Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 23 January 2022

CC: We had a bunch of people here in Santa Barbara who wrote letters in 2020 for Vote Forward. It's a national group that ended up sending umpity millions of letters that year. The letters go to registered Democratic voters in swing states or states where the incumbent faces a close race. The general suggestion from organizers was to write two short sentences sharing why the writer felt it was so important to vote in every election whether federal, state or local. The rule was no guilt-tripping, no proselytizing and no bad-mouthing of Republican candidates. We each got a list of 20 voters (no limit to the number of lists you could pickup but they wisely figured 20 at a time wasn't overwhelming) that included a typed template with a space for your handwritten note plus blank envelopes. The return address was a Vote Forward PO Box or address, typically in another state; you didn't use your own. We did have to buy the stamps ourselves, but a small price given what was - and still is - at stake. We wrote LOTS of letters to Georgia. Not sure how things will work out this year with so many obstacles set up to not only deter voters but to make it damn' near impossible in some states for voters to actually deposit a ballot anywhere - a return to the bad old days. Diane and I often joke about running away to Canada...and you're so close you lucky thing. I probably wouldn't survive any temps lower than 32F. Re the news, I ignore the evening news, even PBS these days. Sometimes I wish Judy would lighten up a bit because she sounds a bit defeatist to me. I do like Amnar Nawaz and assume she'll eventually take over as main anchor. Meanwhile, I get through the day with podcasts or BBC World Service, which has in-depth stories about events in - gasp - Africa and Asia and other nations apparently unknown to US 'legacy' networks.

Phew, that was long. Sorry Have put my soapbox back in the closet.