Phone from Home

Over the past few years, several of our campaign volunteers have crossed state lines to phone bank for pro-repeal candidates. The whole concept is so powerful, I'm not sure why more people don't do it.

All it takes is a list of phone numbers, and a script to read to voters. I've done it myself several times, and it takes about one minute for each phone call. And it's probably the most effective thing you can do, especially since you can do it from the comfort of your own home.

Looks like Ron Paul's campaign has taken advantage of this tactic. Here is a link that shows how it works: phone.ronpaul2012.com/v/login.php?v=1. This web page includes a video that explains it all.

When it comes to fighting the helmet law, it's a perfect fit. There are always special elections going on in a few states, and these races often feature candidates who support your right to decide. Voter outreach is critical to the success of any campaign, and it's easy to be a part.

Want your freedom back? All you have to do is lift a finger ... and dial up some voters.

Voter Data

When it comes to winning elections, knowing the lay of the land is very important. If you know the terrain, you can take advantage of it.

This will be an important part of our new website design. You will be able to sort of each district in your state based on the percentages of Democratic and Republican voter registrations.

For districts that lean heavily towards one party, primary races provide the only real opportunity to change anything. These are especially important. Because primary turnout is usually low, we can use this to our advantage. The fewer the voters, the greater our impact.

For evenly matched districts, the general election will be our focus. These are called swing districts, and both parties run strong campaigns to win them. We should too.

Website Progress

The website redesign project is right moving along. We have just signed up with a new hosting service.

The next step is to get all the old addresses pointed to the new server. Once that's done, it will be time to build, test, and deploy.

Thanks for your patience.

Money Bomb

Today is the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, and the "Father of the TEA Party" is celebrating the occasion with a "Money Bomb."

What is a Money Bomb? It's how Ron Paul raises money for his presidential campaign. He can't count on fat cats from Wall Street or K Street, nor does he want to. As many already know, Ron Paul can't be bought.

However, money talks and BS walks. That's why so many regular folks donate to him. Sure, the donations are small. But the numbers are impressive. As an example, more members of the military donate to Ron Paul than any other candidate. In fact, airmen, soldiers, and sailors account for his greatest donations.

To donate, visit RonPaul2012.com. You just might win a FREE COUNTRY!

Surrogate Agency

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is promoting a nationwide ban on the use of electronic devices in cars.

The NTSB gained tremendous respect over the years for their thorough investigations of aircraft, rail, and pipiline accidents. This was largely due to their independence from political influence.

Not so any more.

Recently they stepped into political waters by evaluating motorcycle safety. This was no accident investigation. They waded into political territory. Now they're calling for more national legislation.

Now this is just a guess, but I believe they're doing this at the behest of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While NHTSA has a long history of calling for national legislation to save us from ourselves, they have been barred from lobbying.

So what's a poor agency to do when they're barred from lobbying? Find another government body to do their work for them, of course. By relying on the good reputation of the NTSB, they can call for more traffic laws without actually doing it themselves.

How do we confront this flanking maneuver? It all comes down to political power.

Agency heads are political appointees. They get their jobs and their missions from elected officials. You can write agencies all day long, but they answer to their masters.

A wise man once said, "If you have a problem with the dog, go for the one who's holding the leash." When candidates hit the campaign trail in 2012, that's the time to make it an issue. The rest will take care of itself.

Money for Nothing

The latest buzz is on all the biker email lists. "Contact your legislator!"

The reason for the clamor is Senator Lautenberg (D-NJ), who is sponsoring legislation to blackmail states into passing helmet laws. The kicker is that the "incentive" for states will be motorcycle safety funds.

Many bikers are outraged that the government would use "our money" against us. After all, the motorcycle safety funds are supposed to be used only for motorcycle safety, right? But motorcycle safety is in the eye of the beholder. And for those in power, motorcycle safety means mandatory helmet laws.

The rationale for motorcyclist support of this funding is to demonstrate we're responsible riders. And responsible riders ought to be able to say where the money goes, as well as have a greater amount of control over laws affecting us.

This is not only wrong-headed thinking. It's foolish.

When we surrender our money to the government, we also surrender our rights. By giving them money, we give them control. Despite our best intentions (really, wishful thinking), government isn't going to do what's in our best interest. Government will do what's in their best interest. And they're interested in controlling us, whether we like it or not.

The real fallacy is what is commonly referred to as the "good little biker syndrome." This is the flawed belief that we can restore our rights by demonstrating that we're responsible adults.

But politics don't work this way. Politics is all about power. Those that have it make the rules. Those that don't must live by someone else's rules. And that's exactly where we find ourselves today.

The key to political power is to control the outcome of elections. Only then will legislators have an incentive to listen to us. All the pleading, statistics, and logic in the world cannot overcome political power.

This is why bikers must stop begging for their rights, and start getting good at winning elections for biker-friendly candidates. Put another way, if you are on the campaign trail, you're on the road to freedom. If you're going anywhere else, you're on a dead end.

