YEARNING FOR GREENER GRASSROOTS: Fledgling Good Government Advocates Unduly Rely on Mainstream Media and Celebrity Support

Comments on the hesitancy and oftentimes collective inertia of some grassroots advocates and members are very much on point. Sometimes resources unattainable by one or a few individuals can be raised by pooling and collective effort, but nobody seems to think of it. The idea of celebrities or nationally famous non-profits getting involved is for various reasons very unlikely, and maybe we need to say: No Virginia, there is no Santa Claus. The reluctance of some individuals to get involved and help their own cases is noted but somewhat inexplicable. And instead of waiting for a grassroots organization to become successful, it would further the effort to help make it successful. George Washington may not have had much chance of prevailing in 1775. Fortunately a good many people joined anyway and ultimately helped him prevail. The press has been defined as the people's intelligence agency and has not always fulfilled that mission.
Andrew

I don't claim to have understood every word, but I did recognize the same problem that I faced repeatedly in my leadership rolls. Grass roots is an idea that must be cultivated and explained to those who would not even make it a third of the way through what you wrote here. A sign of the times is illiteracy and ignorance abounding in the emotionally socially dependent population that is the support of their very oppression. We want to restore value back to our country, but those who are corrupting it and benefiting from its corruption seem to own the media.

Our corporations are merged with government and indoctrination entities that created a privileged society, now leaving us as open for fascism, tyranny, and eventually total dictatorship. You understand the problem well and are very educated. The real victims now and future are not mentally capable of understanding how they are being used as tools to bring down their own demise or perpetuate their own slavery. The grass roots movement that depends on communication to rally support will have to re-evaluate it's weapons of choice.

I have said repeatedly that if we had fought the corporation take over of all the major news media formats available we would have countered their liberal biased in every city around the country which would have given them competition and us a battle ground equal to theirs. Over the years billions of dollars instead went into elections that were doomed for the Constitutionalists at the start. Another battleground that was neglected over the last seventy or so years was the lobbying of our corrupt politicians as they struck their by-partisan deals to thwart the Constitutional foundation of this country.

Zena, this is extremely well written. I consider myself to be educated, yet not to the point that you are. This was a hard read for me. I am one of the chief petitioners on three petitions coming out in Oregon. They are to restore the constitution in increments. Success of these are not really in getting the signatures but the courts that they will be dumped in if voted into law. They rob the pork barrel mentality in our legislooters of billions or trillions of dollars while attempting to restore constitutional boundaries for them to be held to once again.

Yes, un-constitutional courts will have the final word to most of the states population even though they will undoubtedly violate their oath of office that they have violated since they took office. You are where a lot of frustrated patriots now stand. The cross roads of how to join a large enough number to make a difference in the war to gain individual protection for the rights of "We the people" I have asked over and over again, how can we expect to win against corruption of any kind if we as Americans can not agree on one thing to fight and win?

I won't say in any shape or form that this comment is to be taken as futility. I know God is in charge and good is not dead, sacrifice and freedom must go hand in hand to make any head way in our struggle to end our oppression. You could not lie down and roll over to those who want to be our masters anymore than I could. We will fight to our deaths even though we don't see victory close at hand. I do like what ideals you have expressed here. I hope to be able to help you when it is possible and you need me. Barbara

I embrace and support the thinking expressed in this article; I recently published the following article that points to a particular contemporary disadvantage of the Internet:

Seeking Political Reform Through Solidarity

Joel S. Hirschhorn

All over the Internet are sincere efforts to reform and improve America's political-government system. The downside is fragmentation of the subpopulation that has escaped brainwashing, cultural distraction, and self-delusion. Strategy solidarity is missing, but is possible.

Millions of discontent, dissident and truly patriotic Americans see our federal government as corrupt and untrustworthy, disrespectful of our Constitution, under the grip of moneyed interests, subservient to corporate and globalization elites, unresponsive to the needs of ordinary people, and very much on the wrong track. But they are not united.

This subpopulation no longer believes that electing different Democrats or Republicans will turn around the nation. Many have stopped voting. Some believe violent revolution is necessary. Some think that only national economic disaster will produce necessary change. Most find hope in a particular reform strategy that has attracted their attention and respect. However, so many reform efforts reduce prospects for success.

I am talking about political-government reforms, not party reforms. Many successful websites often described as "progressive" seek changes in the Democratic Party. On the political right others hope to reform the Republican Party. Party reform is not the same as reversing the many declines in American democratic institutions. Devotees of popular sites like dailykos.com, moveon.org and huffingtonpost.com, for example, still believe that electing different Democrats is the solution, while true dissidents have given up on that. Being passionately anti-Bush/Cheney does not change their loyalty to the two-party system.

For the dissident subpopulation, fragmentation impedes building a critical mass that can precipitate a tipping point for revolutionary change that solves systemic national problems. Fragmentation results in large measure because of the ease of creating new groups with their own websites. Dissidents align with some web group (and sometimes several), hoping and perhaps praying for success, even if they admit the probability is low.

Admittedly, our monumentally negative and complex national situation will not receive some quick magic-bullet solution. And many will argue that we need multiple strategies and that many of them are complementary. Yet the fragmentation-critical mass issue must not be ignored any longer. Especially when we acknowledge the myriad, powerful forces supporting our ugly, oppressive status quo system and their demonstrated capability over many decades to beat back serious reform attempts. Success requires solidarity. If we do not take the fragmentation problem seriously, untold numbers of micro-reform groups will remain marginalized. Just what status quo forces want.

