Received the following e-mail this morning. Please to all of you supporting this effort, goto the following site to download the new petition and redo those signatures.
http://www.vetothegovernor.org/
Thanks,
Richard
SITREP
8/19/99
There have been a lot of questions about the validity of the
petition format. There is good news and bad news, but I hope it doesn't
impede our efforts to drive on and continue. The
petitions we have been circulating are *not* valid, and despite everything
we have tried, as is, they cannot be made valid. You can beat me up after
we fix what needs fixing. However, this is the time to suck it up and
push even harder.
I told you all in the beginning I would make mistakes, and I
did. I take full responsibility personally and don't intend to hide
behind any excuses.
All the experts told me in the beginning we could never conduct a campaign
totally grass roots. I was told we needed to raise money, hire lawyers,
consultants, accountant's et al. They were 'almost right'. In the wake
of what this extraordinary all volunteer grassroots effort has
accomplished, I really believe we CAN do what all the experts said we
could not. Despite MY foul ups and the procedural hoops we need to jump
through, we can, and should continue to march.
Here's the deal: My original understanding (now verified as
incorrect) was that we needed to attach the complete text of the entire
bill (SB23), all 28 page, to the package of petitions we will deliver to
each county registrar of voters. I was wrong. Apparently, we need to
include the FULL TEXT of the bill on each petition. We struggled with how
to achieve that and the
resultant 2-point font will not fly. The preferred 8-point font won't
fit. We have succeeded in crafting a legal six-point font onto a
petition.
The new petition is available on the website now. The old ones, which are
signed, should still be mailed to Sacramento even
though they are not valid.
As sick as I am over what has happened, I personally have no
intention of quitting. However if you are among those who will be
p.o.-ed, I'd understand deserters. But before you abandon us, let me
share what we can, and I feel we should do.
The original plan has yielded some unintended benefits.
* We have established an incredible statewide network of
constitutionally grounded volunteers.
* Several genuine champions have revealed themselves.
* The potential for continued follow up action has become obvious to
supporters and detractors alike.
* Professional assets we could not have afforded have volunteered their
services (specifically lawyers and printers).
Here is what we intend to do:
We continue to gather signatures to expand our outreach, and
prepare for the next fight. We will use the valid/legal
petition format. In the wake of the incredible momentum and
expanded distribution opportunities we CAN still accomplish our objective
in the remaining eight weeks.
Regardless of whether we can or cannot qualify SB23 for a
referendum, we prepare for the next phase. Our fight over SB15.
Even the NRA has stated SB15 is even worse than SB23 (although SB23
remains bad, we may only be able to pray that the courts will shoot it
down).
In the wake of the lessons learned from this experience, I am confident we
can and should be able to qualify SB15 for a March referendum with little
difficulty. We have the benefit of the gunshow season upon us. Hunting
season and a gaggle of
political events in the fourth quarter than can only be added fuel to our
efforts.
Although we should remain grassroots, it is now obvious we need 'a little'
structure, and to that end I propose a small board of directors with
representatives from San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Sacramento, and two
north state members. I also intend to include a lawyer, accountant, and
political consultant on our board.
After SB15 qualifies for the ballot, we should immediately
continue with phase three.
Phase Three: For years I have been saying we need to hold
elected officials accountable for what they do and what they
don't do. I haven't wanted to mix messages, but the reality is that
legislators, once elected, pursue their own personal agendas. Phase three
will focus on not only holding the elected accountable for what they do
and don't do, but also routinely and consistently staying in their face.
I am REALLY sorry for the problems that have occurred, but we knew there
would be challenges in the beginning. At least I did. I just didn't
expect to be the cause for this kind of setback. HOWEVER, we do learn
from mistakes, and it is my most sincere and heartfelt hope that we can
learn from this, and increase the momentum, commitment, and can-do
attitude already displayed.
Geoff Metcalf
Chairman, VetoTheGovernor.org
------------------
Richard
The debate is not about guns,
but rather who has the ultimate power to rule,
the People or Government.
