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So what can people do to confront and defeat Bush this year - we who recognize the travesty of governance this administration has inflicted on the nation through incompetence and bad decisions? My advice is to approach this on two fronts: 1) make sure you understand how to explain how bad Bush has been for our country and use arguments that the undecided or reluctant Bush voter can hear and understand, and 2) understand why John Kerry has the attributes to be an effective President and why you believe voting for him is a good idea.
When talking to undecided or reluctant Bush voters, your motto should be: "Do unto Bush what he has done unto John Kerry." Tell them why you believe George W Bush has failed as a President and why you have decided that he does not deserve your vote. Use the Winning Argument website (http://winningargument.blogspot.com/) to see how you might frame your arguments when talking with voters who still believe that four more years of Bush can't be that bad. Make it clear that as bad as things are today after four years of Bush, that given more time they can get worse and they probably will.
Even more important in these last few days is to understand and to be able to articulate why John Kerry is a very credible and worthy candidate and that we are right to trust him to take our side in this battle for the future of our country. Telling people why you are supporting John Kerry will be even more powerful than simply tearing down George W. Bush. Remember, the reason it still looks like Bush is ahead is because Rove and his henchmen have spent significant effort in making it appear Kerry is unelectable. Your job is to counter this perception.
What if you are an "anybody but Bush" voter who is only voting for John Kerry because he is not Bush? I would ask you to spend some time looking at John Kerry and his record so that you too can see why Kerry is actually a very good choice on any number of factors. Although there are many reasons to be cynical about politics in our country, nevertheless, there are some excellent reasons to believe that John Kerry is someone in who we can place our trust to lead our country away from the brink. And I am convinced that there are reasons to believe that John Kerry will help change the political ecosystem so it is more progressive and less susceptible to being hijacked by radical forces.
Where should you go to find out more about the real John Kerry? One essential website is to visit the John Kerry campaign site: http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/ . Spend some time understanding his policies and pick the ones that you can enthusiastically support to use when talking with others about Kerry. Get a picture of who John Kerry is as a person so you can understand the qualities that make him a man of real character.
John Kerry has proven that he is a leader and not afraid to do his part in protecting our country. His record shows that he is not simply a courageous man, but also a creative thinker who is capable of coming up with new ideas in times of real danger. Here is an excellent article about John Kerry's record in Vietnam: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/candidates/can_kerry-vietnam.html
John Kerry cares about our democratic institutions and will not allow the special interests to steal our future. It was John Kerry that investigated and stopped the BCCI banking scandal and prevented that corrupt institution from funding terrorists. Read about this account here: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0409.sirota.html
Find out why John McCain believes John Kerry is an honorable man and someone who he could trust by reading this account of their work together to finally normalize relations with Vietnam two decades after the end of the war. http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/062103.shtml
Once you've done your homework and have found reasons to vote FOR John Kerry and not just to vote AGAINST George W. Bush, go talk with your family and your friends, your coworkers and your neighbors and tell them why you are planning to vote for John Kerry. And then volunteer to help with the election. If enough of us do that, we can make a better future for our country.
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