TAKE SIX IN 06: GETTING WOMEN TO THE POLLS IN 2006!  This week the Democratic National Committee launched TAKE SIX - designed to involved YOU in getting women to the polls on for the November 7th election. Brought to you by the DNC Women's Vote Center, TAKE SIX seeks to reach the 20 million unmarried women who did not vote in 2004 community by community by empowering YOU to be the voice for the Democratic Party's vision for moving our country in a New Direction. These unmarried women are the biggest potential group of new voters in the country, and the most likely to vote for Democrats, but only if they vote. Why unmarried women? Great question. All women voters are important to reach, but unmarried women tell us that not only are they more likely to support Democrats up and down the ballot, but they overwhelmingly want change in our country's direction and its leadership. Getting this group of voters to the polls will be critical to victory in 2006. Unmarried women did come to the polls in record numbers during the presidential election but may not be planning to vote during this mid-term election - or may not know where to cast an early or absentee ballot. A large number of unmarried women have moved since 2004 and need to update their registration in order to participate this cycle. That's where you come in! We know that women trust what they hear from other women. That is what the TAKE SIX campaign is all about; women talking to other women about the issues that matter to them, like health care and economic security, and making clear that they can do something to bring change to our country - if they vote. TAKE SIX participants commit to identifying SIX unmarried women they will be responsible for getting to the polls. Unlike other efforts that focus only on registration, TAKE SIX asks women to build a relationship with their 6 voters, and stay in touch with them through Election Day -- or ensure their votes have been cast early if that is an option in your state. Visit the TAKE SIX online resource page to sign up, download your leader guides and get information on election info in your state at: http://www.democrats.org/takesix THE DO-NOTHING-GOP-CONGRESS: WILL THEY ACT ON HEALTH CARE BEFORE ADJOURNMENT? The Republican-led Congress is set to go home in five business days, leaving a number of important legislative priorities undone and a host of issues unresolved. After 12 years of Republican Congressional rule, the GOP puts politics ahead of what's good for America and are ineffective at dealing with the problems that American families face. It is no wonder that Americans are fed up with Republican leadership in Congress and now favor Democratic control. What's left on the table? Some pretty basic stuff for American families - for example, access to affordable health care for all Americans. Over the last five years, with Republican control of the White House and Congress, the numbers of the uninsured have swelled. And this does not count the number of underinsured families! Nearly 47 Million Americans Are Uninsured - Increasing for the Fifth Year in a Row. The number of Americans lacking health insurance increased by 1.3 million last year -- and by 6.8 million since Bush took office in 2001. Today, a total of 46.6 million people are uninsured -- roughly one in seven Americans. [U.S. Census Bureau, 8/29/06; Table HI-4] The Number of Uninsured Children Increased By 361,000 Over the Past Year; Rate of Uninsured Children Rose for First Time in Five Years. The number of children without health insurance increased to 8.3 million this year - a 361,000 increase over the past year. Over 21.9 percent of Hispanic children and 12.5 percent of African American children lack health insurance. [U.S. Census Bureau, 8/29/06] BUSH'S FAILED FOREIGN POLICY: MAKING US LESS SAFE? Under President Bush and his Republican "do-nothing" Congress' failed leadership, progress in the war on terror has been stymied. Adding to President Bush's dismal record is the recently released National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) report, which undercuts President Bush's rosy depictions and false claims of progress in the war on terror. While the President and Republicans in Congress have asserted that Iraq is a central front in the war on terror, the NIE report confirms what Democrats have been saying for months, that the war in Iraq has become a rallying point for extremism and terrorists, ultimately weakening our ability to fight terrorism. The President likes to say 'we're winning the war on terror' but now the American people can read for themselves that the intelligence community believes something different: the war in Iraq is increasing the threat of terrorism at home and around the world. Given all of the half-truths and misleading rhetoric we've heard from this Administration over the last five years, it should come as no surprise that the Bush White House