By all means, call your legislators and let them know what you think. But be sure to let them know you're also a campaign volunteer. Otherwise they'll have no reason to pay you one bit of attention.

Meet and Greet

A few bikers and I met with our State Assembly member at her holiday open house. Aside from being a nice chance to spend time with an elected representative, it was also a very important meeting.

A few days prior I had met with the Assembly Member's legislative aid to discuss upcoming legislation. During our conversation, we talked about possibly introducing a bill to equalize the penalties for seatbelt and helmet law violations. Right now it's about three times as much for violating the helmet law.

With this topic fresh on their minds, seeing bikers show up at the Holiday Open House was a wise thing to do. Of course it allowed us to restate our interest in bills affecting motorcyclists. But more importantly, it demonstrated our ability to show up. And dependability is very important ... especially when the campaign season rolls around.

Thanks so much to those San Diego bikers who attended. You made a difference.

Get on the List

Want to do something about getting your rights back ... right now?

Whether it's the wee hours of the morning, or goofing off at work, as long as you're looking at a computer screen, you can take a little action. Should take less than 5 minutes, even if you're a slowpoke like me.

First, figure out who your state legislators are. The easiest way is to google the words "who's my legislator." You can also visit Project Vote Smart (www.votesmart.org) and type your ZIP Code into the box at the top of their home page.

Once you know who your state legislators are, go to the website for your state legislature and look them up. They all have a way for you to subscribe to newsletters. So take 5 minutes (at most) and get connected to your legislators.

Why is this important? You'll know when they're hosting events to meet their constituents (like you). Spending time face-to-face with your legislators is the best way to establish and maintain a relationship. And politics is all about relationships.

New Website

We have a new website in the works, so pardon the temporary loss of many of our features. Once the Repeal Machine is "out of the shop," it will be better than ever before.

In the mean time, the battle for your right to decide continues unabated. (No pun intended.)

Repeal Anniversary

Happy Birthday to me, and I'm very lucky to have been born on the 25th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition.

Now all we need to do is repeal a few more laws, like the mandatory helmet law, and the world will be a better place.

Massachusetts Bill

BOSTON—Massachusetts lawmakers are weighing changes to the state's motorcycle laws, including bills designed to ease the requirement that riders wear helmets.

Current law requires all riders and passengers to wear protective head gear, except those participating in parades.

One proposed change would lift the helmet requirement for riders and passengers over the age of 21. Another would exempt riders whose motorcycles are registered in a state without a helmet law.

Other bills would ban children under 5 from riding on a motorcycle traveling more than 30 miles an hour, ban the sale of exhaust pipes designed to make motorcycles louder and prohibit cars from passing through groups of two or more motorcycles.

The bills are the subject of a Wednesday public hearing by the Transportation Committee at the Statehouse.

For more information on how you can get involved, please contact the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (www.massmotorcycle.org).

Fallen Hero

We have lost a champion in the fight for our right to decide. John Del Santo, resident of San Diego, CA passed away earlier this week. John was the pillar of ABATE Local 6 as well as a member of BOLT of California.

We'll miss you, and carry on with the same resolve you showed us with your words and deeds. RIP my friend.

VA Election Results

The 2011 elections for the State Senate and House of Delegates were held on NOV 8, 2011. Many thanks to all our campaign volunteers who made a difference.

As usual, there were some gains and losses regarding repeal supporters, as well as a couple of close elections in general ... so close in fact, the results aren't even listed as "official" yet. And as always, most of the incumbents won reelection, with a few important exceptions.

The big news is that the State Senate is now tied at 20-20 between the Republicans and Democrats. That means any tie votes will be settled by the Lieutenant Governor, Bill Bolling ... who just happens to be a Republican. There will surely be new committee assignments as well, and we'll keep an eye out for who ends up on the Senate Transportation Committee.

Here are some race highlights:

 STATE SENATE 

SD-13 (Leesburg) now has our old friend, former Delegate Dick Black [R], in the winner's circle. Even though his campaign spending was closely matched by his rival, Shawn Mitchell {D}, Dick carried the election by over 5,000 votes. Since bikers have helped him many times in the past, I'm sure his door at the capitol will always be open for us.

SD-17 (Fredericksburg) was the closest senate race, and widely credited with tipping the State Senate out of Democratic control. The pro-repeal incumbent Ed Houck {D} lost to Bryce Reeves [R] by a slim 86 votes. We don't know where Reeves stands on the helmet law, so this district is code-yellow until we find out.

SD-21 (Roanoke) featured a battle between two legislators on opposite sides of the helmet law. Unfortunately for us, anti-repeal incumbent John Edwards {D} won this race by more than 4,500 votes over his rival, former Delegate Dave Nutter [R]. It looks like campaign funds made all the difference in this race.

SD-22 (Lynchburg) was won by pro-repeal Thomas Garrett [R], despite being far out-funded by his rival Bert Dodson {D}. I believe Tony T was involved with this race, so we earned some good will for the next four years (and hopefully many more) in this senate district.

