Dorothy Cornell

Name:	Dorothy Cornell
Location:	Honolulu, HI

My Experience in progressive politics:

First candidate I worked for was F.D.Roosevelt. Did more or less average advocacy for the next 60 years. Joined the Democratic party in the late 90s at the request of the chair of the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgendered Caucus, so that I could support the Caucus. I support extending the franchise: to under 18, incarcerated felons, immigrants, mentally ill, retarded. (Those are the only excluded in Hawai`i.)
Former board member of Clean Elections; quit in a huff when they wouldn't allow me to present the idea for electing presidents by popular vote. I believe that trying to institute public financing of elections is a losing game; much better to change the structure by eliminating the Electoral College. Then there would be no economic way for the big spenders to support candidates in 'battleground' states. They'd have to spend money in ALL states if the presidency was one person, one vote. I believe the Electoral College, like many American Institutions, was originally devised to maintain slavery.

My personal volunteering highlight:

Served on my Neighborhood Board when I lived in the Liliha district. A resident objected to the trees of her neighbors dropping leaves on her lawn. Our State Senator, State Representative, and City Councilman commiserated with her. When she complained to me, I suggested she was living on the wrong planet if she expected leaves to go anywhere but down. Conclusion: I make a better campaign worker than an elected official.

Steps I've taken to combine on-line and off-line action:

When I ran for the Neighborhood Board I put up a campaign page. http://home.honolulu.hawaii.edu/~cornelld/board13.html
This is an old page, and some of the links will go either to strange places, or nowhere.
I will do a new page if I run for the ConCon.

Why I want to attend Netroots Nation:

Received notice of it from the Equal Justice Society.

What I want to get out of Netroots Nation:

Anything I can.

What is a progressive activist:

Hopefully, one who works with other than just her mouth.

How I think blogs fit into the progressive movement:

I just checked the DFA Blogs, and they are very good. Blogs that outline an experience (such as what happened somewhere) can advance information that is unobtainable anywhere else. I am profoundly uninterested in blogs that give someone's opinion; I have my own opinions, which I choose to keep until facts are presented.

How I think Democracy For America fits into the progressive movement:

Sorry folks, this is the first time I've heard of you.

In 10 words or less, create a bumper-sticker slogan against John McCain:

McCAIN : JUST LIKE PRES. HOOVER