INDIVISIBLE – Grassroots political action for seniors – MAKE POLITICIANS LISTEN!
Posted: December 6, 2017 Filed under: AGING, geezerSecurity, Uncategorized, Why Am I Here? | Tags: Indivisible, old age, politics, voting Leave a comment »
“Indivisible, A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda”
A number of former congressional staffers have written this guide listing best practices to make congress listen. It contains local advocacy tactics that work.
I am interested in old people applying the lessons. In 2014 people in the US over 65, constituted 28.4% of the voting population. Check your state. How many voted? How many over 65 voted? What does your state do for seniors? What senior benefits are being cut?
The next generation of seniors will have little money to support themselves. Families are spread out. Homeless seniors may be the future unless you do something.
What do you want from your government?
Seniors are interested in preserving:
- Social Security
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Consumer protection
- Savings
- Fraud and scam protection
- Their assets
- Their health
and a lot of other things. Seniors have more difficulty finding jobs, have more medical problems and have less time to live than the rest of the population.
Seniors must do something! Is there a grocery cart loaded with your possessions in your future?
Seniors can make a difference:
- Seniors have time
- Seniors have a life-time network of people
- Seniors have organizations – church, senior centers, senior services, etc.
- Seniors have families and friends
- Seniors have more skills than they know
- Seniors need a purpose…
- And, Seniors are bored and need something to do.
The bottom line is that seniors can make a political difference.
Seniors just need guidance; and, Indivisible provides it.
When was the last time you were involved, really involved, in anything worthwhile?
Indivisible tells you what works and what doesn’t. It tells you where and how to start. It tells you that you what you can do at the grass-roots level. And, if the Tea Party could do it, you can do it.
Check your precinct voting record for the last election. A small turnout? How much did the conservative candidate win by? A few votes would have made a difference. Look what the Tea Party managed to do six years ago using a lot of the techniques set out in Indivisible. How many seniors voted? How many could have voted? Would those votes make a difference?
You can go to meetings. You can ask questions. You can call your elected representative. You can organize your neighbors. You can provide a ride to the polls.
It will only take a few “old votes” to make a change.
You can buy Indivisible on Amazon.com for $3.59.
Join an Indivisible group; or start one for old people.
Then, get off your ass, turn off the TV and see how you can make a difference for yourself, for your neighbors and for your grandchildren who will be old sooner than you think.
Look in the mirror! Who do you see there and what is that person doing for the society that has benefitted him/her?
There are now over 6000 Indivisible groups in the US.
You can check out the Albuquerque Indivisible Group.
TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP DEFEAT TRUMP AND CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS
Posted: May 17, 2017 Filed under: geezerQuests, My Backyard, Uncategorized | Tags: conservative, politics, Tea Party, Trump, voting Leave a comment »Old people don’t realize the power that they have. They have time, some money, contacts, and an interest in preserving what they have. They probably can’t go back to work; however, there are a number of simple things that they can do that will not only benefit them, but will benefit their way of life and that of their grandchildren.
What problems do you think Trump has created? I know that there are no hard facts yet, but you can get a pretty good idea from his own words, contained in his Executive Orders and in his Twitters. Look at them and decide how you feel about them. What do you agree/disagree with? What is the effect of his words and policies on you? Then, take action.
There are ten simple things that old people can do to change things.
- Call political representatives. House and Senate.
- Join the Gray Panthers.
- Actively participate in local elections. Run for office – vote – volunteer.
- Attend local precinct meetings/school board meetings.
- List and understand problems that are peculiar to old people, and what is proposed for them; then “trump” them.
- Prepare, sign and circulate petitions.
- Offer to take people to polls and help fellow seniors with absentee ballots.
- Attend town hall, picnics, rallies and other political meetings.
- Blog – with facts. Anyone can do WordPress. Get computer help at your local senior center.
- Join an Indivisible group.
It may take a couple of years, but politicians will get the idea; especially at the grass-roots level. That is how the Tea Party did it and that is how Obama did it.
Think of all the things that may be at risk at your age.
We have the numbers, the talent, the money, and the ideas to confront and defeat our enemies; especially our internal enemies.
Besides, it is fun, you will meet new people, and you will at last have a worthwhile purpose in life.
THINK OLD!
VOTING BY OLD PEOPLE – Keep it simple – registration and the absentee ballot
Posted: May 3, 2016 Filed under: geezerLearns, New Mexico, Out of my comfort zone!, Uncategorized | Tags: absentee ballot, old people, voter registration, voting Leave a comment »Voting was simple when you were young. Now that you are old it can become more complex. It can even be stressful. You have to register; you have to remember election day; you have to get yourself to the polling place; you have to wait in line; and, you are aware of the people lined up behind you as you try to read a ballot with small print – and, you forgot your magnifying glass. In addition, you don’t really know who or what to vote for. The language of issues on ballots make no sense.
People who are over 65 seem to turn out to vote more than other age groups, but the percentage was still only about 45% in the last election.
For old people, voting is important. Politicians are constantly looking at Social Security, Medicare and the Older Americans Act. If you don’t vote, you have no one but yourself to blame for what happens. You are part of a major voting block. You need to make your wishes and the wishes of other old people known.
There are five simple steps to voting when old. I will use New Mexico where I live. I will give you key words, so that you and your grand-kid can search out the rules in your state. There are no old age voting requirements that I am aware of. If you have been adjudicated incompetent, you will have a problem. If you have been convicted of a crime you may have a problem.
The goal is to vote at home, take your time and not feel stressed.
- Register – by mail if you can. If not, find out how to do it in your state or call the party you support. They will help you. Make sure that you have the necessary identification.
NM mail-in voter registration form.
- Identify the candidates and issues. Check the newspapers for a list of candidates and issues. Or, go on-line.
- Find someone whom you trust to help you, if necessary. Just make sure that it is you that is voting, and not someone else.
- Order an absentee ballot – You can download the ballot in NM and then just send it in.
- Vote at your leisure and mail in your ballot to the county clerk for your county.
Finally encourage all the old people you know to do the same. At the assisted living facility, get the ombudsman to help you if your kids or friends can’t.
The important thing is to vote. You are part of a vulnerable class of voters; and, your rights will be at stake.
Search in your state:
“voter registration +name of state”
i.e. voter registration form + Arizona
“absentee voting +name of state”
Note that registration and absentee balloting differ by states, so check yours out. Check out the competency requirements and the deadlines.
VOTE
THINK OLD!