In this issue:

• Saving our country and the planet in the 2020 national elections: What we can do to impact the outcome in key swing states
• Marya and I invite you to a House Party at our house with Swing Left Boston, Sunday March 15, 10:30-12:30 or 3:30-5:30 – see invitation below
• An introduction to Swing Left

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Saving our country and the planet in the 2020 national elections: What we can do to impact the outcome in key swing states

I am writing to share some of my plans and thinking in perhaps what will be the most important political year of my life, of our lives.

I believe that four more years of President Trump may have a profoundly disastrous and long-term negative impact on our nation and the world.  And four more years of the USA opposing or ignoring the fight against climate change may have an irreversible impact on our planet and our children’s future.

How can we in Somerville and Greater Boston make a difference in the 2020 national elections?

I am planning to put one-third of my work time and energy this year into defeating President Trump, swinging the U.S. Senate to the Democrats, and combating Republican gerrymandering and voter suppression.

I have no illusions about the impact I myself as one person can have on the Presidential election or on U.S. Senate races in swing states, but I feel like I need to do whatever I can, as small as that impact may be...and hope and pray that hundreds of thousands of people like you and me come to the same conclusion.  As the Dalai Lama said, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” 

If we all do what we can, a huge mobilization of progressives to impact the national elections in swing states could make a difference.  I am actually encouraged at this point that I see this starting to happen.  I want to be a small part of this movement and encourage you to think about how you can participate and contribute as well.  And I would like to help you to do so.  Hence our house parties on March 15 (see invitation below) and this introduction to Swing Left below the invitation.

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Marya and I invite you to a House Party at our house with Swing Left Boston, Sunday March 15, either 10:30-12:30 or 3:30-5:30

Do you want to reach outside of our progressive area and have an impact on the 2020 national elections?   

Do you want to help get rid of President Trump, swing the U.S. Senate Democratic, and help stop voter suppression and gerrymandering in key states?   

We can help show you how you can have an impact. 

You are invited to a

HOUSE PARTY with SWING LEFT BOSTON

SUNDAY, MARCH 15^TH, 10:30-12:30 or 3:30-5:30 (choose the one that works best for you)

29 Conwell Street, Somerville

 HOSTS: Mark Niedergang and Marya Axner

Invite you’re a friend or family member!

This is NOT a fundraising event. 

Please RSVP to me at m.niedergang@comcast.net or mark@markniedergang.com or (617) 629-8033

We have limited space in our house, so if you are interested I suggest you RSVP soon.

This is an opportunity to learn how to make a difference in key swing states, to take action to win elections for Democrats and set our nation on a better course.

Following a video and presentation by a volunteer from Swing Left, and some discussion, there will be a short postcard-writing activity to reach voters who have been involuntarily removed from the voter roles in one of the key swing states – to alert them and try to get them to re-register. (To cover the cost of the postcards and stamps, we will ask each person for $5).

Parking is available on the street; please park in a legal spot.  You do not need a permit on a Sunday.  There is usually ample parking on Highland Avenue, a block or two from our house.

This site is NOT ADA accessible; it is on the second floor up a flight of stairs.

Coffee, tea, drinks and light snacks will be provided.

If you are interested, but cannot come on the 15^th, there are other Swing Left house parties and events happening around Greater Boston and beyond, see: https://swingleftboston.org/calendar/

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An introduction to Swing Left

Swing Left’s mission is to “Transform our government in 2020 by winning all the Houses—including the White House, the Senate, and state houses key to rolling back Republican gerrymandering.”

Swing Left provides avenues for people like us in progressive areas to have an impact in elections in swing states where the Presidential and key U.S. Senate races will be decided.   Working with a number of other organizations, they helped flip the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018 when the Democrats added 41 seats to take control of the House, and helped flip the Virginia State Legislature from Republican to Democrat in 2019.  This stuff actually WORKS!!...if enough of us get involved…

(There are many other good organizations doing similar work, such as Movement Voter Project, about which I will be writing to you next week.)

This work is critically important regardless of who the Democratic candidate for President is, although of course that will make a difference.  I will be voting for Elizabeth Warren on March 3^rd in the Democratic primary in  Massachusetts.  However, I believe the 2020 elections will be decided by who actually turns out to vote in the key swing states.  Voter mobilization – which we can all be a part of – is likely to determine the outcome. We Democrats have a huge natural majority in our nation: we just have to get our voters to go out and vote.

We believe Swing Left provides a pathway with support, instruction, an excellent strategy and connections for those of us who live in Massachusetts to contribute meaningfully to the important work of influencing the 2020 elections and helping to take back our country for years to come.  

Swing Left has a national strategy focused on 12 key “super” states that are key states for Democrats to win for the Presidency, U.S. Senate, and to stop voter suppression and gerrymandering.  Check it out at https://swingleftboston.org/super-state/

Swing Left Boston sponsors and organizes dozens of activist working events each week.  They have an Activist Afternoon meeting late every Sunday afternoon at the Workbar in Central Square.  I have gone four Sundays, and have found this worthwhile, productive, and enjoyable.  All this by writing postcards or making phone calls to help register voters who are likely to vote Democratic in November.  

Swing Left can plug you in to volunteer on campaigns in swing states to help make a difference.

Marya is planning to spend a couple of weeks in the Orlando, Florida area, where her brother lives.  I may join her for some of that time.   I will be going to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where I have a friend from high school.  (Many people believe Wisconsin – which Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016 by 23,000 votes – may be the key swing state in the 2020 Presidential election.)  And perhaps we will also go to Minneapolis where we have family and friends; Swing Left is also funneling people to key state legislature district races in Western Wisconsin in the suburbs of Minneapolis as well as Milwaukee.  We will help register voters, support campaign workers, do voter turnout, make meals, enter data, do whatever is needed to support the people working to elect Democratic candidates there.  Let me know if you are interested in going to one of these places with me! 

Whether you can travel or not, please think about who you know in the key swing states.  If there is any chance they may agree with you, tell them how you feel and then ask them how they feel.  Listen to them; listening is critical.  Talk to them about how important this election is to you – and for the future of our country and the world.  We need to engage people in swing states and help them get motivated to do what they can.   

If you’d like to talk about how you could be involved, please contact me.  I’d love to talk with you about this!

Mark Niedergang, Ward 5 City Councilor

mark@markniedergang.com

(617) 629-8033