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Thoughts on new strategy for the last weeks
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momofthreegirls
Seaman


Joined: 08 Sep 2004
Posts: 174

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 3:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Historically, that 18-29 year old group is unreliable in getting out the vote. Think about it, they stay out too late the night before or they have a paper due for class. As for those of us in our mid to late 30's (I'm 37) here's what we remember:

--Many of our dads are veterans even if they did not serve in Vietnam. My dad served in the Navy, before I was born. Many of my friends dads were Vietnam Vets. I know they were good men and served this country with honor.
--We also remember the years of Jimmy Carter and the Iran Hostage Crisis. We remember seeing our flag burned and our people being led away blindfolded. We remember waking up to the failed rescue mission. The one that failed because President Carter did not take the advice of his military leaders.
--We are Reagan Republicans. We remember when dignity returned to the Oval Office and our country.
--We were disgusted with Bill Clinton, but to our shame we were too busy getting married and starting families to be actively speaking out against him, although I did call my senators and congressman.
--Currently many of us are stay at home moms and because of that we watched the events of 9/11 unfold in real time. We watched the coverage of the women like us that lost their husbands and we knew that it could of been us.

We have listened to what the SBVTs have had to say and read UFC(and passed it around). We have discussed Vietnam with our parents who feel just as bad about what the Vets suffered as we do (many were their friends and neighbors).
We are motivated to get out and vote against Kerry for many reasons and guess what, we don't stay out partying all night any more so we can be at the polls as soon as the kids are on the bus. Very Happy
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frankzzz
Ensign


Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 65
Location: New Hampshire

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

By the time you could get a new ad out, many of the 18-29 year olds will have already voted. Indeed, I just got off the phone with my own daughter who wanted to know what ward we live in because she was mailing her ballot today. So it’s probably a better idea to gear future resources towards making sure those other voting blocs actually turn out on November 2.

Also, I agree about the state of our public schools but there is not much that any president can do about it be it Bush or Kerry. If our children are learning from teachers who choose textbooks that contain no mention of the longest war we have ever fought, perhaps we simply need more Vietnam Veterans on our local school boards and in the teaching ranks.
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Anker-Klanker
Admiral


Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Richardson, TX

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
By the time you could get a new ad out, many of the 18-29 year olds will have already voted.


While I definitely agree it's getting very late, "many" is not all, and I wonder if it's even a majority. Millions of votes are at stake!

I hope you didn't mean just "18-29 year olds." But if you did, and to make my point again, then let's go after the 30-40 year olds. As someone has pointed out, they're the more reliable voters, too. Heck, there are even 40-50 year-olds who can't relate to our cause.

Many of us on this forum, because of the self-selection nature of finding it and joining it, just don't understand how many people out there do not understand our passion about events in Vietnam. So be it! It's still our passion, and it's still our objective to defeat Kerry. I just think we've got to be smarter in phrasing our messages to reach people who still don't get it because they never saw it touching on them personally.
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mjanay
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Joined: 20 Aug 2004
Posts: 51
Location: NY NY

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been fighting the good fight with residents of my town in NJ.

The town is SOOO liberal its disgusting, but inroads are being made.

(Edited by Admin)

Admin note:

Please refrain from encouraging forum rivalries or reproducing content under discussion in other forums. It's non-productive and distracts from our focus here.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation
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frankzzz
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Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 65
Location: New Hampshire

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anker,

As far as making sure John Kerry does not win this election goes, I think we are at the point where the focus must be on turnout.

Toward that end, I think the ads they are running right now will turn out the maximum amount of voters against Kerry because these ads hit home with the Boomer Generation. And, when it comes to sheer numbers, the Boomers are still the bulge in the belly of the snake.

Also, both parties have worked very hard to register new voters in the 18-29 age group with much of the push being towards getting them to apply for, fill out, and mail in absentee ballots. This is pretty much a done deal now because many of those ballots are already cast. And, historically, many of the others in this age group will simply not vote.

The 30-40 year olds do turn out in larger numbers but I doubt they will change their mind over Vietnam at this juncture. Indeed, Iraq, Homeland Security, Healthcare, Taxes, Education, Honesty, Integrity and even Likeability are all more important to this bloc of voters.

No, the way I see it, the goal now is to turn out the boomers.

