You can build a stronger community, a little at a time. Here’s three things you can do this week, about taxes edition.
1: Something to Talk About: What Do You Believe In?
Building community with our neighbors is a long term commitment, that is best done through long, detailed conversations.
According to Dave Fleischer, who coined the term “deep canvassing”, it takes about six months for a campaign to become proficient in deep canvassing and to recruit and train volunteers.
The impact of deep canvassing lasts for about 9 months, unlike traditional canvassing, where the effects of persuasion are short-lived. Studies on deep canvassing suggest a conversion rate of 10%. That means you need to create 10,000 conversations to change 1,000 minds. Volunteers working a 2-hour shift, on average, can complete 5 conversations. But remember, the impact is cumulative.
Most election campaigns don’t have time to run deep canvassing programs to win, so it’s up to precinct leaders and volunteers in the Yellowstone Democrats to organize and hold deep canvassing conversations year-round and continue through non-election years.
How many deep conversations will you have this week on issues facing your community?
2: Something to Do: Read the Platform
Holding deep conversations involves asking a lot of questions, but it’s helpful to have at least some high level understanding around the issues that are likely to be brought up.
The Montana Democratic party platform is a set of principles, goals, and strategies designed to address current issues in Montana. It’s organized by “planks,” or declarations that speak to each specific issue. It explores what we believe in, as Montana Democrats, and is in general, a great way to measure candidates and ballot issues that will cross the political stage this year.
Click here to read the opening summary and download the full Montana
3: Something to Join
Join us for the Platform Committee meeting, as we begin to prepare proposals for additions and edits to the Montana Democratic Platform.
Platform Committee meeting – Wednesday, January 31
Yellowstone Medical Center, second floor conference room
1200 North 29th Street, Billings, MT 59101
This week, in addition to the the usual democratic social events the Yellowstone County Commission meeting agenda items include the 10-year study commission, updating mill levy calculations to comply with state law, and the next steps in building additional a short term detention facility City of Billings.
Check out the 3 Things calendar for times, locations and agendas of what’s going on this week.
This is part of our weekly newsletter, “3 Things You Can Do” to help you build a stronger community through information on issues and opportunities to create connection in your neighborhood, on your own time. Each newsletter includes:
- Something to talk about: facts about a topic or issue that impacts our local community
- Something to do: a prompt for a small gesture to get out and connect with your family, friends and neighbors
- Something to join: opportunities to participate or lead in your local community