OUR VOICE,
OUR VOTE,
OUR VICTORY

With all the talk of money ruling the election process and outcome, it can get a bit discouraging to learn that the Republican Party collects and spends around three times as much as the Democrats.

How can we possibly beat those odds?  The simple answer is that we can overcome the expensive media commercials of our opponents with our own networking.

All it really takes is for enough people to get worked up, talk about it and VOTE.

It happens.  In fact, it happened just recently in the State of Vermont.  Nestled in between New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts and Canada, this "People's Republic" confounded the money men, political acuity and themselves.

Last summer, a very rich Flatlander, Jack Mac "Millions," announced that he would run in the Primary election for Senator.  When Jack revealed that his claim to Vermonthood was that he owned a summer place and lived there about 6 weeks a year, there was considerable murmuring of "carpetbagger" among the natives.

True, he had recently established residence in the state, so he was eligible to run for the office.  And he did have very deep pockets.  And the Republicans didn't have anyone else who would challenge the incumbent Senator, Democrat, Pat Leahy.

Still, while recognizing his right to run, the natives were restless.  What did this Flatlander know about the State, its cows and its people?

Who was he to come up here and BUY a political office?

As the murmurs changed to grumbling, a free lance film maker and the star of one of his films decided that this just could not happen.  So the star, Fred Tuttle (directed by the film maker) announced for the Republican Primary in the Senate race -- and announced a budget of $16.00.

In case you didn't see the movie, Man With A Plan, with its slogan, "SPREAD FRED," a little background: Fred played himself, a 79-year-old, uneducated farmer who decided to run for Congress 'cause he heard the money was good.

He declared that he had spent his life in the barn and it was time he came into the HOUSE. So much for the movie, now back to real life.

From his movie experience, ya see, Fred was a natural for a Senate seat.  Fred had the RIGHT STUFF.  He was a native Vermonter.  He knew about cows and counties and poverty and relevant stuff like that even if he was poor and didn't read very well.

Jack just didn't.  He was very well educated.  A successful businessman with lots of cash.  He knew about business and politics and all that downcountry, flatlander stuff.

Fred won the Primary massively.  The best line reported that day came from Fred's wife as she was shooing the herd of reporters out the door so Fred could rest after his victory.

A reporter asked if she voted for Fred.  She answered, "No!  I wouldn't vote for that damned old fool."

How could this happen in a Republican Primary?

THE PEOPLE SPOKE.  They spoke through their ballot.  They networked.  They talked it up. They prevailed.

Despite all of Jack's money which saturated the airways and boob tubes, HE LOST.

Despite Fred saying that even if he won he was going to vote for Pat Leahy, HE WON.

Vermont's open primary helped, but it was voter turnout that made this happen.  At a time when traditionally there is little interest in a midterm primary, people were moved to send the carpetbagger back downcountry.

Presently, on the National scene, the Republican juggernaut WILL keep the impeachment process going, possibly for years.  It has declared that the November elections will be a referendum on President Clinton.  Responsible women and men can nip this in the bud come November by the simple process of networking.  "Spread"ing the word and getting out the vote.

Via personal communication, e-mail, snail-mail, phone or fax, we can, we must SPREAD THE CAN-DO SPIRIT OF FRED throughout the country.

Three Senate seats in close races:

Senator Carol Moseley-Braun -- D - Illinois
Senator Barbara Boxer -- D - California
Senator Patty Murray -- D - Washington (State)

Help send these women back to the Senate.

Use your voice and your vote November 3rd, and if you live in the one of the states above or, if you know someone who does, use your voice to bring more people out to vote.

Twanda@ConnRiver.net

1998-042

Copyright 1998 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@ConnRiver.net.

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