Vote Uncommitted Jan. 15
by Bob Alexander, East Lansing, alexjuliea@aol.com, 517-351-0965
Much of the discussion on Democrats voting in the Jan. 15 Primary has not clearly stated that most Write-In votes and Protest votes either will not be counted or have little chance of getting the minimum 15% needed to earn a delegate to the Denver Convention. The only viable option for many Dems on Jan. 15 is to vote for the Uncommitted slot on the primary ballot.
1. Write In votes are a wasted effort in 13 of Michigan's 15 congressional districts, as they will not be counted.
In the Dem party for a Write In vote to be counted, the candidate you want to Write In has to give the Party Chair advanced written notice that they are a Write In candidate. Very unlikely that Obama, Edwards, Gore or Richardson will give permission. If a candidate does give permission, then that candidate must have at least 15% of the voters in a congressional district print in the correct similar spelling of the candidate’s name in order to receive a delegate to the Denver Dems Convention. With the primary 7 weeks away that is almost impossible for Obama or Edwards supporters to pull off, with the exception of Obama in the 13 and 14 congressional districts in Detroit.
2. Voting for Kucinich as a Protest Vote also will not be successful in the other 13 districts.
Dennis Kucinich is not a viable protest vote for Gore, Obama, Edwards, and Richardson supporters. I say this painfully as Dennis’ Michigan campaign manager in 2004. Dennis is great on the issues, but people just do not consider him as their candidate to be President. Most G, O, E & R supporters just do not consider voting for Kucinich, even as a protest vote. In the Michigan February 2004 nine candidate Dem primary Kucinich came in a distant 6th with 5,138 votes. Wes Clark who had not really campaigned got 10,986.
3. Organized Voting for the Uncommitted slot on the primary ballot might have national import!
The Uncommitted slot is on all the Democratic Primary Ballots, and is next below the last Democratic candidate, followed by the Write In slot. Voting for the Uncommitted slot is an excellent protest vote. If more than 15% of the voters in a congressional district vote for the Uncommitted slot, then an Uncommitted delegate will go to the Denver Dems Convention in August.
If there is an organized, consensus effort by the Gore, Obama, Edwards, and Richardson supporters, it is likely that the Uncommitted slot would win delegates in most of Michigan’s 15 congressional districts. Obama and Gore are the most popular choices in Detroit’s 13 & 14 Congressional Districts, and the Uncommitted choice might win 4-5 of the 8 delegate positions in each district. Gore, Edwards and Obama are very popular in the 12 (SE Oakland & Macomb), 15 (Ann Arbor-Ypsi and Downriver), 8 (Lansing and Livingston), 6 & 7 (Kalamazoo & Battle Creek), and 3 (Grand Rapids).
The potential success for an organized Uncommitted vote is seen in the Aug. 14 Detroit News poll of likely Dem Michigan primary voters: Gore 36%, Clinton 32%, Obama 15% and Edwards 8%. The Uncommitted supporters are 60% compared to Clinton supporters 32%.
The Dems who want to be the delegates to the Denver Convention will be selected by Democrats at the Congressional District Conventions on March 29, 2008. In order to vote in the convention caucus of Uncommitted supporters, one must be a member or become a member of the Michigan Democratic Party by February 28, 2008. To join go to www.michigandems.com.
4. My major concern in all this, now that Gore is clearly not a candidate, is to make sure who ever wins the nomination has the enthusiastic support of the maximum number of Dems, independents and disgruntled Republicans to overcome the illegal and unethical campaign-stealing tactics of the Neo-Con Republican national campaign machine. For the last 6 weeks I and other Gore leaders have been urging Dems Party groups to approve resolutions for Michigan Dems to vote by the February 9 caucuses as the best way to keep our party unified. Sadly, our state Dem Executive Committee did not share our concerns, and voted to use the discredited Jan. 15 primary. Now we need to express our desire for the "most progressive candidate who can win" with a massive Uncommitted vote.
Please contact me if you want to help publicize Voting Uncommitted on Jan. 15 or organize our outreach efforts.
