< LA > Baton Rouge

The secretary of state has certified five candidates for Louisiana House District 63 in Baton Rouge. This race should be interesting, and updates will be posted to the ELECTIONS page as fast as I get them.

In most races, it takes a little work to find out who the candidates are. Then we need to find out where they stand on the universal helmet law. Not a lot of work, but very necessary for our system to work.

This race started out with a surprise. One of the candidates called me, right out of the blue. He said he visited RIDE2REPEAL.COM, and totally supports the biker community. He added that his opponents were not so inclined.

More recently, a newspaper article listed all five candidates. I'll pass the word to all of our subscribers, as well as ABATE of Louisiana, to set the stage for determining which candidates support repeal. Hopefully several will get the green light.

Once that happens, the last step is to connect campaign volunteers with biker-friendly candidates. That's what all the homework is for, and that's what moves the state legislature in the right direction.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Decision Time

For every state except New Jersey and Virginia, this is an election year. This is the only time when bikers have the ability to take control.

It's time we decide.

Outside of the campaign season, we can only ask for our rights. Once in office, politicians have nothing to gain by helping us. And nothing to lose by ignoring us. You've seen it a million times.

In an election year, the tables are turned. WE decide who gets elected. That is the very definition of political power. And all politicians, whether friend or foe, respect that kind of power.

But as long as we sit on the sidelines, watching the parade go by, we have no power. Instead we must stand in line with everyone else who wants something for nothing. And like everyone else, we must take what we're given.

Let's stop the cycle of powerlessness. Go to RIDE2REPEAL.COM and click on ELECTIONS. Find your state, and look for the nearest candidate who's earned the "green light." Then just click on their name to volunteer.

What if your state isn't listed? That means nobody in your state is telling us who's biker-friendly (and who isn't). That's easy enough to fix, if you're willing to take that first step.

For those states that are listed, all the homework has been done. If you can poke campaign signs into the ground for as little as an hour, victory is in your hands. With that simple act, you've made a difference. More than writing, more than protesting, and even more than lobbying.

Want your rights back? Go and get them ... while they are within reach.

Spring Planting

Spring is beginning to blossom, and the same goes for the coming political season. A fresh crop of candidates is emerging. Soon they will be so numerous, it will be hard to count them all.

Primary races have one purpose. To thin out the crop of candidates so only the strongest survive. And therein lies our first challenge. Find the primary candidates that we can help, and deny advancement to the ones we must keep out (or knock out) of the state legislature.

As many seasoned campaign veterans will tell you, there is often a lot of risk involved with primary races. They can provide easy victories, but they can also create lasting resentment. Unlike general elections, the primary season is a time with high rewards ... but also the possibility of high risks as well.

Suppose there is an incumbent who always votes against our freedom, and he's facing a challenger of unknown persuasion. There is a high return on this race, since anyone is an improvement over a persistent enemy. There isn't much risk, either. Even if the incumbent knows you're working for the challenger, it sends a signal that we aren't just sitting on the sidelines.

The same goes for a friendly incumbent who's challenged by an unknown candidate. Get out there and bust your butt, and let it be known you're in the game. Again, it will only help to build our reputation as an agile player in elections. And while it's okay to be fairly visible, NEVER antagonize the challenger. We have enough enemies already ... no need to create more.

But watch out for the open primaries, where there is no incumbent running for reelection. Even though you may help a friendly candidate's campaign, you'd better stay under the radar. It's hard to predict the winner of an open primary. If our candidate loses, the winner could hold a grudge against us. And then we're stuck with a persistent enemy who's just getting started in politics.

Many times both primary candidates will be friendly. Or conversely, both will be decidedly unfriendly. In either case, the less the candidates know, the better. Save it for the general election in the fall, when there will be other races worth getting into.

These are all general principles, since each race is truly unique. The best thing to do in all cases is to work with your SMRO as well as your local activists. They bring a tremendous body of knowledge to the game, with the big picture as well as important details.

This is a team effort, so the most important thing is to simply do your part, and help everyone reap the benefits of success.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Recent Updates

I haven't written many articles this month but, as usual, I've been keeping busy. Two California candidates told me their position on repeal, so I've given one the Green Light and the other is a Yellow Light. No Red Lights though, which is always good for us.

In the mean time, I've contacted quite a few candidates to pop the question. With so many running, it could become quite hard to keep track of them all. So if you see an asterisk (*) by a candidate's name, it means we're waiting for a reply.

One other note: I'll be moving from one coast to the other this spring. With such a big move, I'll have some busy times ahead. But no too busy. I'll keep the updates coming as fast as I get them.

Political Activist

Most bikers who support biker's rights believe they are political activists. They join an SMRO, attend chapter or state meetings, go to protests and rallies. But does that make them political activists?

Many would say no, since you have to be part of the political machinery to be a political activist. And I'd have to agree.

So what about bikers that send emails to their legislators? Or go to the state capital to lobby their elected representatives? Surely they are the true political activists.

I'd have to disagree.

Though they are taking action that comes in contact with state politics, they are not part of the political machinery. They are "outside looking in." They belly up to the bar ... but it's up to the bartender to pay them any attention.

I've seen far more college kids and little old ladies that are political activists. That's because they are the ones who work for candidates, knocking on doors and making phone calls. They are getting out the vote, and they are doing it for candidates that share their beliefs.

When I go to campaign events, I have yet to see any other bikers. And while I've celebrated at many a victory party, there are only college kids and little old ladies throwing the confetti. Where are the bikers?

Bikers are NOT political activists, by and large. Sure, there are a few around the country. Just check our STATE MAPS to see where the green motorcycles are. These are the bikers who have worked as campaign volunteers. They are part of the political machinery.

All the other bikers are political "passivists," since they are only talking about their rights. Instead of being actively engaged in politics, they are passively engaged.

But nobody on the inside has any reason to listen to passivists. By definition, they have no active role inside the political machinery. Instead, legislators are paying attention to the people who got them elected: political activists.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com