Excluding one minority after another

Independent candidate Tony Schinella was excluded up front. Republican Phil Hyde was told not to come until 8:30. "Can I come earlier and watch?" "No, it's not organized like that." "Should I get there 15 minutes early at least?" "No, we'll probably be running late." In the event, Phil was placed first at the ACDC Forum so he could rush over to Charlestown by 8:30. ACDC was running 15 minutes late, however, so Phil only left Brighton at 8:20 and arrived Charlestown at 8:40. The event was already over. They had rescheduled Phil for 8:15 without telling him, waited only 10 minutes and were already breaking up by 8:25! Minority candidate Charles Yancey was also scheduled for 8:30 but he "had a hunch," ignored their instructions, went over earlier and got "onstage" around 8. As one of Phil's wise old advisors put it, "Don't assume that anything that goes amiss happens accidentally."

Union Members, - this may be another reason why your power is shrinking - your "organizers." They limit your choices up front and don't do the basics in terms of getting even the choices they grudgingly admit before you so you can meet them and hear their message. And if you think a Republican message wouldn't matter anyway, think again. Phil's message is essentially the two major issues of the first 150 years of American labor history (shorter hours and higher pay) - spun to the right (fresher, more experienced, motivated, loyal and productive employees and a much bigger domestic customer base with plenty of time for shopping).