1. Realize that winning elections is about a lot more than voting. Elections are like a chess game--they begin well before the last move, and what happens before the last move is what wins the game. Restricting your involvement to voting is like letting someone else play the game, then allowing you to put your hand on their piece for the last move. What can you do?
2. Find out about candidates in states other than your own who are "on the bubble" about turning a seat from red to blule. Write them a check. Don't send money to people who are bound to lose but have great name recognition. Everybody threw money at Amy McGrath, who was running against Mitch McConnell. She didn't have a prayer, but she was a money machine. Give your $$s to someone who needs them.
3. Volunteer! Be one of those people who gets on people's nerves. Knock on doors. Distribute literature. Make phone calls. Register voters.
4. Get educated yourself, then educate others. Explain to anyone who will listen that the US House is a 435-piece puzzle, and we want as many blue pieces as possible. Right now, too many people are parroting the words, "Democratic Majority." Our margin is five seats. The Senate is a tie. We can't get much done with such narrow numbers. We need to expand Democratic seats so that we can get legislation passed. Educating yourself and others also means analyzing the information you get from others, particularly on Facebook, to determine whether or not its valid.
5. Subscribe to some political information newsletters. Not only will you find out in-depth about what the issues are, but they also have plenty of suggestions for actions you can take.
A. Punchbowl News
B. Robert Hubbell's daily newsletter
C. Red, Wine, and Blue
D. Ballotpedia
E. Mike Allen
F. Movement Voter Project, and
G. My personal favorite, because I raise funds with them: https://forcemultiplierus.org/
H. After you do that, then go to a crazy, right-wing website like "The Political Insider." Once you see the kind of swill those folks believe, you will be so eager to work for Democrats that you'll leave your house in your jammies.
I know how hard it is to do political work. Most folks need to attend to day-to-day living, and they hate to stand out as perceived "zealots," but lack of knowledge and participation is what loses elections for us.
