get involved in politics

This year, I’ve hosted two political gatherings in my home, sent an application to intern for Barack Obama, and declared myself a theatre arts/poli sci major.

I’m on my way. :)

Little steps, right? I gave my name to volunteer for the NDP for an event going on next week. I did this about three weeks ago, and I was wondering why they hadn’t called back. I got the call today, and so I’ll be contributing a few hours of my day to help register some delegates and people attending a conference in Quebec city. Should be interesting, and hey, it’s experience. Plus, who knows, maybe I’ll meet some valuable contacts. So this is my first tiny steps towards getting involved in politics.

So I’m not satisfied with the state of the world. Am I going to sit around, watching the world disolve around me and my fellow humans? Am I going to be the kind of person that complains, but refuses to do anything about it? No, not anymore. Locally, I’m already a proud member of the NDP. It’s a start, but it’s not enough. I have the contact info for my local NDP center, and I think I need to get involved. I’m not sure doing what yet, but that is unimportant. A step in the right direction, and then I’ll go from there.

I believe that our national and local (at least in Minneapolis) governmental operations have major unsound political problems. For example, in Minneapolis proper residents that own homes pay more for property taxes than businesses. That is so totally wrong.

I used to love my local library, but due to demanding and increasing budget cuts, they now have a longer response time for book requests made from other libraries and they have shortened their hours dramatically. Our libraries shut down for the month of August and open again after Labour Day.

My son in middle school/junior high school didn’t have art, physical education, the assistant principal only worked half-time, the social worker only worked one day a week, and they had upwards of 40 students in a classroom, yet were begging for money. My property taxes are already exorbitant!

I had to send my other children to a private school because I couldn’t let them wallow in bad education, overloaded classes and miss out on the basics.

So, the best way to see change is to start petitioning for it myself. And I’m gonna try!

i’ve volunteered for a few non-profit, non-party affiliated groups – ie: get out the vote efforts, and simply for progressive causes but not linked to any political party, and it’s been incredible.

heh, it’s just SO GREAT to talk to your fellow citizens about the future and what you all think needs to be done – especially devoid of the “party affiliation BS” that ruins most earnest discussion about the future.

it’s the most exciting thing to figure out what to do and then actually do it!

making ideas become reality is the most incredible experience ever, :D!