Repeal Machine . COM

Natural Term Limits

2012-01-27T23:56:00.001-08:00

Fifteen states have passed laws limiting the terms of state legislators: AZ, AR, CA, CO, FL, LA, ME, MI, MO, MT, NE, NV, OH, OK, and SD.

All the other states also have term limits, too ... though not in the legal sense. These states are term limited by nature, and nature's term limit is a person's life span.

So what's that got to do with the Repeal Machine?

Let's put it this way. One of the things we do is finding the closest races, and that includes open seats. So if a state legislator is getting pretty old, the odds of them leaving office is pretty high.

With that in mind, one of our new website features will be finding out who the oldest legislators are in states without legal term limits.

Just one more piece of the puzzle to help you find the races that matter most.

Baby on Board

2012-01-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

Lately I've read a fair amount of opinions about what's wrong with ABATE (pick your reasons) and Motorcycle Rights Organizations (MRO) in general.

Most of it, I really can't argue with. The laundry list runs from one end to the other, with the common theme being that they've lost their way.

I do have one concern, however, and that is throwing away the baby with the bath water. Specifically, it's the complaint that our rights can't be restored legislatively.

Here's the point: Just because MRO's have had little to no success on the legislative front doesn't mean it can't be done. It simply means that the right approach has yet to be taken.

If the bulk of the effort is spent on lobbying, the results speak for themselves. This approach is using a weak weapon against our opponent's strongest position. In other words, we're just talking and they simply aren't listening. And why should they?

But turn the tables around, where we have a powerful weapon, and when our opponents are the most vulnerable. That's what happens when we become campaign activists, and we direct our efforts against our weakest opponents.

So the next time you diss ABATE, keep in mind that MRO's don't necessarily own the legislative effort.

Campaign volunteers do.

Website Updates

2012-01-22T13:47:00.000-08:00

We'll be using a new format for sending updates to the RepealMachine webste.

The old way has been to fill out a form, and click to submit. This will continue, since it's good for recording the helmet law positions of individual candidates.

But the new website (due for release in late February) will be fueled by a database. So rather than having to hand-type updates, the database will do all the work. So with this in mind, another input method will be useful.

For inputting large amounts of data, an Excel spreadsheet should do just fine. This will allow leading activists in each state to send in larger amounts of data, all at once. Examples include updates to all the new redistricting maps, or the results of legislator surveys after a trip to the Capitol.

It can work in both directions, too. I can create a spreadsheet from the existing database, containing all the legislative info we have to-date. Then I'll send it to the leading activists for updates or to fill in the blanks.

Want to find out more? Just pop me an email at RepealMachine@gmail.com.

Primary Election Dates

2012-01-18T17:13:00.001-08:00

Here's some useful information that comes from our new RepealMachine database.

This list shows when the primary elections will be held, state by state, in date order (soonest first):

03/06/2012 OH
03/20/2012 IL
-- -- ---- --
04/03/2012 TX
04/24/2012 PA
-- -- ---- --
05/08/2012 WV
05/08/2012 IN
05/08/2012 NC
05/15/2012 OR
05/15/2012 ID
05/15/2012 NE
05/15/2012 DC
05/22/2012 KY
05/22/2012 AR
-- -- ---- --
06/05/2012 MT
06/05/2012 IA
06/05/2012 CA
06/05/2012 NM
06/05/2012 AL
06/05/2012 SD
06/12/2012 NV
06/12/2012 SC
06/12/2012 ND
06/12/2012 ME
06/26/2012 CO
06/26/2012 OK
06/26/2012 UT
-- -- ---- --
07/31/2012 GA
-- -- ---- --
08/02/2012 TN
08/07/2012 WA
08/07/2012 MO
08/07/2012 KS
08/07/2012 MI
08/11/2012 HI
08/14/2012 WI
08/14/2012 CT
08/14/2012 FL
08/14/2012 MN
08/21/2012 WY
08/28/2012 VT
08/28/2012 AZ
08/28/2012 AK
-- -- ---- --
09/06/2012 MA
09/11/2012 RI
09/11/2012 NH
09/11/2012 MD
09/11/2012 DE
09/11/2012 NY

(States with odd-year elections)
06/04/2013 NJ
08/26/2013 MS
08/27/2013 VA
10/26/2013 LA

Happy New Year

2012-01-11T09:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone. It will be an exciting new year as well. As many activists already know, this is an election year for many state legislatures. The primary elections are just around the corner, with the general elections to follow in November.

We will also have a new website soon. How soon? My target date is the end of February, hopefully just in time for the primary elections. We'll do a better job of giving you the information you need to get busy on the campaign trail.

In the mean time, I strongly urge you to get connected to our Campaign Action Alerts. These will alert you to nearby races that will affect your right to decide. To subscribe, just email your ZIP Code to RepealMachine@gmail.com. And if you have any previous experience on the campaign trail, let us know.

Phone from Home

2011-12-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-17T06:26:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-16T05:07:00.001-08:00

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

2011-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-12T21:49:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-07T20:24:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-06T21:54:00.000-08:00

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

2011-12-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-26T22:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-24T01:28:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-11T22:35:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

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

2011-10-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-29T12:08:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

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

2011-10-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-23T22:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

(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

2011-09-16T23:19:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-01T22:26:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-29T19:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-15T18:49:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-12T06:41:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-08T07:24:00.000-07:00

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.

Pick Your Battles

2011-08-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to pick your battles.

This is an approach that has proven its worth throughout the ages, and it still applies today. Bikers can use this concept to make tremendous gains in fighting for their rights.

When the Marines fought in WW2, they didn't spread out their forces evenly among the thousands of islands dotting the Pacific Ocean. And they didn't deploy themselves to equally match the distribution of Japanese troops. They concentrated their force by putting Marines on the beaches where it got the most results.

Bikers are tempted to fight every battle on every front. Whether it's in the newspapers or at the capitol, there are some battles that aren't worth taking on.

Some battles aren't worth fighting because winning them makes no difference. It makes no sense to challenge a nanny-crat legislator who's unbeatable in the election. Nor does it make sense to help a biker-friendly candidate who has zero chance of winning.

Fighting it out in the court of public opinion is a waste of time as well. In a war of words, we are outnumbered and outgunned. But even if we managed to win the debate (whatever that means), what would we accomplish besides a warm fuzzy kumbaya?

The best fight is one that is winnable and meaningful. That's what the Repeal Machine is all about. Nothing beats a legislative majority. And that's exactly what campaign volunteers deliver, district by district.

Skip the battles that don't matter ... and win the battles that do.

Political Freeway

2011-08-05T23:56:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-04T23:28:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-03T21:29:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-14T01:16:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-03T09:55:00.001-07:00

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

2011-06-01T02:21:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-01T02:20:00.000-07:00

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

Achilles' Heel

2011-05-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen the movie called Jason and the Argonauts? One memorable scene in it reminds me of the current fight for bikers rights.

Jason finds a treasure trove that's guarded by a gigantic bronze statue. Though he knows better, he gives in to temptation and steals some jewelry. The statue comes to life and starts stomping the Argonauts like bugs. They try to fight back, but they're outmatched.

Then Jason notices a manhole-sized plug in the statue's heel. As soon as he uncorks the plug, the statue is mortally wounded, and rapidly and crumbles to the ground.

Bikers are fighting against a giant, too. It's the nanny state, and it's guarding the treasure we seek (freedom). But no matter how hard the bikers fight, the giant nanny keeps squashing them like bugs. Fortunately, the nanny state has an Achilles' Heel, too.

Why fight the giant with sticks and stones? A little campaign work in the right place can take down a vulnerable nanny-crat legislator. Do it in a couple of districts, and the giant starts to crumble. Get better at it, and it happens that much faster.

See you on the campaign trail ... and you can keep the treasure.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Learning Curve

2011-05-25T01:54:00.000-07:00

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

Sacramento

2011-05-24T01:56:00.000-07:00

My first trip to the California State Legislature was time well spent. Got far more accomplished than I would have expected, and this ain't the first time I've been to a state capitol. Pretty amazing.

When first riding in, it was impressive to see about a thousand bikes parked out in front of the Capitol building ... even though I ended up having to park several blocks away. All those bikes in one spot was a sight to see, in case anyone missed it. I didn't even get a chance to take a picture. By the time I rushed all the way back up to the Capitol building, the rally was just getting underway.

Unfortunately I was running about 5 minutes late for my first appointment, so I went straight inside to meet the freshmen legislators that I'd worked for last year. We usually ended up talking waaaaay longer than we had originally scheduled, so I spent several hours talking to one legislator after another, back to back. Even dropped by to see a couple of them who I didn't even have prior appointments with (but did work for last year).

Every Assembly Member, Senator, and their staffers were generous in giving us so much of their time and attention. They treated us like royalty. I know this was due to the hard work that all the campaign volunteers did for them last year (They said to say "Thank you!"). Also heard a really funny story from two staffers about Denise Ducheney, Abel Maldonado, and the Governator, but I just can't repeat it here. Let's just say there was one cigar, one horse shoe, and a whole lot of "F" words. (See you at the next Local 6 or 11 meeting for the "rest of the story")

Weird thing is, I saw hardly any bikers inside the building as we made the rounds. Of course I saw Sporty wearing off his shoe leather. He's got to be the hardest working and most determined activist in the world, so I didn't want to slow him down (not that I could, even if I tried). During one break in the appointments, I got to sip coffee and have a good chat with Deacon (what a great guy) as well as Ron and Dan, of course. There were about three other MC bikers (who's names and patches I can't remember) that I also saw inside the Capitol during the day, plus our lovely and talented ABATE staff from the state office.

Maybe I just spent so much time with the legislators, I simply missed seeing more bikers in the hallways. But by the time we finished all our meetings, and I went back outside at after 3pm, there was only one single bike left out in front. Everyone had already ridden back home, so I totally missed it! A couple of legislators didn't even know there was a rally outside, and two other people asked us what all the motorcycles were about. But I heard it was a great event, even though I didn't actually get to share in the experience ... this time around, anyway. I'm sure there are stories to tell for years to come.

But all in all, it was really good to see so many new biker-friendly legislators in Sacramento, fighting the good fight. And after the 2012 elections, no doubt there will be even more. I think next year, I'll schedule meetings with legislators on a different day than the rally, so I can get the best of both worlds.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

PS: Be sure to send "thank you" notes to the legislators you met with.

Ratchet

2011-05-20T21:04:00.000-07:00

The bikers rights movement has been going in circles for decades. Every year it's the same cycle, over and over.

It starts moving with getting enough bikers to agree on what a repeal bill should contain. Age, experience, training, and insurance are the standard issues to debate.

Of course they never call it "repeal," instead opting for words like "reform" or modification." It's as if they're afraid to say repeal, or perhaps they're trying to trick legislators into thinking it's something else.

