Background[]
This CD prepared for the League of Women Voters seminar on How to Run for Office in January 2007.
Script notes[]
Runing and Standing[]
In other cultures, people stand for office. They don't run.
We need men and women, not babies, to present themseles and their ideas and not be quick to dash away and dodge hard questions and deep thoughts.
Around here, most who are running for office are already in office. Rookie candidates, and especially community candidates with lives beyond a government job, need to stand for office. Be patient. Don't run a rat race campaign because the others do.
Don't spend nor pledge money you don't have. Our city has relied upon phantom incomes and phony budgets and money it didn't have. We don't need to elect politicians that do the same with their own campaigns. Being prudent is a value that we need to embrace again in political circles.
I give out my cell phone number, 412 298 3432, and email address, Mark @ Rauterkus . com on the internet and wherever. People can find me. I've got nothing to hide. I've stood for office, and i'm still standing.
Don't burn out. They will try to wear you out. Then they win -- by attrition.
Furthermore, it is the challengers that should be given the length of time -- not the ones in the office now. Dan Onorato can go onto KDKA radio, as can Luke Ravenstahl, and talk for an hour. That's a serious problem.
Emotion[]
Little or nothing will be found in campaign manuals about songs. I love music and live performances, as well as independent artist. Just as there is little in the campiagn manuals about email and blogs of the past years, and wikis and deliberate democracy utilities today -- let's consider songs and their real purpose.
Folk songs, folk tales and folk music can tell stories. Jesus worked with parables to better plant a vision of behaviors.
Decisions are made on a rational basis for some instances and on an emotional level for others. To win in the minds and hearts of the voters, as a candidate, I need to address both the rational and the emotional. To ignore the emotional is to be less than human.
My children play violin. Even I have made music. But you won't hear my music on the CDs. I'm not good enough. There is good music and then there is bad music. I'd give the same advice to Titus North and his banjo. Get professional help. Bad music is a universal turn off. Furthermore, the best music in the world is going to still turn off some of the people as it isn't their style. Putting music into a campaign, as I have done, is not a sure pathway to success.
Your milage may vary.
Song, Think Again.
Song, Lay The Shovel Down.
Modern Tips[]
Get a blog. Blogger.com if okay.
Get a Gmail address.
Keep the years off your materials.
- It is Rauterkus.com -- not Rauterkus 2001, nor Rauterkus for Mayor.
Get a Google Calendar. Subscribe to my Google Calendar. Then your events can be merged onto my calendar too.
- I've got a family / cousin calendar that is private. I've got calendars for my kids swim teams. I've got public calendars and even a Pgh City Hall calendar. Multiple calendars are fine.
Think about a podcast to two.
The most powerful tech tip to share for moder candidates is about wikis.
- A wiki is a different type of web site that is easy to edit. I use the wiki for timeless materials while the blog is for current events. Wikipedia is one of the most popular sites on the internet and that has a Neutral Point Of View. Do research on general topics and issues at Wikipedia.
- We are not all mass transit experts and know of the Octopus Card that is used in Hong Kong -- and would be a huge benefit for PAT. That is a solution I'm promoting to PAT and public officials and the page on Wikipedia has been printed and handed to Rich Fitzgerald, President of Allegh. County Council.
- Understand the Platform.for-pgh.org wiki. The wiki Platform.For-Pgh.org is ALL POINTS of VIEW. Your reactions to your topics and your neighborhoods are able to be co-located at that wiki.
- By all means, don't start your own wiki.
Third Party Insights[]
Pittsburgh is mostly a one party town. If getting a paycheck is your prime motivation -- then you should run as a Democrat. If you want to fix this region, offer solutions, drive conversations about the future and make prosperity something more than a memory -- then run as a candidate in another party.
I feel strongly that Pittsburgh is going to founder forever more as long a it stays a one-party town. We can't think with less than half a brain and flourish. It might take a number of election cycles to get beyond the party lables, closed minded media and status quo ruts of our political landscape. But, it could happen. A voter revolution has begun. We need others to break the mold. Come With Me -- as the song says.
Becoming a candiate can become a powerful way help our region. Even nationally, the two party system is broken. Citizens have a distain for the career politicians and their antics. We need to fill our ranks among third party candiates and we need to perform in ever more effective ways.
Let's hear Johnsmith sing the song, "Don't Put Me In a Box."
Parting[]
Thanks for listening. I hope we can share ideas and resources in in the future. Don't hesitate to email. Here are my parting thoughts for 2007.
Elections occur in two waves, the primary in the spring for the old-parties and for everyone in the general election in November. I'm not a participant in the primary election. In fact, I'll be in New Zealand for the whole month of May.
This year my neighbors get one or two chances to vote for six public offices:
Allegheny County Executive
Member At-Large for Allgheny County Council.
Member of Allegheny County Council -- I'm in district 13.
Mayor, City of Pittsburgh
Controller, City of Pittsburgh
City Council -- I'm in district 3.
My school board office is NOT up for re-election. But half, or more, of every school board comes due for a 2007 election.
I'm the Vice-Chair of the allegheny County Libertarian party. We know that the number one issue for Pennsylvania politics is something called ballot access. This is huge. It is a prime problem for PA. I hope you become familiar with the ballot access topic in our Commonwealth as soon as possible.
Libertarians, Greens and others have worked together on this topic, but power can easily turn to poison. Another fall-out from this challenge is what I call, "Un-Democratic Democrats." Avoid them at all costs and never fall into that cespool yourself.
In 2007, with those six offices -- count me as one who is running for them all. So, there is a great chance I'd like to be your running mate. Then around the 4th of July -- we'll be looking to expand the ranks of running mate even further by leveraging substitutions depending on circumstances.
Have a good year.