Thursday, November 10, 2005, 05:46 PM - Politics, Technology
So I attended three things over the last two days that I think fit together somehow...
The first was the first Net Tuesday hosted by Net2 - a project of techsoup that's trying to involve the nonprofit community in web2.0 - obviously a worthwhile concept, interesting plans, all very preliminary at the moment, potentially a very nice fit with dotOrganize. Crowd was very technoriffic, as expected, but which also brought home the yawning divide that still exists between people. And cute as flock was, I'm not sure it's the mechanism by which to bridge the gap.
Yesterday morning I got up terribly early to go see Malcolm Gladwell give UCSF grand rounds. The most interesting components of his message centered on how less information often leads to better decisions - somewhat anaethema to an enlightenment/technocratic sensibility, I think, but borne out in my experience of creating decision models on the campaign last year. More variables do not, I believe, always lead to better decisions, especially in a time-pressured context. There is a limit to regression as a tool, and it's too easy for the academic side of life to take over and value results that are significant but not important.
My last event was my first blogger call - with Chuck Schumer on the DSCC reaction to the election. (Why, pray tell, was I the only woman?) Although there were some interesting questions at the end, I'm not sure that people took full advantage of the situation - I certainly didn't. But the different levels of access that are available in the world, if you know who to ask always amaze me. And really, I wouldn't mind taking back the Senate. I do have to say my reaction to the call confirms my suspicion that my strenghts are all in structure, not content.
Wednesday, November 9, 2005, 12:48 PM - Politics
on Prop 73. But nonetheless successfull. I'm not really sure how to react to a post-election morning without agony, but I'd like to get used to this feeling.Tuesday, November 8, 2005, 05:02 PM - Politics
It's astonishing to me that it's only been a year since Election Day 2004. Thankfully I will not be standing in the rain in Copley Square tonight, but instead comfortably ensconced at Mighty, hopefully drinking to the first-ever defeat of a parental notification initiative. I so so badly want to feel the tide turning on restrictions on abortion, especially given what's likely to happen at the Supreme Court in January.
What should be in place by next year to make congressional and senate transfer of power possible?
- better coordination between national, state, local parties on list management, fundraising, etc.
- more sophisticated and personalized targeting (especially for non-party reg states and for independent and unlikely voters)
- improved media strategies that make use of diverse communication channels
- mechanisms developed to link the power of lateral, spontaneous organizing to infrastructure/ resources
- a voter mobilization project that incorporates online dating
- systems to link grassroots organizers to each other
- systems to facilitate events and DIY voter turnout, persuasion, and contact that also offer opportunities for community-building
- coherent strategies for disaffected sub/exurbanites. We have to be able to come up with something more appealing than the local megachurch, right?
- a better understanding of individuals' choices around party affiliation, trends among DTS/independents
- a simple and coherent progressive message to counter the self-serving corrupt greed of the hyper-elite. We need sexy, connected, positive, responsible.
- oh, and maybe a decent candidate or two??
Some of these things are in process, some already exist, some need lots of work. If I'm responsible, I'll try and look more deeply at each of these elements soon.
Monday, November 7, 2005, 01:03 PM - Politics
So I am moderately frantic today about what will happen today with Prop 73....guardedly hopeful that California will step up and be the first place to defeat a parental notification measure. Interesting to note that folks are also playing up the possible stem cell research implications of the 'unborn' language in the proposition - I will take any reluctant libertarian or patient advocate we can get on this one....Stem Cell Research and Prop 73 Monday, October 31, 2005, 12:02 PM - Politics
I've been spending some time working to make sure a well-designed GOTV experiment in NJ has enough volunteers to work.
Do you, fair reader, live in New Jersey. Philly maybe?
www.WorkingAssets.com/november8
Get out to the wrong side of Trenton next weekend and get some people to vote, already.
This could provide us with information that would really shift the landscape of grassroots politics on the progressive side the next few elections...
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