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What’s next? We need an answer. |
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I had a conversation with a good friend of mine who lives in Chicago. She’s young and educated, but up until this year, not terribly interested in politics. But this year, like so many others around the country, she is interested because of Barack Obama and the amazing movement he’s put together.
The day after the election, we were talking and she told me that she wants to “get involved.” She said she understood that electing Obama wasn’t going to be enough, that if we were going to have any hope of actually changing the world we live in, as opposed to just talking about it, people like her were going to have to work for it. She was inspired, and she was ready to serve.
She asked me for ways to get involved, and for a moment, I was stumped.
Now, there are a ton of ways to “get involved,” but none really seemed up to the gravity of the task ahead of us. I could have told her to pick an issue she cared about and sign up her email address with an organization that works on that issue. I could have told her to donate some money to a group she admired so they could continue doing their good work. I could have told her to start reading and commenting on blogs, to get better informed about the latest political news. But honestly, none of those options seemed particularly satisfying. I mean, Barack Obama had just won the Presidency! Signing up for an email list or donating $50 just wasn’t going to cut it.
This dilemma highlights an important challenge facing progressives and progressive institutions in the coming months. There must be millions of people out there feeling the same way as my friend right now. It’s crucial that those people be absorbed into the permanent progressive infrastructure so they can keep working to actually bring about the change we all seek. Without places to go and things to do that really make a difference, these people will slowly turn off and forget about the importance of politics. Progressives run the risk of quietly losing a generation of activists.
The Obama campaign had ways to get involved that were amazingly substantial and multi-layered. Folks just getting started could sign up for email lists or donate $5. Folks looking for more interaction could explore MyBarackObama.com. Folks looking to make a real difference could phone bank or sign up to canvass. There were organizers waiting at all levels to introduce these people around and deepen their commitment. Few progressive institutions outside of the Obama campaign offer that level of involvement.
Of course, there are people working to change that. Health Care for America Now, where I work, is one example. Working with SEIU, we have been signing up activists energized by Obama’s victory by asking them to pledge to work to help keep health care on the map. We plan on connecting these activists with our field offices in 45 states so they can participate in some real, boots-on-the-ground grassroots organizing efforts to help pass Obama’s health care plan in 2009. This is where I eventually ended up telling my friend to go, and of course, I’d encourage you to sign up, too.
And of course, everyone expects that the Obama campaign, with its huge activist network and email list, will transform into some kind of organization designed to push Obama’s agenda.
Still, I was surprised by how stumped I was when faced with my friend’s request. The blogosphere, and to some extent, progressives in general, tend to be self-starting types. When I decided to get involved in politics, I started blogging, and the rest flowed from that. However, Barack Obama has brought people into the process who have literally no idea where to begin. I’m hoping that before too long, the Obama campaign and progressive institutions will show them the way.
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get millions involved in progressive politics for the first time. We’ve got the seize this moment.
I’m curious to hear what you all think, though. What would you have told my friend to do? How can progressives best capitalize on Obama’s momentum to turn his electoral movement into a permanent movement?
(also posted at MyDD)
I used to be on mydd, but got booted.
I have a great idea for keeping people involved. It’s Inauguration Night, and millions of people like me will not get invited to the Inaugural Dinner. What Obama should do is
The Internet Inaugural Dinner
Restaurants and private citizens would be invited to cook the same dinner that Obama will be serving. The wine list would be published. We would all sit down together, some in Washington, some in Spokane, some in Tuskaloosa, some in Bangor, all at the same table, but none of us in the same room.
Rahm Emmanuel would propose the toast: “I give you President Barack Obama”
We would all lift our glasses. We would all toast our President together.
It would be streamed live on the internet.
Now, is that a great idea, or what?
If you take it and push it, call it the Internet Inaugural.
I’ve heard an idea kicking around called the Ball on the Mall, where Obama ditches all the frou-frou inaugural balls and throws one open to everybody on the Mall. You could certainly add streaming over the internet too. Either way, good idea.
Times are going to get much worse before they get better, even with a Democratic Legislature and Obama at the helm. Wish it weren’t so, but this is a mighty big hole we find ourselves in. We’ll be needing a lot of soup kitchens. Which brings me to my suggestion:
Haven’t a clue how much money the Dems have left in their campaign war chests, but it would be a most fine gesture if they could lay out the seed money to start up regular old-fashioned soup kitchens/help centers in those areas that are or are about to be hardest hit by the financial tsunami rolling our way. It would be a shame to let all the training and organization that went into the national Democratic campaign go to waste. This would not be a government program or a religious charity–it would simply be Democrats helping others just because it’s the right thing to do. I donno. I kinda like it.