SD-36 (Mount Vernon) still belongs to Toddy Puller {D}, despite our hope that former Delegate Jeff Frederick would turn this into a pro-repeal district. Fortunately, Puller is older than dirt and looked pretty wobbly the last time I saw her. Keep an eye out for a special election in this district, because four years is a long time.


 HOUSE OF DELEGATES 

HD-12 (Blacksburg) is noteworthy only because it came down to 522 votes. We don't have any Campaign Action Alert subscribers in the area, and haven't a clue where the winner, Joseph Yost [R] stands on the helmet law. But being a close race, he may face a strong challenger in 2013.

HD-87 (Chantilly) is another squeaker, currently with David Ramadan [R] leading his rival Mike Kondratick {D} by only 50 votes. Again, no indication of where either candidate stands on repeal. This may be another district to watch in 2013.

HD-93 (Williamsburg) was a fairly narrow defeat for our ally, Robin Abbott {D}, who lost by 480 votes. We helped Robin win two years ago, and we can use as many friends as we can get from the left side of the aisle. Sorry to see her go, and we can only hope that the winner, Michael Watson [R], will vote our way on repeal.

Sincere thanks and appreciation goes out to everyone who worked on the campaign trail this election. In addition to the usual suspects (Steve S, Tony T, John B), there are undoubtedly others who pitched in, or supported those that did. You are making a difference. If you can spare a little time between now and when the next session gets underway, please let me know how it went. I'm always looking for good news to share, as well as any lessons learned along the way.

And speaking of the next session, it's time to get our ducks in a row regarding the next bill(s). While repealing any part of the mandatory helmet law is a good thing, the Repeal Machine depends on knowing where the legislators stand on the issue.

At this stage, getting a vote count is the most important thing to do. A bill on helmet penalties is more likely to make it to a full vote, and we haven't gotten a fresh update to the vote count since Senator Chap Petersen's bill back in 2008 (SB698).

Thanks again, and best of luck during the next session.

Distracted Bikers

The latest Michigan helmet law repeal bill is all over the news.

It's definitely on bikers' minds, too. There has been a "call to action" making the rounds, encouraging bikers to take part in an on-line poll on the helmet law.

(No, I'm not posting a link.)

Bikers certainly want to do all they can to win the repeal battle. But are they actually making any difference by taking part in an on-line poll? So I asked a simple question, "If we win the poll, do we get some kind of prize?"

The answer I got was pretty straight-forward. "Someone might show the poll results to the governor." While this might happen, it will have no effect on the outcome. Here's why:

Governor Snyder isn't going to sign or veto this bill based on an unscientific on-line poll, especially where one side can run up the numbers. He's going to make a practical decision base primarily on who his friends and enemies are, as well as his gut feelings.

On-line polls are for entertainment purposes, which is stated by the poll takers themselves. And entertaining they are. When they ask a controversial question, a lot of people visit their website (including bikers in this case). That drives up their website hit counter, which increases their advertising rates.

So yes, bikers are having a big impact. Just not where they intended.

The irony is that bikers actually could have taken action AND gotten results. While the keyboard commandos were running up the advertising rates for the poll-takers, a couple of special elections were taking place in Michigan.

The results speak for themselves.

One pro-repeal candidate lost his Michigan seat by 147 votes. About 15 campaign volunteers would have made up the difference. And he just happened to be a friend of (you guessed it) Governor Snyder. His friend.

In the other special election, there's no telling where any of the candidates stood on repeal. And in both of these elections, the bikers who were totally consumed with taking the on-line poll were not a factor.

But they had fun, so at least they got something out of it.

Election Day is Done

Another election day has run its course for four states, plus about a half-dozen others that held special elections. All candidates have crossed the finish line, either in first place or no place.

We'll be posting the results soon. Probably not a whole lot to report, since most biker activists were not a factor in who won or lost. Fortunately there are a few exceptions to the rule, thanks to a few exceptional bikers who rode the campaign trail.

Once the results are tallied, I'll send a final update to Campaign Action Alert subscribers in all the states that held elections. And for the first time since I got this whole operation off the ground, there won't be any elections going on.

Maybe I'll take a much needed break. NOT!

RepealMachine@gmail.com

New Email Address

Effective Jan 1, 2012, our new email address is RepealMachine@gmail.com.

Until then, both new and old addresses will work just fine.

Tennessee Alert

Senate District 6 (Knoxville): It looks like Tennessee bikers now have a choice.

Democratic candidate Gloria Johnson stated that, while she supports helmet use, the decision should be up to adult riders.

Her opponent, Republican candidate Becky Duncan Massey, supports the mandatory helmet law.

To volunteer for Gloria Johnson, please contact her at votegloriajohnson@gmail.com or 865-660-9800. Her campaign website address is www.votegloriajohnson.com, and her campaign headquarters is located at 311 Morgan St, Knoxville, TN 37917.

