...BOTH of them!
TAG…You’re IT!
If
we’re going to make things better in our
state & country...
.....we need YOU!
MISSION STATEMENT:
To give average citizens a really powerful way of telling politicians, candidates and the media that we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore!
To provide a avenue of involvement and participation in the political process and issues advocacy for the average citizen who values the Constitution as the first test for candidates and elected officials, as well as for any legislation or regulations.
To put it as simply as
possible -- we want to inspire and support each other to get off our collective
rear ends and keep our elected officials and regulators honest & true to
the Constitutional ideals of limited government and fiscal responsibility. And to keep you involved for the long haul –
not just when it’s popular or easy to ride the current tide.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a grown-up conversation about issues with each other even if we disagree?
And we want to do that together – to give you tools you need – not just to influence elected officials, but also to talk to your neighbors, friends and community even if they don’t agree with you.
Let’s work to show them who we really are -- not the caricature manufactured in some blogger’s midnight rant, or the clichéd profile that peppers the mainstream media.
Let’s show them that people
who care about limited government & the Constitution represent a broad
cross-section of the country. We don’t
sleep in colonial costumes or want to go back to the 18th century
& churn butter.
That even though we are dealing with some serious issues, that we have a sense of humor about ourselves & others.
And let’s not forget the media –Let’s make it our mission that we never see the words “wing-nut” “tea-bagger” or “extremist” as the mandatory adjective in stories about people or politicians who do wacky, wacky things like talk about the Constitution, patriotism or limited government.
WE HAVE SOME BIG GOALS.SO HOW CAN WE DO IT?
First, let’s all make some promises to each other:
1. We promise limit our use of overworked terms like “empowerment” and “stakeholders” and other words that smack of Washington-speak and make it sound like you are doing something when you really aren’t, but want to have something good to include in your campaign ads.
2. We promise to let our fun sides and senses of humor show. Let’s use our humanity to win friends and influence people.
3. We promise politicians & media that it’s OKAY to admit they were wrong, and that “I’m sorry” goes a long way with us.
SO WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH?
WARNING: This section contains verbiage very close to
the Washington-speak we mentioned earlier – like “engagement.”
Apology issued in advance. Some habits will take a while to change.
Citizen engagement:
- Citizen involvement and education in user-friendly way
- Encourage coalition-building & joint activities with established organizations as well as ad hoc grassroots groups from all sides of the political spectrum
Media/popular culture engagement:
- Encourage contact with media
- Encourage use of new media & social networking
- Provide media tools & training for citizens
Campaigns & legislative process:
- Campaign claims watchdog
- Candidate vetting, rating & evaluation
- Monitoring elected officials’ adherence to campaign claims
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kathryn A. Serkes
Kathryn@takebackwashington.org
Kathryn Serkes is Co-Chair & founder of the Doctor Patient Medical Association -- harnessing the power of the grassroots movement and doctors who are fleeing the AMA -- to protect freedom in medicine for doctors AND patients.
She created "TAKE BACK WASHINGTON" to act as a umbrella site for grassroots activists who want to work in our home state to send fiscally responsible, accountable elected officials FROM Washington TO Washington D.C.
For more than 16 years, she served as public affairs and policy consultant for the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, representing that group during it’s litigation against the Hillary Clinton and the White House Health Care Task Force, and helping to spur the national coalition that lead to the defeat of the Clinton health plan.
An Emmy-award winning producer and reporter before founding Square One, her academic credentials include the faculty of Bellevue Community College and Guest Lecturer at George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. Her writing has appeared in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Hill and The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, and she’s been a guest on shows such as “Larry King Live,” “The Today Show” and “The O’Reilly Factor.” She is co-author of “Patient Power: The Patient’s Handbook.”
Ms. Serkes sits on the Health and Human Services Task Force of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the largest bi-partisan association of state legislators. She is founder and chair of the “Coalition Against Prosecutorial Abuse” to rein in government trial lawyers – the criminal companion to civil tort reform; “Hands Off Our Kids Coalition” to halt government pediatric vaccine mandates and other government violation of parental rights.
She is also founder and President of Square One Media Network, a strategic communications firm serving clients throughout the years such as Boeing, Sheraton Hotels, Continental Airlines, Time-Warner Communications, Washington State Dairy Commission, Washington Health Care Association, and the State of Washington since 1985. Offices are located in Seattle and Washington D.C.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS:
"I want to join. What should I do?"
If you want to be part of this group,
Here are the requirements for “membership”:
1. You’re mad as hell;
2. You’re not going to take it anymore;
3. You send us an email stating the above.
Sign up now!OUR INITIAL PROJECTS:
- Washington state READ THE BILLS bill
- Election-watch “TRUTH SQUAD”
- "HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE: Initiative -- send candidates notice that we will send out public alerts if they break any campaign promise when in office
Kathryn Serkes, Founder
Clint Didier
Mike Siegel (Advisor)
Citizen Advisory Board:
We'll be contacting all of you who applied for the Citizen Advisory Board on the Clint Didier website to see if you are interested in coming on board with TBW.
We will also be opening up for new applications very soon.
