Reply #86: How do you influence your party?

[rucky]

When you have very little time or money, what leverage do you have aside from your vote?

When it comes down to it, many who threaten to withhold their votes are doing just that - threatening to gain some sort of influence. You can argue that following through with that threat is detremental to your own cause, but it is equally detremental to the party to ignore a significant base of their donors, volunteers and voters.

Responding to the threat with "then enjoy President Palin" will NEVER convince someone else to change their stance, because their need is for their voice to be heard and others - however logical their argument may be - are responding by shutting down the one thing they're seeking.