Nevada Alert

Here's a news item about two state senators who may face close elections due to redistricting: http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/big-help-for-breeden-copening-132399498.html

Senator Shirley Breeden (Clark 5A) is the Transportation Committee chair. Though she opposes repeal, she let her committee vote on the most recent repeal bill. That's why we show her as code-yellow right now, even though she's definitely on the red side of the spectrum.

Senator Alison Copening (Clark 6) is an unknown regarding repeal, so she's listed as code-yellow as well. But given our efforts depend on finding the clostest races, we really need to find out Copening's repeal position.

Also related to redistricting, it looks like the Republicans have a fairly good shot at taking the majority in the state senate. All they need to pick up is one senate seat. If that happens, the Transportation Committee chairmanship will change parties as well.

ACTION:
(1) Find out if Senator Copening supports mandatory helmet laws
(2) Find out which candidates will challenge these two senators

Click here to record a candidate's position: http://RepealMachine.com/includes/_tip.cfm

MA Election Results

Tricia Farley-Bouvier won a seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives by about 92 votes. While this may have seem like a close race for the anti-repeal victor, her nearest competitor was actually from the Green party. Either way, there isn't much bikers could have done to change the outcome.

This was not the case last month, where freedom-friendly Keiko Orrall won her race for the house by 374 votes. Massachusetts bikers, especially MMA members, came out in force to help Keiko win. So while Farley-Bouvier will maintain her district's anti-repeal vote, Orrall takes us one vote closer to our goal: a legislative majority.

Keep in mind there are two more upcoming special elections for the Massachusetts State Senate, and that means two more chances for bikers to turn the tide.

Nevada Lawsuit

Twelve Nevada motorcyclists have sued Clark county and other municipalities over enforcement of the Nevada helmet law. This represents a fundamental change in how bikers are challenging the helmet law in court.

This case is NOT about whether there should be a helmet law. And while important, what constitutes a "legal" helmet is NOT the thrust of the case. Rather, it's a class-action lawsuit about the arbitrary and selective enforcement of the helmet.

This is an important development. A few bikers (myself included) will fight every single helmet ticket in court. We all have our reasons, and many seek to challenge the part of the law that defines the enforcable standard for a motorcycle helmet.

One of the lawsuit plaintiffs, David Stilwell, has repeatedly tried to have his "day in court." But the Nevada courts have repeatedly denied him this fundamental right ... by automatically dismissing charges ... and even then, only after he appeals his case.

It's hard to challenge a law when you can't even get a hearing, or in David's case, a trial in a court of record. That's where the class action lawsuit comes into play. Now some may criticize David for a variety of reasons. Maybe it's because David's way of doing things is better than their way of doing nothing.

There's been a flurry of news articles about this lawsuit. That's a good thing, because class action lawsuits are very expensive. So if you want to help out, visit RepealItOrFeelIt.com and buy some stickers, or make a donation to GuerillaLawfare.com.

Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

PS: Members of ABATE of CA Local 6 generously donated $150 to the lawsuit effort, Local 11 chipped in $84, and one member of BOLT of CA donated a whopping $500. THANK YOU!

MA Election Results

Massachusetts held special elections to fill two vacancies in the State House of Representatives, and the RESULTS have been posted.

Fortunately it included a big win for Massachusetts bikers. This is a perfect example of how a small number of campaign volunteers can have a huge impact on elections.

House - 12th Bristol District:
Repeal supporter Keiko Orrall won the general election by 374 votes.

House - 3rd Berkshire District:
Anti-repeal Tricia Farley-Bouvier won the Democratic primary by 196 votes. She'll now face repeal supporter Mark Jester on OCT 18.

Many thanks and hearty congratulations to all volunteers, especially Rick G and the Massachusetts Motorcycle Association members who turned out in strength.

Results Count

(NOTE: This is a reprint of the original 2009 article.)

This weekend there were two very different biker events on both sides of the Potomac River, in Maryland and Virginia.

Helmet law repeal was the primary goal of each one. In comparing these two events, they provide a perfect example of potential vs. actual power in the world of biker activism.

One event was a large rally in Maryland, with about 200 bikers protesting the helmet law. We started out with hot coffee, listened to some good speeches, and then rode along beautiful country roads on a warm Sunday afternoon. Once we got to Annapolis, we circled the state capitol, and then gathered at our destination for food, music, and solidarity.

The other event had just 2 bikers, riding through the Virginia suburbs. No music, no food, no speeches. Just two bikers ... with campaign yard signs strapped to their luggage racks, each with a list of a dozen delivery addresses.

It would seem like the Maryland event had the most impact. It took a lot of work to set up, and it brought together hundreds of activists with a common purpose. We stood together, and we rode together. Everyone in downtown Annapolis heard our thunder, and we turned lots of heads.

But what were the results?

Did Maryland bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was a tremendous amount of potential ... with about 800 man-hours of activity over the course of a few hours. It's hard to know for sure, but it seemed like it did.

Only time will tell.

Over on the Virginia side of the river, those two bikers met at the campaign headquarters of a state delegate. He was running for reelection in a very tight race. He was also a member of the House Transportation Committee. Those two bikers spoke with him for about 15 minutes, while they were each loading campaign signs onto their bikes.