Have you heard of http://www.democratswork.org/
Good question! One thing I’ve wished for is more citizen involvement in the legislative process. The actual nuts and bolts of which bills are getting introduced into Congress and how they’re working their way through the committee structure and all the other red tape is something we very rarely hear about outside the Beltway. With Web 2.0 technology and all the young people interested in politics, perhaps this is a good time to make all this more accessible and interactive - and more responsive to the needs of the people.
Lots of folks hope that Obama’s idea of have a Chief Technology Officer trickles down to other departments and they appoint CTOs as well. The computer systems in different bureaucracies is often completely unable to talk to each other, so it’s a real mess.
Well, going down to the local Democratic club and signing up is always a good start! Also, any members of the loyal opposition are encouraged to join their Republican organizations and construct a cogent, strong minority party to keep the government on its toes.
Sign up for an email list. Start writing–to your paper, to your members of Congress, to your friends.
Students–find your school’s Democratic Party chapter (I hear they even have a High School Caucus!). If you haven’t campaigned for Obama, find someone who did and ask them when and where meetings are.
Adults: Join civic organizations–Rotary, Kiwanis, your local political clubs, Toastmasters. The more people you know, the more votes you can affect. A lot of these groups have people who are very involved in local politics–my local Rotary Club has two ex-mayors, the wife of the City Attorney (who ran for school board), and our most recent Democratic challenger of our local Congressman.
Parents: Run for school board. Go to open meetings of your city council, county board, whatever! Governance begins at the bottom, with the bread-and-butter, occasionally nonpartisan municipal offices in your city and town. In taking care of your kids, take care of your town. Neighborhood association politics is a good place to learn civic engagement.
Or, what the hell–run for office!
I commend to you Naomi Wolf’s “Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries”. She goes over media, protesting, taking part in town hall meetings, and approaching elected officials in the appendices!
Running for office, such a good idea. Campaign finance reform might make that a reality for most soon…
This is an excellent question to be asking.
I’m sure that many people here already know this, but it’s also very important that alongside the Naomi Wolf book, that EVERY progressive read “Don’t Think of an Elephant” by George Lakoff.
I’m one of those many people who got involved in for the first time with the Obama campaign, and while making phone calls to supporters, two of the smartest, most eloquent people I spoke to recommended I pick it up. It immediately changed my understanding of how to talk about and understand politics.
Much of the Conservative / Republicans’ domination of American politics for the last 40 years is due to their understanding of language, and how to use it. The operative word here is “framing”, or the language we use to discuss an issue. Republican think tanks have mastered this art.
As progressives, it is CRITICAL that we learn how to take back the debate and not allow Republicans or Conservatives to frame the issues going forward. If we do, we lose. Period. Because we have the ideas. But they have control of the language.
This is more than just political correctness. It goes right to the heart of how we describe, and thus understand, the world.
So “Thing #1″ that EVERYONE can do going forward is pick up this book. It’s just over 100 pages long, and it’s about $8 on Amazon.com.
Maybe everyone here has already done this long ago. I admit that I’m not a regular reader of The Seminal. But on the off-chance that one person here hasn’t read it, I highly highly highly recommend you pick it up and begin using its recommendations.
It’s an excellent manifesto of sorts for the progressive movement, as well.
And as a side note, I believe this goes a long way to explain the “vast right wing conspiracy” that we see “controlling” the media. If you read the book, you’ll see why.
Thanks all. Keep up the great discussion! -w
As well as helping Obama with what he wants to do, we need to also keep the momentum going and do the things we feel need to be done to enact the change we asked for.
Obama will being giving most of us tax breaks, so I recommend you start by taking a little of that money and passing it down via a charity that supports those less well off as you. Please see my site for more info.
http://ifyoucanthendo.blogspot.com/
Its simple. There are many options
1. Change starts locally….. find a charity to donate time to
2. Hold the politicians accountable. Call your congressman etc, start a blog, comment on sites, stay informed.
3. Remember how the Obama campaign made you feel because it will likely dwindle…. remember what you are in this for.