[Sosfbay-discuss] FW: strategy considerations

[Drew Johnson]

Jon Olsen joliyoka at gwi.net
Wed Dec 17 19:18:28 EST 2008
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Replying to Craig Seaman, who wrote, in part:


I wonder if others have ideas/suggestions for developing an active
base on a large scale (knowing that our states are different sizes). I
wonder how Illinois is handling this. Is California trying to counter
a stagnant base. This may well be an issue many state parties with and
without ballot lines may be dealing with.

There's certainly many states that have gained and lost ballot lines.
We need to discuss growth strategies (growth in people who do the work
"on the ground" as it were).

What are "you all" doing to increase and encourage "enthusiastic"
participation so that people feel the want to volunteer for campaigns
or any other party building activities?

We need to discuss strategy. (Create that infrastructure which
includes vehicles to participate)


My responses:
YES, we need to think BIG in order to grow the party. Envision the end and
work backwards from it. Here's my take on that scenario:

1. The END: Greens are in the strategic position the Dems are now, with
Obama coming in and a considerable majority in Congress.
2. Step back--under what conditions can we achieve this end?
A. (1)The majority of people voting have no confidence in the other
parties and (2) we have inspired them to give us their trust.
B. Regarding A (1) The economic and political collapse continues unabated
and (2) we replace the prevailing ideology (which I would term
neo-feudalism, though Monte amiably disagrees) with one based on our Green
values, combined with elements of a traditional left analysis of
imperialism (see the brand new speech by Evo Morales I posted just the
other day to this list --absolutely brilliant, simple, and thoroughly
Green.) We invent an ideology, which is a network of shared mutually
compatible values.
3. We repudiate the tendency to spend so much time on procedural wrangling
(what union member would, for example have the patience to tolerate all
this procedural bickering?) and instead concentrate on a few major tasks:
A. Evolve and develop a strategy to win people's allegiance (if we do
that, the votes will come). We need to see how South American countries
have done this successfully in the past decade, without an armed
revolution, and adapt their ideas to our our circumstances (obviously not
copying, due to historical and cultural differences).
B. Break the media blockade of our ideas. This means taking on the
corporate media as an opponent, not regarding them as a nuisance, or
worse, a potential ally.
C. Find a way to exponentialy increase revenue. Get out of the rut of
begging for money like every other organization (hundreds, if not
thousands of them). Instead, we organize to earn it by offering our
collective goods and services, and finding like minded people with means
who see the futility of the existing system. There must be celebrities who
would be willing to have us sponsor an evening with them for a genuine
political discussion, to which we can request a modest fee.
4. Identify and nurture those Greens who can INSPIRE. Obama is where he is
now (in just 4 years) because of his excellent rhetorical ability. We
Greens have people like that too; Cynthia being one of them, for sure.
5. Distribute tens of millions (as we have the income--see item C) of 10
Key Values, Real Difference cards, each with the GPUS website. How?
Anywhere people are in lines--they will read anything, since it is boring
to stand in lines. Ball games, movies, theatrical productions, concerts,
fairs, etc.
6. Use the internet vehicles that Craig understands so well (and I don't)
and the exponential exposure that comes with such use.
7. To do these kinds of bold promotions, we need to consolidate our own
core base, including a few more paid staff, and then a few more, so each
state can grow and nurture the seething opposition to the state of affairs
we have now.
8. Regard elections as the BY-PRODUCT of our activism on the key sisues
people are concerned about:
A. The present economy (time to invent a NEW economy--enough with "the"
economy)
B. Imperial aggression
C. Health care
D. Taxation without REAL representation (how many people feel
"represented" by those in Congress, or even their legislature?

Enough for now. Please digest and use for nourishment. Your responses?
Jon Olsen., Maine