Mike Nellis

Name:	Mike Nellis
Location:	Omaha, NE

My personal volunteering highlight:

Last year, while working as a finance assistant on the Kleeb campaign, I had dinner at local place in Omaha with some other members of the campaign. When the waitress handed us the check, I asked her if she was planning to vote and who she was going to vote for. She told me she wasn't planning on it but asked me to send her an email with some information about Scott Kleeb. The next day I sent her an email about Scott and why we were running this campaign. She told me how she was worried about the economy, and her kids, and the future. How she was frustrated by politics and didn't know what to do. After a few weeks of exchanging emails, she agreed not only to vote but came in to volunteer a few times despite her busy schedule.

That is the reason I keep coming back. Even though we lost the campaign in 2008, I know Nebraska has good people who are ready for change. All it takes is a few folks stepping up and standing up for what we believe in.

More about my volunteering with DFA:

Sadly I am not. I have chosen to be involved in campaigns and party organizations mostly but I have had a tremendous respect for Governor Dean and the efforts of DFA.

More about my volunteering with progressive organizations:

I'm active in Young Democrats and the local party. I am also helping to recruit strong candidates for 2010.

More about my work on current campaigns and issues:

Right now I am working on a City Council race in Omaha where I manage the field, online, and communications aspect of the campaign. If we win, Democrats will control the council and be able to do so much good for our city in the coming years.

What motivates me:

Nebraska is a wonderful state, with great people but our politics is broken. The way I look at, we can either participate in a politics that is unresponsive to the needs of the majority of Nebraskans or we can fight back. I prefer to fight.

How I try to motivate others:

By never asking anyone to do something I wouldn't do myself.

I phone bank with my callers, walk with my canvassers, and input data with my volunteers. How can I expect anyone to get involved in something I won't do myself?

Where I see myself in five years:

Fighting the good fight.

Hopefully I'll be in a great position as a community organizer to help elect progressive leaders who will fight for Nebraskans.

My suggested bumper sticker slogan for the Stand with Dr. Dean campaign:

Let's put the care back in Health Care!