Post by Doug Baker on Jun 25, 2012 16:04:11 GMT -5
Executive Summary
This document proposes the following:
Suggestion 1: Expand the Delegate/Constituent Role
Suggestion 2: Communicate with Constituency
Suggestion 3: Monetize the Group
Introduction
Good day. I’m Doug Baker, delegate for GA06.
Suggestion 1: Expand the Delegate/Constituent Role
When I was a kid, there was a TV wrestler named Dusty Rhodes. I was never a wrestling fan, but Dusty was a character. One of his standard lines was “I didn’t come here to kiss babies”. To be honest, it stuck with me because he had a lisp, and I hadn’t gotten rid of mine yet. I’m going borrow from Dusty Rhodes and suggest that we expand the Delegates role because we didn’t come here to kiss babies. If the Delegate’s role is not expanded, there’s little reason to remain a delegate. Here’s my reasoning.
We are employing what I’ll refer to as a “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy. Petitions have value, but they have no teeth. Lawsuits have teeth, but they are expensive, and they take forever. If lawsuits are our only path toward resolving our grievances, it seems to me that the group will be spending the majority of its time and money filing lawsuits. This strategy will take a minimum of 10 - 20 years to produce fruit. I question whether the “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy will provide the short-term results that are required to keep this movement together. I took an interest in this group because it has the potential to bring about changes that 99% of people want. I won’t be participating if this is about funneling money to lawyers.
It’s important that we not underestimate ourselves. People brought together by common goals and motivations represent the most powerful force on earth. We wield a substantial amount of power when we come together as a group. Once we’ve learned to harness this power, a multitude of new options will become available to us. There are a lot of smart, ethical people in America. Given the right environment and right tools, Americans are inherently capable of solving the most difficult of problems. History bears that out.
People in America want change, and they want it NOW. We can expedite change by expanding the delegate/constituent role to include the following activities:
• Delegates should educate constituents on Congress 2.0 and the value provided by the movement.
• Delegates should work with constituents to identify and prioritize active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents to oversee the acquisition of feedback, opinions, and suggestions on active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents to prioritize the goal(s) for active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents and other delegates to develop plans that will achieve the goals that are created.
• Delegates should lead constituents in the development and execution of plans.
• Delegates should provide progress reports to constituents and administrators.
• Delegates should work with constituents to improve our effectiveness as a Party.
The key difference in the Delegates role using the “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy and Delegates using the “Constituent” strategy is immediate action. Including these activities in the role of Delegate will expedite the development of solutions to problems our country faces. Delegates will be put in a pivotal position where we can work within districts to enact solutions to local problems. When we find a solution that works in another district, we can bring those “best practices” into our district.
Suggestion 2: Communicate with Constituency
Change in this country will occur only when there is a groundswell (99% qualifies) of people doing things to MAKE change happen. Delegates, and many of our constituents, are poised to take action. 99% of the people that “signed up” to be a delegate likely have leadership in their blood. This is the kind of leadership that is capable of generating consensus and spurring change in this country. But bringing about change of this magnitude is going to require a synchronized, well-orchestrated effort. We must communicate and act in a cohesive, coherent manner.
A failure to listen to 99% of the people on the part of political leaders is what led to the creation of 99%. Fortunately, we live and work in an age where amazing tools exist to help us do things. 99% should employ a contemporary toolset (Communication 2.0) that facilitates effective, efficient communication with constituents. If we are going to represent 99% of the people effectively, we must communicate with them in a cohesive manner. A failure on 99%s part to synchronize with constituents will render the group irrelevant because we would provide them with no value. We would be as useless as those representing us in Washington today.
The fastest way for 99% to become an influential Party is to gain critical mass. The fastest way to gain critical mass, and provide the American public with value, is to communicate with them – and to do so constantly. The only way to manage that, and survive, is what my third suggestion is about.
Suggestion 3: Monetize the Group
The corrupt, dysfunctional state of our government has created an environment that is conducive to the “recruitment” of constituents. We must recruit constituents if the group hopes to become pertinent. I applaud the people that had the foresight to start this organization. But as the SC has discovered, an election with several hundred uncontested delegates gets little attention in the mainstream press. On the other hand, if we succeed in getting a majority of the population to join hands with us, equaling millions of “99%ers”, that would be a Party! It’s time to take it to the next level, and the way to do that is by monetizing the group.