would find it more convenient to release the latest NIE report on Iraq after the elections in November. These deceptive maneuvers are part of a larger pattern. We now know that from the beginning we were not told the truth in the run up to the Iraq war, and that along the way the Administration has cherry-picked the facts to paint a certain picture. Our troops are now occupying a country that is sliding into civil war, caught in the middle of increasing sectarian violence, and all the Administration seems to tell us is 'stay the course.' President Bush and his Administration are in denial about the facts. Now is the time for the truth. I'm sure you've heard that President Clinton did exactly what Democrats need to do in this election. Democrats need to stand up to the right-wing propaganda machine and tell the truth. Washington Republicans' attempts to twist history and recast the truth do not help us win the war on terror or bring us closer to capturing Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the September 11th attacks. President Clinton stood up to the misleading tactics of the right-wing propaganda machine. As the National Intelligence Estimate that was reported on today showed, the Iraq War and the Bush Administration's failed policies have hurt our ability to win the war on terror. As President Clinton said, Democrats stand for policies that are both tough and smart and we remain committed to winning the war on terror. UNMARRIED WOMEN AND THEIR DESIRE FOR CHANGE IN OUR COUNTRY'S DIRECTION The numbers aren't surprising - women are looking for change in this country. But unmarried women - who are on their own with the household and healthcare expenses - are overwhelmingly ready for change in our country. That's the latest news from the Women's Voices Women's Vote Action Fund who recently surveyed unmarried women in the key Congressional districts. Our challenge: these women may not be as likely to vote in this mid-term election as married women due to a variety of factors. Which is why the DNC Women's Vote Center is promoting the TAKE SIX in 06 program to help reach these key women in every community - to ensure they have the information they desire to cast a vote. Even though unmarried women are frustrated with the direction of the country, seeing them at the polling place is not a sure thing. We all know the explosion of negative and inaccurate messages that will saturate the airwaves in the last week's of the campaign attempting to dissuade these 'change' voters from thinking their vote will make a difference. So every voter that exercises the option to vote early or absentee (where allowed by state law) can raise their voice before the negative campaigning discourages them from voting. WE can keep talking to these voters on issues they care about - that personal contact from a woman like you can make the difference. A few other tips learned about the preferences of unmarried women voters: using images that women can connect with emotionally, offering third party citations so the women can review it themselves, using information that comes from a non-partisan source, particularly when a disclaimer stipulates the organization does not endorse parties or candidates. Visit http://www.actionfund.org to download this research and learn more about strategies to turn out unmarried women. SPEAKING OF GREAT NON-PARTISAN INFORMATION FOR WOMEN... The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) has put together a series of fact sheets for key issues from managing work / family balance, healthcare and education. So when a woman tells you they do not know enough about the issues to vote? Don't worry. The research shows that millions of other women feel the same way! NWLC in partnership with Women's Voices Women's Vote have provided the information needed for women to get involved and active in the upcoming elections. Visit http://www.nwlc.org/womenvote for details. STIRRING THE POTS - Healthcare insurance is unaffordable. Retirement Security is disappearing. We still don't have equal pay for equal work. Had enough? Join with the AFL-CIO and Working America want to talk about solutions to the above issues and help our country move in a New Direction. Tuesday, October 10th, you can join the effort. You can learn more about these events held across the country at http://www.stirringthepot.org. DEMOCRATS TAKING THE LEAD DEMOCRATIC WOMEN RUNING FOR OFFICE We are pleased to provide a final listing of the women running as Democratic nominees for Federal and Statewide office in 2006! The list is significant, showing that the Democratic Party welcomes women not only to the table - but also on the ticket! This week we share with you the full list of Federal candidates. To view the full list of women candidates, visit http://www.womensvotecenter.org * indicates Incumbent. Bold indicates new candidate | AK | AL | Diane Benson | | AL | 1 | Vivian