Bob Alexander, East Lansing, alexjuliea@aol.com, 517-351-0965
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Update on Michigan Draft Gore Activities, Monday, October 29
We are finishing off our very positive Nominating Petition drive. We are pleased that over 100 petitioners contributed to our effort, more than 10 new leaders stepped up to help us organize, and we talked about Al Gore to tens of thousands of Michigan voters while the other candidates had most of their staff and activists in other states collecting petitions.
As we said in mid-September at the start of our Nominating Petition drive our volunteers did gather more than 3,500 signatures. However, we did not raise sufficient funds for professional petition circulators to help us place Al Gore on the Jan. 15 primary ballot.
However, our shortfall may not be a problem as the Jan. 15 primary may not take place for Democrats. A law suit wants to cancel the primary. Also, many Dems prefer to have a chance to vote for all the Democratic candidates, including Gore, in the February caucuses ( Feb. 9 or sooner, date not yet firm). There might be a decision about caucuses or a primary at a Michigan Dems Executive Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 7. We will notify you immediately when there is news.
Meanwhile, we need Michigan Gore supporters to help us transfer the names and addresses off of our Nominating petitions, so we can send our new names of supporters to Al Gore to help convince him to run. Please email Bob Alexander if you can help on this crucial task at alexjuliea@aol.com, and title your email Volunteer to help with data entry.
We will have more information about our next steps to help build support in Michigan for Al Gore for president in ten days or so. Onward.
Bob Alexander and Doug Kelley,
Co-Chairs, Michigan Draft Gore
As we said in mid-September at the start of our Nominating Petition drive our volunteers did gather more than 3,500 signatures. However, we did not raise sufficient funds for professional petition circulators to help us place Al Gore on the Jan. 15 primary ballot.
However, our shortfall may not be a problem as the Jan. 15 primary may not take place for Democrats. A law suit wants to cancel the primary. Also, many Dems prefer to have a chance to vote for all the Democratic candidates, including Gore, in the February caucuses ( Feb. 9 or sooner, date not yet firm). There might be a decision about caucuses or a primary at a Michigan Dems Executive Committee on Wednesday, Nov. 7. We will notify you immediately when there is news.
Meanwhile, we need Michigan Gore supporters to help us transfer the names and addresses off of our Nominating petitions, so we can send our new names of supporters to Al Gore to help convince him to run. Please email Bob Alexander if you can help on this crucial task at alexjuliea@aol.com, and title your email Volunteer to help with data entry.
We will have more information about our next steps to help build support in Michigan for Al Gore for president in ten days or so. Onward.
Bob Alexander and Doug Kelley,
Co-Chairs, Michigan Draft Gore
Michigan Caucus Information
MI DRAFT GORE URGES DEMOCRATIC CAUCUSES
INSTEAD OF FILING PRIMARY PETITIONS
For Immediate Release: October 23, 2007
Contacts: Bob Alexander, 517-351-0965
Douglas Kelley, 734-662-1731
"Nearly 100 active volunteer petition circulators have enabled us to reach our initial goal of 3,000 nominating petition signatures secured by volunteer circulators, by the October 23 deadline," stated Bob Alexander, Manager of the Petition Drive and Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. "Signatures were gathered in Democratic meetings, outside cultural and sports events, and on the streets of cities and villages throughout Michigan."
"However, despite having received over $2,500 in contributions for the petition drive, we needed an additional $10,000 to hire full-time petition circulators whose work has been essential in successful state-wide petition drives in the past. Thus we did not obtain the 12,396 valid signatures that would have required Al Gore's written approval to place his name on the January 15 primary ballot," concluded Alexander.
"We now urge all Michigan Democrats and Independents to vote in Democratic Party caucuses," said Douglas Kelley, of Ann Arbor, Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. "It is grossly unfair and undemocratic that Michigan Democratic voters who favor Obama, Gore, Edwards, Richardson or Biden won't see their candidate's name on the January 15 primary ballot." Kelley is also a member of the Michigan Democratic Party's state central committee.
