As historic as this election has been,  it is not November 5th yet. In fact, the race is just heating up and if previous Presidential  elections are any guide, the Republican Party is going to get as negative as humanly possible in the final 10 days. Just today, RNC sent out fliers that invoke 9/11 to suggest Obama is “Not who you think he is”. (Wink: Terrorist)
So if you are sitting comfortably in your chair enjoying Obama’s 10 point lead in the polls, you are helping McCain win every passing minute and here is the top 5 ways you are doing so -

5. Not Donating

Money is not the only answer, but it makes a difference. - Barack Obama

As great as it sounds that Obama-Biden raised a stunning 150 million in September, you have to remember what Democrats are fighting against. It is a well-oiled long tested machine that relies on negative and personal attacks and it does takes a lot of money to fight such a monstrous system. For example, McCain’s TV ads are 100% negative, Obama has to fight back those negative attacks as well as spread his own positive message.  McCain is also relying on cheap negative ad systems such as robo-calls and fliers (above) that has to be fought back aggressively. And, on the election day, there would be huge requirement for money to ensure voter suppression in every county can be fought against (See 1 below).

So do not stop funding Obama’s Campaign. This is not the time to be complacent, especially in the last 10 days. Obama’s campaign will decide by Thursday how to spend his money smartly. It has to be able to have more options as it relies on our money. Remember, the campaign that steps up its ground game in the final days wins. Period.

To fund the fight - Click Here.

But funding is the LEAST you could do.

4. Not Stopping Lies

What chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?  - Rachel Dawes, Batman Begins (2005).

It is clear to most voters by now that McCain’s campaign is entirely negative and is rooted in lies. His campaign message “Country First” is the biggest lie as he has gambled the future of the nation with an extraordinarily inept VP choice Sarah Palin. So, it was shocking to me when a colleague mentioned about  someone he knows, who strongly believes Obama is a Muslim. I was not shocked at the fact that someone was watching plenty of Fox News but shocked over the fact that my rational, informed colleague had not tried to stop such lies. As hard as Obama’s campaign might try, it will not be able to reach your neighborhood, your friends, your family and your colleagues. If you are not fighting the lies, you are helping them grow. Remember, you will often not succeed in convincing everyone, but sometimes a little argument is enough to demonstrate rational ones how such accusations are blatant lies. And once in a while it helps those who are on the sidelines as Nick Naylor correctly shows in Thank You for Smoking (2005)

Joey Naylor: But you still didn’t convince me
Nick Naylor: It’s that I’m not after you. I’m after them.” ***Points into the crowd***

So if you can’t do anything else, at least stop the lies around you. To get the facts right, go to -

• FactCheck.org (non-partisan)
  
• FightTheSmears.com (Facts on Smears against Barack Obama)
• Snopes.com (To Fight Spam emails and Urban Legends)

3. Not Getting Involved

Execution is Everyting!

Just like everything else in life, execution is everything in a campaign. And in the final 10 days, the amount of work a campaign has to get done grows astronomically. There is no doubt that Obama’s supporters are significantly more enthusiastic than McCain’s supporters, but just feeling good about something will not make that happen. What eventually matters is which campaign was more enthusiastic by 4th of November. And there is a LOT to happen between now and then. So if you believe in winning, get involved. Volunteer to do phone banks, volunteer to knock on the doors, volunteer to do everything to get Obama elected. If you fail to do so and and Obama loses, you will be stuck with McCain for at least the next 4 years and a Republican administration for 12 years in a row. Remember, history is being made here and this is your chance to be a part of it.

“I’m asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring real change in Washington.. I’m asking you to believe in yours” - Barack Obama.

To find a place to volunteer, visit - BarackObama.com

It will be closer than you think.

2. Not Voting

Have you voted yet? That should be the question you should be asking others, if your state allows early voting. So, how shameful is it that you have not voted yet. The person in the cube next to me just told me - “He does not need to vote as California goes Blue anyways”. There you have it! The complacency that causes Democrats to lose every time. So, if your state allows early voting, go out and vote today and get others to vote tomorrow. If it doesn’t, get there first thing on 4th. If you fail to do this, you might be helping McCain win.

As Gandhi said succintly -

You should be the change you want to see in the World!

To get information on voting in your state, Visit voteforchange.com. It will not only tell you rules for voting in your state but also give you information about county clerks in your county.

1. Not being Vigilant

What Washington needs is adult supervision. - Barack Obama

No Democracy is perfect. But the imperfections should not be big enough to alter the outcome. Unfortunately, people’s confidence in the process is affected every time reports of voter fraud, voter suppression , voter intimidation comes out in the open. But, who is a better person to watch for any illegal activity than the one who is affected by it. If you are being vigilant, you can report any suspicious activity, be it voter intimidation or voter fraud, be it suspicious machine or purging provisional ballots. You can make a difference if you just watch for it and report it to authorities (County Clerks) or either Parties.Every time you are ignoring something that is suspicious, you might be helping those who gain from fear. Remember -

We are the ones we have been waiting for - Barack Obama

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