Once a repeal bill gets submitted, out go the "calls to action." That will generate surge of emails from keyboard commandos. And not surprisingly, they don't change anyone's mind.

Finally, it comes down the committee hearing. Bikers will pack the hearing room, just like last year. And the bill doesn't pass, just like last year. So the bikers helplessly watch all their hard work go down the tubes.

Again.

Then it's back to the drawing board, and they will try to figure out how to get better at doing what doesn't work. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The irony is that it doesn't have to be this way, working up as much energy as possible, only to see it all fall on deaf ears, year after year.

Campaign work is totally different. It isn't like a wheel, spinning in circles. It's more like a ratchet, steadily moving forward but never retreating.

Every election cycle, we pick up another couple of biker-friendly legislators. And once they're elected, they stay there for a long time.

Click.

Every legislative session, we get a vote count on the latest repeal bill. Then we know which legislators to knock out of office during the next election.

Click.

With each new election, and each new session, we get closer and closer to our objective, which is a biker-friendly majority. There is no "back to the drawing board" about it. The gains we make are gains we keep.

If this sounds good to you, take a look at the Repeal Machine Handbook. Everything you need to do is in there, step-by-step.

Click.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Hobby Lobby

2011-05-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Someone recently took a look at the Repeal Machine Handbook
and said, "You could use this for any political issue, not just the helmet law."

That's an astute observation, since I am already in the process of using it on other political fronts.

The reason is that politics has NOTHING to do with motorcycles, and EVERYTHING to do with influencing legislators. Pick an item, whether it's a popular topic like abortion or guns, or a niche issue like flying model aircraft or painting bicycle lanes.

The problem with most "political interest" organizations is that they push their interest out in front of their politics. In other words, they spend more time being "hobbyist lobbyists" instead of political activists.

When they talk to legislators, they don't have a compelling argument. A logical argument, yes. But what makes sense to a hobbyist will fall on deaf ears to a legislator who just isn't that into that hobby.

However, I guarantee that legislator is VERY into getting reelected. So the trick is to make a connection between your political issue and their winning elections. That's what the Repeal Machine Handbook does.

And that's why it works.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Simple Question

2011-05-15T23:46:00.000-07:00

The question isn't whether a helmet is good for you. It's whether you want to be forced to wear one.

(If you like the motorcycle helmet law, do nothing.)

But if you are done debating the issue, and would rather get rid of it, use the Repeal Machine Handbook. Simple steps, unbeatable results.

Click here and decide for yourself: RepealMachine.com/handbook/

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

New Helmet Law

2011-05-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

Actually, it's a new helmet law regulation. Adding to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218 (FMVSS-218), it further cracks down on the wearing of novelty helmets. You know them as biker beanies, skid lids, or anti-ticket hats.

Katie, bar the door!

I'm sure a bunch of emails are flying around the on-line biker community. And so the standard response (yawn) will be calls to "action" to write your [fill in the blank] immediately. But the barn door was opened years ago, and the cows are long gone.

Bad legislation comes from bad legislators.

The same thing applies to the byproduct of bad legislation, which is regulation and enforcement of helmet laws. So the key is to nip oppressive regulation in the bud, before they turn into final rulings like FMVSS-218.

Consider this: About 10 years ago, an unknown community organizer was the only nominee for an unchallenged state senate seat ... by virtue of 237 petition signatures.

And now, he's President of the United States.

Fun Fact: About 75% of governors, Federal appointees (regulators), and congressmen started out as state legislators. And many of them won their first elections by a handful of votes.

Holler about laws and regulation, and nothing will change. We're too far downstream, and we have no leverage. It's a done deal.

But start at the headwaters of the state legislature, and the problem goes away. If bikers had gotten started about 10 years ago, we wouldn't even have FMVSS-218 now.

Nip them in the bud, bros.

Use the Repeal Machine Handbook (RepealMachine.com/handbook/).

See you on the campaign trail.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Oregon Trail

2011-05-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

I just got back home from Oregon, where they recently held their annual May Awareness Rally. Despite the predicted bad weather, it turned out to be a good day for riding.

The best part of the trip was meeting with the folks from BikePAC and from the Hub City chapter of ABATE of Oregon. You'd expect them to be kind of down after having their latest repeal bill die in committee, but it wasn't like that at all.

Instead, they were a whole lot wiser from the experience. Some of the best lessons in life are also the hardest, and they are certainly stronger after what they went through.

More importantly, they are also all the wiser. So after the rally we all put our heads together, taking it all in from one end to the other. And the path they have chosen is clear. It's time to break out of the cycle.

Most MROs do the same thing over and over. Work their tails off all year long, only to find themselves right where they started from. So they try harder the next year, and end up back at square one.

Bikers in Oregon are different. With all that rain, you know they're persistent. But they also know how to adapt. And that's exactly what they're doing.

It was good timing that I finished writing the Repeal Machine Handbook in time for my trip up to the Beaver State. And once they took a look at it, they understood that it was the most direct path to repealing the helmet law, once and for all.

The good news is that you don't have to be from Oregon to get on the path to freedom. Anyone can use the Repeal Machine Handbook. And by using it, you will find your self hot on the trail that leads to freedom.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

PS: Special thanks to Don and Al, Nic and Mel, all the Hub City members for their hospitality, and especially to the girls up there who know how to get things done.

Repeal Handbook

2011-05-01T07:50:00.001-07:00

California Helmet Law

2011-04-26T00:11:00.000-07:00

The bill to repeal California's helmet law (AB695) failed again. While it was a good bill, there wasn't enough political will to get it past the Assembly Transportation Committee.

Some folks believe that if bikers had written more emails, it might have passed. Others may think it failed because it was a party-line vote. But the plain truth is that California bikers don't have enough political power to get the job done.

So how do California bikers get that kind of power?

In the world of politics, there is no power greater than the ability to win elections. If you have that kind of power, no amount of letters, protests, or even an army of lobbyists can stop you. Self-preservation is the most convincing argument there is. In fact, it's the ONLY convincing argument there is.

One person has the power of one vote. Just one. But on the campaign trail, each volunteer can generate one vote per hour. So each weekend, during the campaign season, each biker can produce 10 votes. And a dozen bikers (times ten) equals 120 votes.

Every year, there are a few races that come down to less than 500 votes. Our task is to find those close races, and take down the most vulnerable nanny-crats. If we can do that ... win one or two close races ... during each election cycle, the results will be different next time.

Our campaign efforts will pay off, and in more ways than picking up a couple of seats. We will be sending a clear message to our legislators:

We will be waiting on the campaign trail ... that you must travel.

Only then will our voices have an impact on the legislature. Only then will we be worth listening to. Only then will we change the way the game is played.

Now that's something to write home about.

- Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Dear Santa

2011-04-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

Politics is not a matter of who writes the most letters. It is a matter of who gets the most votes.

The campaign volunteers who get behind candidates and help them win are the ones who get what they want. Because they help send their legislators to the capitol, their wishes are granted.

If you only rely on writing to everyone at the capitol -- without helping anyone win elections -- don't expect much more than a lump of coal. The reason is that you can't expect to get something without first giving something. Your pleas will otherwise fall on deaf ears.

Might as well be writing to Santa.

Which side do you want to be on? Our campaign volunteers chose to make a difference instead of hoping for a miracle. They are walking the walk, and not just talking the talk.

Do you want to get rid of the helmet law, or just write about it? Click on the red SUBSCRIBE button at the top of RepealMachine.com to get started. And if there's a biker-friendly candidate near you, you'll know what to do. WIN.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Oregon Rally: May 7

2011-04-21T23:54:00.000-07:00

ABATE of Oregon and BikePAC of Oregon will host their annual May Awareness rally on May 7. I have the honor of speaking at this exciting event, and look forward to being in the company of such fine activists.

Here is the flyer for the rally, which will be held on the steps of the capitol. The bike show starts at 10:00, and the rally will follow starting at 11:00.

I strongly encourage activists from near and far to attend. You won't be disappointed!

Path or Goal?

2011-04-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

What do motorcycles have to do with political power?

It's an easy enough question. Most bikers rights activists would probably say EVERYTHING! That's why we have poker runs, protests, parties, and the venerable SMRO to pull it all together.

That's also why we strive to get better at it. And to accomplish this, we recruit more people, seek better participation, and provide more motorcycle-oriented activities to restore our rights. It would only make sense for us to work harder at going in the same direction we've been going all along.

But wait a minute, and think about it...

If motorcycling was genuinely the path to political power, then why are WE the only ones going in this direction? And why have we been losing ground, year after year, helplessly watching our rights get attacked and eroded with each new legislative session? And why have some of our most motivated and dedicated activists thrown in the towel, never to return?

The truth is that we rely on becoming better bikers because that's what comes naturally to us as bikers. We like motorcycling activities, so that's what we do. In other words, we automatically think that with a Better Bikers Bureau, we'll get what we want from our legislature.

This is far from the truth.

The logic behind this is that we LOVE motorcycling. And if we can somehow convince more people (like our legislators and their constituents) to love motorcycling too, we will somehow prevail in the political arena. But if motorcycling was really the path to political power, then everyone seeking political power would simply become a biker.

The truth is that bikers need to become politically powerful first. Not by getting better at motorcycling activities, but by getting better at political activities. And political activities have NOTHING to do with motorcycles.

So ...

Instead of trying to change your legislator's mind on bikers rights, find a candidate who supports bikers rights and change the legislator. There is no way a nanny-crat will ever defend our rights. But there will always be a few close races, and it is up to us to find them ... and then to take down our most vulnerable opponents.

Instead of recruiting as many motorcyclists as possible to do everything imaginable, recruit the right kind of motorcyclists, and then focus on what gets the most results. So rather than beating the bushes to motivate apathetic bikers, rely on the self-motivated activists that we already have (that's us) to restore our rights.

Instead of asking your legislative candidates to come to your meeting, ride with your fellow motorcyclists to their meetings. And then volunteer. Once bikers become a reliable part of the political machine, only then will it make sense for candidates to come to us ... when they believe we can help them win.

Bikers rights is the goal we seek, but motorcycling is not the path to get there. Only political power can deliver everything we want, so building political power is what our first and foremost activity must be.

The Repeal Machine connects biker activists with biker-friendly candidates. Nothing more, and nothing less. So if you want to restore your rights, don't expect your motorcycle to get you there. Instead, take a ride on the Repeal Machine.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Call the Shots

2011-04-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

Many states are considering bills to repeal the mandatory helmet law to restore an adult's right to decide.

Running their normal course, the first stop for these bills is the Transportation Committee. So bikers rights activists are sending emails to committee members. So far, so good.

And as always, some comittee members will vote against passage, and they will do so because they have nothing to fear. But thanks to many of our Alert Subscribers and other bikers rights activists, that is changing.

Why?

Because these forward-thinking bikers are also veterans from the front lines of the political battlefield, which is the campaign trail. When we do our part there, where it counts, our letters to committee members become friendly reminders that we are more than just talk.

