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Post by maureenmower on Jul 4, 2012 17:14:24 GMT -5
It's July 4th. The 99D conference is over, and from what we have learned through Matt and the other attendees who have been communicating via emails, it has not produced a document that many of us on this forum would be willing to sign our names to.
So, the question above applies - where do we go from here? Do we form our own group (either a legal entity/non-profit or just a group of like-minded individuals with no "official" status) or join up with some other Occupy or progressive group?
Do we continue working on our own set of grievances here in the forum until we have a document that everyone is happy with, and then present THAT to our elected officials? Do we think we can accomplish this before November, or should we focus on trying to oust any members of Congress who refuse to redress our grievances in 2014?
Do we recruit additional members for our group, either from the other Occupy and progressive groups or among our own family, friends, neighbors, and advertising on Facebook or other social networks? If we do that, we are likely to attract some of the same extremists and single-issue fanatics that have had such a detrimental impact on the final product of the CC2.0 - so how do we plan to deal with that?
Despite my inability to go to Philly this week, I am in this for the long haul. I want to see the work we've started continue, and I hope that enough of us are committed to this cause to want that too.
But the first step is deciding what we want to accomplish and what are the best ways to get there. So, to that end, I hope that everyone will state what they see as our next best move and ultimate goal, so we can see where we all agree and start from there.
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Post by dunnnathan on Jul 4, 2012 23:20:12 GMT -5
Well, I think that what most of us dissenters want, at the core, is for government to be accountable to the people in a real, meaningful way. There are a couple of things off the top of my head that we can do to achieve that:
1) Start engaging non-partisan political candidates seeking any office. Work with them to figure out how to run successful campaigns that use little-to-no money. Start getting the idea that the success of your campaign is not necessarily tied to the size of your purse into the public consciousness. If one candidate can win an election in this way, and it's publicized in the right way, more will follow and we can start breaking down that wall.
2) We could start a single-issue campaign pushing simply for the installation of audio/video recording equipment in every area of political buildings (including off-site offices). Stream everything that occurs in that building to a central location. Obviously, you'd need to allow some leeway for confidential material, but done in a way that those instances when an elected official might feel the need to censor content are still accountable to someone. For instance, if a Congressman is being briefed on a matter of national security, that would not be available to the public (until such time as the matter was declassified). However, that footage/audio stream would be made available to every other Congressman. If the citizenry is diligent, we would know pretty quickly who is abusing the censorship allowances, and who is constantly dodging out of the building for no apparent reason.
Just a couple of idle thoughts that we could potentially work with.
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Post by christucker72 on Jul 4, 2012 23:44:47 GMT -5
I have some ideas. I don't think just creating a slightly different list of Grievances & presenting it as reflection of small group of people will be relevant. Since we can't compete w/ corporations in cash contributions, we must have organizational power, to deliver votes & pressure via media, petittions, email/call blasts, and possibly marches, etc.
I'll get back w/ some of my ideas/proposals.
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dawnh1
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by dawnh1 on Jul 5, 2012 0:15:40 GMT -5
I don't think another list of grievances is the way to go. I also don't see the point in another Facebook group or web group that people can click like, post articles and feel like they did something. To me this group needs to be actively engaged in the political process--lobbying for legislative changes, working for candidates who support what we stand for and working to consolidate the many groups out there who are basically working for the same things we are. Congress is only going to change when a few of them get defeated and pressure is put on them to pass the legislation to close the revolving door, enact campaign finance reform, etc.
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Post by frankleespeaking on Jul 5, 2012 12:36:22 GMT -5
1. Organizational Structure
List of participants, skills, assets, etc. Brainstorming session for name of group and website Set up entity and appoint qualified leadership
2. Statements
Mission and Vision Statement of Belief (positive affirmation rather than grievances) Streamlined Reform Agenda (focusing pretty much exclusively on the issue of fair and transparent elections
3. Coalition Building
Build contact lists for like-minded organizations, public intellectuals, media contacts Draft outreach letters Get more people engaged in the process on whatever level they are comfortable engaging
4. Backup
Historical quotes, quotes from public intellectuals, charts, stats etc.
