Election Day is looming large

With Election Day seemingly just around the corner, I've come to be more certain of a little idiosynchracy of mine. I want desperately to vote for something, not against something.

What do I mean by this? When Dave was in the running for Congress, I was all about Dave. Today, weeks after the primary, I'm not sure I can tell you who his opponent was, and I'd be hardprest to remember the incumbent's name. None of that really mattered: I was for Dave. I wasn't against anyone. I was for someone.

Now, we're thick in the heat of the battle for the Presidency, and I desperately want to be for someone, not against someone. It's too easy to be against Mr. Bush. I want to be for Mr. Kerry. And, as the days go on, I see more and more to be for: I'm enthused. He's more and more on message; more and more is he providing answers, answers America needs.

Be for something: be for an America we can all be proud of. Vote Kerry/Edwards in November.

Social Justice, Tolerance, and Diversity

Well, here we are some 2 days after the primary. I am still reeling; I can only imagine how Dave and those who worked so diligently on his campaign feel.

I am firm in this belief, however: the issues which were important to Dave remain important to me and those of us who supported Dave. Perhaps they are important to Sam and his supporters, too; I don't know; I certainly hope so.

Three linked issues which remain in the forefront of my mind are social justice, tolerance, and diversity. I have written often here, and sometimes frequently on my musings blog, about calls to action. The other day, my brother told me that the neo-Nazis and the Klan were gathering in Valley Forge later this month. I'm all in favor of free speech, but I don't need to agree to what other people say, nor do I need to stand idly by. Sometimes action is strongly called for.

Now, you might be suggesting that Valley Forge, all the way up in southeastern Pennsylvania, is so far from southern Florida, and, sure, it is geographically far. But I have news for you: just like what happens in Miami Beach and Key West impacts the rest of the country, what happens in Valley Forge is going to impact Miami and points south.

I've started a new blog where I'll be posting about social justice, tolerance, diversity, and the need for action. Please mark Rally for Social Justice in your favorites and join us often.

I eat my words

Well, I was wrong. Dave did not take the primary yesterday. I went to bed assured that Dave had taken the primary & woke up today spending the entire day talking with clients. Traveling from one place to another, I called Dave to congratulate him; I got his voice mail and left a message.

This evening, I checked my email and found the following:

Peter, At this point you must have seen the results and know that we lost the primary yesterday. We won in Miami Dade but lost in Monroe County. We are all perplexed and are looking into the results, but unless there was a software error, the election will stand as it is.

I just want to thank you so much for you amazing dedication to Dave and for such an amazing blog. It truly has been wonderful to read. Of course we will keep you posted on things. It is a bit surreal here.

Thank you again. You have been a great inspiration.

Damn. And a whole slew of other four letter words.

So, I surf the news sites and find this. The article says

Sam Sheldon, a political neophyte who staged his congressional campaign from a bedroom in his parents' Pinecrest home and who preferred to spread his campaign message via the Internet, defeated Coast Guard veteran David Patlak on Tuesday for the Democratic nomination in U.S. House District 18.

And then it goes on to say

Sheldon called his campaign and primary victory ''encouraging'' signs for young candidates who can now use the Internet to effectively campaign for office.

So, I'm thinking, just who is this young Sam Sheldon? He's got a nice website, but at first blush it looks like he spends all his words comparing himself to great Americans by institutional association.

And then, I ask myself, what's this blog and Dave's site if not using the Internet?

The results show that Sam won over Dave by 303 votes. That's right: 303 votes, or about 1.2% of the votes cast. At this point, all I can say is that Florida once again shows that every vote counts.

For those of you who surf here on a regular basis, I have a few more posts. Before coming back, however, I need to compose myself.

Peace.

Patlak takes the primary!

According to the Miami-Dade election folks, with 95% of the votes counted, Dave has over 53% of the votes cast!

We're one step closer to sending Dave to Washington to serve the citizens of the 18th Congressional District, the State of Florida, and this great country of ours.

Get out and vote!

Yes, today is the first opportunity you have to cast your votes for Dave Patlak.

Wondering where to vote? For residents of Miami-Dade, go here.

