Comments on: 50 State Organizer Layoffs: Just the Normal Structural Stupidity of Political Organizations

By: PJEvans

PJEvans — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:54:24 +0000

Those organizers will be able to go out and organize again – they just might decide to organize a new party instead of staying with the one they were in. It could be a good idea: we really could have a progressive party instead of a bunch of centrist losers.

By: Cujo359

Cujo359 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:49:09 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me how the Democratic Party finds new ways to lose. They built up a good organization, and now they’re going to declare job over and move on. Great idea. See the 2002 Mariners or the 2009 Phillies for an idea how that works.

By: wibsmith

wibsmith — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:25:05 +0000

DNC 50 state strategy started long before Obama had the nomination. Obama’s organizers mission was to get him elected. Both did good. As was mentioned or implied,[#9,#21#49], the organizing must be bottom up. Top down has repeatedly failed. Perhaps my state [TN] will someday be blue, but it will take very different approaches that those in NJ, NY, CA. There will be opportunities for these organizers. Their education/experience in the last 12 months is more than equal to a PhD from any top university.
Beware of assuming the infrastructure of 2008 is relevant. It is great, talented, successful, and IT IS OVER. Governing, and making things happen have taken over. Many of these heros [and I mean that] will be in the fore, and they will adapt to the fact that ultimately all politics is local.
I think we need to appropriate, embrace the idea that we are the leaders we’ve been looking for.
-Grace Lee Boggs

By: Marion in Savannah

Marion in Savannah — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:30:06 +0000

He’s got e-mail lists, he has Facebook and MySpace groups, to say nothing of the registered voter rolls. This is the first 21st Century campaign. Books will be written about this campaign.

By: foothillsmike

foothillsmike — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:29:27 +0000

And the 24/7/52 got the rethugs what? THe excitement level that was acheived on Obama/our behalf is not something that can be sustained long term. It must be recreated.

By: cinnamonape

cinnamonape — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:25:32 +0000

Obama apparently has an utterly massive email list. I don’t know if these lists could be used to get “interest” information by surveys, and then, with the consent of the providers be used to develop “communities” interested in certain issues (health care, urban toxin dumping, housing revitalization, mixed-race issues, urban gardens, non-commercial radio, the Fairness Doctrine, etc.).

The lists could go down, and up, building even more into the political network “of common cause”.

By: billybugs

billybugs — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:23:20 +0000

I suppose it is a good idea to retain your trained people,you don’t wanna start fresh withnew people.

By: billybugs

billybugs — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:20:42 +0000

Good point !

By: cinnamonape

cinnamonape — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:19:49 +0000

Maybe I’m wrong, put I don’t think that Dean did this alone. The DNC has permanent staff POSITIONS. It’s just that the new DNC head appoints who they want to fill those positions. They then ratchet up things before the midterm and national elections.

Legally the WH is supposed to be “hands off” regarding the political activities of the DNC/RNC. The Hatch Act and all of that stuff! Recall how they freaked out about Al Gore making some fund-raising phone calls from the White House…of course, when the Repugs got in they went into 24 hour political mode…and gave everybody blackberries with RNC phone numbers, which they used everywhere.

By: Margot

Margot — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:18:10 +0000

That’s how you win elections. You don’t go slack for 3 years and scramble in the 4th year. And that’s also how you get many trained campaign workers.