Beckerle | | AL | 4 | Barbara Bobo | | AZ | 1 | Ellen Simon | | AZ | 8 | Gabrielle Giffords | | CA | 5 | Doris Matsui * | | CA | 6 | Lynn Woolsey * | | CA | 8 | Nancy Pelosi * | | CA | 9 | Barbara Lee * | | CA | 10 | Ellen Tauscher * | | CA | 14 | Anna Eshoo * | | CA | 16 | Zoe Lofgren * | | CA | 22 | Sharon Beery | | CA | 23 | Lois Capps * | | CA | 24 | Jill Martinez | | CA | 26 | Cynthia Matthews | | CA | 32 | Hilda Solis * | | CA | 33 | Diane Watson * | | CA | 34 | Lucille Roybal-Allard * | | CA | 35 | Maxine Waters * | | CA | 36 | Jane Harman * | | CA | 37 | Juanita Millender-McDonald * | | CA | 38 | Grace Napolitano * | | CA | 39 | Linda Sanchez * | | CA | 40 | Florice Hoffman | | CA | 47 | Loretta Sanchez * | | CA | 49 | Jeeni Criscenzo | | CA | 50 | Francine Busby | | CA | 53 | Susan Davis * | | CT | 3 | Rosa DeLauro * | | CT | 4 | Diane Farrell | | CO | 1 | Diana Degette * | | CO | 4 | Angie Paccione | | DC | AL | Eleanor Holmes Norton * | | FL | 3 | Corrine Brown * | | FL | 9 | Phyllis Busansky | | FL | 10 | Samm Simpson | | FL | 11 | Kathy Castor | | FL | 13 | Christine Jennings | | FL | 20 | Debbie Wasserman Schultz * | | GU | AL | Madeleine Z. Bordallo * | | HI | 2 | Mazie Hirono | | IA | 5 | Joyce Schulte | | IL | 6 | L. Tammy Duckworth | | IL | 8 | Melissa Bean * | | IL | 9 | Jan Schakowsky * | | IN | 5 | Katherine Fox Carr | | IN | 7 | Julia Carson * | | KS | 2 | Nancy Boyda | | MI | 13 | Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick * | | MI | 7 | Sharon Renier | | MI | 9 | Nancy Skinner | | MO | 8 | Veronica Hambacker | | MO | 6 | Sara Jo Shettles | | MN | 2 | Colleen Rowley | | MN | 3 | Wendy Pareene Wilde | | MN | 4 | Betty McCollum * | | MN | 6 | Patty Wettlerling | | MT | AL | Monica Lindeen | | NE | 1 | Maxine Moul | | NH | 1 | Carol Shea-Porter | | NJ | 2 | Viola Thomas-Hughes | | NJ | 5 | Carol Elaine Gay | | NJ | 7 | Linda Stender | | NM | 1 | Patricia Madrid | | NV | 1 | Shelley Berkley * | | NV | 2 | Jill Derby | | NV | 3 | Tessa Hafen | | NY | 4 | Carolyn McCarthy * | | NY | 11 | Yvette Clarke | | NY | 12 | Nydia Velazquez * | | NY | 14 | Carolyn Maloney * | | NY | 18 | Nita Lowey * | | NY | 20 | Kirsten Gillibrand | | NY | 28 | Louise Slaughter * | | OH | 2 | Victoria Wulsin | | OH | 5 | Robin Weinrauch | | OH | 9 | Marcy Kaptur * | | OH | 11 | Stephanie Tubbs Jones * | | OH | 13 | Betty Sutton | | OH | 15 | Mary Jo Kilroy | | OK | 3 | Sue Barton | | OR | 2 | Carol Voisin | | OR | 5 | Darlene Hooley * | | PA | 6 | Lois Murphy | | PA | 13 | Allyson Schwartz * | | PA | 16 | Lois Herr | | SD | AL | Stephanie Herseth * | | TX | 18 | Sheila Jackson Lee * | | TX | 30 | Eddie Bernice Johnson * | | TX | 31 | Mary Beth Harrell | | VA | 1 | Judy Feder | | VI | AL | Donna Christian-Christiansen * | | WA | 8 | Darcy Burner | | WI | 2 | Tammy Baldwin * | | WI | 4 | Gwen Moore * |
BEST PRACTICE SPOTLIGHT: Watauga County, N. Carolina In Watauga County, N.Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, party leaders are writing personal letters to unmarried women. Watauga County Democrats know women are up for grabs this cycle and know that the personal contact works. Here's the proof: In 2004, 133 women leaders contacted 6,000 single women at coffee shops, letter-writing parties and kitchen tables. The result from that local effort? More women than men voted in the county, more absentee votes were cast for Democrats than Republicans (for the first time in recent history), Republican women split their votes for Democratic Candidates and the Democratic Party took control of the County Commission. This week the effort started again, using a carefully targeted list in partnership with the state voter file. That list will contain not only women who voted in 2004 but might stay home this cycle AND brand new women voters. Things to collect other than the list of contacts? Stamps and sample letter writing guidelines. Kudos to Watauga County Democratic Women for doing the important work locally that makes a difference. Last cycle, the county commission, this cycle the Congressional and state legislative seat. BEST PRACTICE SPOTLIGHT: Tennessee Democratic Party The Tennessee Democratic Party knows moms care about the direction of this county. And married moms in the South are taking a second look at their past support for George Bush and his rubber-stamp Congress. The TDP began the Democratic Moms group to create a community between these women with children and the Democratic Party. Have your own best practice? Send it to womensvote@dnc.org so we can share across the country! Did you receive this newsletter from a friend? Want to sign up yourself? Just visit http://www.womensvotecenter.org and hit the 'Week in Review' button. Would you like to forward this newsletter to a friend? Visit http://www.democrats.org/wir/invite and share this resource with your political networks. | 
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