In the course of their conversation, the delegate thanked the bikers for helping him in his time of need, and he offered to sponsor legislation to repeal the helmet law. The bikers were happy to hear his offer, but let him know that their top priority was the immediate task of getting him reelected.

Then they rode their separate ways, going house to house through the Virginia suburbs, delivering campaign signs to voters who had requested them. And in so doing ... they were delivering votes to the delegate.

But what were the results?

Did Virginia bikers get one step closer to helmet law repeal? There was just a tiny amount of effort ... with only about four man-hours of activity that Friday afternoon. Not thousands, or even a dozen. But it wasn't potential power.

It was actual power ... because it produced results.

Yes, Virginia bikers got one step closer to repeal. It was actually more like several steps:
1. They helped the reelection campaign of a biker-friendly candidate.
2. They earned the gratitude of a member of the House Transportation Committee.
3. They cultivated a personal relationship with a legislator.
4. And they got themselves a bill sponsor. Cha-ching!

Most biker activists follow the traditional approach. And they've been doing it for so long, they're actually starting to get good at it. RepealMachine.com will keep trying to earn their support, because they represent a tremendous amount of potential. We want to kick it up a notch and make it REAL.

So if you want to bridge the gap between what's potential and what's actual biker power, you are headed in the right direction. Take that extra step. We need you just as much as you need us.

So come and join our network, and you can start by clicking on the red  SUBSCRIBE  tab at the top of RepealMachine.com. Together we'll do more than just talk about repeal. We'll get results, too.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PS: Special thanks to Robin McGlohn and Bob Seoane for making a difference.

Biker Make-Over

We bikers have an image problem.

Not to the public, or even to ourselves. It's how the politicians see us that needs improvement.

Right now, legislators see us as an entertaining little group of people who make a lot of noise, but don't have any real impact on their political world. so they ignore us.

As a voting block, bikers are what strategists call an "acceptable loss." We're a tiny fraction of the voting public. The issues we care about most (our rights) aren't even on the radar for most people ... politicians included.

We can't change that perception by being better bikers. Poker runs and charity drives won't do the trick. Even traditional biker politics, like protesting or lobbying, fall short of delivering what we need: Political Power.

The only way we can get out of the ditch is to change direction. That means we have to change ourselves before we can ever expect to change anything else.

While politicians may overlook bikers, they are firmly fixated on campaign workers. They're the lifeblood of any successful political campaign. Politicians can always get elected without the help of bikers. But they could never hope to win office without campaign volunteers.

If you want to become a campaign volunteer, start by clicking on the red  SUBSCRIBE  tab at the top of the page. That's the first step on the road to freedom.

The rest is up to you.

NY Election Results

New York held special elections to fill six vacancies in the State Assembly, and the RESULTS have been posted.

There isn't much to report on, other than the names of the winning candidates and their winning percentages. I'm not aware of any bikers who were involved with the campaigns, and I never got any word on which candidates support or oppose repeal.

Fortunately, New York is one of several states that seem to have frequent special elections. While this latest opportunity came and went without any noticeable activist involvement, there will always be more special elections in the future.

When that happens, I'll let you know.

VA Election Results

Now that the AUG 23 primary races have run and the RESULTS are posted, Virginia is now headed to the general election.

Like New Jersey, Virginia holds elections in the odd years. But unlike New Jersey, bikers in Virginia are involved in political campaigns. That makes a difference that becomes apparent when the legislative session rolls around.

All the Virginia candidates for the State Senate and House of Delegates are listed under the white  ELECTIONS  tab (above). Then click on the VIRGINIA RACES link to see them all.

Green candidates support some type of repeal. Click on their name to visit their campaign website and then VOLUNTEER. That's the whole reason for this entire website. And it's also the key to getting your rights back.

Red candidates say "no way" on any type of repeal. Just pass them by. Or if they have a Green opponent, help the biker-friendly candidate beat them. Get started by clicking on that candidate's name.

Yellow means they've been asked, and we're either waiting to hear back, or they haven't come down on one side or the other.

Gray means they haven't been contacted for their repeal position yet. That's another place where you can help ... by asking them yourself. We can't help our friends win if we don't know who they are.

A little political activism now -- during the campaign season -- sure beats a lot of begging and pleading during the legislative session. How and when you spend your time is up to you, but the result will speak for itself.

Shake It Up

The world of politics is constantly in motion.

Normally this involves various pieces of legislation that are moving up through the capitol. Then, as the election season approaches, all the attention shifts to the candidates who are popping up all over the place to run for office.

This year it's a little different.

Thanks to the 2010 Census, virtually all of our political district boundaries are changing. From the US congress to the city council, "Who's in what district?" is a good question. This is especially true for state legislative districts all across the country, as well as the politicians who are holding those offices.

Sometimes seats open up when new districts are created, which means a level playing field among fresh candidates. And at other times, incumbents find themselves running against each other, fighting to be the last one standing when all the motion stops.

