Close

Our Members Speak 

Response to July 2006 Poll

 

72 responses received through 8/31.

1-     The name of our organization was recently changed from “Seniors Against Federal Extravagance” to “Secure America’s Future Economy” with the intention of (a) appealing to younger members (the people whose interests we have traditionally striven to represent), and (b) accentuating the positive (what we are for rather than what we are against).  How do you feel about the new name?

77% of responses to this question said new name was an improvement; 13% said the change didn’t matter; 10% said the old name was better.  Comments:

  1. Better for reasons stated, but old name was an AARP alternative.
 
  1. New name is awful and a “copout,” does not state purpose for being.
 
  1. Need younger blood with more energy than I have.
 
  1. Better, but it seems to me that seniors are a more recognizable voting block.
 
  1. I like it!
 
  1. SAFE needs to grow, name change a plus (I’m younger), add membership graph over time to the newsletter.
 
2. SAFE has been preaching government fiscal responsibility for the past decade during which time the government’s fiscal situation has gotten worse instead of improving. What do you think we should do at this point?

2/3 of respondents said to keep plugging; 1/3 said to try new strategies. NO votes for “giving up.”  Suggestions for new strategies and other comments were as follows: 

  1. Stress federal grants and 10th Amendment.
 
  1. Growth & success requires change & innovation.
 
  1. Frontal attack on AARP.
 
  1. I have given up (at age 90), but you should not.
 
  1. I send requests for donation with a promise to pay when Congress cuts spending.
 
  1. Contact Congressman Ron Paul from Texas.
 
  1. Collaborate with other named groups, including Ron Paul.
 
  1. Stamp all mail to gov’t people and PACs with a slogan.  Mine is: “Secure borders first, argue amnesty later.”
 
  1. More frequent board member letters to News Journal, and send copies to Delaware Congressmen and key state legislators.
 
  1. I am cynical about future of America.
 
  1. Seek new members.
 
  1. Read “The Big Rip-off” by Timothy Carney.  Explains why government grows.
 
  1. Redline the federal expenditure (member has written a paper on this technique).
 
  1. Get every congregation, club, etc. to write to Congressmen.
 
  1. Increase membership.  How about a letter re SAFE that we members could download and print, or forward by e-mail, for family & friends.
 
  1. Find a younger way.
 
  1. Consider joining forces with Concord Coalition.
 
  1. Revert to what the Constitution says the gov’t should do and nothing more.
 
  1. Public forums, advertising.
 
  1. Pressure, support or oppose candidates.
 
  1. More visits, calls, letters from members to their Representatives and Senators.
 
  1. Wish I knew.  Republicans and Democrats are ruining our country.
 
  1. As long as we keep trying, we can keep the politicians a little bit honest.
 
  1. Maybe mix scare tactics with some satirical direct mail.

 3. Considerable effort has been put into upgrading the SAFE Website (s-a-f-e.org) as a vehicle to get our message out to a broader audience. 

(A) Have you visited the site? ____ (Yes/No); (B) How would you rate the content?  ______ (score from 5, superior, to 1, poor), (C) Have you completed the poll on tax policy (see popup message on the Taxes page)? _____ (Yes/No); (D) What suggestions for improvement do you have for the Website? __________ (please explain)

 Seventeen members reported having visited the Website; three times as many said they had not.  Some members explained that they do not have a computer, prefer to read newsletters, hate the Internet, etc.

The average rating of content was 3.9 (per members who had visited the site).

Five members said they had filled out the poll on tax policy.

Here are some suggestions and comments

  1. Haven’t seen Website, but keep it going.
 
  1. Needs more graphics, all text will not hold interest of most viewers.
 
  1. State banner on menu at top with your transfer links. 
 
  1. Website seems to be in state of change.  Nothing but an opening page. (We believe this was an isolated glitch, Website is up and running.)
 
  1. Very easy to navigate and principles you suggest are great.
 
  1. Presume you have links to friendly conservative sites.  (Yes)

 4. We have been publishing a quarterly newsletter to communicate with our members for over a decade. Again, we would like your feedback to make sure that we are hitting the mark.