"Michigan leaders and supporters of the Draft Al Gore movement are joining with many other Dems to urge the Michigan Democratic Party to bow out of the January 15 presidential primary election and instead hold caucuses throughout the state, as Democrats did in 2004. Caucus Resolutions have been approved by the Kent County, Washtenaw County, and an informal vote of the 12th congressional district, and several county Democratic Chairs voiced their support at the 1st congressional district dinner last Saturday in Grayling," continued Kelley.
"We are doing this out of our conviction that Gore is the best qualified candidate for President," stated Alexander. "We are confident Gore could win either the January 15 Michigan primary or the Michigan Democratic caucuses, in view of the Detroit News statewide poll of 400 likely Democratic voters (August 14): Gore, 36%; H. Clinton, 32%; Obama, 16%; Edwards, 8%." Alexander is also Vice Chair of the 8th congressional district committee and the Democratic candidate for Congress in 2004.
Draft Gore groups in Michigan have been active since June of 2006. They are represented in two national Draft Gore organizations, and and on the website: .
INSTEAD OF FILING PRIMARY PETITIONS
For Immediate Release: October 23, 2007
Contacts: Bob Alexander, 517-351-0965
Douglas Kelley, 734-662-1731
"Nearly 100 active volunteer petition circulators have enabled us to reach our initial goal of 3,000 nominating petition signatures secured by volunteer circulators, by the October 23 deadline," stated Bob Alexander, Manager of the Petition Drive and Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. "Signatures were gathered in Democratic meetings, outside cultural and sports events, and on the streets of cities and villages throughout Michigan."
"However, despite having received over $2,500 in contributions for the petition drive, we needed an additional $10,000 to hire full-time petition circulators whose work has been essential in successful state-wide petition drives in the past. Thus we did not obtain the 12,396 valid signatures that would have required Al Gore's written approval to place his name on the January 15 primary ballot," concluded Alexander.
"We now urge all Michigan Democrats and Independents to vote in Democratic Party caucuses," said Douglas Kelley, of Ann Arbor, Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. "It is grossly unfair and undemocratic that Michigan Democratic voters who favor Obama, Gore, Edwards, Richardson or Biden won't see their candidate's name on the January 15 primary ballot." Kelley is also a member of the Michigan Democratic Party's state central committee.
"Michigan leaders and supporters of the Draft Al Gore movement are joining with many other Dems to urge the Michigan Democratic Party to bow out of the January 15 presidential primary election and instead hold caucuses throughout the state, as Democrats did in 2004. Caucus Resolutions have been approved by the Kent County, Washtenaw County, and an informal vote of the 12th congressional district, and several county Democratic Chairs voiced their support at the 1st congressional district dinner last Saturday in Grayling," continued Kelley.
"We are doing this out of our conviction that Gore is the best qualified candidate for President," stated Alexander. "We are confident Gore could win either the January 15 Michigan primary or the Michigan Democratic caucuses, in view of the Detroit News statewide poll of 400 likely Democratic voters (August 14): Gore, 36%; H. Clinton, 32%; Obama, 16%; Edwards, 8%." Alexander is also Vice Chair of the 8th congressional district committee and the Democratic candidate for Congress in 2004.
Draft Gore groups in Michigan have been active since June of 2006. They are represented in two national Draft Gore organizations,
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
A New Media Conversation Takes Form...
Transcript of the Gore statements in his 3 Videos
Edited by Bob Alexander, MIvolstodraftgore2008.blogspot.com, October 16, 2007
Al Gore released his three videos on Monday, October, 15. We are very thankful for the narrative provided by Farrell Seiler, State Coordinator, Draft Gore New Hampshire. The URLs for the Current.com statements and the related article were added by Bob Alexander, Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. Farrell Seiler’s comments and Gore’s statements are on the Draft Gore New Hampshire, web site: Draft Gore NH
Please visit Al Gore’s new communications web site that emphasizes personally created videos at Current.com. You can access all three videos at: http://current.com/people/algore. The title for each video is followed by its URL.
After viewing the videos add your comments for each one. In a bit more than 24 hours already 7,767 have viewed the Health Care view and added 119 responses; Get Our Troops Home, 5,194 views and 102 responses; and Constitutional Rights, 4,569 views and 88 responses.