The good news for bikers is that the more boundaries change, the more pro-repeal candidates we can help get elected. And, it means the more nanny-crat legislators we can kick out of office. When it comes to changing district boundaries, there are always winners and losers.

Our job is to find the best opportunities in this rapidly changing political landscape. As long as we're ready to pounce, we'll make some serious progress towards the one thing that will restore our right to decide: A legislative majority.

Want to shake things up? See you on the campaign trail.

Cure for Inaction

Do you suffer from Narcotizing Dysfunction, also known as ND?

This condition has spread throughout the bikers rights community, since it is highly communicable.

ND is spread primarily via email. While most sufferers are totally unaware that they have contracted ND, there is an easy way to find out whether you've got it or not.

> Do you regularly email others with info about important issues?

> Do you believe that you've taken action by sending these emails?

If you answered YES to both questions, you've got ND!

Fortunately, help is available. And despite what some may believe, ND can easily be cured.

All you have to do is get out from behind your keyboard, and actually do something about the issue you care about. Or at least recommend a solution to the problem. Merely telling others about the issue is not enough, since this only makes the problem worse.

Ultimately, only your actions (not your emails) can cure yourself of ND. It's not enough to know about a problem. You have to actually do something about it.

Fallen Warrior

Richard "Dick" Floyd passed away on August 11, 2011. He is widely known for bringing the mandatory helmet law to California in 1992. For that alone, he is probably hated by a lot of frustrated motorcyclists.

Not me. I respect him for what he accomplished. Heck, I even admire him.

Don't get me wrong. I hate the helmet law more than your average motorcyclists. In fact, I've never met another biker who opposes the mandatory helmet law more strongly than I do.

But I gotta give credit where credit is due.

Floyd knew how to fight -- and he especially knew how to win -- the helmet law battle. He didn't get sidetracked, and never lost focus. He never gave up, and never took his eyes off his goal. But it was more than his single-mindedness that took us down. It was his winning strategy.

Dick Floyd didn't fight hard ... because he didn't have to. Instead, he fought smart. He picked his battle, and made his own rules. He played his strengths, and took advantage of our weaknesses. And we fell right into the trap he set for us. In fact, we're still running around in the same circle to this very day.

Even from the grave, he's still beating us.

Floyd drew us into a war of words, a dueling debate, a stalemate of statistics. And as long as we played his game, by his rules, on his home turf, he won. It took him only two seconds to plant a single lie, and bikers have spent the last two decades trying to prove him wrong.

Funny thing is, California bikers actually did beat Dick Floyd (once, temporarily). Not in a war of words, but by taking our fight to the campaign trail. When bikers mobilized against him, they kept him out of office. And that unified action took away the only real advantage Floyd had, which was his ability to legislate. All the rest was just a smoke screen.

But that valuable lesson was somehow lost. We abandoned the strategic high ground we held, and instead fell into his spin cycle of debating the issue. As if we could somehow say the right words or email enough letters to ever put the genie back into the bottle.

Floyd is dead, but life goes on. Redistricting is here, key legislators are termed out, and the 2012 primary elections are just around the corner. Will we keep trying to talk the talk? Or are we ready to walk the walk?

California bikers will determine whether Dick Floyd has the last laugh. And that's no joke.

Stack the Deck

Nevada is a state with a term-limited legislature. While it's debatable as to whether term limits are a cure-all for state politics, there's no question that it gives bikers a huge advantage towards repealing the helmet law.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, helmet laws are NOT decided during the legislative session. Election Day is when it really happens, and the results are merely added up when the Senate and Assembly vote on a repeal bill.

So the key to victory is not to email your legislators during the session. This approach relies too much on luck. And in this game, you need more than luck to win. If you disagree, look at how long bikers have been mass-emailing, year after year ... with no luck.

So how do term limits help the repeal effort?

By letting us stack the deck.

Incumbents are notoriously hard to defeat. Well over 95% of legislators win reelection. It's only when a seat becomes vacant that there's a real chance of making progress. This is especially true during the primary phase of the elections, where voter turnout is low and margins of victory are small.

Nevada has an additional advantage beyond term limits. Almost all of its legislative seats are located in two areas: Las Vegas and Reno. That's where all the people live, after all.

But it's also where the bikers live.

Imagine the kind of impact we'd have if a dozen bikers got involved in the few districts that are termed-out. With a little effort, we could turn those districts into "yes" votes on repeal.

Like Bon Jovi sang, "Luck ain't even lucky ... gotta make your own breaks." We need campaign volunteers to stack the deck in our favor. Click on the red  SUBSCRIBE  button to get started.

How to Score

Strength in numbers is a good thing. But if you plan on repealing the helmet law by any tactic that requires numerical superiority, you are going to have a hard time scoring. But the bases are loaded, and the winning run is standing on third.

Bikers are a tiny minority of the voting population. Strike one! Most bikers aren't politically active. Strike two! Politicians know this. Strike three ... you're outta there!