(A) Do you read the newsletter?  _____ always, and often pass it on to others; _____ generally ______ sporadically if at all. _____ (B) How would you rate the content?  ______ (score from 5, superior, to 1, poor);  (C) Are there suggestions for improvement that you would like to offer? ______ (please explain)

Almost all respondents read the newsletter, and the responses suggest that they do so in a serious way. 

The average rating on newsletter content by 53 respondents was just above 4.

 Here are some suggestions and comments:

  1. Make the newsletter more entertaining and interesting.
 
  1. Make it “less busy” and easier to read.
 
  1. Last issue (Summer 2006) was a significant improvement.
 
  1. Many other organizations trying to do same thing, can’t support them all.
 
  1. Last issue (Summer 2006) meatier, but edit more carefully.  
 
  1. Encourage members to buy memberships for family and friends.
 
  1. I think you know best, but keep your eye on the ball: getting the Gov’t out of the lives of all citizens.
 
  1. Gas, food and hospital should get grants.  Old people need help. 
 
  1. Clearly, war in Iraq + tax cuts are swamping other efforts at fiscal responsibility. 
 
  1. Needs more visuals.
 
  1. Discontinue mailing to those with e-mail addresses.
 
  1. Consider distributing by e-mail to members who prefer this option, may assist in getting people to pass on the newsletter. 
 
  1. This letter is for correct taxing, but I am not stuck on the tax issue.
 
  1. Send copies to politicians. (We do.)
 
  1. Update style and layout.

5.  We have pursued initiatives designed to sell our message, e.g., sending letters to the editor and political leaders, cultivating media contacts, and networking with larger organizations such as Cato and Citizens Against Government Waste. 

(A) Do you consider these types of activities worthwhile?  _______ (Yes/No/or not sure).  (B) Would you like to help?  ___________ (please explain)  (C) Do you have suggestions for new initiatives that may not have occurred to us?  ___________ (please explain)

A handful of respondents answered “not sure” to question A, but the “yes” answers were overwhelming and not a single respondent said “no.”

There were not a lot of offers to provide additional help, but we got plenty of comments and suggestions re questions B and C. 

  1. Steady drumbeat campaign on federal grants and 10th Amendment for at least a year.  Letters to editor, talk shows; directors work on this project & recruit others to do so.
 
  1. I support Bill Whipple’s initiatives on SS guarantee act.
 
  1. In last newsletter, you contrast the coming federal meltdown with global warming.  Brilliant, go with that, zero in on it like a laser.
 
  1. I will continue to support the group through conversations with friends.  I also volunteer for a local group with similar problems: hard work, few listen, but we continue to carry on.
 
  1. Push the 2nd Amendment, everyone must be taught to shoot a rifle.
 
  1. By joining other groups, incl. Libertarians and Ron Paul.
 
  1. Get a Hollywood celebrity on your side to counter Al Gore.
 
  1. Is there some way to personalize this issue, e.g., cost per household or per person.
 
  1. SAFE should interview Carl Milsted, a young person who is trying to reform the Libertarian Party and bring it into the mainstream.
 
  1. Only long-term answer is to change K-12 education.  We have an island of socialism polluting our country.  I am on the board of First Charter School in Anne Arundel County.
 
  1. Stage demonstrations to get on TV, e.g., burn Congress in effigy for “pork barrel” spending.
 
  1. I wish I had a good answer.  You have been very consistent with your message, but you need much more money and more members to be effective and presently there is so much competition for these resources.  *** Bring back Ronald Reagan.
 
  1. I am an attorney.  You need to find lawyers in your name to stop illegal expenditures. 
 
  1. I heard Nancy Johnson, a representative from CT, talk re retirement planning.  Consider teaming up with her.
 
  1. Good luck, but I am going to have to discontinue my subscription.  At 82, living expenses are becoming overwhelming.
 
  1. No suggestions, I work for a newspaper and have to appear neutral.
 
  1. I am very disappointed with both Bush and Congress.  The writer also notes poor attendance when the Concord Coalition came to Wilmington. 
 
  1. I support your general goals and value my personal friendship with Ed Fasig, but want to concentrate on other issues (environmental).
 
  1. Build local organizations outside of Delaware.  I think your participation in campus events is a great idea.

Top

Close