Stop Organizing Me, Obama
I got one of those bulk emails from Barack Obama today, announcing some new recharge of the movement that elected him called "Organizing for America." Now I gave money to the Obama campaign and proudly voted for him, and cried with my friends when he was announced our next President. But I don't like this Organizing for America thing one bit.
Barack, as much as you may not want to admit it, you are *The State* now, and all the baggage that brings with it. You are Big Brother. To mobilize the people who worked for your election into a standing army of political supporters is way creepy. Are Organizing for America people going to have a patch to wear? Secret handshakes? If I don't love Obama enough, are my buddies going to turn me in to the O.f.A. police?
Look, it's not a bad thing for a President to communicate directly to the people. But it should be to all the people. Send an email to all Americans, asking them to support this policy or that - the people who support you will sort themselves out, and the people who oppose you will at least know they are in the loop. If you must keep your web site and other internet stuff working, then keep it alive technically but have nothing to do with it until the 2012 campaign officially begins. In the meantime, then, people can organize themselves if they wish - without the stamp of Big Brother all over the process.
In any event, I don't think this Organizing for America thing is going to work too well. People tend to go about their lives and become less political after elections are over, so sustaining a mass movement outside the context of a unifying event like an election is difficult. However, small groups of dedicated people can make much mischief, especially if under the direction of the President. So I vote no on Organizing for America, and yes for Americans organizing themselves privately.
Barack, as much as you may not want to admit it, you are *The State* now, and all the baggage that brings with it. You are Big Brother. To mobilize the people who worked for your election into a standing army of political supporters is way creepy. Are Organizing for America people going to have a patch to wear? Secret handshakes? If I don't love Obama enough, are my buddies going to turn me in to the O.f.A. police?
Look, it's not a bad thing for a President to communicate directly to the people. But it should be to all the people. Send an email to all Americans, asking them to support this policy or that - the people who support you will sort themselves out, and the people who oppose you will at least know they are in the loop. If you must keep your web site and other internet stuff working, then keep it alive technically but have nothing to do with it until the 2012 campaign officially begins. In the meantime, then, people can organize themselves if they wish - without the stamp of Big Brother all over the process.
In any event, I don't think this Organizing for America thing is going to work too well. People tend to go about their lives and become less political after elections are over, so sustaining a mass movement outside the context of a unifying event like an election is difficult. However, small groups of dedicated people can make much mischief, especially if under the direction of the President. So I vote no on Organizing for America, and yes for Americans organizing themselves privately.