Let's pretend you DO have a lot of biker activists, ready to take action. What do you do with all that talent?

Raise money for political donations? Biker's aren't flush with cash. Strike one! Write a lot of letters to legislators? Politicians already ignore bikers. Strike two! Have a massive show at the capitol? Politicians know you will go back home at the end of the day. Strike three ... you're outta there!

Okay, you have only one out left. Will you keep swinging for the fences, or are you going to surprise them? Maybe it's time to catch them off guard, and hit where they least expect it. You gotta play smart to win at this game.

Play your strengths. You live near a district where a vulnerable nanny-crat is running for reelection. The race will be close because there's a strong challenger who supports repeal. It won't take much effort, and it doesn't require a whole lot of bikers Just a little tap in the right place will do...

So you bunt.

By nudging the vote, you forced a run home. And yes, you scored. Not because you worked your tail off, but because you played it smart.

You played to win.

Get Ready

Now that late summer is upon us, the political calendar shows that many states will soon gear up for primary elections. This is the most important time for biker activists to get involved.

I know that's contrary to "the way we've always done it." Most bikers are more inclined to focus their attention on repeal bills. But that's too late in the game to make any real difference.

When politicians are running for office, they need help. After they're in, they already have all the help they need. And while nanny-crats are running for reelection, they are vulnerable to primary challengers. Otherwise they're safe behind the castle walls.

So the first step is to find out who is running for office, as well as what legislative seats are coming open (due to term limits or retirement). That's pretty easy, and most of that work is already done for you.

The part where YOU can make a difference is to find out who the candidates are, and ask them what's their policy on the helmet law. Don't try to lobby them just yet ... what we need are their unbiased opinions. The less you steer their answer, the better.

Once we know where they stand, we're ready to take action. Our whole operation is focused on putting campaign volunteers where they can get the most results. That's how we will repeal the helmet law, once and for all.

Political Freeway

QUESTION: Anyone can volunteer for any candidate regardless of which district they live in correct?

ANSWER: Absolutely.

Since coming to California in May 2010, I've worked for six different candidates. Some were nearby, and others were over 100 miles away.

Five of these candidates won office, and they know me on a first-name basis. They also know how reliable I am. And I know where they stand on the helmet law, since I asked them ahead of time and only then volunteered.

I can't vote in California. Not yet, anyway. That's because I'm still a legal resident of another state. But despite that fact, I have more political power in my pinkie than 100 California voters.

Why? Campaign work doesn't require you to do anything other than show up. And that's 100% of the battle. While citizens can only cast a single vote, and only in their voting district, campaign volunteers produce one vote per hour where ever they work.

Politically speaking, the campaign trail is a freeway. Anyone can ride on it, and it's the road to freedom.

Talk is Hot Air

Yes, the debate over helmet laws will never end. But all that talk is just a bunch of hot air.

Repeal doesn't depend on debating the issue. It's a matter of political action.

So the choice for bikers is whether to prolong the debate, or repeal the helmet law. Talk is not action.

The elections are coming around soon. Find a candidate who supports repeal, and then join their campaign team. Otherwise, you have no say in the outcome.

Click on the red  SUBSCRIBE  button to find important races near you.

Pop the Question

Now that summer is winding down, it's time for biker activists to pop the question:

"What's your position on the mandatory helmet law for motorcyclists?"

If you pay attention to politics with a mind to make a difference, check out the candidates who are looking to move into the legislature. Incumbent segislators will also be trying to hold onto their seats, or move up to higher office.

With all this activity, it's important to know which candidates are biker-friendly and which ones are not. If you wait until after the election to get involved, the bouquet has already been tossed ... and you didn't catch it.

The easiest way to find out is to simply ask. And I do mean simply. Don't give away your position by telling them what you think about helmet laws. What you want is an honest answer.

Once you find out, record your candidate's position. This will help bikers can take action where it matters.

Oregon Shuffle

With a mid-term resignation of a US Congressman, there is normally a domino effect. State legislators are prime candidates for filling the void, which often triggers yet another special election for the state seat.

Not so in Oregon.

Unlike most states, Oregon normally fills mid-term vacancies in the state legislature by appointment. That means a hand-picked party member gets the seat. And that means the new legislator will be an incumbent by the time the next general election rolls around.

Gerrymandered districts are the norm for most states. That means the primary elections are the only races that might be competitive. We may not have any real choice with the resignation of Congressman Wu.

Fortunately, the elections resulting from Congressman Wu's exit won't be the only time the deck gets shuffled. There will be a few open seats, and a few competitive primary races.

That's where we need to focus our efforts. Spring will be here soon, and we'll be ready.

Repeal Machine Basics

The Repeal Machine is a tool that activist use to repeal the mandatory helmet law. It accomplishes this by steadily building a legislative majority, district by district. To do this, it relies on three basic steps:

1. Find out candidates' positions on mandatory helmet laws
2. Find out which few races are the most competitive
3. Mobilize campaign volunteers where we have the greatest impact

All essential tasks are provided in the Repeal Machine Handbook, which is an interactive step-by-step guide. Each Handbook task takes you progressively one step closer to repeal. There is no wasted effort, and each completed task builds a solid foundation for the next.

