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About the Dirty Trick Initiative
Why does the Courage Campaign call the so-called "Presidential Election Reform Act" a "dirty trick"?
Those are the words of the New York Times editorial board, not ours. On August 22, 2007, the Times wrote "Stacking the Electoral Deck," a scathing editorial arguing that:
If voters understand that the initiative is essentially an elaborate dirty trick posing as reform, they are likely to vote against it. But judging by the misleading name of their organization, the initiative’s backers want to fool the public into thinking the change would make elections more fair. They are planning on putting it to a vote in June 2008, an election when there will be few other things on the ballot, and turnout is expected to be extremely low.
The New York Times is not alone in recognizing the clear and present danger of this partisan power-grab.
Read these equally critical newspaper editorials unanimous in their opposition: San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, Orange County Register, San Jose Mercury News, and the Stockton Record.
What are opinion leaders in the blogosphere saying? This is a "wolf in sheep's clothing," to quote Arianna Huffington of the Huffington Post. You can read multiple posts about this partisan power-grab from bloggers on The Daily Dirt where we track mainstream and netroots news covering this Dirty Trick Initiative.
REMEMBER: Strong opposition from opinion leaders is NOT ENOUGH to stop right-wing ballot initiatives from passing in California. Time and again, regressive initiatives win with sneaky ballot language and millions of dollars in misleading TV and radio ads. As the June primary election is quite likely to produce low voter turnout, the right-wing can win with dirty tricks — again.
The Republicans know this destructive initiative is the ONLY way they can lock down the presidency for another four years (of Iraq, torture and wiretapping). That's why these dirty tricksters will raise and spend millions to hoodwink voters into subverting our democracy, as they have done so many times before.
We can not let this happen again.
No more dirty tricks. Not in California. Not in America.
Only a people-powered movement of concerned citizens across the nation can defeat this dirty trick. We can do it together, but only with your support.
It takes just two clicks to get started:
1. Take the "No Dirty Tricks" pledge
2. Contribute to the Courage Campaign's special "No Dirty Tricks" page on ActBlue.
About NoDirtyTricks.com
NoDirtyTricks.com was inspired by a gathering of bloggers and online organizers at the YearlyKos convention in Chicago in August 2007.
As Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign, wrote in an email message to supporters a few weeks later:
At the YearlyKos blogger convention last month, I talked with an amazing group of online leaders — including several folks from the Calitics blogging community — about how we could defeat this dirty trick together. I left Chicago inspired and days later, we formed a "No Dirty Tricks" netroots advisory team driven by California online organizers and bloggers like Eden James, Miles Kurland, Julia Rosen, Bob Brigham, Julie Bergman Sender and Todd Beeton.
Endorsements came pouring in as well from national leaders like Arianna Huffington, Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, Sherry Lansing, Jane Hamsher, Eleanor Smeal and Bradley Whitford (click here to see the powerful lineup of bloggers and leaders endorsing "No Dirty Tricks").
The Courage Campaign is uniting netroots and grassroots progressives across California to build a people-powered online infrastructure that will defeat this initiative in June. Meanwhile, we'll be building a winning progressive agenda for the future.
We can be on defense and go on offense at the same time. Please help our people-powered campaign right now by taking the "No Dirty Tricks" pledge and contributing to Courage Campaign's special "No Dirty Tricks" page on ActBlue.
About the Courage Campaign
The Courage Campaign is the online organizing and communications hub for progressive Californians, advancing the progressive agenda by building a network of grassroots and netroots activists empowered to leverage online tools for offline action.
The Courage Campaign grew out of Howard Dean's 2003-04 presidential campaign, which energized hundreds of thousands of people across America and tens of thousands in California. We continue to build on that energy to revitalize the California dream from outside the political system.
Ranging from environmental standards to entertainment and communication, California is ground zero for political and social change. With 38 million residents and the sixth-largest economy in the world, what happens in California impacts the nation and the globe.
We have three primary objectives:
- To catalyze channels of communication and coordination among progressive grassroots and netroots communities in California.
- To establish a permanent field organizing presence.
- To fight for good government.
Stopping partisan power-grabs like the so-called "Presidential Election Reform Act" is just one element of our vision. Through voter and volunteer mobilization, coalition building and clear political leadership, we are also building a progressive bridge to our boldest dreams for California:
- Create the best public education system in the world.
- Ensure healthcare coverage for all Californians.
- Build the world's most vibrant, prosperous and equitable economy.
- Make California a national model for energy independence.
- Preserve California's priceless environmental heritage for future generations.
- Secure equal civil rights for all Californians.
- End traffic gridlock.
Can you help us realize this vision by taking the "No Dirty Tricks" pledge and contributing to Courage Campaign's "No Dirty Tricks" page on ActBlue?
CHAIR
Rick Jacobs is the founder and chair of the Courage Campaign. He chaired Howard Dean's presidential campaign in California and serves as Senior Advisor to Democracy for America. He is also the co-founder and chair of Brave New Films (with documentary director and producer, Robert Greenwald of "Outfoxed" fame) and a featured contributor to Arianna Huffington's Huffingtonpost.com. Rick has a long background as an investor and senior executive. You can reach Rick at "rjacobs AT couragecampaign.org".
LEGAL STATUS
The Courage Campaign Issues Committee -- a ballot measure committee registered with the State of California -- is leading the "No Dirty Tricks" campaign. Contributions to the Courage Campaign Issues Committee are not tax deductible for income tax purposes.
CONTACT US
Web: http://www.CourageCampaign.org
Email: "info@couragecampaign.org"
Phone: 310-860-1307
Fax: 310-860-1337
Courage Campaign
9663 Santa Monica Boulevard, No. 166
Beverly Hills, California 90210