We’ve posted earlier about the $64,000 question: what will happen to the throngs of political supporters brought into the process by the Obama Campaign?
This has been partially answered. Obama for America 2.0 [OBA 2.0] as it was loosely called will be called Organizing for America.
The language sounds empowering of his supporters (“you’ve built the largest grassroots movement in history”, “our journey to change America”, “we cannot do it without you”, I wouldn’t have been sworn in without you, etc.), but a separate press release by Tim Kaine, governor of Virginia and head of the Democratic National Committee, indicates that Organizing for America will work within the DNC. This organizational structure suggests that it will be more of a force to enact the Obama Administration agenda: in other words a one-way rather than a two-way street.
He doesn’t answer how it will be staffed and funded, whether it will be a federated, with a chance for participants to rise to state or national leadership positions in OFA through voting, and most importantly doesn’t address whether it will enable individuals to contact each other: criticizing Obama if they feel he is not living out the ideals of the campaign, or organizing around issues different than the Obama Administration is focusing on.
I’ve indicated earlier that I think this extraordinary 13 million person network will have less staying power if the individuals feel they are merely foot soldiers without an ability to change or shape the political priorities. (And the one other effort to help glean citizens’ priorities for the Obama Administration (Change.org), seemed to fall victim to the “vote early, vote often” phenomenon, propelling the legalization of marijuana to #1, probably because Ron Paul supporters rallied their troops repeatedly).
The Obama folks also introduce by video Mitch Stewart as the Executive Director of Organizing for America, caucus director of Iowa and the person and the person who ran Virginia for Obama during the general election.
Stay tuned.
3 responses so far ↓
Ellen // January 23, 2009 at 7:42 pm |
Where did you come up with the ridiculous notion that it was Ron Paul supporters voting more than once that put marijuana legalization to the top of the list? Take a look at the long list of organizations supporting the idea and the note about throwing out multiple votes after questions were merged at http://www.change.org/ideas/idea_comments?idea_id=legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_marijuana
This is an idea whose time has come!!
fred // February 3, 2009 at 1:40 am |
“Stay tuned” indeed. Just like television – if there is nothing “on,” people will find something else to do, and quickly.
tomjd // February 25, 2009 at 11:33 am |
I find your dismissal of the results of the Change.org Ideas for Change in America based on the Legalization of Marijuana coming in at number 1 uninformed and clearly based more on your own prejudice than facts. 42% of Americans have tried pot (source: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1821697,00.html). This is a mass issue, but one that keeps getting dismissed as not serious but supposed elites. With so many people having a personal connection to this issue, and so many beginning to understand the ruinous costs of maintaining a war against non-violent drug users, it’s not surprising it would come out number 1 in a public vote. I sincerely hope it gets some serious consideration and doesn’t just get blithely dismissed as impossible.
The whole debate reminds us that if there’s one thing we learn from history it’s that we don’t learn from history. After all, we’ve been here before, with Prohibition, and that’s universally acknowledged as a disaster. Same thing here.