The day will soon come when a few of the most vulnerable nanny-crats will try to squeak through the spring primary elections. That is a sure thing, as sure as the sun will rise. And we need to be right there, waiting for them in a small handful of districts, with sleeves rolled up, helping their biker-friendly opponents carry the day.

Once we have a couple of notches under out belts, and we can rightly claim to be the deciding factor in who wins these primary elections, we will have political power. And even those legislators who would normally oppose us will nonetheless respect our power, and think twice before casting their fateful votes.

With political power, we call the shots. But without it, we can only plead to deaf ears.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

Moving Mountains

2011-04-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Repealing the motorcycle helmet law is like trying to dig a tunnel through a mountain. We know that once built, the road will be smooth and easy.

But that's a big mountain.

So far we've had limited success, digging with our hands and whatever else we can get a hold of. Shovels, pick axes, pry bars ... and a whole lot of blood, sweat, and tears. If only we had more helping hands.

That's why we spend a lot of time and effort looking for more people. Skills and aptitude don't matter, as long as we can increase our numbers. And it doesn't matter whether you actually dig, since we need more recruiters, safety inspectors, team supervisors, eloquent preachers, trash collectors, and even a dog catcher.

So to keep the operation going, we created a whole mining town, complete with a Board of Directors to keep everything under control. But running the town takes a lot of time and money, too. In fact, we need more resources for running the mining town itself than we do for actually digging.

The current state of bikers rights is that we spend more time on the mining town than we do at actually digging that tunnel. There's got to be a better way.

Fortunately, there is.

We now have a powerful tool at our disposal, called the Repeal Machine. So instead of digging with our hands, dealing with constant cave-ins, and getting sucked into the drama of life in a mining town, we can quickly drill a clean, wide hole straight through to the other side. Best of all, we can complete the job with the people we already have.

If you're like me, you're tired of digging ... and ready to ride.

-Ride2Repeal@gmail.com

What Price Freedom?

2011-03-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

How much attention to you "pay" to freedom? Or more specifically, what are you doing about it? This is a reasonable question to ask if we, as motorcyclists, hope to restore our right to decide when -- and when not -- to wear a motorcycle helmet.

You could read about it. Every year there are repeal bills in dozens of state legislatures. And every year, there are news articles about these annual attempts to repeal the helmet law.

You could talk about it. Lots of people talk about the helmet law, since most people have opinions about it. Motorcyclists definitely talk about it, though there are almost as many opinions as there are motorcycles.

You could protest about it. Many motorcycle rights organizations and activists make an annual trek to their state capitols. And all those protesters make a lot of noise.

The simplest way is to EARN IT. That obviously means getting off the couch, which a lot of bikers do. But you also need to be effective, and that's where reading, talking, and protesting fall short.

Helmet laws come from state legislators. State legislators are elected, and some of them win by very small margins. A few volunteers can easily help biker-friendly candidates win close elections, and at the same time they can help defeat vulnerable nanny-crat legislators.

This is not science fiction. It is fact. In the past 4 years we have won -- and lost -- close elections by fewer than 100 votes. One, by as few as 16. A couple of bikers can and do make the difference.

So what's the price of freedom? If you want to read, talk, or protest about it, you can't afford it. But if you're willing to break a sweat for a worthy candidate, it's practically free ... just like you.

The Repeal Machine

2011-03-10T02:39:00.000-08:00

The Repeal Machine has arrived. Its sole purpose is to build a biker-friendly legislature at the state capitol. That's all it does, nothing more -- nothing less. So feel free to take the Repeal Machine for a test ride. You'll soon find yourself on the road to freedom.

The Accidental Activist

2011-03-03T05:18:00.000-08:00

You want to repeal the mandatory helmet law, and you're willing to do what it takes to restore your right to decide.

How effective are you?

This is a reasonable question. It's not a matter of how hard you work, or how passionate you are. Nor does it depend on how effective you are at debating the issue. You have to measure your effectiveness in a way that is simple and easy to prove, just like saying 2 + 2 = 4.

Several states are considering some type of helmet law repeal. And there is no doubt that bikers rights activists are behind these bills. At least one biker organization in each of these states asked a biker-friendly legislator to submit a bill. That much is easy to prove.

But beyond that, it gets murky.

The way it plays out from here is predictable enough. Either the bill passes, or it doesn't. But WHY it plays out as passing or failing is not so clear, and what effect bikers have on the outcome is often totally misunderstood.

The wording of the bill gets a lot of attention, with the belief that adding the right conditions is crucial. Looking back at prior years, many bikers feel that previous bills failed simply because they lacked the right words to sweeten the deal. In truth, this is an extremely small factor since most legislators either support our right to decide ... or they don't.

A little sugar doesn't necessarily help the medicine go down.

Another conventional approach is that bikers need to rise up and be heard when the bill is being considered. Flooding the legislature with emails, faxes, and phone calls is the tactic. But again, this approach has a marginal effect. Incumbent legislators always get a tremendous amount of input on controversial bills. But if there's nothing except temporary noise, it's easy enough to ignore.

Big protest rallies are good at getting bikers stoked up. A show of force is very good ... to a point. But like the flood of emails and faxes, it too subsides. After the rally, the bikers go back home and wait for change to come. And the legislators go back to business as usual.

So what are the results of all this activism?

Not much, when it comes to how the vote comes down on repeal. As long as we bikers limit ourselves to only telling legislators what we want, we will never have control over the outcome. Without doing anything more than voicing our opinions, passing a repeal bill becomes a game of chance.

With these worn out tactics, ther's no way to break out of this dead end. We can not do it by getting more bikers to talk to their legislators. We can't do it by getting better at debating the issue. And we sure can't trick legislators into supporting repeal with crafty bill language.

Simply put, legislators need a reason to change their minds.

It takes a totally different approach to change the game, and that approach is the Repeal Machine. It's a simple process with proven results. With just a few bikers, working as campaign volunteers for electable candidates, we can build a biker-friendly majority.

How legislators vote is no longer a matter of personal opinion. Now it becomes a matter of job security.

Take a look at the Repeal Machine. There are very few moving parts, so there's less to break down. It has no weak links. And if each step is sucessfully completed, the dream of helmet law repeal becomes a reality. And that's no accident.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

NTSB Distraction

2011-02-25T06:35:00.000-08:00

Everyone's in a tizzy over the latest bureaucratic attack on our right to decide. In case you haven't heard, a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) representative has testified against repealing any part of the motorcycle helmet law in Nebraska.

The NTSB briefing is pretty thorough, and they get automatic points for credibility. This is the accident investigation crew that is well known for figuring out the cause of major airline crashes. They also do train wrecks, and even pipeline disasters, as part of their mission.

Now they've stepped into motorcycle safety, which rightly concerns a whole lot of freedom-loving motorycyclists. It's one thing to save lives and property when it makes the world a better place. But it's quite another to start going after people who aren't harming anyone else.

In the court of public opinion, NTSB rules the roost. And since bikers rights activists tend to react strongly to any attack on their freedom, their response is fast and furious. Unfortunately, the deck is stacked against the bikers on this one. Even worse, bikers are not staying focused on what they can do to fight back AND win.

The more energy bikers put into winning races for biker-friendly state legislators, the sooner they will restore their right to decide. Conversely, the less they work on the campaign trail, the less likely they will ever see their rights restored. So by engaging the NTSB in a battle of words, bikers are giving up their home-field advantage on the campaign trail.

The last several decades have shown that debating the issue will not work. The proof is that -- while bikers have gotten really good at lobbying and protesting -- our rights have steadily eroded. While the halls of the state capitol may be filled with bikers (for one day a year), the campaign headquarters of their strongest allies remain totally void of any black leather.

In addition to helmet laws, bikers now have to deal with organized motorcycle-only traffic stops, prohibitions on modifying our motorcycles, and more stringent helmet requirements. Think it's going to get any better if we keep talking?

We can stop all of this infringement in a very short period of time. And we can accomplish this with very few bikers, using very little of their time. All it takes is an organized effort to put volunteers on the campaign trail in races that matter most.

If YOU want to make a difference, subscribe to our Action Alerts. Or if you want to make it happen even faster, take on the task of canvassing your legislators to find out where they stand on the helmet law.

Use the Repeal Machine, and you'll get results.

Winning the war is a whole lot better than losing the battle ... year after year. You just have to keep your eyes on the prize, and simply avoid the pitfalls of getting sucked into a debate that won't change a single closed mind.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

ACTION: CA Assembly Canvassing

2011-02-18T02:20:00.000-08:00

California Assembly Member Chris Norby has submitted a bill (AB695) to repeal part of the motorcycle helmet law, which will restore an adult's right to decide. With ABATE of California leading a massive grass-roots effort, you are being asked to contact your legislator to urge passage of this bill.

As our legislators respond to us, we can get a good idea of which ones will support this bill. This information will be vital as we prepare for the upcoming primary campaign season, saving us a lot of leg work as the pace of election activity picks up.

A little knowledge now will go a long way later.

Of course, there is no better evidence of how legislators will vote than their voting record. The first step is the Transportation Committee, where the odds are pretty good that we can get a recorded vote. Hopefully it will then pass on to the Assembly for a full vote, but this is not a sure thing.

This is why it's vitally important that we take the time to canvass each Assembly Member now, while the bill is under consideration. While they may not care about helmet laws at any other time, it's their job to evaluate pending legislation. So let's take advantage of their time and effort by simply asking them how they intend to vote on it (and urge them to support it, of course).

Once you find out where they stand, please let me know. I'll immediately share your input with the hardest working man in Sacramento, ABATE lobbyist Jim Lombardo. While RIDE2REPEAL.COM is focused on the elections next year, Jim needs your immediate support so he can work his mojo while the bill is working its way through the legislature.

Let's pull out all the stops, work together like never before, and help push this bill all the way to the Governor's desk. And regardless of how it turns out, we'll be ready when the campaign season rolls around too.

Thanks for your help.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Follow RIDE2REPEAL on twitter and get breaking news as it happens.

Want a friend? Be a friend.

2011-02-15T01:29:00.000-08:00

If you've ever ridden to the state capitol to meet your legislators, you know how important it is to make a good impression. You're on your best behavior, of course. A lot of motorcycling issues are at stake, and you certainly want a majority of legislators to be on your side.

But are you on their side?

As important as your trip to the capitol may be, it should NOT be the only time you have personal contact with your legislator. Ideally, your meeting should be more akin to reuniting with an old friend. And rather than talking them into helping you, they should instead be thanking you -- for helping them get there in the first place.

The reason is pretty clear. Politicians are just as passionate about winning elections as bikers are about riding motorcycles. So when you volunteer for a candidate during the campaign season, you make a lasting impression. And the harder you work for them on the campaign trail, the harder they'll work for you at the state capitol.

