Volunteer Energy and Political Tipping Points

On election day four years ago, I was canvassing in home state of Washington, alternately knocking on doors for gubernatorial candidate Christine Gregoire and breaking to call Ohio and Florida. After three recounts, Gregoire won by 129 votes. I had no idea my state election was so close, but I did get three people who wouldn't have otherwise voted--one forgot it was election day, one needed a ride to the polls, and a third didn't know how to turn in her absentee ballot. If you multiply my efforts by those of thousands of other volunteers, we clearly helped make the difference.

Defending ACORN and the Right to Vote

Barack Obama's poll numbers are up - and the McCain campaign's gloves are off. This time the GOP's target isn't merely the Democratic candidate -- it's a poor people's group - and if we're not careful, the impact of the targeting may be felt long after the '08 election.

Jeannette Rankin, the Anti-Palin

America's 21st Century political landscape is nearly devoid of voices the likes of first US Congresswoman and lifelong pacifist, Jeannette Rankin, whose role in American history has been jaded by jingoist reductionism.

At the age of 8, in 1888, she learned of the slaughter of her Indian neighbors in Missoula, Montana.

"It was a most disgraceful act, the most outrageous thing that could happen. What Calley did at My Lai was nothing to what they did, the American army."