Maybe this is chauvinist, but there’s nothing like hearing your wife’s profession being attacked on national television by small-minded, small-hearted vermin to get your blood boiling. Community organizing is a lot like being a mayor, except that the pay is worse and the issues are harder. Why? Because organizing picks up where government leaves off.

Community organizers work among churches, synagogues, blue-collar unions, veterans, the homeless. They fight for the least among us, because not everyone is born to power or amasses great wealth.

The rich and powerful don’t need organizers: they are heard loud and clear in our society.

Community organizers get out the vote. And in this election, at least, Republicans seem to be fine with brushing off the people who work tirelessly to get them elected. Because they don’t need organizers: the paid help can do it for them.

Here’s a true story passed along several months ago by a friend:

Yesterday, I got a call from a McCain fundraiser. I am still on McCain’s mailing list/calling list because I donated to his 2000 campaign, back when I leaned farther right and he leaned farther left (or at least I perceived him to be more left leaning)… [T]he young man who called said thank you for your past donation, your support of the Republicans. We all know we can’t rely on the Democrats to do anything right and certainly can’t count on Barack Obama. McCain’s our man. Won’t you give McCain some money? The rant on the Dems was not obnoxious but pretty negative. So too the rant on Obama.

So I decided to be polite but firmly said that I had switched my affiliation to Democratic and that I was behind Barack Obama 100 percent. Pretty much just that.

Here’s the kicker: The guy on the other end of the line, the McCain fundraiser, said that he agreed with me, that he was supporting Barack too, and that “this was just my job.” He ended by saying “See you at the polls.”

So go on, taunt the community organizers. It’s a lousy economy right now: I’m sure McCain can go pick up a few more cheap telemarketers to go do all the hard work.

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