Democracy- phone calls, Dan Seals, and protests

1. Do phone calls make a difference for getting out the vote? I called 50 phone numbers for moveon.org. I actually spoke to 6 people, left a bunch of messages with the hopes that voters remember to vote and make a difference. The phone call system is pretty sweet, but with the barrage of phone calls, caller id, and “junk” mail everyone seems to be receiving, it is hard to determine if it is effective. Just in case it is… tonight’s a good night to call if you want to contribute in some way and the wallet is pretty empty.

2. I also passed out door hangers for Dan Seals the candidate for the House of Representatives in my district. We were given a list of the houses to give placards to, and we’ll hope for the best. As I posted previously, this could be a very close race, even though the nation has not given it much attention. It’s frightening how much information is out there in the public information realm including voter preference, age, address, and phone numbers.

3. A certain group of ultra-orthodox Jews are rioting in Jerusalem to protest a gay pride parade, which will pass through their neighborhood. For more details watch Haaretz and this blog for a more personal approach. This display reminds me that although we have huge problems in this county they are small in comparison to Israel’s challenges (identity, religious vs. secular, surrounded by enemies...). Can such a small county have larger problems then the United States?