Two Rules of Campaigning 101:
1. Nurture and grow your base; and
2. Reach out beyond your base,
Too many campaigns get so caught up in number one they forget about number two. And too many campaigns get so caught up with number two they ignore number one to their detriment.
The anti-casino people have number one wrapped up. They just have to make sure they vote.
Number two I am not so sure of. They can’t win without number two. The numbers are showing it. There needs to be outreach to voters who would be sympathetic to their cause if they knew certain facts other than the same old boiler plate arguments that keep the base together.
Independents, Republicans, Libertarians, and less progressive Dems who do not ft the stereo-typical anti-casino voter NEED TO BE TOLD of the plain-as-the-nose-on-your-face shenanigans and appearance of corruption occurring at the Gaming Commission and in Everett.
If anything, what these people don’t want is another Massachusetts stereotypical corrupt institution.
Here’s another rule everyone knows. Campaigns are all about additions. Not sunbstarctions. Keep adding voters without losing any. The referendum has not seen an increase in support from beyond its base and it probably won’t unless they affectively spread the word.
Time to build a specific message for a specific audience. Targeted mailings and media buys showcasing a few facts that lets the too busy to notice electorate know that only a fool would not wonder if the Commission has been corrupted.
The Atlantic City/ addiction/neighborhood blight stuff is the meat potatoes but not everyone is a meat and potatoes type of voter.
bob-gardner says
with you involved, Ernie
John Tehan says
Now go grab a clipboard and knock on some persuadable doors!
SomervilleTom says
In my EE program, I’m pretty sure the Hungarian professor who taught us “Advanced differential equations” introduced us to sunbstarctions, at least he seemed to say something like that during his lectures (it was always hard to tell, since his English sounded like his fourth or fifth language). Curiously, the new operator was denoted by “-“, elegantly overloading the more widely known subtraction operator.
jconway says
I’ve been making this argument for months now. It’s the economics and the corruption, nothing more will sell people against it.
tedf says
I think we know that political decisionmaking by voters doesn’t really work this way. See climate change; “keep the government’s hands off my Medicare!” and about a hundred other examples.
ryepower12 says
if so, someone needs to post them on BMG.
I will gladly make phone calls for several hours on a few nights between now and the election. I just need a location or a list. If there were big canvassing events, I’d even go knock on doors.
David says
A lot of them are listed at this link. There’s also a signup there where you can join their email list and be kept apprised. I’m sure they’d be delighted to have you.
HeartlandDem says
Repeal has the winning position but as we know it’s not always the best and brightest who/that wins at the polls.
So, here ya go hot off the RTCD email blast. Call-up and join-in.
eb3-fka-ernie-boch-iii says
They will have phony volunteers who will take lists to screw you.
If possible you want to have as many people in the same place making the calls. With cell phones it is not necessary to have a number of land lines. The group effort is also good for moral, future organizing, and more likely to get it done.
People with best intentions have to be pushed to follow through.