[Think] [MoveOn.org PAC] Flash Mobs for Democracy

[Fen Labalme]

Dear MoveOn member,

The outcome of the California recall will come down to this: the side
that gets more people out to vote wins. Those behind the recall are
counting on poor turnout. That's why we need to make sure that every
friend, family member and colleague votes. 

There is one fantastically simple way to do that: give them mail ballot
request forms and make sure they complete and send them in. If everyone
receiving this email did that with 10 like-minded friends, family
members and colleagues, we could increase voter turnout against the
recall by one million votes. Click below to print out your mail ballot
request forms: 

http://moveon.org/pac/recall/register/

Mail voting is critical to beating the recall. More than half of normal
polling places will be closed in this election due to time constraints,
making many voters much less likely to get to a voting booth on October
7. Voting by mail is the answer.  

This Saturday we're kicking off our vote by mail campaign with something
fun. We're going to gather in groups of 30 to 50 volunteers across the
state to hand out ballot request forms and information in our
communities. In one day we will help tens of thousands to vote. We could
change the outcome of the recall election on Saturday. Click here to
learn more and to pick a place for a gathering in your area: 

http://action.moveon.org/meet/

Some of you have asked for help in those important conversations with
your friends and family about the recall. Unfortunately, some of the
most sensible and powerful arguments against the recall have been lost
in the media circus. That's exactly why it is so important to talk about
the recall with those who respect your opinion. Below are some points to
help. 

10 Reasons Why the Recall is Wrong:

1.  The recall threatens to give California a governor elected 
    by a tiny percentage of the electorate -- and gives wealthy 
    individuals an unprecedented opportunity to attempt to buy
    the governorship.
2.  A single congressman brought us the recall with $1.7 million 
    of his own money -- while simultaneously putting himself forward 
    as the man to replace the governor.
3.  It threatens to invalidate a fair election just months after 
    it took place.
4.  It sets a dangerous precedent -- if it succeeds why wouldn't 
    opponents attempt to recall every 5. future governor?
5.  It's expensive: The recall election itself will cost over 
    $60 million.
6.  It prevents our elected leaders from working to solve the state 
    budget crisis and other important issues by forcing them to 
    campaign to defend the results of a fair election.
7.  The cost to the economy is too great: a successful recall would 
    cause enormous economic instability and loss of confidence.
8.  This won't stop in California: 18 states have recall provisions. 
    Unless the California recall is decisively rejected, sore losers 
    in others states will continue to use this tactic. 
9.  The recall threatens California's environment. Governor Davis has 
    made important improvements to environmental law. Polluters see 
    the recall as a chance for roll-back.
10. Gray Davis has made important gains in education, health care, 
    the environment and public safety. The recall is an attempt to
    reverse those advances.

Please help your friends and family to vote by printing out a mail
ballot request form here: 

http://moveon.org/pac/recall/register/

And please join us this Saturday at events across the state to help us
distribute tens of thousands of mail ballot request forms: 

http://action.moveon.org/meet/

Thank you,

--Carrie, Eli, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack
  The MoveOn Team
  September 10th, 2003

PS: Nearly 100,000 Californian MoveOn members have taken our pledge to
talk to friends and family about the recall. If you haven't signed the
pledge, please help us reach our goal of 100,000 signers by Friday by
clicking here: 

http://moveon.org/pac/recall/

Also: Thanks to the participation of MoveOn members in our Defend
Democracy campaign, the mainstream media is beginning to connect the
dots between impeachment, Florida, Texas and the California recall. This
New York Times editorial is just one example: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/09/opinion/09TUE4.html

"The more the G.O.P. persists in this, the more it hands the Democrats
traction for their charge that Republicans are mischievously
specializing -- as in the California recall -- in undoing normal
elective processes." 

________________

Paid for by MOVEON.ORG PAC, P.O. Box 9218, Berkeley, CA 94709. This 
communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's 
committee. Website: www.moveonpac.org.