Japan # 6 in the World on VoteFromAbroad.org

A little tooting of our horns this week. (cue trumpets and drums)

As you know I am involved in Democrats Abroad here in Japan and am the newly elected DNC member for the Asia Region of DA worldwide. Our main goal is registering voters living overseas to get their absentee ballots. We use a terrific tool, paid for and supported by grassroots Americans living all over the world. www.VoteFromAbroad.org
We have 10 days left. Can you help us get the word out?
Everything we do in election season revolves around getting the word out about that site and getting people to go there and request their absentee ballots.

In Japan we have done voter assistance tables, handed out cards and fliers, ran ads, promoted viral campaigns, and talked up VFA with pretty much every breathing moment. Phone banking, emailing, talking and more talking.

So here is the horn tooting part-- Japan, not the largest committee or the largest population of overseas Americans by far-- is number 6 world wide for registrations using votefromabroad.org. #6!!! Just behind older, more established committees- UK, Canada, France, Germany and Italy. AND our sort of sister committee we've been helping in Beijing and Shanghai is #7!

Done bragging now, and I return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

With one reminder. If you know ANY American living overseas- point them to VoteFromAbroad.org today! Our deadline for absentee requests is coming up in less than 10 days! Point them there. We'll take care of the rest.

And don't forget you can also help by promoting our VFA Video with cameo by the gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow.

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Concerned Voters Vs. The VA: Winning One for the Good Guys

In May, myself and many of my friends who have a deep interest in Veterans care and assistance were outraged that the VA decided to ban all non-partisan, voter registration assistance at all VA Hospitals, Nursing homes, shelters and other care facilities. Their weak and pathetic attempts at covering up voter suppression of our wounded vets was to say that the voter assistance efforts disrupted operations at their facilities and that doctors and nurses were complaining. Subsequent requests for evidence of this were of course ignored and no evidence of disruptive outcomes from voter assistance were ever produced.

The outrage over this, at home and overseas where there are VA hospitals that were offering voter assistance for absentee ballot requests, was huge. Voter groups, Congress people, and Vets joined forces and waged a pitched battle against this attempt to disenfranchise veterans.

But there is good news.

WASHINGTON; NY TIMES — The Department of Veterans Affairs said Monday that it would no longer ban voter registration drives among veterans living at federally run nursing homes, shelters for the homeless and rehabilitation centers across the country.

In May, the department said such drives would violate the prohibition on political activity by federal employees and would be disruptive.

The reversal came after months of pressure from state election officials, voting rights groups and federal lawmakers who said that such drives made it easier for veterans to take part in the political process.

The reasons behind this ban are pretty clear. FEC reports a huge increase in donations to Democratic candidates esp. Barack Obama, from APO boxes and military personale. So someone was, I assume, tasked to discourage these disloyal veterans from exercising their right to vote.

Thankfully we won this one, AND in time to get these men and women registered.

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