Grassroots Synergy (or, How to Do the Wave)

[LauraS]

I'm proud of you! Yep, you--the one who's logging on here and other network sites. The one who's tweeting and blogging, the one who's contacting officials, going to events and getting involved. There are a lot of us out there, who are doing a lot of stuff for the conservative movement right now. So what's next?

I believe that the next step we have to take is to get coordinated. Tons of people (the grassroots) are blogging like crazy, trying to put together protests, contacting elected officials. However, the current political reality means we need to move fast with informed, effective, large-scale protests. The mainstream media require that we use a megaphone to get heard. Right now, the liberals are pretending that this country is unanimous in its enthusiasm/support/worship of the administration & the direction we're headed. They are pretending that we don't exist except as punchlines or scapegoats. And so we're worked up, and we're working.

That's exactly what we need to do. My concern, though, is that people will work very hard for a while, not see any results and will give up just as we really need them for the 2010 election. We can't let this happen! Working so hard & not seeing an immediate difference can feel like sending one droplet of rain onto parched ground. It's a timeless illustration--united, raindrops are powerful. United, they can electrify a city or etch the Grand Canyon. I don't want to lose a single drop of rain. I want people to know that their work matters and that we're making a difference. I believe the way to do this is to come together and choreograph our voices in strategic, effective, public ways.

We need to get organized so we're united in voice, strategic in purpose, and effective in our cause. We need a way to monitor issues, choose in a response & equip and mobilize at the local levels. I want to collect ideas & involvement--tell me who's consolidating, tell me what you think, tell me what you'd like to do. How can we turn the passion of millions of people into an intelligent, fast, united force?

Stay with it, my friends. You may wonder if you're wasting time, if it's worth it. One guys who stands up and throws his hands up in the air might look like an idiot. But you get enough people do it, and everyone in the stadium will want to participate in the wave. I want the wave. I want the tipping point. I want the straw that breaks the camel's back. We WILL see huge impact--now I want to hear what you have to say. Ideas?

[Michael Brennan]

We actually have way to many ning and other sites to be effective. We actually need to begin cutting back on what is there because it is actually having the opposite effect on the party. Instead of these sites bringing the party more together, it is actually fracturing the party even further. Conservatives in their real mode do not need technological gizmos to pick leadership and the main base of conservativsm still has not signed onto these sites and they probably will not either. What we need is more focalised but fewer sites that train, not blog. That fundraise, not socialize. Blogging is nice but means nothing in the end run. Obama will win if we believe another 200,000 GOP bloggers is a great step. Obama will win if another 32,000 GOP websites is considered a good move. Obama will win if we keep having people act as if the RNC is the enemy as well as Obama. The RNC is not conservatives because conservatives stopped being Republican. Not the RNC's fault. The RNC will only go where the money is, no contributions to the RNC from conservatives, the RNC will not go or endorse conservatives. If conservatives play the "I will not vote unless they are my type of conservative" game, your type of conservative will never show up because no candidate will ever be perfect, nor close to it. Those who run for political office HAVE to comprimise on MOST issues and holding them to a limited ideology in the first place is insanity at its basic definition. We need to do a better job on ourselves first or we have NO right to dictate to those in office because they are only doing what WE allow. And I hate to point this out, America's LARGEST political faction are the moderates not the liberals or conservatives. We have to wake up that the North East and North West will not be electing conservatives to office in large quantities but moderates will win easily.

