WHAT TO DO NEXT???
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From: Bruce S.
Date: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 11:46 AM
Subject: What to do next???
Reply to: 269618
ID: 269619

A lot in the air -- true every day lately, it seems...

The Supreme Court removes restrictions on campaign spending by big corporations. Sure to be another firestorm....

How many different ways can we get angry about this?

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I think what I am going to do -- is just start gently pushing this emerging new agenda -- which is -- "People work together."

Not us against them, not red states versus blue states, not progressives versus moderates versus blue dogs versus libertarians versus conservatives -- but just people. One category, one size fits all, no arguments about who is in or who is out, no screaming fits, no blood on the floor..

Just everybody coming together to smoke the peacepipe and work it out. Doesn't mean wimping out, doesn't mean throwing out your ideals -- but it does mean treating your fellow human beings with respect -- no matter where they stand. One size fits all -- you human, you in. Come on down...

It's a little early to be talking about this -- but I'm starting to build a new organizing platform, intended to support this agenda. Actually -- I am pretty excited about it. We did a lot with the USA.CAN framework -- but this is more powerful. It includes more, it's cleaner, it's simpler, it's easier to use. I think this thing can really rock, once we get it dialed in.

So, not all the pieces are there, and a fair amount is still in draft format, and we're just working it out (and maybe looking for participation and ideas) -- but the URL is

http://purplealliance.us

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So, Claudia -- hi. We know somebody in common? Who dat...?

I just went to the site you suggested, and took a little screenshot of what this lady Regina Thomas has to say.

I like her. She's talking about integrity and simplicity and "altruism" -- and just reading her words, I am inclined to believe her. She looks like a truth-walker to me...

What I'd like to be able to do with the Purple Alliance -- among many other things -- would be to help organize support for a candidate with this kind of agenda. Just pull everybody together, sit down and work it out.

The Purple Alliance is a coalition-engine. It's a way for people and groups to precisely define what they have in common, while agreeing to work together in a peaceful and wisdom-informed context -- despite significant differences in some areas.

It does NOT mean we all agree coming in the door. So yes, it's about "creative friction" -- but it IS about keeping that friction creative -- not destructive. You represent your side of the issue, and I'll represent mine -- and we'll figure out something that works for both of us -- as well as for everybody who couldn't get to the meeting...

A real community organizer -- like, I would guess, Regina Thomas -- knows exactly what I am talking about. So does Barack Obama.

Ok, Claudia, just a few thoughts, thanks for the note.

--- On Thu, Jan 21, 2010, in msg269618, Claudia Collier wrote ---

Each one of us will have to decide, of course. But for me I have the wonderful opportunity to work on a U.S. Congressional campaign against a blue-dog, or "bad-dog" Democrat as we call them here in south Georgia.

Regina Thomas is challenging Rep. John Barrow again. (He obtained Barack Obama's endorsement in 2008, and returned the favor by voting against just about every progressive initiative in the President's agenda.) Until the Massachusetts election, I am sure most of the country blamed the "south's" conservative Democrats for much of what went wrong this year. I assure you there are progressives in the south, and we are working feverishly to change the mindset here. It will take time . . . and help from the rest of the country.

I've read the statement that there are two sources of power: money and people I will work my buns off to get the people down here, but we need your help to get the money. John Barrow has 1.5 million leftover from his war chest in 2008 (I'll let you dig into the websites to see where that came from). Regina is a woman "for the people" because she is one of us . . . which means that she needs to replicate Obama's strategy of getting campaign contributions from "regular folks." She is not beholden to any big money corporations.

Read Regina's website, then put your money where your "blogging" is . . . Claudia Collier http://www.reginathomasforcongress.com/index.html

Hey Bruce, give me a shout . . . we know someone in common over here on the east coast.

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