But when it comes to making a first impression, the legislative session is probably the least opportune time. Legislators are busy, trying to move their own agenda forward. Meanwhile, everybody else is clamoring for their attention, and asking them for favors. How can you possibly make yourself stand out from all the political moochers?

By not being a moocher, of course.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't go to the capitol if you’re new to election politics. Far from it. The more that legislators see you, the better. But think of the advantage you'd hold over other constituents -- and even professional lobbyists -- if you had been an important part of their winning campaign.

By all means, make that trip and tell them what you think. Just keep in mind that if you want to see more “biker friendly” legislators at the state capitol, then make sure they see more “friendly biker” volunteers on the campaign trail.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Who's the Boss?

2011-02-05T21:49:00.000-08:00

Imagine you applied for a job -- a job that's perfect. Good pay, of course. But the benefits are what you like most. They're putting you in charge of a lot of people, and you can put as much (or as little) effort into it as you want.

There's a catch...

You have to get past a job interview panel. And not just one time, but once every two years ... assuming you want to keep the job, anyway. (You do.) Same panel every time, and the same people. Fortunately, they like you. That's because they know you well, and trust you. They want you to succeed.

In fact, they actually recruited you.

That interview panel hired you to accomplish certain things, but otherwise they give you a free hand. And they'll support you, through thick and thin. In other words, they trust you enough to keep you. As long as you meet their short list of expectations, the job is yours to keep.

Now imagine, as part of your job, you get a lot of people who try to tell you what to do. This comes as unsolicited advise from total strangers. Some say do this and that ... while others say DON'T do this or that. They send you email, call your workplace. Sometimes they even make appointments to come and see you, though this is rare.

The bottom line is that you follow through for the people who hired you. And what about the advice from strangers? Basically, you do what you can to keep them satisfied (or at least pacified) ... as long as it doesn't conflict with what the hiring panel expects.

This is basically the way it works when you're a state legislator.

The interview panel is your campaign team. They're the ones who got you the job in the first place. Whether it's the party bosses or the foot soldiers, you'd hardly stand a chance of winning the election without their help.

And the unsolicited advice from total strangers? That's your constituents talking, asking you to vote yea or nay on bills that come before you. Most of them are passionate about the laws they care about. But for the most part, they won't do anything above and beyond expressing their opinion.

Now lets play out two different scenarios, one on each side of the helmet law. In both situations, you personally don't care one way or the other. You don't ride a motorcycle, for one thing. And helmet laws are not really a big issue, compared to balancing the budget, creating jobs, and all the other chart-topping issues of the day.

It was a close election, by the way. But your campaign team made the critical difference. And now that you won the race, you're the incumbent.

Scenario One...

Nobody on your campaign team rides motorcycles, and helmet laws are never even discussed throughout the campaign season. In fact, nobody says anything about it -- it's a non-issue -- until someone submits a bill to repeal it.

Then you get lots of input, from constituents on both sides of the issue as well as from representatives from the insurance industry, various government agencies, and the medical community. You can see both sides of the issue, but it's your decision to make.

In the end, you vote the party line, since most of your campaign team consists of the party faithful. Friends come first, after all ... and there's really no political benefit to going against them.

Scenario Two...

About a dozen of your campaign volunteers ride motorcycles. And the only reason they helped you get elected was because they approached you about repealing the helmet law.

You told the bikers up front that it wasn't a big issue, and that you didn't see a problem with keeping the helmet law as-is. But they made a good pitch, and you agreed ... as long as age, training, and insurance would be part of the package.

Sure enough, when a repeal bill was submitted, you got all kinds of input from constituents, government agencies, the insurance industry, and the medical community. But out of all the people you heard from, you remember those motorcyclists who helped you win that close election.

It's obvious that the outcome of each of these scenarios is a foregone conclusion. In the first case, motorcyclists made a lot of noise for a week or so, and then faded back into silence. But in the second case, those motorcyclists were there when it counted (for you). And they did more than talk. They busted their butts, and they helped you overcome your opponent at the polls.

This isn't some pie-in-the-sky theory. It's the way the political machine works in the real world. People who understand this, and then put it to good use, are the ones who really get to call the shots.

So if you ride a motorcycle, and you want to repeal the helmet law, click on the red SUBSCRIBE tab at the top of the page. When the Call to Action comes your way, you'll know what to do.

Then you'll know that you're the boss.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Hold your Head Up

2011-02-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

"In the long run, people don't remember whether you're right or wrong. What they remember is how you conduct yourself."

This is just how the human brain evolved over the years.

Just think like a caveman, and it becomes clear. You want to know who's on your side, and who's a threat. While we like to think we're so much more civilized in today's society, we are really just well-dressed cavemen.

As political activists, there are unwritten rules about how bikers should behave around elected officials as well as the public at-large. Some of these rules are good, and some of them are wrong.

Being polite is pretty universal. There's never a good reason to be rude. That doesn't mean you can't be assertive, but you can always make your point without crossing the ugly line.

Being confident, however, is usually NOT the way bikers present themselves. Take the issue of helmet laws. When bikers talk to their legislators on Lobby Day, for example, they often try to sneak it in amongst other more palatable issues. Like motorcycle awareness proclamations, driver education, etc.

Reminds me of the character "Toad" from the movie American Graffiti. Remember how Toad wanted liquor? So he asked for a comb, a snickers bar, a pack of slim jims, etc. Liquor was mentioned in there somewhere, hopefully not really noticed. Of course the proprieter gave him everything he wanted ... but THAT.

Sound familiar?

Bikers often use the same approach when we "ask" for the right to decide. We even gussy it up by calling it "helmet modification" or "helmet law reform," as if politicians are too stupid to see it for what it is.

Ask any lawyer (because I'm not one). If you strike any part of a law, you are REPEALING that part. This perspective is not that big of a deal, even though most activists will strongly disagree with me. But they are negotiating for their rights from a position of weakness.

It's all they know. And so far, they're getting pretty good at it.

Building political power must come first. Only then can you politely assert yourself in the world of politics. Everyone else must beg, boot lick, and suck up. Only the powerful have the right to decide, no matter what the issue.

Where does political power come from? The ability to win elections. Not by voting, because bikers are a minority. Instead it must come from concentrating our energy into the districts that have close races, and helping the biker-friendly candidate as campaign volunteers.

That way they see us helping them in their time of need. We don't have to live in that district, or even be registered to vote. And by working as a campaign volunteer, we're 10 times more powerful than any single voter. That's because we deliver votes.

Of course, once we start helping the good guys win elections, lobbying becomes more of a friendly get-together than an intimidating audience before the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz.

So get off your knees, stand up like a man, and hold your head high. It's so easy, even a caveman can do it.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Unconventional Wisdom

2011-01-23T13:36:00.000-08:00

In many conversations with bikers, I often fail to impress upon them the amazing power that comes from campaign work. While I know it to be the silver bullet that we need, other bikers don't normally see it that way.

I'd guess only one in a hundred activists see the truth of it. And the irony is, the longer they've been fighting the good fight, the harder it is for them to see the light. Even if it will deliver them everything they've been fighting for.

It's one of those Catch-22 situations.

I can explain the whole battle plan to an average joe standing in line at the grocery store. By the time we reach the checkout counter, he understands how simple, effective, and downright unstoppable the RIDE2REPEAL program is. That's because he doesn't have to un-learn anything.

The most dedicated activists are quite another story. They've evolved their strategy and tactics over many years, and learned their lessons from countless events as well as crises. And they're still standing, where so many others have fallen by the wayside. It's a testiment to their stubborn belief in fighting for what's right.

Here's the catch: The most effective activism is guided by unconventional wisdom. Just as Generals fight by using the weapons and tactics of the last war, bikers have developed a respectable level of proficiency at doing what used to work "back in the day."

But the world changes.

Napoleon was the first European General to pursue his opponents off the field of battle to ensure they couldn't come back to fight another day. All the other Armies thought this was a tremendous breach of protocol, and considered him a vulgar and self-serving man. But he changed the rules right out from under them, eventually becoming Emporer over most of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

In the world of commerce, all the major retailers scoffed at a bare-bones store that was run by a guy who drove a pickup truck, usually with hunting dogs in the back. But he saw clearly that there was a better way to provide more products for less money. Since those early days, Walmart has been so successful it now dwarfs stores like Sears and JCPenny.

The fight for bikers rights is undergoing a similar sea-change in how it gets things done. I call it unconventional wisdom because most SMROs use a completely conventional game plan. Hold meetings that mostly deal with running the SMRO. Hold fundraisers to cover the costs of running a large organization. Perform good deeds to endear us to the general population, and along the way recruit more people into the organization ... which is always in dire need of more members and money.

Politics is war, but without violence. Fought conventionally, values are the cannons we use to shoot ideas at our opponents. With enough dedicated people, it will be possible to win the war of ideas through superior firepower. Victory comes at last when our rights are restored. The strategy is getting our beliefs to be accepted throughout the land, and then we will have our rights handed to us by a penitent nation.

Unconventional wisdom says otherwise. The most important battles must be strategic victories. And the decicive battleground is not the court of public opinion. Instead, it's the state legislature, where almost all motorcycle laws come from. It's also where upwardly mobile politicians come from as they move up to Federal positions of power.

10 years ago our President was a candidate for the state senate. And a few dozen Illinois bikers could have changed the course of history. Now millions of people write Obama, and it has no effect on his decisions.

The only motorcycle statistic that matters is a legislative majority. Politicians know this. Average people understand it easily enough. It's not just about numbers, (which is problematic for a minority). It has to do with the few who have great influence over legislation. In otherwords, our legislators. Win them over, and nothing can stand in our way.

Ask a legislator how much influence a letter to the editor has on his beliefs. Some may read an article they already agree with, and others would just as easily dismiss it out of hand. But deep inside they've already figured out what matters to them, and the rest they can ignore.

Now turn it up a notch, and write letters directly to legislators. Make an appointment to visit them at the Capitol. Hold a protest rally on the Capitol steps, with news cameras rolling, staging spectacular displays of patriotism, and giving impassioned speeches to the masses.

When it's over, the legislators go back to the business at hand, and motorcyclists go back home. In a couple of days, it's as if bikers were never there at all. The legislators that support us will continue to support us, and the ones that oppose us will continue to oppose us. In the end, nothing really changed.

But what if the bikers approached legislators while they were still hungry candidates? Helping them win on the campaign trail is something they will always remember. And if they know that bikers will always be there to help in time of need, they will be eager to pay us back with their loyalty during the legislative session.

Back when my activism consisted entirely of writing impassioned letters, organizing newsworthy events, and tracking down legislators who were in the middle of a session, I was at best an unknown passer-by ... almost a trespassing nuisance in the halls of power. All my friends, like me, were outside looking in. And unable to change a single mind.