For up-to-date vote counts, go here.

For election news from today's Miami Herald, go here.

Dave is a member of Dean's Dozen!

Dave's been endorsed by Democracy in America and named a member of Dean's (final) Dozen!

This is only one small step in our journey to send Dave Patlak to The Hill and bring Ileana Ros-Lehtinen home. Let's send Dave away and bring Ileana home!

On the web!

I found Dave on the web at Daily Kos... Pretty cool, I thought.

And, then, here he is mentioned at Grass Roots Miami... Very cool, I though.

Further along my travels, I found him on Wes Clark's site... Beyond cool. (General Clark was my candidate in the earlier Presidential primary cycle; I still think General Clark is the ideal servant leader. He'll do great things in the next Cabinet.)

And a little further along, I find that Dave was in USA Today (the McPaper of newspapers) a while back... Well, I'm just tickled pink.

And back in blog land, I find that Frank Lynch has blogged about Dave in Really Not Worth Archiving. I'm thinking, "Check it out. Dave not only has a whole blog dedicated to him and his campaign, but other bloggers are blogging about him." Hot.

So there we are: Dave's on the web. All over!

Now, it's incumbent on you to spread the word about Dave's candidacy for the House of Representatives. Get on the move!

The time for action draws near

Greetings fellow Citizens. The time for action draws near. What are you doing about it?

Okay, a bit formal, but the message is clear: time draws nigh. The Primaries are only a couple of days away; while Dave is doing well, this is not a time to slack off. He (and, I would suggest, our country) needs you to act. What are you doing to help Dave's candidacy? Have you talked to your neighbors? Have you spread the word? Have you donated funds?

We all need to do something. And, if your situation is anything like mine, we all can be doing more.

These are trying times, all across the Country. While the political stew continues to simmer -- and will likely reach a boiling point in late October -- we need to remember a couple of things.

• First, free speech is a fundamental right. For others. And for me. And for you. Exercise it.


• Second, one of the things that makes this country great is the fact that we can disagree (even strongly disagree) and still roll up our sleeves and work together, side by side, when we need to.

Many years ago at my boyhood church, we installed a stained glass window over the altar. The stained glass was made by an artist who had done work throughout Africa. The work he did in Africa was as service instead of serving in the military in Vietnam. He didn't dodge the draft; he didn't serve as a National Guardsman; he didn't move to Canada. Instead, he took alternative service and worked in Africa, not only doing stained glass, but helping build communities. A physical labor for more than seven year. Anyway, he did the stained glass for our church. And, when he came to install the glass, he needed assistance. And the man who stood on the ladder on the other side of the wall helping with the installation was a retired Army colonel, who had served in Vietnam. The two of them worked for a nearly a week installing the glass. Two men with different notions of policy, but both with a shared vision of what the world was supposed to be. And both men acting on that vision.

We must make America a better place, for all citizens. Part of that action is electing leaders who share our values, share our vision, and share our desire for right action.

Dave Patlak is, in my book, a leader who we need to send to Washington. His values, his vision, and his desire demonstrate responsibility to all Americans.

Join me helping sent Dave Patlak to Congress. Get out and act; get out and do; get out.

All politics is local (Part 1)

They say all politics is local, even national politics. Take a gander at this site, a focus on the national perspective.

Congress needs to take a stand

The Washington Post reported yesterday that a "memo issued last summer by a U.S. Army military intelligence officer appealed for suggestions on how to extract information from prisoners in Iraq and called for tougher means of getting intelligence." What we might be seeing is the start of a wealth of information which shows the Abu Graib interrogations were not some abnormal behavior which were created out of context by a couple of junior enlisted military personnel.

Why do I mention this? Well, part of the responsibility of the Congress is to bring issues to light, to investigate, to hold hearings, to bring the American government into the age of transparency. And, at the moment, most of our elected representatives are more concerned about their own jobs than transparency in government.

I seek out elected representatives who will bring transparency to the Hill and other power spots in Washington. I seek out representation which strives to find the truth.

I seek out representatives like Dave Patlak. I hope you do too. Support Dave Patlak.