Also, here's an analysis: the three videos indicate that Gore is now running for President at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2051041&mesg_id=2051041
Get Our Troops Home
current.com statement by AL Gore
http://current.com/items/84986481_get_the_troops_home
Health Care is a Right
curretn.com statement by Al Gore http://current.com/items/84987281_health_care_is_a_right#addResponse
On Constitutional Rights
Current.com statement by Al Gore
http://current.com/items/84986911_americans_deserve_more_protection
Response to Gore’s Health Care statement by Bob Alexander, Michigan
• Thank you Al Gore for speaking out on these serious political issues. I hope these are your first steps to putting your name on the South Carolina and Georgia primary ballots, due Nov 1!
Your views on national health care for all are great!
Suggestion: please speak of reforming and expanding Medicare for all. Even moderate Republicans agree with that approach. A majority of Americans love a reformed and expanded Medicare.
For the same $2.1 trillion we pay in the US for our broken for-profit health system with no coverage to 46.6 million, Medicare coverage can expand health care, mental health, substance abuse prevention, long term care, dental and vision services to all.
Expanded Medicare could pay for all the services because our for-profit system wastes about 40% of the $2.1 trillion for expenses that provide no medical care. The following are estimates that demonstrate the advantages of Expanding Medicare to cover all. Expanded Medicare would not waste these expenses:
~$50 billion/year on TV, radio and magazine ads.
~ $300 billion for the 1,000 or more health insurance companies.
~ $200 billion for the excessively high salaries, expense accounts, and other
unneeded administrative costs.
~ $150 billion in the recent Pharmacy Part D for unneeded participation incentives
to pharmacy companies and HMOs through no-bid contracts.
~ $100 billion for the unnecessary incentives for HMOs and other health agencies
that were setup by Congress Republicans in the 1970s and 80s.
To prove the effectiveness of Expanded Medicare to All, and the savings for our auto companies so they can survive, Congress should enact a four year pilot program that would provide Medicare coverage to all auto workers and retirees. The success of this pilot programs would cause all corporations, small businesses and all families and individuals to want to participatehttp://current.com/people/algore
Edited by Bob Alexander, MIvolstodraftgore2008.blogspot.com, October 16, 2007
Al Gore released his three videos on Monday, October, 15. We are very thankful for the narrative provided by Farrell Seiler, State Coordinator, Draft Gore New Hampshire. The URLs for the Current.com statements and the related article were added by Bob Alexander, Co-Chair of Michigan Draft Gore. Farrell Seiler’s comments and Gore’s statements are on the Draft Gore New Hampshire, web site: Draft Gore NH
Please visit Al Gore’s new communications web site that emphasizes personally created videos at Current.com. You can access all three videos at: http://current.com/people/algore. The title for each video is followed by its URL.
After viewing the videos add your comments for each one. In a bit more than 24 hours already 7,767 have viewed the Health Care view and added 119 responses; Get Our Troops Home, 5,194 views and 102 responses; and Constitutional Rights, 4,569 views and 88 responses.
Also, here's an analysis: the three videos indicate that Gore is now running for President at http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2051041&mesg_id=2051041
Get Our Troops Home
current.com statement by AL Gore
http://current.com/items/84986481_get_the_troops_home
Everybody’s talking about the war in Iraq, and most everybody agrees now that it was a big mistake to invade Iraq cause they didn’t have anything to do with attacking us on 911.
But the question of how we get out of Iraq and under what circumstances is significantly more difficult.
My own view is that we ought to withdraw as quickly as possible, while keeping an eye on the obligation we have not to make an already terrible situation even worse in the manner of our leaving.
But the longer we stay the more we appear to be a magnent for the kind of violence that is feeding the civil war that has emerged inside Iraq.
So I do think out that our primary goal should be to get our troops home as quickly as possible.
Health Care is a Right
curretn.com statement by Al Gore http://current.com/items/84987281_health_care_is_a_right#addResponse
I strongly support universal, single payer, government provided or government funded, health care. Doesn’t mean that the government runs it. It can have competition among the different providers.
But I just think that we have long since reached the stage that it is immoral to put people in a situation where they cannot get the medical care they need because their incomes are not high enough.
I think it ought to be a matter of right.