In order to survive, this group must be self-sufficient, especially from a financial perspective. Financial self-sufficiency can be achieved by taking the information that delegates and constituents contribute, and presenting it on a public website in ways that constituents, and media, find valuable. A simple example of this in action would be giving constituents the ability to vote the grievance list. The results of this vote would drive constituents and other interested parties to the 99% website. Other web properties would also find this content value. Buzz can be created that way, and 99% is in the position to create a lot of buzz.
The Constituent strategy gives the American public an opportunity to participate in the development of solutions to our problems. Incorporating all of America in the development of solutions is a necessary first step. This will create the buy-in that must exist if America is going to be able to stomach the sacrifices required to solve our problems.
If we don’t use technology to manage this effort, I believe we’ll die on the vine, because we’ll run out of money. No money, no movement. Therefore, I suggest we develop a website that manages interaction with constituents and delegates (“interaction” is specified in Suggestion 1). Providing constituents with online services will also position 99% as experts in social trends and needs. This equates to an additional revenue stream that can be used to fund Party activities.
One of the obvious responses from the SC would be “how do we pay for it”. GA06 is ready to spearhead a fundraising effort that will produce the funds necessary to develop this technology. Monetizing the group will generate the funds needed to perpetuate its existence without costing 99% a dime.
Summary
Our goal is to bring about change in a host of areas. We are employing a flawed strategy (Petition/Lawsuit) to achieve this goal. This document proposes that we employ a second strategy, referred to as the “Constituent” strategy, to expedite the achievement of our goals. 99% must establish itself as a credible organization. Establishing critical mass is essential to this process. The Constituent strategy is designed to produce the “groundswell of people” required to produce critical mass, which is what will bring power to our group. The Constituent strategy is designed to expedite our local and national impact. It is designed to perpetuate the group by creating the largest, most influential political party in America.
GA06 is passionate about our ability to turn this country around. I am willing to provide an online demonstration to anyone with an interest in this strategy. Feel free to contact me via email at 1dougbaker@gmail.com to arrange this demo.
This document proposes the following:
Suggestion 1: Expand the Delegate/Constituent Role
Suggestion 2: Communicate with Constituency
Suggestion 3: Monetize the Group
Introduction
Good day. I’m Doug Baker, delegate for GA06.
Suggestion 1: Expand the Delegate/Constituent Role
When I was a kid, there was a TV wrestler named Dusty Rhodes. I was never a wrestling fan, but Dusty was a character. One of his standard lines was “I didn’t come here to kiss babies”. To be honest, it stuck with me because he had a lisp, and I hadn’t gotten rid of mine yet. I’m going borrow from Dusty Rhodes and suggest that we expand the Delegates role because we didn’t come here to kiss babies. If the Delegate’s role is not expanded, there’s little reason to remain a delegate. Here’s my reasoning.
We are employing what I’ll refer to as a “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy. Petitions have value, but they have no teeth. Lawsuits have teeth, but they are expensive, and they take forever. If lawsuits are our only path toward resolving our grievances, it seems to me that the group will be spending the majority of its time and money filing lawsuits. This strategy will take a minimum of 10 - 20 years to produce fruit. I question whether the “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy will provide the short-term results that are required to keep this movement together. I took an interest in this group because it has the potential to bring about changes that 99% of people want. I won’t be participating if this is about funneling money to lawyers.
It’s important that we not underestimate ourselves. People brought together by common goals and motivations represent the most powerful force on earth. We wield a substantial amount of power when we come together as a group. Once we’ve learned to harness this power, a multitude of new options will become available to us. There are a lot of smart, ethical people in America. Given the right environment and right tools, Americans are inherently capable of solving the most difficult of problems. History bears that out.
People in America want change, and they want it NOW. We can expedite change by expanding the delegate/constituent role to include the following activities:
• Delegates should educate constituents on Congress 2.0 and the value provided by the movement.
• Delegates should work with constituents to identify and prioritize active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents to oversee the acquisition of feedback, opinions, and suggestions on active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents to prioritize the goal(s) for active grievances.
• Delegates should work with constituents and other delegates to develop plans that will achieve the goals that are created.
