[Sosfbay-discuss] Ideas

[JamBoi]

The most important thing for us to focus on for the Strategy Committee
retreat kickoff is how we are going to field a *full set* of
candidates, not navel-gazing about the past.  Who will we get to run
for County Supervisor, for State Assembly, for State Senator, for
Congress.  This is not about brainstorming, but laying out firm plans
for creating the first Green County in the country (playing off of
Tian's idea).

As far as recruiting and retention goes I have two sentences to say
that cover it quite completely and nothing more need be said:  
1) If we build it they will come. (ie. we need actual campaigns for
people to get excited about and participation, not just to talk about
issues)
2) If we operate in a healthy, positive manner they will continue and
they will invite their friends. (In the past there has been overly much
negativity, pessimism, snippiness and lack of social grace.  If we just
operate in an adult manner we'll be fine and no South African Truth
Commission Inquiries into why people left in the past are necessary. 
Leave the past behind people.  Where are we going tommorrow?)

Our goal is to become a major party in our county!  How will we reach
that goal?  Simple: by fielding good candidates and by doing excellent
precinct work.  The Dempublicans do not do a particularly good job of
these two functions in SCC so we have an opening we can exploit.

Our retreat needs to focus on how we are going to recruit good
candidates.  For example, I have asked Peter Drekmeier (whom I've
worked with for years) if he's ready to move to a real peace party -
the Green Party of SCC.  Let's all try to think along these lines and
see which excellent candidates we can recruit, field and win with in
'07 and '08.

And by the way, it is through our locals, not through the county
organization that we'll get most of our precinct workers.  Think about
it people, we are *supposed* to be the ultimate local issues party and
if we just live out our values of decentralization we will be extremely
successful against the centrally controlled Dempublicans!\

"Organize, Energize, Coalize!"

Drew

--- Gerry Gras <gerrygras at earthlink.net> wrote:

> 
> I can't think of any solutions or suggestions right now, but
> here are some miscellaneous thoughts.
> 
> I share Jim's concerns (3/11) about having a retreat with a
> lot of brainstorming leading to actions that quickly fizzle
> out.  I certainly would like to do something different.
> 
> I agree with Wes (3/11) re recruiting volunteers, with a
> caveat.  As coco of the GPCA CC, I was so overwhelmed that I
> never found the time to train anyone.  And maybe some people
> are not good at training.  So the idea of training
> replacements is good, but may be difficult in practice.
> 
> I guess Drew (3/11) is correct that asking former GP members
> why they left is risky, but I think that the risk is worth it.
> If you don't know why people have left, how can you act
> differently to reduce the departures?  (This is a specific
> example of an important general rule "If you don't know why
> something is broken, you are unlikely to know how to fix it?")
> 
> ...
> 
> I think one of the most important aspects of why a lot of
> time gets wasted is that we often talk about things we agree
> should be done, but there is no followup because there is
> no "champion", no one who is willing to spend time and effort
> to make it happen.  If there is no champion for an item,
> then it should be dropped or tabled.  As Peggy Lewis (former
> GPCA CC coco) liked to say, "You plead, you lead".  Or as I
> have heard elsewhere "If it is to be, it is up to me".  Maybe
> this falls under "personal responsibility".
> 
> Another factor, in my opinion, is that there is more than a
> little negativity.  By that I mean too much criticism and
> not enough support for good ideas and actions.  This is bad
> for morale, which is bad for positive participation.  (But
> I admit that the GPSCC is nowhere near as bad as the GPCA CC.)
> 
> I remember reading somewhere "Begin with the end in mind.".
> The idea is that you start with determining what the ultimate
> goal is, then work backwards.  And what is our ultimate goal?
> I don't know, do you?  For me personally it is a combination of
> 1) achieve sustainability with the least amount of pain getting
>     there
> 2) preserving and strengthening democracy
> 3) justice for all
> 4) maybe something else I have forgotten?
> But already that may be too complex.  Yes?  No?
> And I am sure that others on this list have different goals.
> 
> If you want people to join and be active in the GP, it might
> be a good idea to ask "What can we do to make the GP attractive
> to more people"?
> 
> We have a mystery which gets in the way.  All of us have had
> the experience of talking to others about an issue (e.g. Iraq,
> taxes, spoiler effect) and not comprehending why they resist
> or disagree with what is "obvious" to us.  Sometimes they are
> friends or family.  Can we make sufficient progress without
> better understanding that resistance?
> 
> What do we have to learn from Lakoff's framing thoery?
> 
> Enough for now.
> 
> Gerry

___________________

JamBoi
The Green Parties' #1 Blogger
See http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=JamBoi

The Celts invading the Italian Penninsula's reply when questioned by the nervous Romans around 400BC
"To the brave belong all things"

Jammy The Sacred Cow Slayer

"Live humbly, laugh often and love unconditionally" (anon)
http://dailyJam.blogspot.com


 
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