How to Score

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

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

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

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

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

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

So you bunt.

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

You played to win.

Get Ready

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

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

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

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

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

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

Political Freeway

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

ANSWER: Absolutely.

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

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

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

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

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

Talk is Hot Air

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

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

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

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

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

Pop the Question

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oregon Shuffle

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

Not so in Oregon.

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

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

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

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

Repeal Machine Basics

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

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

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

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

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

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