5. Pressure Elected Officials to take Action
Multi-pronged approach. First need to make sure we agree that Campaign Finance requires constitutional amendment. Create sample letters to send. Make sure all Congresspersons, Justices, President receive Send letters to state legislators urging to call for Convention Stage demonstrations Float idea of general strike if demonstrations do not work
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Post by indecankelly on Jul 5, 2012 20:01:06 GMT -5
Good ideas. Actually, I am personally writing "my version" of what should have been written, so I'll share that when it's done. Like you Dawn, I'm in this for the long haul, and though I'm always saddened when a "new organization" emerges (instead of making an existing one stronger), creating a new entity isn't a bad idea. Also, if you do want to support local independents and other "non-affiliated" candidates for public office like Nathan suggested, please do check out IndeCan list.indecan.org (shameless plug). They are out there, they do exist, and they need your support (and unfortunately your money so they can compete). Plus if you find any candidates that are not Democrat or Republican, and don't advocate hate, let us know on the site, so we can get them listed. It's free to get listed, and trust me, we have a budget of "nothing" currently. IndeCan is a labor love, as it should be right now, because change starts with passion and tenacity, and not money.
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Post by jondenn on Jul 5, 2012 20:52:13 GMT -5
Speaking of organizations, I followed a thread from votefair and posted Ban Single Mark Ballots! www.agreater.us/billpage.php?id=400 and it's already at 93%. How would you rate it? I'll be setting the GREATER Platform and GREATER BILL probably in the next six weeks. Could be our Consensus Reform Agenda. Where we may not get all we want but the country will get all it needs.
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Post by christucker72 on Jul 6, 2012 7:08:03 GMT -5
At one of my blogs, "The Global 99% Movement," I recently posted a blog, relevant to this discussion, titled, "Sketching a Strategy to Build a 99% Movement Identity & Network." (http://theglobal99movement.blogspot.com/2012/07/sketching-strategy-to-build-99-movement.html#links)
It may be too academic for some, but I liked it.
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Post by davidindc on Jul 7, 2012 14:28:24 GMT -5
Personally, I'm working on a different project some of us discussed at the Congress. A treatment for a 13-episode comedy, to run on a premium cable network. The theme song, if I can get the rights, will be Elvis Costello's (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes. The title of the debut episode will be taken from the song's first lyric. www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/(The_Angels_Wanna_Wear_My)_Red_ShoesI've got some casting in mind, but it would be mean to share it. The very first scene will mirror my experience when I showed my ID and was given my credentials (which I would need to obtain my magic voting remote control device). David: I'm David Itkin (David hands driver's license to Stephanie Veronica, who is seated at a table) (Stephanie looks David up and down) Stephanie: You're David Itkin? Why are you such an asshole? All you do is tear down a great man. Michael Pollok started this whole great project. David: (flustered) I, well I was pretty disappointed... ummm... (David slinks away) (David mills about and meets other delegates for about five minutes. Many handshakes. A couple of hugs. Then he approaches Stephanie) David: I just called my wife. We talked about whether it's genetic or environmental. She's met my mom. She says it's genetic.
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Post by christucker72 on Jul 11, 2012 22:36:40 GMT -5
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Post by kjlowry on Jul 13, 2012 12:36:05 GMT -5
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Post by jondenn on Jul 13, 2012 17:22:04 GMT -5
I tried three times to get Rick Banyan on the floor as journalist/blogger. He was turned away at the door. He's on the board of Stephen Erickson's RebuildDemocracy.org. Both serious reformers.
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Post by kjlowry on Jul 14, 2012 11:54:46 GMT -5
Here is a great idea for promoting at least one of our goals... Here's a twitter campaign, inspired by a tactic by @drdigipol about jamming the twitter streams of candidates. It's called #ShouldElectedOfficials StopTakingMoneyFromCorporationsTheyRegulate? I have personally gotten "Yes" from 40 candidates including David Walker, Buddy Roemer, Rocky Anderson and TJ Ohara, along with two senate candidates in CT. Here is the link for instructions www.agreater.us/billpage.php?id=274 Most notably missing are the major candidates. Even Jill Stein won't say yes because she wants to take money from nonprofits. Gary Johnson ducked the question up on the screen in front of 700 in an internet town hall. Don't we as citizens deserve an answer to this simple little question? It has an amazing 93% tripartisan rating on aGREATER.US where the ratings of conservatives, liberals, and independents are given equal weight (as they each are about 1/3 of the population). It wouldn't take very many of us to get the attention of every candidate running for office in America. And recently the anti-PIPA/anti-SOPA campaigns changed Congress in about three weeks. Got ten minutes for a little democracy? I just sent it to all the candidates for senate, congress, state reps, that had Twitter accounts. I found that in Texas-12 most candidates that aren't the nominee of either the Dems or Reps DO NOT EVEN HAVE TWITTER ACCOUNTS! No libertarians or independents with accounts -- Can you say - out - of - touch - Pahr-dners? ;D
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