Then I started asking candidates about their helmet law position, well before the elections. Many of them staunchly supported the helmet law, while quite a few supported repeal of some parts. Others were on the fence, or had no opinion at all.

So I started working as a campaign volunteer for candidates who supported our right to decide. As it turns out, they also typically favored limited government intervention in people's day-to-day lives. That includes not only motorcycle issues, but other matters related to individual liberty.

As long as they were competitive, with a reasonable chance of winning, I gave them my best effort. Motorcycle issues were off the table, with every word and deed geared towards getting them elected. They saw this day-in and day-out on the campaign trail.

Now I have a personal relationship with four freshmen legislators. They know me by name, and they call me when they need help. They see me suppoorting them at events. They also ask me what I think about pending legislation. Only then to I tell them what I really think. And why do they listen to me above the media clamor? Because they know me and trust me. Anonymous letters and newspaper polls aren't more than a passing though.

If you were to ask any one them what has the most influence over how bills get voted on, letters to the editor would not be on their list. Constituent contact may take it up a notch, but only just so far depending upon the pros and cons of the political landscape.

But if you asked them how much of an impact campaign volunteering has, it would be at the very top of their list. Without a solid team of volunteers on the campaing trail, they'd be nowhere. And should those volunteers be working against them, it would give them a good reason to reassess their positon on a pending bill. No doubt about it.

So when a biker activist decides what course of action he should take, it would be wise to follow the path that has the greatest influence, and therefore gets the greatest results.

Most biker activists don't know this, as evidenced by how they prioritize the traditional political activities they employ. It takes an open mind to see things differently. But once viable alternatives are compared to the standard approaches, the true value stands out in stark relief.

Not every biker will understand the power of campaign work. Some will give it passing acceptance as long as it doesn't change the way they do business. But the rare biker will fully embrace this unconventional wisdom, and act upon it with great success. And when that happens, others will shed their old ways and embrace the new.

That's the day we stop fighting, and we start winning.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

For Better or for Worse

2011-01-18T23:15:00.001-08:00

Motorcyclists have been trying to restore their rights for decades. In a few cases they've made major strides. They were the lucky ones. Most often they have only had limited success.

How many times have they made the trip to the capitol? Sent out urgent calls to action when yet another bill comes crashing down on their freedom? And then walked away empty-handed, or put on a happy face by saying a bill could have been a lot worse.

The problem is that bikers rights activists are getting really good ... at doing what doesn't work.

Imagine it's your wedding night, and you're looking forward to an incredible night with your bride. For better or for worse, you two are stuck with each other ... for the long haul. That's a heck of a time to find out that she's really a dude.

Sure, you'd complain. You expected a beautiful woman, and explain that she's supposed to be, shall we say ... "complementary." Of course it makes perfect sense for her to be a woman. But all the pleading in the world won't change her outie into an innie.

But you don't have to be the "stuckee."

Instead of waiting until it was too late to do anything about it, you should have checked under the hood. Or at least noticed that she seemed to always wear turtleneck sweaters. Or that her shoes were the same size as yours.

Now she still wants you, of course. Just not the way you'd hoped.

Politics is the same way, with courtship taking place during the campaign season. The first step is to ask candidates where they stand on the helmet law. Their answer will probably encompass where they stand on personal freedom vs. public safety. Innie or outie.

The next step is find out if they have a reasonable chance of winning. Check with your SMRO since it's their job to know. Even if they don't, the Internet is a treasure trove of information about a candidate's chances. Newspaper articles, campaign finance reports, and political blogs are full of tips.

It would be a total waste of time to invest your time and energy with a sure loser. And you'd probably miss an opportunity to help a nearby candidate who is worth the effort. They have to be electable.

Finally, bust your tail to help them win. Make sure they know your top priority is sending them to the capitol. And then, after the election, you will be on a first name basis with one or more biker-friendly legislators.

This doesn't happen overnight. Old habits die hard. It's easier to react to bad bills than it is to build relationships ahead of time.

Just remember:
For better or for worse, you are stuck with the results.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Action vs. Reaction

2011-01-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

Delegate Chris Stolle (Virginia Beach) is patroning HB1850, a bill that will basically prohibit little kids from riding as passengers on motorcycles. And now there's a call to action that's circulating among biker activists around the country, asking them to write Delegate Stolle and express opposition to this bill.

From the sound of it, Delegate Stolle has heard all the arguments, and he still firmly supports the bill.

There's a history lesson to be learned here: Delegate Stolle won his first primary election in 2007 by only 170 votes. If a few bikers had been involved at THAT stage of the election, we wouldn't need thousands of letters now ... because Delegate Stolle would know us, and he'd have a reason to respect us.

It is up to us to develop a winning strategy that we can count on. The key to successful action is to act when it has the most impact ... instead of only reacting when the odds are already stacked against us. A little foresight now will go a long way. And it sure beats a truckload of letters (from total strangers) after a crappy bill has already been submitted.

The next primary season begins in about 4 months. But a force of reliable campaign volunteers doesn't happen by itself overnight. Those of us with campaign experience need to step up, by teaching others and by organizing local efforts. And the sooner we start, the better our results will be.

Political power is the key to winning fights like this. And political power comes from making a difference on the campaign trail.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Helmet Law Trivia

2011-01-04T01:34:00.000-08:00

I was just taking a look at a timeline of when states either enacted or repealed a mandatory motorcycle helmet law. Here are ten trivia questions that will test your knowledge:

NOTE: "Repeal" means any change to the helmet law that allows adults to choose.

1. Which state had a helmet law for the least amount of time?
ANSWER: Michigan (67-68) & Iowa (75-76)
2. Which state has never had a helmet law?
ANSWER: Every state has had a helmet law.
3. Which state was the last one to first enact a helmet law?
ANSWER: California (1992)
4. Which state was the most recent one to enact a helmet law?
ANSWER: Louisiana (2004)
5. Which state was the first one to repeal a helmet law?
ANSWER: Michigan (1968)
6. Which year had the most states enact a helmet law?
ANSWER: 1967 (25)
7. Which year had the most states repeal a helmet law?
ANSWER: 1977 (15)
8. Which state has passed and repealed a helmet law the most times?
ANSWER: Louisiana (3 & 2)
9. Which state was the the most recent one to repeal a helmet law?
ANSWER: Pennsylvania (03)
10. Which states have had a helmet law for the longest time?
ANSWER: AL, MA, MO, NY, & TN (67-present).
BONUS QUESTION:
Which state will be the next one to repeal a helmet law?
ANSWER: That's entirely up to you.
Feel free to post your answers below. Or if you prefer, email your answers to RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com and I'll post them for you.

New Year, New Plan

2011-01-02T23:28:00.000-08:00

In many states with mandatory helmet laws, bikers will once again pin their hopes on a bill to repeal some part of the mandatory helmet law. It's an annual rite of passage that usually starts with a debate about what kind of bill to submit, and usually ends with a disappointing defeat.

Then comes the second-guessing about why the bill failed. Most fingers will be pointed at the language of the bill. Or more specifically, what conditions should have been either added in or left out. As if the fate of the bill hangs on word-smithing.

This kind of talk entirely skips past the real reason.

Helmet laws are decided on Election Day. If biker-friendly candidates win, there are more legislators to vote for repeal. The only way to affect this balance is through campaign work.

If enough bikers work for electable candidates, repeal is a done deal.

But what if there won't be enough votes to pass a repeal bill? Should bikers give up without trying? Isn't it more sensible to throw in the towel before the inevitable knockout punch comes?

Absolutely NOT.

There is another reason for submitting a repeal bill, and that is to establish a voting record. When legislators show their true colors on such a basic freedom, they help us figure out who's with us and who's against us.

That will come in handy during the next election. It's one thing for candidates to SAY how they'll vote, but they can't hide how they actually DID vote.

So if your SMRO is submitting a bill to repeal any portion of the helmet law, encourage them to push that bill as far as it will go. Get the committee to vote on it. Get the full chamber to vote on it. Get both houses to vote on it.

The more votes are cast, the more we'll be prepared for the coming elections.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Got Leverage?

2010-12-26T23:29:00.001-08:00

Imagine every conceivable kind of task that bikers rights activists do, from one extreme to the other. Now for each kind, estimate how much manpower it would take to accomplish the following objective:

Change one single legislator's vote.

It's just like pushing down on a lever. The closer you are to the middle of the see-saw, the harder you have to push. But if you apply pressure where you have the most advantage, the slightest effort is all you need.

To change that single vote, bikers could write a million letters to politicians and the press. Thousands would be needed to swarm around the capitol in thunderous protest runs. Hundreds could pack committee hearings, or instead they could reach down deep in their pockets for sizeable campaign contributions.

It's all good.

But it would take only dozens of campaign volunteers, IF they worked for an electable candidate who supports their right to decide. Not millions. Not thousands. Not even hundreds.

Dozens.

You can build a legislative majority, one legislator at a time. All you have to do is take a stand, right where you have the most leverage: On the campaign trail.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PS: There are dozens of special elections going on right now. To find one near you, visit RIDE2REPEAL.COM and click on ELECTIONS at the top of the page.

I: Make it Count

2010-12-26T23:23:00.001-08:00

State Motorcyclist Rights Organizations (SMRO) have been in the bikers rights "business" for a long time, and they work hard on behalf of all motorcycles. So far, so good.

You can't knock someone for taking action, especially when that criticism is from "keyboard commandos" who are all talk and no action. But we activists can always improve our game by sharing lessons learned, and this article is intended to do just that.

The SMRO approach relies heavily on two principles:

> Everything counts
> Strength in numbers

As good as this sounds on the surface, there's a cost to doing business this way. And I believe it's why many (though NOT all) SMROs constantly struggle, lose ground year after year, and sometimes even fold up the tent.

I'll save the "strength in numbers" discussion for Part II. For now, I'd like to focus on the first principle. It's a complex subject, but we can break it into bite-size chunks.

Setting Priorities

Think about it. You can't be everywhere at once and do everything at the same time. We have our limits. And if you do everything you possibly can, after a while you get overworked and burned out. Even then, if you don't prioritize your tasks wisely, you end up being inefficient and ineffective.

We can easily determine what any SMRO's top priorities are. Just visit their website. Look at their Events Calendar. Read their monthly newsletter. Then observe what percentage of "print space" is devoted to any particular subject.

Money, Money, Money

In most cases, well over half is devoted to fundraising of one kind or another. Some of it is for charity, which is noble. And SMROs know how to put the "fun" in fundraising. But all fun aside, it's off-topic for political activism.

Often the fundraising is to cover operating expenses, which itself often accounts for the vast majority of an SMRO's budget. In other words, the majority of an SMRO's income is devoted to overhead ... just making ends meet. This is an inefficient way to do business and, by any accounting standard, a serious red flag.

The Good Biker

About one quarter of "print space" goes to motorcycle safety. Like charity, this is off-topic as well. They're both rationalized in what quite a few activists call the "good biker" syndrome. In other words, if people see our good deeds, they'll like us. Then they'll help us regain our freedom. Right...

