100 People For 100 Days

This year is going to be a critical election year. Our country and our state need serious and real change, and we can help bring that about through the democratic political process.

In 2008, we can elect a new president whose campaign has made their major thematic hallmark that of "change." To elect Barack Obama, our endorsed candidate for president, to the White House, we need to win Wisconsin's electoral votes. And to do that, we'll need to turn out every voter who is clamoring for and needs the kind of change of which Senator Obama speaks. That starts with the members of our union local, the Teaching Assistants Association, our union of the American Federation of Teachers Wisconsin, and all labor household voters in our area. To make this happen, we will need an unprecedented level of political activism from our TAA members.

In 2008, we can build a pro-labor, pro-education, pro-UW majority in the state legislature. After years of veering way off course from what Wisconsin needs and a lack of progressive solutions to the challenges we face, we can right the proverbial ship of the state legislature by putting in place leaders that understand and will act upon the political principles we strive to see realized. Right now, we are only three seats short of that kind of electoral majority in the State Assembly after seeing to a majority in the State Senate in 2006. With fifteen to twenty seats really up for grabs statewide, there are six districts right near us that we can and must win to build that progressive majority in the statehouse. To make this happen, we will need to organize to win in these districts with the activism our members. Again, we'll need an unprecedented level of action from our members of the TAA.

With so much potential for creating real electoral political change in 2008, we are just 100 days out from the November election. Over the last few weeks, we have been working to contact as many members of the TAA as possible to build the base of our organized political activists for this year, educating those with whom we speak and asking them to commit to some involvement. It is only through our member activism that we can make the kind of impact we need to win in 2008. Through our conversations, we have been working to identify at least 100 political activists. As of today, 101 days out, we have achieved that goal. Our "100 People For 100 Days" organizing campaign has definitely been a success, and we invite you to be a part of it, from now through the election.

But we want - and need - you to get involved. There a lot of ways for people to be involved in our organizing campaign to gain the electoral political victories for which we have the potential this year, and that which we need and deserve. From phone banking to canvassing, office visits to organizing meetings with new people, and through many other avenues, we will put a focus on engaging people about the political scene and getting them involved, as voters and as activists. If you'd like to get involved, there are two great ways to get started.

First, you can join join our TAA Politics Facebook group. This is our networking home on Facebook that will serve as a way to keep people informed, educated, and activated. Join up yourself and invite your fellow grad students and TAA members.

Second, you can get in touch with our TAA political team by email to find out what ways in which you be involved. We'll be in touch with you right away to get you activated.

We're building on our "100 People For 100 Days" organizing campaign and starting to shift our focus to both building and expanding our activist base and of course, activating TAA members to make the impact we need to build our political program and win in 2008. There's a lot at stake and a lot of opportunities staring us in the face. With our activism, we can bring about the change we want and need.

Firing It Up

Seems like a good time to be starting the TAA Politics blog, with this year being one of the most important in our history for our political work.

In 2008, the TAA - along with thousands of other students and progressives - will be working to elect our endorsed candidate for president, Barack Obama. To win the White House, Barack Obama is going to need to win Wisconsin's electoral votes - and to do that, he'll need massive turnout not only on-campus with UW wards, in Madison's city limits, and in Dane County, but also in the other areas of South Central Wisconsin where Democrats can rack up votes at the top of the ticket.

So the TAA political program will be ramping up to turn out the grad student vote, the student vote, and the labor vote in South Central Wisconsin. From the war to the economy to education to climate change, we need a generational change - and that's why Barack Obama offers us. That's why we were one of the first to endorse Barack Obama before the Wisconsin primary - and that's why we'll be working hardest to elect him our next president.

But it doesn't stop with the White House. The Wisconsin state legislature is up for grabs, and we need to elect a pro-labor, pro-education, pro-UW majority in the State Assembly. The difference between the progressive majority in the State Senate and the regressive majority in the State Assembly is stark. We need to elect a State Assembly majority that will help return Wisconsin to its progressive roots.

We are three or so seats short of making that happen. And six of the most important seats are right here in South Central Wisconsin. So the TAA political program will be working to organize, educate, activate, and mobilize union members and their families here in our neck of the woods to take back the Assembly for the people of Wisconsin.

This year couldn't be more critical to the health and well-being of our country, our state, and our university - as well as the people that make up those communities. So we are going to work hard together as a union, exercising our collective power for our common good - mobilizing the largest political program in our history. Stay tuned here to the TAA Politics blog for more information, updates, commentary, and ways to get involved.