Realistically, reaching consensus will be resisted by many reform-groups that would not be selected as the priority, solidarity option. One cannot ignore the considerable egos of activists that have energetically created a web group, and that have attained supporters – though rarely in significant numbers. They sincerely believe that their strategy is the best one and having relatively few supporters does not deter them. Many are as opposed to alternative reform strategies as those in the status quo establishment, but not all. Most celebrate their long shot status with a religious zeal bordering on obsession. We need passion for a solidarity strategy.

This requires maturity and open-mindedness from entrepreneurial activists to acknowledge that some other strategy offers more promise of wide scale success. Joining together in common cause is necessary to save our nation.

Umbrella Strategy: What we can strive for is that many reform advocates can support another strategy that does not contradict or oppose their own one. In seeking a solidarity strategy, we want the capacity to serve as an umbrella movement that ultimately can assist others to succeed or at least fairly compete against each other for public support.

Unlikely Mass Action: The solidarity strategy should not be dependent on changing the behavior of enormous numbers of people. Many sincere groups believe that millions of converts will change more than their thinking or values – they will change their behavior. They trust that their information stimulus will produce their desired response. One group aims at convincing people to have only one child per couple as the planet-wide solution. Another preaches voting out incumbents. Another wants supporters for replacing our representative democracy with direct democracy – despite being antithetical to our constitutional republic framework. Such micro-movements hope that true believers will voluntarily choose to behave in the desired fashion. But how can one person confidently believe that millions of others will behave likewise? Such groups typically exist for years despite no objective evidence that their message is causing millions of people to behave similarly.

Unlikely Lawmaking: Many other groups, such as those pursuing specific electoral reforms, base success on Congress eventually passing the desired law. But if we are talking about profound reforms, passage is unlikely. Powerful moneyed interests spend whatever is necessary to preserve the status quo through lobbying and campaign funding. Getting dissidents to send letters to members of Congress, sign petitions and participate in street protests are tactics that rarely succeed against the corrupt power of money. Moreover, many of these groups pursue beneficial but narrow reforms that will not profoundly change our system. Note that I am not talking about worthy issue-specific actions that often mobilize large numbers, such as the recent success to kill the attempt to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants and as yet unsuccessful attempts to impeach Bush and Cheney, stop the Iraq war, and stop globalization.

It comes to this: Is there a solidarity strategy for achieving deep reforms? Yes. Some time ago I anguished over the decision to dedicate my time, energy and money to a movement that I had researched and concluded had the capacity to produce many major reforms. An Article V convention could be the successful solidarity strategy. The Framers of our Constitution created this option exactly because they anticipated the loss of public confidence in the federal government. That day has arrived.

This strategy is a clear constitutional right. An Article V convention, moreover, would provide a legal venue for consideration of many possible amendments. Indeed, when I examined countless reform groups, the clearer it became that many goals could be instituted through constitutional amendments – our ultimate lawmaking opportunity.

Why so many failed attempts to get an Article V convention? Powerful groups on the political left and right had opposed the convention. They wanted to retain their ability to greatly influence public policy and feared a convention that circumvented all three branches of the federal government. The great hypocrisy was that those professing to honor and love our Constitution opposed using exactly what our Constitution offers us.

I first wondered why Congress had not proposed an amendment to remove the convention option. But then I realized that Congress has chosen to conceal its opposition to a convention. But two of our greatest presidents backed it: Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I linked up with other conventionists and now we have a major web presence for Friends of the Article V Convention at www.foavc.org. We are nonpartisan and will not endorse specific amendments. We have shown the potential for wide scale success by achieving remarkable rapid growth in membership in just a few months and have begun building state chapters.

If you are a true dissident looking for major political-government reforms come with an open mind to our website. Access a wealth of information and analysis that refute any fears you may have about a convention (because of propaganda from anti-conventionists). If you have a reform group or are committed to one and can envision a constitutional amendment to reach your goal, consider affiliate membership for your group.

In solidarity there is strength. Much strength is needed to meet our common reform goal of restoring American democracy and rebuilding a trustworthy government.

[Joel S. Hirschhorn is the author of Delusional Democracy and can be reached through www.delusonaldemocracy.com.]

There must be sufficient laws put into place for the people who can't speak for themselves. There must be an integrity movement where strong and visionary legislators are put into place to protect the American people.

Before people will act or become proactive - they must first be educated.

An educational campaign need to include everyone writing articles, posting messages to websites, blogs, my space accounts, and throughout the internet as well as in the community newspapers, magazines, newsletters, etc.

I do believe this country will be turned around only and when we come together to make this happen...

Many people have a voice but because of the conditions of their family members, friends, neighbors and colleagues they are not in a position to speak out against the injustices. Because of this government, they can longer provide the basic essentials of life such as food, clothing, and shelter - for their loved ones...

But we have to continue to be vigulent and persistant and stay out there on issues such as these. We must continue to challenge the powers to be...and expose any and all types of corruption and unethical practices. We must continue to move forward...

Cathy Harris, Founder & Executive Director, Customs Employees Against Discrimination Assn. (CEADA)
(www.ceada.com) and author of "How To Take Control of Your Own Life" (www.howtotakecontrol.com)

Hello,

The original post raised the problem of the need for all these reform organizations and civic minded individuals achieving a semblence of unity, attaining critical mass on various issues, and the like. As to responses, voter dis-satisfaction is noted, and as is said in Lake County, IN- it matters less how you vote than who counts the votes. Ideas that help achieve unity in this respect, getting attention for worthwhile legislation, and the ability of organizations to coalesce are appreciated. I only note that sometimes it is better to use an unfamiliar word than to use a whole paragraph to explain the idea. In the effort to educate people, different materials should become available for different audiences and on different issues. Andrew