“Came in on Saturdays” – 100 Progressive Hits and Counting
What on earth does this heading mean? No, “Came in on Saturdays” does not refer to going into the office on weekends. “Came in on Saturdays” is a political blog that I started on November 7, 2004. Like many progressive Democrats, I was shocked and more than a little upset that W managed to eke out a 2.9% victory over John Kerry in 2004 and keep the House and Senate painted GOP “Red.” Having heard my rants about Democratic failures for years, my family encouraged me to start writing a blog to express my feelings. Thus, the birth of “Came in on Saturdays.” This blog gets its title from W’s comments during his first debate with Kerry in which he stated that he was “working hard” as President. Saturday Night Live did a parody of the debate. I paraphrased one of the key exchanges of the mock-debate regarding the Iraq insurgency. The SNL moderator asked the fake W, “are you telling us that your strategy to defeat insurgents (In Iraq) will be to come in on Saturdays?” The fake W, Will Ferrell, replies that if “that is what it takes” to win against the war on terror, he’s willing to do it.
This blog’s purpose is to show how Democrats can win the White House and both chambers of Congress. Originally from “Blue” New England, I have lived in the Southern California area since my teens. I have been a proud political junkie from the get go. I am a retired attorney and pay close attention to the legal and political doings of the U.S. Supreme Court and the lower Federal courts. Since 1968, I have been involved in Democratic presidential, congressional, and local campaigns. My volunteer efforts included working as a telephone banker, precinct captain, and poll watcher, in the Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, and Obama contests as well as in key midterm elections. I am a long term member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC), and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).
Since I started my blog, I have written nearly 500 entries. My main theme is that all elections count, not just presidential ones. I keep stressing that in order for Democrats to win it’s the “T” word– “turnout,” “turnout,” “turnout”, stupid. I emphasize the fact that the reason the GOP now controls the House was because Democrats decided not to show up at the polls in 2010. This poor off- year midterm Democratic voting, or what “Big Dog” Bill Clinton correctly called “political malpractice,” allowed the GOP to take over not only the House, but also, a majority of governorships and state legislatures. The GOP governors and legislatures then redistricted/gerrymandered many newly-elected GOP congressmen into safe districts from which it will take a while to dislodge them. With growing racial and ethnic demographics favoring “Team Blue,” strong Democratic voter turnout in EVERY national election is the key to victory and a more progressive nation.
In my blog, I focus on the fringe beliefs and zany actions of many GOP Congressmen, Senators, and presidential candidates and discuss their electoral prospects. Writing this blog, gives me a chance to spread my ideas across the U.S. and the globe. Hopefully, this blog encourages people to get involved and think deeply about politics. Many of my repeat viewers, as seen on my Real Time tracker, come from “Red” States. My blog is read by people in all 50 states and in at least 71 countries.
In order to get more people to read my main blog and to keep my fans engaged, I have decided to publish 100 of what I consider to be my best postings on this blog. Since I have written them, the political “facts on the ground” have changed, sometimes confirming and other times upending my views. Before each blog entry, I have made comments updating what has happened. I hope you enjoy my political musings.
Penny Van Gelder
Came In On Saturdays 