CUT MILITARY SPENDING

[norepubsin08]

Twenty years ago today out of Tacoma, Washington we incorporated an organization called, The Sixth District Legislative Project for the purpose of presenting to the City of Tacoma voters, an initiative called "The Ten Percent Solution" it was an advisory vote directing our Mayor and City Council to send to the Washington State Congressional delegation to request Congress cut military spending by ten percent and apply that to social services, deficit reduction, health care, mass transit and education.

We were told by professional pollsters that would we not get on the ballot because Tacoma is surrounding by military installations. Not only did we get on the ballot, but we won with 64% of the vote, the most of any issue or candidate in that election cycle. We did by working with unions, educators, mainline churches, peace groups and economic realists.

What it did was:

1) Create conversation and dialogue
2) Sent a clear message
3) trained a group of activists in how to run a campaign
4) moved Tacoma further to the left

Out of that was borne a Congressional campaign against our DINO in the primary. While not winning that primary we did hold his feet to the fire and he has voted more progressively since.

I think we need to that again in cities all across the nation, so that we can talk about our priorities and look for some direction. IMHO

Peace Mike C