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Post by kjlowry on Jul 20, 2012 10:47:19 GMT -5
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Post by davidindc on Jul 20, 2012 16:40:57 GMT -5
I just clicked on your link. It appears that after you put this link here and on the email list, someone appended some comments that put the essay in perspective, sorta.
Who was that masked man?
All he left behind was a silver bullet.
Whoever he/she is, I <3 FactChecker.
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Post by frankleespeaking on Jul 20, 2012 17:00:16 GMT -5
It is a nice little bit of spin, but the problem is he doesn't speak for us (at least most of us) or even TO us.
It still remains to be seen if he's going to hand over the keys to the website, if the delegates will be electing their own leadership, or if he will officially hand over control of the entity. Many of us are doubtful this will happen.
I can understand being somewhat proud of coming up with a brilliant concept, but I also think that behind the spin, he is probably a bit ashamed and certainly defensive about how it was executed.
Here are some basic facts:
-While the initial plan called for 876 Delegates, only 787 candidates signed up.
-In the delegate elections, almost 20% of the seats did not have anyone running for them, and of the seats that delegates were actually running for, 80% of them were running unopposed.
-A grand total of 1,382 votes were cast in the elections
-The elections were thrown out, and all the delegates were invited to attend
-No other organizations supported us, and some who should have been natural allies openly denounced the way certain things were handled
-What money was spent on advertising was not spent wisely, targeting far-left audiences
-Fundraising efforts were not sufficient to cover the cost of a number of things that had been planned
-Hundreds of people who signed up as delegates decided not to attend for a variety of reasons, many due to lack of leadership and communications aimed at engaging
-Numerous members of the Steering Committee and other active delegates and supporters resigned or broke from the organization over disagreements with the way things were being handled
-Michael Pollok has made inaccurate statements about numerous people who have attempted to help with this project but have departed for various reasons, attempting to cast them as villains, and himself as a victim
-The original plan of letting the delegates discuss and come to an agreement on the process and agenda at the Congress was replaced with a top-down approach whereby a few individuals dictated to the group who would be in charge, and what the agenda and debate and voting process would be
-Michael Pollok has quit on numerous occasions, but never actually handed over control. When confronted with constructive criticism and offers to help improve communications, process, etc, he often ignored such overtures, or instead became defensive, at one point making the unilateral decision to shut down the forum and the website, effectively preventing what little direct communication between the delegates there was.
-The purported legal strategy has been reviewed by numerous lawyers, who initially gave it little chance of success, and in light of the evidence above, now virtually none at all.
-Even if the legal strategy was sound, it could easily take years, whereas a well-executed strategy to build public support is likely to achieve results much faster.
In any case, maybe we will see some positive movement from Michael and the Steering Committee, but many of us here, and many more that were involved before they became disenchanted are no longer holding our breaths. Instead were are currently discussing plans to truly build consensus and mass support around what most of us agree is THE central issue...the corrosive influence of special interest money on our democracy.
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Post by vconsults on Jul 21, 2012 8:08:25 GMT -5
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Post by craigwood on Aug 21, 2012 3:23:51 GMT -5
The Pollok Pop Off was PR in the can ready to fly off before the can hit the road at the convention. Hopes need to be closer to the real streets to run well.
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Post by davidindc on Aug 21, 2012 7:32:46 GMT -5
I don't understand. Is there some new communication?
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