Learning Curve

I've learned a lot about politics over the past several years.

Being a freedom-loving biker, I joined my first MRO many years ago. And I put a lot into it, because it takes a lot to keep an MRO going ... virtually all of it through volunteer efforts.

Being a quick study, as well as a hard worker, I learned the ropes. Eventually I served in various capacities, from recording secretary to webmaster, and from Chapter Coordinator to Executive Director.

There were a lot of potholes along the road to freedom, as well as detours and ditches. The harder we worked, the more difficult the road seemed to become. Of course we started getting creative, branching out our activities and issues to appeal to more bikers.

We needed more bikers ... lots more.

Our legislative officer was an odd character, though. He kept telling us we needed to take out our worst legislative opponents during the next election. But we kept on doing protests, fundraisers, and trying to get as many bikers involved as possible.

Finally I agreed to help him work on the campaign trail, along with a few other members of my chapter. And what do you know ... our opponent was defeated AND we helped to elect a biker-friendly candidate in another nearby district. We had one less enemy and one more friend in the legislature.

Not bad for only five bikers.

After several years I had learned how an MRO works from other motorcyclists. But on the campaign trail I started learning how politics works from the candidates. And there is a big difference between the world of motorcycles and the world of politics.

Except for the using the helmet law as leverage, the Repeal Machine Handbook has absolutely nothing to do with motorcycles. You could even take out the words "helmet law repeal," and replace it with any other political issue. It would still operate the same way, because it only produces political results.

That's the reason it's so effective. And probably the reason it's so hard for motorcyclists to understand. It's not about motorcycles at all, but that's because motorcyclists don't necessarily produce political power.

But campaign volunteers sure do.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com