So, I've been campaigning around my municipality...

[MrMickeysMom]

I really like doing this, a good way to take off a few pounds and learn a lot.

I've entered into local government. No one thought last year I'd win a special election that put me in to municipal council. After all, there is quite a "machine" here and I was a new-comer and unknown. However, I did win and on the heels of that, I'm going to win the regular 4 year term for the same seat cause I'm on both tickets, having knocked my opponents out in the primary and having no Republican challenge me (I got their write in, in fact). This is all great, but I've still chosen to walk the "ward" one more time before the November 3rd election to see what people really think. This always goes off subject from local policy to national. What I get from the strange tea-bagger minority of people who vote shouldn't be a surprise, but I have a chance to study these people, my neighbors, and who I represent.

I notice the TB'ers are just about all in the Republican party.
They would be called (rightfully) "narrow minded" ... very narrow minded

They seem to the think we are all going to be taken over by "the government", which includes their view of the public option in health care reform.

They cannot describe or intellectualize more than the talking points about the "government" we have today.

They think George Bush was great. They think Obama is trying to take over the world with big government.

They distrust politicians, therefore, it does not matter that I am a newly elected official, I have become a politician. (but they loved W)

They don't know much about local government, so when I raise different points of view of how we might draw new and sustainable businesses to our community, they recoil at the suggestion of "new economies" and insist that introducing anything sustainable in industry would tax or take something away that they then cannot articulate.

I should be satisfied to move on, since these are a local small minority, but the fact that they want to talk tells me they want to know something...

I'm fairly respectful, but do stand up for what I believe in, even challenge them (always wishing to use the Thom Hartmann approach of never really getting angry), I'm seriously wondering ...

Are tea baggers and generally ignorant people worth the trouble of my extra 15 minute conversations, all which do not end up hostile, and possibly most which end up putting me in a slightly better light?

Are these folks worth it? Do I ever stand to change their minds? I guess my feeling is, "yes, because I represent them".

Will we ever do for local government what we don't seem to be able to do with the "20%" of hopelessly non-progressive citizens?

I could just be having a pipe dream, but you tell me, please...

... and, "thank you"! :hi:

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. I applaud you for this effort. It takes much courage and patience

to do what you are doing.

[elleng]

2. You are our future, if we have one. Thank you.

:)

[Angry Dragon]

3. Never hurts to talk

My belief is beliefs are ever changing. There are many benefits to talking to others that do not believe as you do. You will hear what they want, what they fear, what their beliefs are. They will see you as a person and not something approaching the devil. You might see something in what they say to refine your own beliefs. The worst that can happen is that you both go away with nothing being changed. But at least both sides tried.

[MrMickeysMom]

5. Yep, I'm inclined to agree...

... thus, I'm guessing this is "all good", as they say (plus, I get to eat extra cookies afterward)

[OffWithTheirHeads]

4. Well, my two cents .

It seems that the majority of the t-bagger types seem to also have a fundie element in them. If you ask them how old they think the Earth is and if the answer is in the Thousands, Your time would be better spent talking to a box of rocks. Most of these types live in a delusional parallel universe reigned over by some really nasty supply side Jesus and nothing you can say or do will change their minds. Their minds were turned off a long time ago and won't be turned back on anytime soon.

Just my opinion.

[MrMickeysMom]

6. LOL...

"supply side Jesus"....

[DarrinBridges]

7. Supporting a Local Candidate

I'm supporting a local candidate for Mayor in Cumberland, MD. He is progressive and embodies all of the kinds of things that we really need in our community. Can anybody help with an idea of how to raise some funds to help him run? He has a website that lets you donate online at http://electbriangrim.com/contribute.htm but I was thinking if there was a way to get a bunch of people to just donate like $10.00 it would be really helpful.