I don’t think the answer lies in reaching across to righties. It’s more along the lines of empowering the disenfranchized. Getting more people to pay attention and turn away from the entertainment culture.

This. (Missed the comment when it was posted)

Oh, and thanks to Toby for hosting. Bit of a rough ride from the crowd, but you did a great job!

I would see them as needing to be concurrent, not serial efforts.

I understand the point of the book, and it is fine.

But the authors need to understand that the first best thing that citizens can do is hold their leaders accountable.

We have to hold Obama and Reid and the rest accountable. Once we’ve done that and while we continue holding them accountable, we can work to remake America step-by-step.

So far, the cart still has to lead the horses unfortunately.

FDLers have been fighting for progressive issues for years. We’re the solution, not the problem. Preach to the beltway boys.

We don’t have to make him do anythning. He was voted in to do a whole host of things he promised. He’s not doing it.

There are now scores of examples of how Obama has walked back his commitment to change.

He surrounds himself with the same advisers and beltway insiders who were what needed to be changed.

People were very hopeful that he would at the very least invite some progressive voice to the team of rivals. They were not.

Obama needs to change. Not us.

If you wanted to write a book that says “Hey, it doesn’t matter whether or not President Obama got elected because the most important thing of all is to help out in your community,” which is what you appear to have written, then call it that.

Btw, the mantra that volunteerism is the answer to this country’s many problems has already been taken by the Republicans.

Thanks for engaging Jason. I like your ideas, but you can see the challenge that awaits in motivating people to support Obama for change. Might help if he (Obama) started with some of the heavy lifting himself, i.e. show some political backbone in support of his allies, let alone his own policy promises.

In the meantime, I’d change the title to:

“50 ways you can help change America – with or without Obama”!