• Delegates should lead constituents in the development and execution of plans.
• Delegates should provide progress reports to constituents and administrators.
• Delegates should work with constituents to improve our effectiveness as a Party.
The key difference in the Delegates role using the “Petition/Lawsuit” strategy and Delegates using the “Constituent” strategy is immediate action. Including these activities in the role of Delegate will expedite the development of solutions to problems our country faces. Delegates will be put in a pivotal position where we can work within districts to enact solutions to local problems. When we find a solution that works in another district, we can bring those “best practices” into our district.
Suggestion 2: Communicate with Constituency
Change in this country will occur only when there is a groundswell (99% qualifies) of people doing things to MAKE change happen. Delegates, and many of our constituents, are poised to take action. 99% of the people that “signed up” to be a delegate likely have leadership in their blood. This is the kind of leadership that is capable of generating consensus and spurring change in this country. But bringing about change of this magnitude is going to require a synchronized, well-orchestrated effort. We must communicate and act in a cohesive, coherent manner.
A failure to listen to 99% of the people on the part of political leaders is what led to the creation of 99%. Fortunately, we live and work in an age where amazing tools exist to help us do things. 99% should employ a contemporary toolset (Communication 2.0) that facilitates effective, efficient communication with constituents. If we are going to represent 99% of the people effectively, we must communicate with them in a cohesive manner. A failure on 99%s part to synchronize with constituents will render the group irrelevant because we would provide them with no value. We would be as useless as those representing us in Washington today.
The fastest way for 99% to become an influential Party is to gain critical mass. The fastest way to gain critical mass, and provide the American public with value, is to communicate with them – and to do so constantly. The only way to manage that, and survive, is what my third suggestion is about.
Suggestion 3: Monetize the Group
The corrupt, dysfunctional state of our government has created an environment that is conducive to the “recruitment” of constituents. We must recruit constituents if the group hopes to become pertinent. I applaud the people that had the foresight to start this organization. But as the SC has discovered, an election with several hundred uncontested delegates gets little attention in the mainstream press. On the other hand, if we succeed in getting a majority of the population to join hands with us, equaling millions of “99%ers”, that would be a Party! It’s time to take it to the next level, and the way to do that is by monetizing the group.
In order to survive, this group must be self-sufficient, especially from a financial perspective. Financial self-sufficiency can be achieved by taking the information that delegates and constituents contribute, and presenting it on a public website in ways that constituents, and media, find valuable. A simple example of this in action would be giving constituents the ability to vote the grievance list. The results of this vote would drive constituents and other interested parties to the 99% website. Other web properties would also find this content value. Buzz can be created that way, and 99% is in the position to create a lot of buzz.
The Constituent strategy gives the American public an opportunity to participate in the development of solutions to our problems. Incorporating all of America in the development of solutions is a necessary first step. This will create the buy-in that must exist if America is going to be able to stomach the sacrifices required to solve our problems.
If we don’t use technology to manage this effort, I believe we’ll die on the vine, because we’ll run out of money. No money, no movement. Therefore, I suggest we develop a website that manages interaction with constituents and delegates (“interaction” is specified in Suggestion 1). Providing constituents with online services will also position 99% as experts in social trends and needs. This equates to an additional revenue stream that can be used to fund Party activities.
One of the obvious responses from the SC would be “how do we pay for it”. GA06 is ready to spearhead a fundraising effort that will produce the funds necessary to develop this technology. Monetizing the group will generate the funds needed to perpetuate its existence without costing 99% a dime.
Summary
Our goal is to bring about change in a host of areas. We are employing a flawed strategy (Petition/Lawsuit) to achieve this goal. This document proposes that we employ a second strategy, referred to as the “Constituent” strategy, to expedite the achievement of our goals. 99% must establish itself as a credible organization. Establishing critical mass is essential to this process. The Constituent strategy is designed to produce the “groundswell of people” required to produce critical mass, which is what will bring power to our group. The Constituent strategy is designed to expedite our local and national impact. It is designed to perpetuate the group by creating the largest, most influential political party in America.
GA06 is passionate about our ability to turn this country around. I am willing to provide an online demonstration to anyone with an interest in this strategy. Feel free to contact me via email at 1dougbaker@gmail.com to arrange this demo.