RKBA!
http://www.vetothegovernor.org/
Thanks,
Richard
SITREP
8/19/99
There have been a lot of questions about the validity of the
petition format. There is good news and bad news, but I hope it doesn't
impede our efforts to drive on and continue. The
petitions we have been circulating are *not* valid, and despite everything
we have tried, as is, they cannot be made valid. You can beat me up after
we fix what needs fixing. However, this is the time to suck it up and
push even harder.
I told you all in the beginning I would make mistakes, and I
did. I take full responsibility personally and don't intend to hide
behind any excuses.
All the experts told me in the beginning we could never conduct a campaign
totally grass roots. I was told we needed to raise money, hire lawyers,
consultants, accountant's et al. They were 'almost right'. In the wake
of what this extraordinary all volunteer grassroots effort has
accomplished, I really believe we CAN do what all the experts said we
could not. Despite MY foul ups and the procedural hoops we need to jump
through, we can, and should continue to march.
Here's the deal: My original understanding (now verified as
incorrect) was that we needed to attach the complete text of the entire
bill (SB23), all 28 page, to the package of petitions we will deliver to
each county registrar of voters. I was wrong. Apparently, we need to
include the FULL TEXT of the bill on each petition. We struggled with how
to achieve that and the
resultant 2-point font will not fly. The preferred 8-point font won't
fit. We have succeeded in crafting a legal six-point font onto a
petition.
The new petition is available on the website now. The old ones, which are
signed, should still be mailed to Sacramento even
though they are not valid.
As sick as I am over what has happened, I personally have no
intention of quitting. However if you are among those who will be
p.o.-ed, I'd understand deserters. But before you abandon us, let me
share what we can, and I feel we should do.
The original plan has yielded some unintended benefits.
* We have established an incredible statewide network of
constitutionally grounded volunteers.
* Several genuine champions have revealed themselves.
* The potential for continued follow up action has become obvious to
supporters and detractors alike.
* Professional assets we could not have afforded have volunteered their
services (specifically lawyers and printers).
Here is what we intend to do:
We continue to gather signatures to expand our outreach, and
prepare for the next fight. We will use the valid/legal
petition format. In the wake of the incredible momentum and
expanded distribution opportunities we CAN still accomplish our objective
in the remaining eight weeks.
Regardless of whether we can or cannot qualify SB23 for a
referendum, we prepare for the next phase. Our fight over SB15.
Even the NRA has stated SB15 is even worse than SB23 (although SB23
remains bad, we may only be able to pray that the courts will shoot it
down).
In the wake of the lessons learned from this experience, I am confident we
can and should be able to qualify SB15 for a March referendum with little
difficulty. We have the benefit of the gunshow season upon us. Hunting
season and a gaggle of
political events in the fourth quarter than can only be added fuel to our
efforts.
Although we should remain grassroots, it is now obvious we need 'a little'
structure, and to that end I propose a small board of directors with
representatives from San Diego, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Sacramento, and two
north state members. I also intend to include a lawyer, accountant, and
political consultant on our board.
After SB15 qualifies for the ballot, we should immediately
continue with phase three.
Phase Three: For years I have been saying we need to hold
elected officials accountable for what they do and what they
don't do. I haven't wanted to mix messages, but the reality is that
legislators, once elected, pursue their own personal agendas. Phase three
will focus on not only holding the elected accountable for what they do
and don't do, but also routinely and consistently staying in their face.
I am REALLY sorry for the problems that have occurred, but we knew there
would be challenges in the beginning. At least I did. I just didn't
expect to be the cause for this kind of setback. HOWEVER, we do learn
from mistakes, and it is my most sincere and heartfelt hope that we can
learn from this, and increase the momentum, commitment, and can-do
attitude already displayed.
Geoff Metcalf
Chairman, VetoTheGovernor.org
------------------
Richard
The debate is not about guns,
but rather who has the ultimate power to rule,
the People or Government.
RKBA!