From the grassroots up

This is my first post to the JP blog and I hope to record some of my experiences as I work with the "fully activated precincts" initiative (committee) here in Tulsa.

A few thoughts on grassroots work:

1. I (we) need to define more clearly what it means to be "progressive" so that we can use this term with clarity and pride when doing precinct work. I am looking for "sound bites", not long philosophical debates. How would you define what it means to be progressive in a few sentences?

2. I (we) need to listen -- a lot. Remember Sen. Clinton's "listening tours"? She took a lot of teasing in the media for this, but I have found in other organizing work I do that it is essential.

3. We all need to deal with our own frustration, indignation and downright disgust at what "they" are doing BEFORE we go out to organize our precincts. I think people are looking for hope and the possibility of believing in democracy once again. They don't need to hear our gripes.

I will post again after our first FAP committee meeting in Tulsa. And, I'd be interested in what others have to say about grassroots organizing.

Sheila Swearingen
Precinct 46

Comments

[Devin Venable]

Bryan Lower's group, okwinpac, has been working to define progressivism. While I don't agree with all of his definitions, he has
made some headway. I think JPers ought to take a look at his site:

http://www.okwinpac.org/

His site defines progressivism as "the political orientation of those who favor progress toward better conditions in government and society."

I've been using the following attributes to describe progressivism:

Personal Liberty,
Fiscal Responsibility,
International Cooperation.

Devin Venable
Precinct 403

[Devin Venable]

I wanted to also say that I strongly agree with all three of Sheila's points.

[Sean Webster]

Progressivism is going to be very hard to define, I think... it most likely means different things to each of us. But here's my two cents... I haven't thought much about defining progressivism, but I have thought some about why I'm a Democrat and/or what it means to be a Democrat. The best short answer I've got so far is: I care about people who work for a living. Maybe that's something you could work with.

Sean Webster, Pct 58

[Gary Allison]

Sheila's post reminds us that we need to discuss our terms together once in a while. My long time working definition of Progressivism is the belief that the "role of government is to break down arbitrary barriers that get in the way of individuals achieiving their full potential." Implicit in this definition is the corollary belief that there are many opportunities and challenges that are best met by collective action. As for sound bites, I think our post card brochure does a great job of providing them. I will bring some to the meeting tonight.

Listening is always a wise first step. I suspect the demise of grassroots organizing has been caused by too many people encountering true believers at their door assaulting them with a rush of hot rhetoric and demanding affirmation. Perhaps we can figure out a better way of meeting our neighbors.

Sheila's third point is the most difficult to handle. I think most of us believe we are at the 11th hour of a 50 year crusade by conservatives to rule the world. They are attacking us on so many fronts that we have been forced to prioritize and defend what little we can. Much of what progressives now try to do with respect to dealing with Congress and the Oklahoma legislature is to mobilize votes against conservative legislation being proposed by Republicans and Democrats (especially Oklahoma Democrats). Perhaps if we offered a positive vision of what we want, we then could couch our concerns about the latest legislative abomination in terms of how it harms our vision of the great society.

[Jack Boyte]

George Lakoff said during a C-SPAN interview last week that progressives believe in using the "commonwealth to promote the common good." He went on to amplify this by using roads and the interstate highway system as examples. he also mentioned the internet, which began as a government subsidized data network. Dictionary.com says progressives, "Promote or favor progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods."

Sounds good to me.

[Andrew Donovan-Shead]

While attending my first JP meeting in June, the first question that came to mind is: What is a "progressive"? I wondered if it is a euphemism for "liberal" or "democrat", a way of dodging the slings and arrows of outrageous Republicanism. I didn't get a satisfactory answer to my direct questions, but the main point of the meeting made a strong impression: Just Progress and its progressive membership stand for better agenda.

Here is a synthesis of what I think it means to be a Progressive:

(1) A Progressive is one who promotes progress through the use of interesting new ideas and opportunities.

(2) A Progressive encourages individual participation in the democratic process of government via collective engagement through local action committees.

(3) A Progressive promotes moderate political change for social improvement through government action.

(4) A Progressive believes in government by the People for the People.

(5) A Progressive does what is best for the nation as a whole, by doing what is best for the precinct.

(6) Faced by overwhelming odds, Progressives lead by example; they are engaged, committed to making a better more equitable future for all.

(7) A Progressive doesn't whine, blame, or despair; a Progressive provides solutions and shows why a particular course of action is ill-advised.

(8) A Progressive is a well-informed, critical thinker who is impervious to propaganda.

(9) A Progressive is a can-do, straight talking person who won't tolerate Newspeak from anyone.

(10) A Progressive continually monitors what is being done in the name of the People by the elected representatives. Essentially, a Progressive provides adult supervision of the government. Only by continual vigilance can Progressives prevent the political pendulum from swinging too far away from the moderate center.

Well, it reads like the Scout's Code of Honor, but why not?

Andrew Donovan-Shead,
Precinct 52.