Fighting those Summer Doldrums

With the warm winds of summer finally arriving, we need to be careful not to miss the opportunity to do the important groundwork now for the November election. Many view summer as the chance to put off the heavy lifting until after Labor Day. With the emergence of Barak Obama as the Democratic presidential nominee, the let down in the national campaign coverage is almost palpable. Here are a few suggestions for maintaining the momentum over the next few months.

To overstate the obvious, the Internet has become a major link in our daily communications. I am constantly amazed at the volume of e-mail jokes that are forwarded among my email buddies and these are not seventeen year old wire heads. To their credit, items of broader and more useful nature are also being pounded out on the electronic jungle drums. Lets use the summer months to spread the word about our Republican candidates. The McCain campaign even has a web site that can be used to recruit individuals for Team McCain. let's spread the word and set those grass roots on fire.

Here in Massachusetts, the task is, of course, especially daunting, given the heavy concentration of lefties. At the same time, many believe that there is a large body of moderates who will respond to a candidate offering a cogent alternative to the typical blue state blather. We are fortunate to have such a candidate running to unseat Senator John Kerry. His name is Jeff Beatty and as he gets his message out, he is beginning to gather increasing support. But make no mistake about it, he is waging an uphill battle. He needs all the help he can get to spread his message and let those moderates know that they do have a viable choice in November. Check out Sharilee's post at Red Mass Group and log onto Jeff Beatty's web site and sign up as a supporter. A friendly email to those in your address book, inviting them to do the same, can generate the same grass roots support being developed by the McCain campaign.

Finally, there is an old saying that admonishes us to put our money where our mouth is. I'm sure that this advice also applies to keyboarders as well. The fact that money is the lifeblood of modern politics is unfortunately a stark reality. Send your candidate, especially those running for local office, a check, even if it isn't very big. The left has the advantage of all those unions and PACs filling the Democratic coffers. Don't let the "other guy" do it.

Let's keep the effort grinding away so we can hit the ground running in September.