Singing the Blues

The remaining print space is political. This is definitely on-topic, and it's the very reason for having an SMRO in the first place. But here's the rub. The more results-oriented that the political action is, the less you'll find written about it. Let me explain:

Most of the printed politics is "preaching to the choir." Pointing out injustice, debating statistics, calling out bureaucrats and political hacks, bemoaning the constant erosion of freedom, debating statistics some more, ennumerating the US Constitution, etc.

To all that, I say "WE GET IT ALREADY!"

Most of the people reading these editorials are already convinced. And even if they aren't convinced, or if so -- still not motivated -- then forget them. No use flogging a dead horse. Unless you enjoy flogging dead horses. Sure can't hurt the horse.

Make Some Noise

Then there's the protesting, the lobbying, the letter-writing, etc. While these far better than "preaching to the choir," these organized activities are hamstrung by one simple fact: They are nothing more than opinions, and that's why politicians ignore us: All bark, no bite.

Voter's Block

Closer to the goal, there's a tiny remainder of print space that's devoted to elections. Sometimes, though, you can't find it anywhere. But even when you can find it, it's usually limited to the act of voting. That's pretty close to the mark, but it totally misses our secret weapon.

Secret to most bikers, anyway ... but not to politicians.

Campaign Volunteering...

...makes the most difference with the least time & effort.
...has the most influence over how legislators vote.
...is the only way we can help legislators (or hurt them).
...happens when legislators are listening and need volunteers.
...doesn't cost money and there's no paperwork.
...can be done outside your own voting district.
...takes no more time than a monthly SMRO meeting.
...doesn't require you to be a registered voter.
...can be in districts that matter, bypassing ones that don't.

Yet you can't find the words "campaign volunteer" on most SMRO websites. Nor on their calendar. Nor in their newsletter. Even if there is passing mention, there are no organized activities. No "campaign coordinators." No volunteer sign-up sheets.

Hopefully that will change.

Eventually, more and more SMROs will realize that nothing has more influence over the legislative balance than campaign work. When they start shifting their priorities in that direction, they'll increase their efficiency and effectiveness.

That's something you can count on.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

II: Work the Numbers

2010-12-25T20:01:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in Part I, the State Motorcyclist Rights Organization (SMRO) approach relies on two principles:

> Everything Counts
> Strength in Numbers

As Einstein famously said, "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." With this in mind, let's move from the Part I discussion of an SMRO's priorities to how it makes use of its "strength in numbers."

Again, you can't be everywhere and do everything. An SMRO is limited by the number of members it has (as well as other resources, like money and time). But we'll just consider members who show up and help to get things done.

It would seem like the more people you have, the more you can accomplish. This is pretty much true, no matter how you slice it.

But let's pretend your priorities are out of whack, so you spend a lot of time doing unproductive things. Given the same number of people, you'd be less efficient. A lot less.

MPG

This is no different than a gasoline powered engine. The more fuel efficient it is, the further it will go on a gallon of gas. One gallon in a top-fuel dragster will only take you about 2 or 3 miles, while in a Toyota Prius it would go 20 times as far.

Now I'll be the first one to say 15 seconds in a hot rod is a lot more fun than a lifetime in an econobox. But what is your mission? Is it to have as much fun as possible before you run out of gas, or to go the distance and reach your goal?

Obviously (at least to me) the whole point of an SMRO is to restore and protect your rights as a motorcyclist. And if an SMRO is efficient at accomplishing that mission, it gets the most accomplished with the people it has.

Full Tank

Some SMRO's are HUGE, so they can afford to be a little less efficient. ABATE of Indiana is probably the biggest, and I hear they have tens of thousands of members. ABATE of PA is also pretty sizeable, with about seven thousand. They're both top-tier organizations, with plenty of volunteers who keep them on top.

But let's take a look at SMROs in states that are not winning the battle, with the helmet law separating the "haves" from the "have-nots." Generally speaking, quite a few of them are struggling in the low thousands. And some of them can't even claim more than a few hundred members, even on a good day.

If your approach requires big numbers, and you ain't got big numbers, you will not be successful. At least not successful at anything that matters. Like your mission.

Three Quarters

The greatest SMRO "resource hound" is the sheer overhead of running the organization. Monthly meetings, treasury reports, membership packages, newsletter submissions, selling products, and organizing events. They all take time, effort, and volunteers.

Yet all of these tasks are internal house-keeping jobs.

Given the benefit of the doubt, these life-support tasks account for about 75% of an SMRO's time and effort expended. Good luck finding any other nonprofit organization that consumes so much, just to maintain its own pulse.

One Quarter

Of the remaining 25%, most of it is devoted to fundraising. Some of it is for charity and other worthy causes, and the rest goes back into care and feeding of the SMRO (again, internal housekeeping).

Motorcycle safety is often the next program in line for making use of SMRO volunteers. Again, a worthy cause, but off on a tangent when it comes to political action.

Fumes

That doesn't leave much. Again being generous, let's say 10% is left over for political activity. Mostly this consists of lobbying and protesting, both of which rise no higher than the level of expressing one's opinion.

No wonder politicians see us as "all bark and no bite."

But if lobbying and protesting are at the top the political to-do list, there might be less than 5% left for elections.

The closer we get to the mission, the less there is in the tank.

Running on Empty

The election year efforts of almost every SMRO are exclusively focused on getting bikers to vote. And sometimes this consists entirely of one or two emails, sent on Election Day, that say "Go out and vote!!!"

But bikers are a tiny minority of voters. A lot of us can't vote. If I were a betting man, I'd bet on the majority. That's what politicians do, and the house always wins.

Our true strength lies not in voting, but in delivering votes ... as dependable campaign volunteers.

Yet it is extremely rare to hear any mention of campaign volunteering, let alone see organized activity. Why? Because when you're last in line, there's usually nothing left.

This is not a big deal if you have tens of thousand of members. It becomes a challenge when you dip into the single thousands. And if you struggle to maintain a few hundred?

Well good luck with that.

Again, the most political leverage comes from campaign volunteering. If your SMRO has an abundance of active members, many are politically active. So then you probably have several hundred working in various campaign offices throughout your state.

THAT is what it takes to be successful at influencing legislation.

Alternative Fuel

But if you don't have an abundance of active members, relatively few will be politically active. And then it would be rare indeed to see any black leather out riding on the campaign trail.

The good news is that it only takes a few people to make a big difference. All you need to do is turn your priorities upside down, and put campaign work at the top of the list.

Struggling SMROs should look at it another way: If you continue to do everything EXCEPT campaign work, you will continue to fail. But if you excel at campaign work, you will most certainly win.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Make Believers

2010-12-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

Let's pretend ... that there's a special election coming up soon, and there's only one question on the ballot:

Should the mandatory helmet law be repealed?

Just a simple YES or NO answer is all that's needed. And for most people, the issue is pretty much black and white. Either you accept an adult's freedom of choice, or you don't.

Now pretend there are two groups of people, each one are trying to win the repeal battle at the ballot box. Each side is making phone calls, delivering pamphlets, and everything else they can to get out the vote.

The anti-repeal side has one obvious strong point: polls show that twice as many people support the mandatory helmet law. And believe it or not, even a majority of motorcyclists are fine with keeping the helmet law as-is. Any way you slice it, they have a numerical advantage.

But the anti-repeal crowd has a bigger andvantage. Overwhelming, as a matter of fact. Because what they lack in numbers, they more than make up for with passionate beliefs.

Unlike a mere opinion, passion is a powerful motivating force. And motivation with purpose turns into action. That means passionate belivers care enough about the helmet issue to do something about it. To strike out on a frosty winter's day, to find a polling place, and to cast their vote.

The very same passionate motivation applies to the campaign volunteers. They are out there on the field of battle, fighting for the cause of freedom. While most people don't care two bits about helmet laws, their lack of concern means they won't get off the couch, won't walk out the door, and won't visit the ballot box. They are the least motivated side. And what have they got to lose? Nothing.

With those kinds of odds, don't you wish repeal could be on the ballot? Repeal would not only be possible, but it would become probable ... and practically inevitable. That's because you'd only have to win one time to make a real difference.

Okay, now let's stop pretending.

Believe it or not, this isn't a dream ... it's reality, and it's happening right now. There are dozens of special elections going on to fill legislative vacancies in almost 20 states. And while the words "helmet law" are not written on those ballots, they will definitely being spoken in the candidate's hearts and minds. Like I said earlier, everyone has an opinion about helmet laws, one way or the other.

So when you work as a volunteer for a candidate who supports your right to decide, you are actually working for repeal. And when those citizens get out and vote for a candidate who supports repeal, they are actually voting for repeal.

Regardless of what all the other political issues are, there are some candidates who respect you as a responsible adult. And there are other candidates who believe you're incabable of making such a decision ... and they will micro-manage as much of your life as possible. Like helmet laws, it's a black and white issue.

So visit the ELECTIONS page at RIDE2REPEAL.COM and see if your state is holding a special election. And if you find candidates' names in GREEN, you'll know they respect your right to decide. But if their names are RED, they don't trust you ... so don't you trust them, either.

Click on a GREEN candidate to volunteer, help them get out the vote. And help them win. The other side is counting on a lot of couch potatoes. We, on the other hand, need only a handful of righteous bikers to sieze the day.

More Special Elections

2010-12-18T20:33:00.000-08:00

Just one week ago, I counted 18 special elections across the country. But after scanning the headlines for the past few day, there are several more that seemed to have sprouted up out of nowhere. So many, in fact, that I'll just count states for now.

Sixteen of them are holding special elections. That means 16 chances to elect biker-friendly candidates. By defintion, that means they support some form of adult freedom of choice on helmets ... and most likely support freedom across the board. It also means 16 chances to keep nanny-crats out of the legislature, too.

The fastest way to learn about the latest news on any of these special elections is to sign up for Twitter (twitter.com) and then "follow" tweets from RIDE2REPEAL. All this twitter stuff is new to me, but I'm learning as fast as I can.

I'll still do my best to pass the word the usual way. One is by sending out Email Alerts to all our subscribers (click on the red SUBSCRIBE tab up top). I'll also continue posting articles here as well.

Now it's time for bikers to get busy with those special elections. All the info you need is on the ELECTIONS page at RIDE2REPEAL.COM.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Winding Down (and Up)

2010-12-11T23:17:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy year, and I'm looking forward to a more gentle pace. When 48 out of 50 states are having elections, it's downright overwhelming at times. But it's also been a learning experience, and there never seems to be enough learning or experience when it comes to bikers and elections.

Coming on the heels of an election, it's still pretty busy. There are special elections going on in quite a few states due to the "trickle up" effect of political advancement. When someone gets elected or appointed to a higher office, there's a vacancy to be filled.