In particular, I think it comes down to motivating the women of our generation because they can make the most difference. They had the power to put Bill Clinton into the White House and they have the power to keep John Kerry out of the White House. So, the way I see it, the boomer women are actually the voting bloc any remaining resources would best be spent on.
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CTW
Rear Admiral


Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 691

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 10:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What great posts here! So glad to hear from the younger patriots. I am so proud of my children and their desire to be informed. And you each give us hope for the future. Your knowledge and dedication to these issues will lead to the needed changes. Our generation can give first hand experiences and memories but you will be the ones to carry this forward and not let the truth die. You make me so proud. CTW

Never Ever Kerry
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Rurik
PO3


Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 251
Location: Daschle-cleansed Free South Dakota

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GoEagles wrote:
PS - Can anyone recommend some good books to help me learn the true history of Vietnam?


Gee, that's sort of like being given an M-16 and two clips and inserted into a Michael Moore party - its hard to know where to start. I've tried to get just about all - except for the books by the you-know-whos.
First:
Palmer, Dave Richard, "Summons of the Trumpet", Presidio 1978
Palmer, Bruce. "The 25-Year War, America's Military Role in Vietnam", U of Kentucky Press, 1984
Sorley, Lewis, "A Better War, the Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam. harcourt Brace, 1999.
Bowman, John S., ed., "The Vietnam War, an Almanac", World Almanac, 1985.
Lewy, Guenter, "America in Vietnam", Oxfprd, 1978.
Denton, Jeremiah, "When Hell Was in Season". Mobile, 1982.
Burkett, B. G. & Whitley, "Stolen Valor", Dallas, 1978
Walton, C. Dale., The Myth of Inevitable U.S. Defeat in Vietnam", Frank Cass, 2002
Thompson, W, Scott & D. D> Frizzell. "The Lessons fo Vietnam", Crane Russak & Co.,1977.
Anythign by Douglas Pike or Bernard Fall.
Shelby Stanton's books have been acclaimed and some of them are authoritative, even if he personally has been discredited, and if some of his books dwell too much on US losses and neglect the other side.

And this does not even start to get into the various memoirs, campaign and unit histories, or the specialized stuff such as the air war - a personal favorite topic of this airplane lover.
But the preceeding books are a good syllabus for general understanding and introduction. If this really turns you on, I'msure we can start to note out some other good specialized works.
You also want to read some books on the history of communism and radicalism.
I hope some of the othr forum membres will chime in with their own suggestions.
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Truegrit
Lieutenant


Joined: 20 Aug 2004
Posts: 246
Location: Massachusetts

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:12 pm    Post subject: Getting word out to younger Americans Reply with quote

What is tragic is that John McCain undercut the SBVT effort to get the truth out about Kerry. That made the Bush campaign reluctant to address kerry's character problems --his lying, his opportunism in joining with anti-American pro-communist radicals in the early 70's.

McCain really screwed the swiftees, and he neutered Bush -- making it hard for the Bush camp to hit Kerry where it could really have impact.

I wish I lived in Arizona, so I could launch a primary fight against McCain.
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Tom Poole
Vice Admiral


Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 914
Location: America

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rurik wrote:
...its hard to know where to start...

Great post even for me and I'm real old. It was not clear to me what you meant by "you know whos" and whether you intentionally omitted the current NYT Best Seller. In any event, due to its current connection, I'd recommend newbies start with UFC followed by Stolen Valor and then your list. But I'm no expert and hope in my time left to learn what I can about the war that was unfairly criticized.
Truegrit wrote:
...McCain really screwed the swiftees, and he neutered Bush...

I agree. Too bad he didn't change parties 20 years ago. Another sheep in wolf's clothing.
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Doc Jerry
Commander


Joined: 28 May 2004
Posts: 339

PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 11:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Younger people don't wise up until they free themselves from the clutches of the liberals (school, college, etc.). Most eventually see the "light." I know. I was one of them many years ago.

Medics, we're there when you need us. Cool
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GoEagles
Lt.Jg.


Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 147
Location: Philadelphia

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 2:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rurik wrote:
GoEagles wrote:
PS - Can anyone recommend some good books to help me learn the true history of Vietnam?


