Ross Johnson wrote the legislation for voter verified paper ballots signed into law last Fall.
Call Schwartzenegger's office now. This will probably happen FAST.
Phone: 916-445-2841

Calling the governor's office a first priority.

You can also email him using a web form, at http://www.govmail.ca.gov/.

Talking points within, including some reasons why McCormack, the alternative appointee, is undesirable.

Here's my report from the DNC Meeting today in Sacramento, CA. No WiFi there [at least for me -- apparently JollyBuddah is smarter than I] -- it wrapped up about three hours ago. Some may prefer instantaneity to copy editing, so I will clean this up later. A video will be made by the CA Dem party and will appear on their web site.

Condoleeza is my color, but Barbara is my kind.

About a dozen of members of our local DFA group drive the 100 miles to Sacramentoto support Howard Dean for DNC Chair. We arrive at 9:00, just as things start. Once we get there one of the locals tells me, "We originally thought 80-100 people." But by this morning they knew there would be 400+ of us, and indeed we fill the 400+ seats in the room where breakfast is being held. While we eat Cal state Sen Joe Dunn speaks, a progressive who represents the conservative Orange County California, who was involved in catching Enron with their hands in my wallet. The Reverend Al Sharpton enters, to applause, interrupting Joe. Ultimately Joe Dunn's highminded speech about freedom and justice receives a standing ovation at the end.

Sharpton begins speaking.

The fundamental goal of regular Americans for politics today is reform.  As Chris has pointed out, reform is good politics.  But it is something more: it is what we Americans most dearly want.

For Democrats, the fundamental kind of reform is to move away from corruption.

We need to move toward raising money in small contributions from individuals, from the grass roots, because an excess of  corporate campgaign contributions has corrupted the Democratic party, and we need to move away from this.  Now, make no mistake here, the reformed Democratic Party will be a friend of business.  We stand for economic progress, in fact that's one of our core values.

I've been impressed by how the press slavishly repeats the Republicans' talking points all the time, and I guess it's because.....they have them.  This has been so successful for the Repubs that I've wondered for a while why Democrats don't have daily talking points.

So I'm proposing that we have daily talking points.

And when I say we, I mean the Democratic and liberal blogs.  Essentially what I'm proposing is this:

(1) Once or more a week, Chris or Jerome, Kos, Atrios, and Josh Marshall (or some such group) exchange a series of emails proposing lists of talking points for the coming week.  One of them is the moderator each week, and that moderator tries to let everybody get a point or two in, but he gets final say.  The moderator position rotates.

A note from Oregon from Political State Report

Howard Dean hasn't yet started his campaign for DNC Chair, but already his supporters appear to be gearing up to make it happen. This weekend, long-time DNC Committeewoman Mary Botkin was unseated by active party volunteer Jenny Greenleaf, who had been active in the Dean campaign.

That's one question mark off the DNC roster, replaced with a vote for Dean.  This is the way to win them, one vote at a time.  You may be able to help by voting at your next Assembly District Democratic Committee meeting.

Good questions, worthy of the front page--Chris

Two Questions:

I. I presume what we do with our money between now and the January election of the DNC Chair matters a great deal.  Where do we put that money if we want it to help get Dean in? Might it be that making a contribution to democracyforamerica.org is helpful because it makes clear that he is a prodigious fundraiser?  Might it be that key DNC members would have their heads turned if they recieved campaign contributions from Dean advocates. Suggestions?  I'm a novice, but I'd like to understand the particulars of how I can best help.

II. For those of us who have been contacting DNC members, which of the 440 is it most important to contact?  Are some particular members known to be influential and persuadable?  Swing members?  NASCAR Congressmen or security mayors?

By the way, in addition to the list of the 440 at platform, which is a bit disorderly but quite helpful, there is also the list at Phraxos, which is current and complete as of November 8th, but has phone numbers only.