Do we comprimise on some key issues, NEVER> But we have to be realistic. 200,000 more bloggers means.........nothing but 200,000 more opinions on the web. 32,000 more web sites means, nothing. I do not vote from what I read in newspapers or on the web. In fact many a candidate has lost my support because of their followers blogs and news items from these sites. That is what the GOP is facing in 2010. The web will be its downfall if the GOP voters do not get it right. While we cry about his birth certificate, Obama is declaring the recession over. While we cry about FOCA and Fairness Doctrine, Obama took over the census and is giving half our nuclear deterrent away. While we cry about socialism, Obama is moving to shut down our last bastions of free speech and what do we do, blog.
I am running for office and I have been slowly building up a network that win or lose I will be able to change the debate into what the people want, not what the politicians want the people to believe. over 400 on this site alone (that I know of) are working hard going door to door, fundraising, putting out flyers, bumper stickers, post cards. Volunteering to run for office or manage a campaign. We are not just writing to the editors, we are becoming editors. podcasting, web tv, etc These are the actions of a conservative movement..out working, let the blogs be for later or for fun reasons. My blogs are about my kids and family, my politics, I walk it not talk it.

[LauraS]

You guys bring up great points. What I'd like to do is to have some sort of clearinghouse for the zillion organizations & ning sites (a lot more than four--I think we're well into the double digits thanks to the "make your own ning site" badge!) I believe that coordination & communication will make us a force. I don't want to wait for the "officials" to do this for us. We are of, for, by the people. The officials work for us.

[Catherine Fay]

We are very lucky to have a local conservative station in St. Louis. From what I understand, St. Louis had the most attended Tea Party. I am a working stiff, and could not get away. We chip away, at all the lies and deceptions, and it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Glen Beck has a link for getting together with like minded people like ourselves. He has been trying to get conservative minded people to get together and uniting. It is a beginning. Most people and I am one, want to go home. Just having a business in this day and time is exhausting. I am waiting to see how the new green policy will affect us. So far, EPA has left us alone. We were approved in 89, and have not heard from them since. Now it is the new Green. Problem is the others like myself want to go home and put our heads in a better place.

[Whitehorse (Robin Ray)]

Good posts Amy & CCM! We can't give up - we have to stay in the game, in the arena. It is alot to keep up with, & we need to stick with it. Continue calling & emailing our congressmen & senators. We have a long road ahead & some bumps & potholes will be in that road - we are going to go down that road one way or another, & I pray that we choose to arrive in 2010 & 2012 energized, mobilized, & ready to support candidates who will stay true to our conservative Republican values.

[Crazy Conservative Momma]

This is a great post! You are quite poetic :) I think that those who are on the "losing" side tend to be more vocal and work harder when they are in the minority (that's us). The other side becomes more unconcerned since their people are in power. That's just my thought, and something I have heard in the past. For example I didn't really follow the party when the Republicans were in control (even though they were straying away from the core values of the party) and I just didn't care much, assuming things were okay - HA!. Now, I watch the news (FOX) and listen to RUSH (yes, I am a woman who falls in love with prisoners, I guess, according to that wacky liberal woman from 24) and check my favorite sites each day. The other day, I saw about 5 new things that are happening and being pushed through and thought, "Good grief, how can we keep on top of all of this?!" It can be tiring and tempting to give up, but we really need to continue speaking out. The tea party thing is very, very new. That guy spoke of it just a couple of weeks ago, so I think that it will build as time goes by (and as the liberals get their way more and more). There are a couple of very big ones set up for the summer time, I know. The best thing we can do is educate others :) Thanks again!

[Amy Eldred]

Angry Americans, conservative or just angry, need to be empowered to speak their minds. With the mainstream media so in the tank for Obama, it's hard to get heard in public. It is up to all of us to encourage, cajole, and yes even push those who feel intimidated by speaking against Obama to stand together and holler with a loud and continuous voice. There can be a new day but Obama's policies must be revealed and revealed and revealed. Eventually, as the pocketbook and quality of life are decimated by this radical spending and oppression to freedom, people will wake up. They will begin to understand that this "change" is not something to believe in but to be abhorred.

[Whitehorse (Robin Ray)]

Good post Laura, we do need to be coordiated. I think we have already seen results with the house Republicans standing firm twice against porkulus.

We also have to be patient - we're working from behind.

The state & local organizations on RtP are a great tool for mobilization - we should continue to invite people to come here & join, join their state & local organizations. Redstate has a great action alert system we can join. I'm sure there will be other tools & programs in the offing. We need to be involved & get others involved.