If you're a biker living in one of the following states, and you want to EARN your freedom, you should be paying close attention to these races:

AR HD-24
CA SD-1 (Sacramento)
CA SD-17 (Palmdale)
CA SD-28 (Torrance)
DC City Council (At-Large)
GA HD-136
GA HD-178
IA SD-48 (Osceola)
LA HD-22
MS SD-6 (Tupelo)
MS SD-12 (Shelby)
MS HD-116 (D'Iberville)
OH SD-1
OK SD-47 (Edmund)
PA HD-185 (Philadelphia)
TX HD-44 (San Antonio)
VA HD-8 (Salem)
VA SD-19 (Danville)

Unless my math is wrong, that makes 18 races that are going on as of today. How many bikers are aware of these races? All it takes is a few to make a difference.

Campaign volunteers have far more political power than most people realize. Politicians know it, of course, because they depend on them to get where they're going.

Do you?

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

CA » SD-17 (Palmdale)

2010-11-17T03:32:00.001-08:00

Now that Senator George Runner is moving up to the State Board of Equalization, he'll give up his SD-17 seat on Jan 3. And that means another special election.

Here is a recent news article about it:
Special election will decide who fills Runner's Senate seat

This makes a total of at least four special elections across California in the immediate future ... perhaps more, if any assembly members win races for the open senate seats.

Now that the November elections are behind us, we can concentrate our efforts in special elections. As long as they feature at least one candidate who supports repeal of the motorcycle helmet law (and that candidate is electable) then our efforts will be time well spent.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

CA » SD-28 (Torrance)

2010-11-17T03:30:00.000-08:00

It looks like the SD-28 (Torrance) special election is turning out to be a bust.

This district recently made national headlines, with proclamations such as "Dead Woman wins Election in California." But in California's famously gerrymandered districts, there was no way that John Stammreich, her Republican challenger, was ever going to win that race.

Senate District 28 belongs to the Democrats.

Initially there was some hope that some real contenders would emerge for the special election. The RIDE2REPEAL.COM game plan is to volunteer for the electable candidate who supports repeal of the helmet law. In urban Democratic districts, this is the only way to make progress.

The first name to pop up was Ted Lieu, termed-out Assembly member. Lieu has never voted on helmet law repeal, so it will take some time and effort to find out. Next came Jennifer Hahn, LA City Council member. Again, no voting record to go on.

Then Assembly Member Warren Furutani's name was mentioned. Not only does he vote against motorcyclists at every opportunity, he's also on the Transportation Committee. His winning would be bad for the Senate, but possibly good for the Assembly.

But in the end, both Hahn and Furutani dropped out of the race. Even Stammreich is sitting this one out. That means termed-out Assembly member Ted Lieu is now freshman Senator Ted Lieu.

We still need to find out where he stands on the helmet law. The best way, of course, is putting it to a vote. There is no better indicator of how they WILL vote than how they DID vote.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

DC » City Council (At Large)

2010-11-17T03:27:00.000-08:00

It looks like DC may have a special election soon, depending upon whether they appoint an interim council member or hold a special election.

Council Member Kwame Brown is moving up to become Council Chair, and this creates a vacancy in his old seat.

Here is an interesting article about the situation:
D.C. GOP keeps hopes alive with special election

Another article indicates DCDSC National Committeeman Vincent Orange may be appointed:
Orange objects to a fairer special election process

The City Council serves as the legislative body for the District of Columbia, with just over a dozen members. This makes it easy to build a biker-friendly legislative majority, mathematically speaking.

The first step in this direction is to figure out who's running, and then find out where they stand on the helmet law. If there is at least one candidate who supports helmet law repeal -- and that candidate is electable -- it's an opportunity that normally happens only once in a blue moon.

As always, updates will be posted to the Elections page at RIDE2REPEAL.COM.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

IA » SD-48 (Osceola)

2010-11-17T03:25:00.001-08:00

Iowa Senate District 48 will have a vacant seat, now that State Senator Kim Reynolds will soon become Lieutenant Governor.

Here is a recent article about the vacancy:
Reynolds Resigns From State Senate – Special Election Needed To Fill Seat

The odds are good that this district will remain in Republican hands. The question for motorcyclists, however, will be whether any of the candidates support their right to decide.

It's not like Iowans are in danger of getting a new helmet law anytime soon. But there will always be nanny-crats looking for the chance to control someone else's life.

Should I receive any input from the Iowa motorcycling community, I'll be sure to post it under the Elections page at RIDE2REPEAL.com.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

MS » SD-6 (Tupelo)

2010-11-17T03:23:00.001-08:00

MS » SD-6 (Tupelo)
Senate District 6 is one of three recent vacancies in the Mississippi State Legislature. This particular vacancy is the result of State Senator Patrick Nunnelee winning election to the US Congress.

The election is scheduled for Jan 11. A runoff election, if necessary, will be held Feb 1. The position will be on the ballot again in 2011 as part of the regular state election cycle.

Here are recent news articles:
Three open state legislative seats lead to special elections
Special election set Jan. 11 to replace Nunnelee, Palazzo, Minor

MS » SD-12 (Shelby)

2010-11-17T03:22:00.001-08:00

Senate District 12 is one of three recent vacancies in the Mississippi State Legislature. This particular vacancy is the result of State Senator Johnny Walls winning election to the Circuit Court's 11th District. The election date has not been set.

Here are recent news articles:
Three open state legislative seats lead to special elections
Special election set Jan. 11 to replace Nunnelee, Palazzo, Minor

MS » HD-116 (D'Iberville)

2010-11-17T03:19:00.000-08:00

House District 116 is one of three recent vacancies in the Mississippi State Legislature. This particular vacancy is the result of State Representative Stephen Palazzo winning election to the US Congress.

The election is scheduled for Jan 11. A runoff election, if necessary, will be held Feb 1. The position will be on the ballot again in 2011 as part of the regular state election cycle.

Here are recent news articles:
Three open state legislative seats lead to special elections
Special election set Jan. 11 to replace Nunnelee, Palazzo, Minor

OK » SD-47 (Edmund)

2010-11-17T03:17:00.000-08:00

A vacancy has been created in the Oklahoma State Senate because Senator Todd Lamb is set to become Lieutenant Governor.

General elections are set for Feb 8. The following Republicans have announced their intentions to run for the SD-47 seat: Carol Hefner, Steven Dobbs, Greg Treat, Kenny Goza. No Democrats have announced yet. Here is a recent article:
Henry sets special election date for vacant Senate seat in Edmond

Gov. Henry announced a primary election for Oklahoma State Senate District 47 will be held January 11. Voters will go to the polls for the general election February 8. A filing period for the office will be held December 13 - 15. Here are additional articles:
Gov. Henry Sets Special Election To Fill Todd Lamb's State Senate Seat
Henry Sets SD47 Special Election Dates

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PA » HD-185 (Philadelphia)

2010-11-17T03:12:00.001-08:00

Due to the recent death of State Represenative Robert Donatucci, there will be a special election for HD-185 (Philadelphia). So far the only candidate mentioned is his widow, Maria Donatucci.

Here is a recent article about the vacancy:
Widow of state Rep. Donatucci considers running to fill his House seat

TX » HD-44 (San Antonio)

2010-11-17T03:10:00.000-08:00

Texas House District 44 is vacant, and that means a special election will be coming soon. Here is a recent news article on this event from KNGB.am/radio/news/

Republican candidates are:
- Ron Avery, 63, of Seguin
- Chris Burchell, 46, of Adkins
- Jim Fish, 53, of Cibolo
- Gary W. Inmon, 43, of Schertz
- John Kuempel, 40, of Seguin
- Myrna McLeroy, 72, of Gonzales
- Robin R. Walker, 58, of Seguin

Democratic candidates include:
- Daniel Rodriguez Andrade, 45, of Seguin
- Cheryl Dees Patterson, 44, of Seguin

Updates will be posted as needed to the ELECTIONS page.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

VA » HD-8 (Salem)

2010-11-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday, November 23, Virginia Republicans and Democrats will nominate candidates for VA House District 8, which includes Salem and parts of Roanoke county.

This vacancy is the result of Delegate Morgan Griffith's election to the US Congress. Governor McDonnell said he would set the date for the election to be Jan 11.

Here's are two articles about the upcoming Republican "Firehouse" primary:
http://roanokevalleyrepublicans.blogspot.com/2010/11/fire-house-republican-primary-november.html
http://www2.godanriver.com/news/2010/nov/15/mcdonnell-sets-date-special-election-ar-654926/

Here's an article about the upcoming Democratic Caucus to nominate candidates:
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2010/nov/16/roanoke-co-democrats-set-nov-23rd-caucus-8th-distr-ar-657233/

Updates will be posted as needed to the ELECTIONS page at RIDE2REPEAL.COM.

VA » SD-19 (Danville)

2010-11-14T15:23:00.000-08:00

Virginia will hold a special election to fill a new vacancy in VA Senate District 19, which includes Danville and surrounding counties.

Here's an article about one candidate who's announced his intent to run: http://www.thefranklinnewspost.com/article.cfm?ID=17533

Candidate names have been posted to the ELECTIONS page at RIDE2REPEAL.COM.

"Ride Like a Cowboy"

2010-11-09T01:08:00.000-08:00

In the political world, there are three kinds of creatures: Ranchers, Cattle, and Cowboys.

> Ranchers control the herd, and we know them as "politicians."
> Cattle choose their Ranchers, and we know them as "voters."
> Cowboys work for the Ranchers and steer the herd. We call them "campaign volunteers."

Ranchers can't get there alone, so they will always need Cowboys to get the Herd moving in their direction. Ranchers therefore have the utmost respect for experienced and reliable Cowboys. On the other hand, they have no need or respect for anyone who they can't depend on. They just don't matter.

During the 2010 campaign season, quite a few bikers gained valuable experience as campaign volunteers this year -- regardless of who they worked for, and regardless of whether their candidates won or lost. Experience counts. And the more reliable we bikers become at showing up to help candidates, the sooner we'll EARN the respect we've always wanted from our lawmakers in Sacramento.

Thanks to everyone who "rode like a cowboy" on the campaign trail this year.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Do Your Part

2010-10-12T00:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of articles recently. I've been working hard to support two local candidates as a campaign volunteer as well as sending out alerts to other volunteers around the country.

It's not hard to beat the helmet law. You just have to help a nearby biker-friendly candidate win. Nothing else comes close to being as effective.

Here is the simple truth: If you are not working as a campaign volunteer THIS YEAR, you will lose more of your rights NEXT YEAR.

- RID2REPEAL@gmail.com

Political Leverage

2010-09-09T17:09:00.001-07:00

Only once every two years do we get a chance to change the balance of our legislature. This means elections are on the political front burner. Or at least they will be until Election Day on November 2nd. But as a bikers rights activist, are elections on YOUR front burner?

