized letters to swing voters as far away as Florida and Ohio.

Of course this doesn't mean that if you don't live in the area that you yourself can't get involved. Simply go to my.barackobama.com and sign up, then see what events are going on in your neighborhood. If there isn't much nearby, then create an event yourself. Whether it is a bakesale, tabling on your corner with Obama buttons and voter registration forms or getting together in someone's home to talk about the election, getting connected is essential so that we turn out as many voters as possible on November 4th.