Our current system just doesn’t work. It is way too expensive. The quality of health care is excellent for those who have enough money to buy the very best.
But lower income and low middle income Americans are not getting good health care, and so many now cannot afford private health insurance that they are going without insurance, milllions and millions of people.
And I think that to eliminate the incredibly ridiculous cost of all this unnecessary paperwork, different standards from different insurance companies, it is time to have universal health insurance.
On Constitutional Rights
Current.com statement by Al Gore
http://current.com/items/84986911_americans_deserve_more_protection
I think that we as Americans deserve more protection against the government being able to eavesdrop on our telephone conversations, on our email conversations and private conversations.________________________
And the Constitution has a requirement that the government get a warrant before it invades the private communications of people.
And because of so much fear, especially since 911 and since the invasion of Iraq, the Congress has failed to exercise its responsibility to make sure that the executive branch is living up to what it is supposed to do under the Constitution.
And I think that we need stricter laws to require that the government follow the requirements of the Constitution.
Response to Gore’s Health Care statement by Bob Alexander, Michigan
• Thank you Al Gore for speaking out on these serious political issues. I hope these are your first steps to putting your name on the South Carolina and Georgia primary ballots, due Nov 1!
Your views on national health care for all are great!
Suggestion: please speak of reforming and expanding Medicare for all. Even moderate Republicans agree with that approach. A majority of Americans love a reformed and expanded Medicare.
For the same $2.1 trillion we pay in the US for our broken for-profit health system with no coverage to 46.6 million, Medicare coverage can expand health care, mental health, substance abuse prevention, long term care, dental and vision services to all.
Expanded Medicare could pay for all the services because our for-profit system wastes about 40% of the $2.1 trillion for expenses that provide no medical care. The following are estimates that demonstrate the advantages of Expanding Medicare to cover all. Expanded Medicare would not waste these expenses:
~$50 billion/year on TV, radio and magazine ads.
~ $300 billion for the 1,000 or more health insurance companies.
~ $200 billion for the excessively high salaries, expense accounts, and other
unneeded administrative costs.
~ $150 billion in the recent Pharmacy Part D for unneeded participation incentives
to pharmacy companies and HMOs through no-bid contracts.
~ $100 billion for the unnecessary incentives for HMOs and other health agencies
that were setup by Congress Republicans in the 1970s and 80s.
To prove the effectiveness of Expanded Medicare to All, and the savings for our auto companies so they can survive, Congress should enact a four year pilot program that would provide Medicare coverage to all auto workers and retirees. The success of this pilot programs would cause all corporations, small businesses and all families and individuals to want to participatehttp://current.com/people/algore
Friday, October 12, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Michigan Draft Gore Locations & Times to Sign or Turn in Gore Petitions
Michigan voters who want to show their support for Al Gore for President can sign a petition and pick up Gore materials at many locations listed below. Circulators of the recent Gore Nomination petition are urged to turn in their petitions at one of these locations or to mail the petitions, even if only a few signatures, to:
Draft Gore 2008
P O Box 1300
East Lansing, MI 48826
The Michigan Draft Gore campaign is very heartened by the enthusiasm generated by our Gore Nomination Petition Drive to place his name on the Jan. 15 Presidential Primary ballot. In the last month our volunteer petitioners increased from 30 to 150!
We will be expanding our efforts to build support for Al Gore and turn out the votes for either the Jan. 15 Primary or the Feb. 9 Caucuses. The Michigan Democratic Party leadership must notify the Sec. of State by November 14 that Michigan Democrats will use either the Primary or the Caucuses to select their delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August 2008.
Local Draft Gore leaders will be at each location for supporters to sign petitions and to discuss petitioner questions and suggestions, and collect completed petitions.
The days, locations and times to sign the petition or turn in petitions are:
Ann Arbor, Oct. 13 & 20, Sat. 10am-2pm
Farmers Market, 5th & Catherine
Clarkston, only Thurs, Oct. 18. 8:00-8:30pm
Caribou Coffee, 6315 Sashabaw Rd, south of I-75
Dearborn, date & time to be announced
Famous Hamburger, 5808 Schaefer Rd. north of Ford Rd
Flint, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23 5:30-6pm
Valley Family Restaurant, Miller & Linden Roads.
