Everyone should be volunteering once per week. If you haven't started yet...

[Infinite Hope]

you're very late, but it's never too late. You need to start this week. Stop talking about it, stop talking even unless it's to voters for at least 2-3 hours a week on the doors or on the phones. Wearing a shirt, wearing a button, talking to the choir does next to NOTHING. Get out on the DOORS. Get out on the PHONES. PERSUADE VOTERS 2-3 HOURS PER WEEK.

End of rant...this organizer is tired of lazy people who talk the talk, but never walk. Hopefully that's not the case here, but the reality is for many posters here it is. Are you going to play lazy and take it for granted...then bitch and complain for 4 more years? If you are not on the doors or phones 2-3 hours a week, you aren't even trying. Everyone can adjust their schedules to make room for 2 hours per week. You can call from an office, knock with local campaigns, or call from home even. There are programs for that. GET OUT AND ****WORK****!!!!

[Diane R]

1. Yes. If we volunteer more, but post on DU less, we'll have a better chance of election Obama.

[melody]

4. DU raised 50 grand from its members. I wouldn't diss DU.

It is a place to organize and inform yourself -- that's also important.

[Infinite Hope]

6. No one is dissing DU. It's about the amount of time spent here vs. more constructive actions.

$50,000 in a presidential campaign is significant, but frankly doesn't do crap compared to 2-3 hours per person per week of voter contact.

[melody]

7. And if you don't have downtime from volunteering, you burn out

We could spend that time here, no?

Incidentally, I'm an active volunteer.

[Infinite Hope]

10. Exactly. I never said spending time on DU was wrong...if you spend 2+ hrs per week volunteering.

You clearly do as do many others...thank goodness for folks like you!!! My post was explicitly aimed at those who don't put any time in.

[csziggy]

2. Yep - just spent four hours at Obama HQ training volunteers and doing data entry

Came home with 75 pages of call sheets and input them. Out of those sheets, we might get two volunteers, though we do have a lot of supporters who cannot work (97 year old lady will vote, but regrets she cannot walk her neighborhood or help in the office!). I go in three afternoons a week and do whatever I can to help out - calls and data entry mostly.

Even if you signed up online or at an event, do not wait to be called to come in to help. Our office does not have enough people to follow up on all the possible volunteers out there, so a lot of people simply do not get a follow up call.

If you can't go into your local office, sign up on BarackObama.com, look for the Neighbor to Neighbor program and use the info there join the campaign. A lot of that can be done from your computer and in your neighborhood without going into a campaign office. But the local offices need your help - go in and offer it, don't sit around waiting for somebody to ask you.

Infinite Hope,
Have you seen any of the Obama-Biden signs or campaign material? We've had nothing since I started volunteering a month ago. I do get a few volunteers that way - I tell people who come in wanting signs or bumper stickers that the volunteers who are in the office when the shipment arrives will get first choice. About one in five will put in some time. ;-)

[Infinite Hope]

8. Very good...

on the use of signs, bumper stickers, and other items to lure in supporters so that you can then corner them to volunteer. Excellent tactic.

No, we don't have Obama-Biden signs and likely won't ever unless a local person orders a bunch, sells them, then orders more...and so on.

[melody]

3. There's also someone with a postcard campaign that nearly anyone can do

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4332

This might be good for those who are bad on the phone or too busy/disabled to go out to volunteer.

[Cerridwen]

5. Not a very good organizer...

if you're leading based on guilt and shame.

A good organizer recognizes the efforts of all the people; regardless of your own exact standards. You'd know that if you'd done this a while.

But hey, keep up the good work alienating those who don't meet your standards.

[Infinite Hope]

9. Tough love also works for DU. Posting on DU for those who do nothing else is not "effort." n/t

[Cerridwen]

11. "Tough love"? You don't have a clue.

You don't lead through shame and guilt.

It's pretty basic if you're liberal in your ideals.

Everybody contributes as their circumstances allow, even if it's "only" posting to DU, even if it's not to the exacting standards of the "leaders."

A leader knows this and allows for this.

edit: typo

[Infinite Hope]

13. A reality check doesn't = shame and guilt. Clearly you feel guilty due to my post.

Sorry for that. But the reality is some people need a wake up call. A reality check is not the same as shame nor guilty. It's simply calling it like it is. If people aren't volunteering and talking to voters regularly, they're not contributing toward a general election win. Preaching to the choir doesn't win swing voters or states. That's your last response. Everyone else gets it. This is a critical election and volunteering is a MUST for those who "get it." There's a way for everyone of every background to volunteer. Preaching tot he choir is not one of them.

[Cerridwen]

15. Try again.

You're using guilt and shame about hours walking a precinct or "manning" the phones.

Some people are not comfortable talking face to face or even phone to phone. They excel in other ways; educating the electorate, speaking to friends and family and co-workers. Preaching to the choir, if you'll pardon the pop culture reference, is how you get the choir to sing (it's from a "West Wing" episode).

Casting aspersions is how you get the "choir" to shut their mouths.

We each contribute in our own way. As you apply value to the hierarchical steps in what is considered valuable, you deny the value of those activities not meeting your exact standards.

Epic Fail.

[Infinite Hope]

21. As I have said, there are volunteer opportunities for everyone. Thanks for pointing that out. n/t

[lonestarnot]

12. Doing data input! Have to call tomorrow and find out times.

Also waiting for my buddy to go with me to knock on doors.

[Infinite Hope]

14. Thanks!!! Off to sleep to I can do another 12-14 hours tomorrow.

70-80 a week...but I love it!!!

Volunteers always realize it's a blast once they get past the "intimidation factor" of the first few calls or knocks.

[FogerRox]

19. You're defending your country, you're a patriot.

[Better Today]

16. I don't walk but I sure spend 8-10 hours a day , and

I'm also doing their books. Is it okay if I don't walk? Oh, and its for the party not a candidate per se. I get paid for 20 hours and spend nearly another 40 per week volunteering at other computer tasks. I did get tired of not doing more, around here my vote alone just isn't going to be enough, and I'm too poor to donate. So I went to volunteer, found out they needed an accountant, and the rest is Her-story.

[Cerridwen]

17. Nope. According to OP you don't count.

We have standards, ya know.

My standards were a bit different. But, hey, the OP knows better.

[Better Today]

20. ****WahHHHHH***** ;)

[Infinite Hope]

22. Absolutely! Also factual letters to the editor are another great way to help campaigns. n/t

[FogerRox]

18. I have 2 events on my page for this friday and saturday

http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/private


If you havent registered yet, do so, you can search by zip code for events near you.