With the Repeal Machine, success doesn't depend on changing our opponent's minds about the helmet law. Instead, it creates a "critical mass" of like-minded activists who can focus on getting results. In turn, the Machine simply rewards or punishes legislators based on where they stand on the helmet law.

In addition to being effective, the Machine is also efficient, so it doesn't require a mass biker uprising, either. The more competitive a targeted race is, the smaller the number of activists needed. The outcome is therefore determined completely by our network of activists, and unhindered by our opponents' propaganda. So once in motion, no one can stop the Machine or undo its results.

The first step is also the easiest. Click on the red  SUBSCRIBE  button so we can notify you about important races near you. For more information, please contact me at Ride2Repeal@gmail.com.

Assembly Line

The state legislature is a lot like a factory. Legislators go in at one end, and legislation comes out at the other. How the laws are made doesn't matter as much as what the laws are made out of. Good legislation depends good legislators.

If you start with high-quality raw materials, you're more likely to get a good product. Nobody's perfect, of course. But without good legislators to begin with, the odds of getting good laws are extremely remote. Like they say, "garbage in, garbage out."

Forget about trying to turn bad legislators into good ones. Even if you talk until you're blue in the face, it won't make one bit of difference. That's because a leopard won't change his spots any sooner than a nanny-crat will respect your rights. It's possible ... but highly unlikely. Better to start with someone who's got a good reason to listen to you.

Fortunately, it's pretty easy to find good legislators ... as long as you know where to look. The campaign trail is where they come from, although you'll have to shop around to find the best candidates. If they are biker-friendly, and they have a good chance of winning, you found a keeper. Then all you have to do is join their campaign team and help them win.

Once you help a candidate win their first race, you have a friend for life. After all, you are the reason they got elected in the first place. And that's why they will listen to you -- especially when there's important legislation being considered -- because you earned their trust on the campaign trail.

So if you want good legislation to come out of the state capitol, make sure you put good legislators in there to begin with. Then you'll be happy with the laws coming out of the legislative assembly line, because they're made from the best stuff on earth: good legislators.

Foundation

If you want to build a really nice house, start with a really solid foundation.

You can't start by framing the walls, installing ductwork, wiring the outlets, or tiling the roof. You'd have nothing to build upon. Even worse, you'd be getting in the way of people who are trying to lay the foundation in the first place.

Same goes for our rights as motorcyclists. START by getting people elected to the legislature who will carry the load. Once they're in place, we'll have a solid and reliable foundation. Only then can we "install" the things that will make life free and easy for us all.

Unfortunately (sigh) the standard approach for biker activists is to start at the top ... trying to change the legislation (rather than change the legislators). There's also the court of public opinion, which is nice to have (like a roof deck) but not really necessary. Then throw in a party or two, and we can bitch about the sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in.

For some reason, very few biker activists understand this simple concept. And ironically, the majority of the "movement" is so fixated on finishing the job that they miss one little fact: There's too little foundation for them to build upon.

We can't change everyone's mind. Some people just aren't that deep. But there are some of us with enough common sense to start at the beginning ... on the campaign trail. We can leave the window dressing for everyone else.

CALM Down

Bad legislation comes from bad legislators. Bikers can get lucky and dodge one bullet, only to find ourselves getting nicked by another. But there are a lot of legislators who are gunning for us. Right now they have an unlimited supply of ammunition, and we are riding around with bulls-eyes on our backs.

Citizens Against Loud Motorcycles (CALM) can easily kick our butts as long as we fight them on their terms, using their weapons, where they have the home-field advantage. Their message resonates with the non-riding public, just like our bikes resonate with their car alarms. And as long as bikers keep chasing after CALM in a public debate, we'll be as irrelevant as a dog chasing a car ... and just as likely to get run over.

Legislators need a solid reason to be on our side. And I'm not talking about reasons that make sense to us as bikers. The reason has to be a matter of political self-preservation. Make a connection between our rights and their elections, and they'll have that reason ... because it will be in their best interest to be on our side of every issue.

When legislators see bikers on the campaign trail, as capable and reliable volunteers, we will have turned the tables. Our opponents will then be the ones who are bitching and moaning about how they're being ignored, despite how good they are at making noise.

There's no way we can win every race, of course. Most incumbents are untouchable, and most districts are owned by one party or the other. But there will always be open seats and vulnerable districts. During the primary elections, we can easily win a few close races.

There's no debating it.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Repeal Handbook

Now there's an easy step-by-step guide to repealing the helmet law. It's called the Repeal Machine Handbook, and it presents a set of tasks that lead straight to repeal.

The handbook has four categories, with tasks ranging from the simple to the challenging. But the great thing about it is that you don't need to do everything to get the results you want. Any single task is enough.

The handbook's website address is RepealMachine.com/handbook/. Take it for a test ride and let me know what you think.

I think you'll like it.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com