Grand Rapids, Sun. Oct. 14 & 21, 5:00-5:30
Bagel Beanery, 455 E Michigan NE at College
Jackson, Mon. Oct. 15 5:30-7:30pm
Dem Headquarters, 218 S. Mechanic
Kalamazoo, Mon. Oct. 17, 7:45-9:00pm
Dem Headquarters, 3254 Westnedge Road
Lansing, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23, 5:30-6pm
Gone Wired Café, 2021 E. Michigan Ave
Livonia, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23, 12:30-1pm
Panera Bread, 37085 6 Mile Road at Newburgh, se corner
Mt. Pleasant, time & date TBA
Grand Traverse Pie Company, 1218 S. Mission
Royal Oak, Fri. Oct. 12 & 19 7:00-7:30pm
Caribou Coffee, 401 S Main St
Traverse City, Sun. Oct. 14 & 21, 1-1:40
Horizon Book Store on Front Street
For further information please contact Bob Alexander, Manager, Michigan Draft Gore petition drive at alexjuliea@aol.com or 517-351-0965
Draft Gore 2008
P O Box 1300
East Lansing, MI 48826
The Michigan Draft Gore campaign is very heartened by the enthusiasm generated by our Gore Nomination Petition Drive to place his name on the Jan. 15 Presidential Primary ballot. In the last month our volunteer petitioners increased from 30 to 150!
We will be expanding our efforts to build support for Al Gore and turn out the votes for either the Jan. 15 Primary or the Feb. 9 Caucuses. The Michigan Democratic Party leadership must notify the Sec. of State by November 14 that Michigan Democrats will use either the Primary or the Caucuses to select their delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August 2008.
Local Draft Gore leaders will be at each location for supporters to sign petitions and to discuss petitioner questions and suggestions, and collect completed petitions.
The days, locations and times to sign the petition or turn in petitions are:
Ann Arbor, Oct. 13 & 20, Sat. 10am-2pm
Farmers Market, 5th & Catherine
Clarkston, only Thurs, Oct. 18. 8:00-8:30pm
Caribou Coffee, 6315 Sashabaw Rd, south of I-75
Dearborn, date & time to be announced
Famous Hamburger, 5808 Schaefer Rd. north of Ford Rd
Flint, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23 5:30-6pm
Valley Family Restaurant, Miller & Linden Roads.
Grand Rapids, Sun. Oct. 14 & 21, 5:00-5:30
Bagel Beanery, 455 E Michigan NE at College
Jackson, Mon. Oct. 15 5:30-7:30pm
Dem Headquarters, 218 S. Mechanic
Kalamazoo, Mon. Oct. 17, 7:45-9:00pm
Dem Headquarters, 3254 Westnedge Road
Lansing, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23, 5:30-6pm
Gone Wired Café, 2021 E. Michigan Ave
Livonia, Tues. Oct. 16 & 23, 12:30-1pm
Panera Bread, 37085 6 Mile Road at Newburgh, se corner
Mt. Pleasant, time & date TBA
Grand Traverse Pie Company, 1218 S. Mission
Royal Oak, Fri. Oct. 12 & 19 7:00-7:30pm
Caribou Coffee, 401 S Main St
Traverse City, Sun. Oct. 14 & 21, 1-1:40
Horizon Book Store on Front Street
For further information please contact Bob Alexander, Manager, Michigan Draft Gore petition drive at alexjuliea@aol.com or 517-351-0965
Here's some great links with a poll...
URGENT
AOL.Com Gore Poll
Go to this URL ASAP and vote in each of 2 polls.
Also
today's article in the New York Times on our Draft Gore efforts-
and the San Francisco Chronicle article-
Nobel rumors energize groups hoping to draft Gore
by Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle Political Writer, October 11, 2007
AOL.Com Gore Poll
Go to this URL ASAP and vote in each of 2 polls.
Also
today's article in the New York Times on our Draft Gore efforts-
and the San Francisco Chronicle article-
Nobel rumors energize groups hoping to draft Gore
by Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle Political Writer, October 11, 2007
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