Let’s face facts. As a voting bloc, bikers are a tiny minority. And for the vast non-riding majority, motorcycle issues aren’t even on the radar screen. Like it or not, bikers are easy to ignore. That means we must rely on more than just voting. Instead, what we need is leverage. Otherwise our voices will not be heard at the state capital.

Fortunately, bikers have the ability to do far more than just vote. By becoming campaign volunteers, we can instead deliver votes by the dozen. And we don’t even need to be in our own home district to do this. So the most powerful thing we can do right now is work for any nearby candidate who is biker-friendly.

The good news is that it’s easy work. My favorite job is delivering campaign signs, which is more fun than a poker run. Candidates normally must pay people to do this, so you’re saving them time and money. And all you have to do is ride around town on your motorcycle. How hard is that?

More importantly, campaign work gets the most results. In fact, nothing else even comes close when it comes to influencing legislation. That’s because you develop a personal relationship with future legislators when you help them win. In politics as well as in life, friends always come first. And for us, that’s what “biker-friendly” is all about.

There are other reasons why campaign work is so important, too. It’s the only time we can help legislators … or “fire” them if they need to be replaced. And while our opponents (the insurance industry and safety bureaucrats) are very effective at swaying public opinion, they will never do campaign work. And the only way they can beat us is if we don’t either.

As political activists, there are many jobs we take upon ourselves ... and there never seems to be enough time to shoulder them all. So we are forced to make hard choices. With a biker-friendly legislature as our goal, we must choose wisely. Because campaign work gets the most bang for the buck, it should be our top priority.

Once the election is over, campaign work can retreat to the back burner again. It will then become the least important thing we can do. But right now, with the elections just around the corner, the exact opposite is true. So do what it takes to get yourself out there on the campaign trail. Using that kind of leverage, you’ll know you’re making the most difference.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Top Priority Races List

2010-09-01T19:00:00.001-07:00

Just a quick explanation of how we produced the "TOP PRIORITY RACES" list for California. In other words, why are some races included ... and many others aren't? The key is for us to find the races where a biker-volunteer can have the greatest impact on election results. This means we look for races that have the following qualities:

1. The candidates are on opposite sides of the helmet law -- also known as "red vs. green" races.

2. BOTH candidates have a realistic chance of winning -- normally with 60/40 odds or better. A dead-even 50/50 is perfect.

3. Extra Credit: The incumbent is influential -- a Transportation Committee member, motorcycle bill sponsor, speaker/president, majority/minority leader, etc.

The TOP PRIORITY RACES list comes from an overall evaluation of all 100 legislative races, and this is how it works:

1. An incumbent's voting record on repeal is the hardest evidence of whether they're "code-green" or "code-red." There is no better evidence of how they WILL vote than how they DID vote. Committee members, bill sponsors, and party leaders are all listed somewhere on the California Legislature website, too. While it's pretty scattered info, we pull it all together in one place, and that's "ALL LEGISLATIVE RACES" listed under California Races.

2. An ABATE endorsement is an automatic "code-green" candidate. While bikers rights is about more than just helmets, adult choice has always been an essential ingredient of what ABATE stands for. But the helmet law itself is actually about "more than just helmets," too. We use it as a litmus test to see where candidates stand on all "freedom vs. safety" issues. We also use it as a lightning rod to attract the most passionate biker activists to the campaign trail. Passion creates motivation ... motivation drives action ... and action gets results. And only results count.

3. Without a voting record or an ABATE endorsement, it's a judgment call. The best source is getting to know the candidate, and no amount of cold-calling can top a personal relationship. It's also good to simply ask them what they think of the helmet law. More than half the time, they'll tell you. Lacking personal contact, we sometimes make an educated guess based on their record of other issues that are similar to repeal ... for example exhaust labelling, ski helmets, etc. But sometimes we just can't tell ... so a candidate will remain in "code-gray" limbo until we have something useful to go on.

4. To be listed, candidates must be competitive. The number in parentheses after a candidate's name shows the percentage of votes their party received during the primary election. Candidates must have earned at least one percentage point to be on the list. It may seem hard-hearted at first, but candidates must earn their place on the list with more than good ideas. It takes votes to win an election ... and it takes votes to get on this list.

Finally, it's a matter of connecting passionate, motivated, action-oriented bikers (like you) with the nearby races that matter most. And if there happen to be any Top-Priority Races nearby, you have even more power in your hands. Of course this power is only present during the campaign season, which kicks off in a couple of days. So when you get a chance, take a look at the "California Races" list at RIDE2REPEAL.COM (click on "Elections" at the top of the page). The TOP PRIORITY RACES are listed ... you guessed it ... at the top of the page.

Once you have that list in front of you, everything you need to take action ... and get results ... is just one click away.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

PS: Look before you leap. The list may be "adjusted" from time to time as the campaign season unfolds.

Get the Vote Count

2010-08-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Evaluating hundreds of legislative candidates is no easy task. But in order to mobilize campaign volunteers, it's essential to know where the candidates stand on motorcycling issues. That's why candidate surveys and personal contact are so important. Otherwise we are flying blind.

Of course there are limitations to how "solid" our knowledge about a candidate is. Politicians can change their mind (and tell a fib or two), surveys can get lost in the shuffle, and sometimes front-running (or tail-dragging) candidates never respond to anybody. So we have to go with the best info we've got, and try to fill in the gaps as best we can.

There is only ONE source of information that is bullet-proof, and that is a candidate's voting record. They can say what they want, they can change their mind a thousand times, or they can hide behind the Capitol walls ... but their voting record can't be denied. There is no better indicator of how a legislator WILL vote ... than how they DID vote.

This brings me to the point that we all need to consider, and that is pushing a repeal bill as far as it will go. Conventional wisdom is that there's only one reason to submit a bill, and that is for the bill to become law. While this is the ultimate goal of any bill, there is an equally important reason to submit a bill ... and that is to get the vote count.

Lacking a vote count, we can only guess. And an educated guess takes a lot of homework, legwork, and head-scratching. Mistakes and disagreements are bound to occur, as well as being left completely in the dark on a lot of candidates. We need the vote count to make it a lot easier to pick the races that matter, and skip the ones that don't.

So when the time comes to submit a repeal bill during the next session, let's get the maximum benefit out of that effort. Whether passage is likely, unlikely, or a snowball's chance in the Mojave Desert, push that bill as far as it will go ... through the Transportation Committees ... as well as through BOTH full chambers.

Even if it gets shot down, we'll know who the shooters are. That's because we'll see the muzzle flash, and we'll know where to direct our firepower during the campaign season.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Political Dividends

2010-08-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

Getting face-to-face with legislators at their events is always good. But it's important to use that opportunity as a way to build a win-win relationship with them.

My approach is to ask them what they think of helmet laws. (I do it conversationally, and not on a mic where they'll be put on the spot.) If they give me the right answer, then I know they're on our side with just about any other bikers rights issue.

Then I totally change the subject ... to campaign work. Who's in charge of volunteers, trading phone numbers, etc. This is where we really get the dividend, by becoming valuable to the legislator AND his staff.

That's also the moment when the table turns, and they are now seeking our help. But if we just show up asking for a laundry list of favors, we're just like everyone else ... standing in line, looking for a hand out.

- RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

Make Your Opinion Count

2010-08-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

Voicing an opinion is as American as apple pie. It's the founding principle of any democratic society. Voting is the most renowned form of political opinion ... a precious right that was paid for -- in blood -- by generations of Americans. We are especially lucky compared to other parts the world, where people lack such a fundamental right of self expression.

But the value of an opinion is overblown. Taken alone, it's all just hot air. Opinions are far more effective at selling newspapers than they are changing the world. Look at everything from opinion polls to editorial cartoons. Television works the same way, filling our living rooms with the most divisive, controversial, and combative "journalism" they can produce. None of it actually changes anything ... except maybe their ratings.

There is only one kind of political opinion that counts, and it is held by people who take action. If you aren't ready to back your opinion with action, then it's "all bark and no bite." But to be effective, it has to be meaningful action. That means the right act, in the right place, and at the right time. Results are what makes the difference, and everything else is just talk

Now I don't mean writing letters, waving flags, gathering at rallies, or marching in protest. I don't mean lobbying our elected officials, either. All of these "actions" never rise one step above the level of expressing one's opinion. It's just more of the same -- talking.

The real action takes place on the field of battle, where there will be winners and losers. And when it comes to restoring our rights, that place is out on the campaign trail. That's where the contest is played out by opposing forces on the front lines. Everyone else is in the rear with the gear.

If you work as a campaign volunteer for a biker-friendly candidate, you are doing more than just expressing your opinion. You are running up the score for bikers rights. Politicians know this because they see the results. The good news is that our opponents NEVER do campaign work. And the only way they can continue to beat us is when we don't, either.

Most would say that voting is what counts most. But in the world of politics, casting a vote is like going to war with a B-B gun ... and you only get one single B-B to shoot. Even worse, you can only take aim at one single target. So by all means, get out there and vote. Just don't count on making much of a dent.

Campaign work, on the other hand, delivers votes by the dozen. You don't even have to stay inside your own voting district, either. Compared to the firepower of a B-B gun, campaign work like a 12-gauge pump shotgun ... with an unlimited supply of shells ... and then being able to hit any number of targets, over and over.

Our elected officials have an astounding amount of power over our lives. But that kind of power has to come from somewhere. Obviously politicians need votes to win. So the better we are at delivering those votes, the more important we become to those elected officials. That's why we need to be good at campaign work.

There's a catch, of course. We can only make a difference when there's an election coming up. The campaign season will be in full swing in September and October, so there's only a two-month window of opportunity. After that, for better or worse, we must live with the results.

So by all means, express your opinion. It's your God-given right, and it's even enshrined in the US constitution. Just make sure you get out there ... on the campaign trail ... to make sure your opinion counts.

RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com

CA Bikers Win Again!

2010-07-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

As much as I try to pay attention to election news, I don't know how on earth I missed the boat on this one...

Way back on June 8 California had statewide primaries. A few races were really close, and apparently one of them -- Senate District 40 in Chula Vista -- was mistakenly called a victory for Assembly Member Mary Salas.

As many will attest, Salas is no friend of bikers.

Not so fast ... as the last returns finally came in, she fell short by 22 votes to her primary rival, Juan Vargas. And Vargas supports repeal. Now Salas is hoping to turn things around with a recount, but she needs to raise $80k to pay for it.

For some reason, Mary's having a hard time finding rich friends. To make matters worse (for her), the California Secretary of State says there has yet to be a race that's been overturned after a recount.

Bye bye, Mary!

But the best news is that pro-repeal Juan Vargas is running against ... pro-repeal Brian Hendry. Regardless of how the SD-40 race turns out, we are yet another district closer to a legislative majority.

Score so far in the State Senate ... 10 Green, 10 Red.

-RIDE2REPEAL@gmail.com