Gee, that's sort of like being given an M-16 and two clips and inserted into a Michael Moore party - its hard to know where to start. I've tried to get just about all - except for the books by the you-know-whos.
First:
Palmer, Dave Richard, "Summons of the Trumpet", Presidio 1978
Palmer, Bruce. "The 25-Year War, America's Military Role in Vietnam", U of Kentucky Press, 1984
Sorley, Lewis, "A Better War, the Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam. harcourt Brace, 1999.
Bowman, John S., ed., "The Vietnam War, an Almanac", World Almanac, 1985.
Lewy, Guenter, "America in Vietnam", Oxfprd, 1978.
Denton, Jeremiah, "When Hell Was in Season". Mobile, 1982.
Burkett, B. G. & Whitley, "Stolen Valor", Dallas, 1978
Walton, C. Dale., The Myth of Inevitable U.S. Defeat in Vietnam", Frank Cass, 2002
Thompson, W, Scott & D. D> Frizzell. "The Lessons fo Vietnam", Crane Russak & Co.,1977.
Anythign by Douglas Pike or Bernard Fall.
Shelby Stanton's books have been acclaimed and some of them are authoritative, even if he personally has been discredited, and if some of his books dwell too much on US losses and neglect the other side.

And this does not even start to get into the various memoirs, campaign and unit histories, or the specialized stuff such as the air war - a personal favorite topic of this airplane lover.
But the preceeding books are a good syllabus for general understanding and introduction. If this really turns you on, I'msure we can start to note out some other good specialized works.
You also want to read some books on the history of communism and radicalism.
I hope some of the othr forum membres will chime in with their own suggestions.


Thanks Ruric. I'll check those out. I read Unfit For Command and loved it (obviously, since I'm here), and will get Stolen Valor next. I appreciate the suggestions. I really wished they taught this in High School and standard college courses, instead of teaching everyone about medieval french art and the stupid Aztecs.
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Anker-Klanker
Admiral


Joined: 04 Sep 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Richardson, TX

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cross threading... There's a thread going on under Geedunk that might provide a very damaging contemporary indictment of Kerry that could appeal to people for whom Vietnam doesn't ring any bells.

http://www2.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=9019
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reconflyer
Seaman


Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 168
Location: West Texas USA

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know many of the young kids lean left, but here's the kicker: they rarely vote.

They don't vote because they have little stake... I know, I was there. I had opinions, but I didn't vote, even as a young serviceman when Bush was running for re-election against Clinton... I didn't vote...

Guess what, though? After eight years of that @$$hat I vowed never to miss another election.

But guess what? I did. I missed voting in 2000 because I was TDY and didn't set up my absentee or early ballot ahead of time. AND I WAS A FLORIDA RESIDENT!!! Oh, I will never make that mistake again... Looking back now I was such a moron.

I was in Japan when the results (sort of) came out. We all remember the months that followed.

Oh no, never again. I have learned a lesson that is "seared" into my memory: every vote counts.

Now, all you young kids reading this that plan on voting for Kerry: disregard.

That will be all.

reconflyer
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Tilly
Seaman Apprentice


Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 2:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

RE: The younger voters ...

I have two teenagers. Here's three real important thing to express to the younger ones:

1) The war on terror is likely to last until they're 50. Kerry trashed his fellow servicemen back in Vietnam ... and he is likely to do the same thing to our kids in Iraq and Afganistan. We cannot afford to let him lose another war for US.

2) The DEMOCRATS sponsored two bills to reinstate the draft.

3) There will be NO social security by the time they need it. Any money they can keep in their own hands is money the government can't waste.

Keep it simple. Believe me, they can get it.
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MJB
LCDR


Joined: 14 Aug 2004
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Form 180. That is our only hope at this point, I think.

All hands on deck - if we are going to write letters, send emails, talk to friends...this is the issue.

Young and old can understand it - John Kerry has NOT released all of his military records. He has LIED about making the records available to people on his web site.

The question is "Why has John Kerry refused to sign standard government form 180 to authorize release of his complete military record?"

Answer: "I have made available the military records I have on my web site (implying perhaps the military won't release more)."

FOLLOW UP QUESTION: "The Navy is holding back an additional 90+ pages of records which need your authorization to release. Why won't you authorize release?"

KEEP ASKING until Kerry agrees to sign or not.

It's getting late - he could agree to sign, but not sign in the time that's left. Who will know if he says "yes", but doesn't do it????
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