Onto Grassroots Governing

Dean 2004 was Grassroots 1.0, Obama 2008 has been Grassroots 2.0. The method of it has been Grassroots 2.0, the substance of it has been what Barack calls the new kind of politics, the politics of hope, the politics of respect for those who differ with you, the politics of no longer tearing each other down. The method made the substance possible. The grassroots mechanics of Obama 2008 were made possible by the advances in internet technology. Dean 2004 did not have YouTube, Blogger, Facebook, none of that. Internet fundraising has gone through the roof. The people have claimed the power. 

But like Barack said in his victory speech, a speech that I heard on the radio, that had me sobbing. He said "I know you did not do this for me, and I know you did not do this to win an election." The grassroots won this election to transform the country, the world, to bring forth fundamental policy changes like universal health care, ending a war, changing the way Washington does business. 

The mood can't be, okay, now that we won, let's pack up and go home, let's hope Barack is a good guy, let's hope he is who we thought he was. The mood has to be, let's govern the way we won. What would be some of the elements?

Transparency In Decision Making 

Share the data, the facts, the details of the policy discussions, the money projections, the debate with the grassroots. All bills in Congress must be put online in the entirety for a week or two before they get voted on by Congress. Let the grassroots chew on the bills. Feed the monster. 

Feedback Loop

If internet technology makes possible that transparency, it also makes possible for the grassroots to meet and discuss and debate and speak back to the powers that be in Washington. The Barack team in the White House has to make the grassroots feel like they are constantly listening. The listening process itself has to be public. 

MyBO

That website can not be dismantled. It has to be enhanced.  That is where Obama 2012 has already been launched. Millions of volunteers across the country are so invested in that site. That can't be put to waste. That website is the tool people have used to create and host events. That fundamental function will continue to be relevant. Google just launched a browser that is faster. MyBO has to become faster. My profile page takes forever to load. The basic functions have to be made more robust, and perhaps elements have to be added. 

Do Events, Blog Events

Obama 2008 produced numerous leaders at the grassroots levels. I would not be surprised if many of those end up running for local, state and federal offices. For now, the local leaders have to keep putting together local events where people can gather and mingle, discuss and reconnect. The best aspect of Obama 2008's use of internet technology was that it was able to bring people to gather and meet in person, press the flesh. It was face time, it was not screen time. 

Major Events For The Major Votes

There will be a few times over the next eight years when Barack is going to need Congress to pass a big bill, like the bill for universal health care for example. The grassroots has to be involved in the crafting of the bill itself, people who will vote on it also. But once Barack has decided a bill is ready, and it is time for the vote, the grassroots army has to swing into action like it were election time all over again. 

Quality Face Time

MyBO should make that possible. Of course quality time is getting to have dinner with Barack, like Rivera from the Bronx did early in the campaign. But since Barack will be busy, we will have to create quality time for each other. 

Intelligent, Informed Debate, Decent Government

It is a wonderful thing that a government of the people is actually going to be a government of the people. And Barack's positive mantra is going to lead to a decent government. This hope guy has a tendency to elevate the status of you and me and all. Decency has its value. Respect has its value. Did I tell you? I am a declared student of Barack's new kind of politics. 

 

In The News

What we know about the Mumbai attacks CNN

Made in Pakistan Ha'aretz

Indian forces tighten grip on Mumbai International Herald Tribune

Nepal condemns Mumbai terror attacks Times of India

Update: Terrorists Holed Up In Mumbai Hotels, Jewish Housing Complex AHN

Mumbai gunmen besiege hotels, kill 119 in 2 days The Associated Press

Mumbai Attack Is Obama's First International Challenge Wall Street Journal

Commandos tackle besieged Mumbai hotels CNN International

For Mumbai hotel guests, celebrations became a night of horror International Herald Tribune, France

Mumbai terror tears here too Times of India, India

Brian Dwyer: Attacks in Mumbai spread aftershocks throughout India MetroWest Daily News, MA

Mumbai's Taj hotel stand-off nearly over PRESS TV, Iran

Landmark Mumbai hotel targeted in terrorist spree The Associated Press

Taj gunmen seemed to know their way inside Indian Express, India

Terrified Americans, Europeans describe Mumbai chaos CNN

Day After Attacks, a Standoff in India New York Times, United States

Seven hostages rescued from besieged Mumbai complex: officials ABS CBN News, Philippines

Witness accounts of Mumbai attacks from sites around the Web CNN

Obama Describes Team as Experienced Yet Fresh New York Times, United States
Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense Department New York Times, United States
Managing Economic Team To Be Challenge for Obama Washington Post, United States
Economic Scene The Return of Larry Summers New York Times
Obama Loves the 90s, Part 2 ABC News
Obama defends experienced, centrist team Boston Globe, United States
The New Team Max Cleland New York Times, United States 
Obama and Bush Working to Calm Volatile Market New York Times, United States
Obama presses aggressive economic recovery plans AFP
After Obama's calming remarks, Dow marks 4th straight advance Philadelphia Inquirer

The Bigness Of The Financial Crisis: Making Sense

This thing is so big, it is not making sense to me. It is just so huge. I can try and draw historic parallels, but there is no denying we are breaking new ground. Noone really saw it coming, although many warned of the malpractices in the mortgage industry.

Great Depression?

That was the last big crisis of this proportion, although the times were much more painful back then. A wrong lesson to draw would be to think now is the time to usher in a new bag of entitlement programs. There is no free lunch, the cliche goes. Someone somewhere has to pay. That someone could be unborn children, but they are still paying.

This Is America Paying For The Iraq War

The direct cost was the trillion Bush poured into the Iraqi sands. The indirect cost is this global financial meltdown, although it no longer feels all that indirect.

Bin Laden, Right?

Bin Laden talked of "the myth of the superpower" before he drove the Soviets out of Afghanistan. 9/11 triggered the Iraq War that triggered this financial crisis. Wall Street saw the White House act wildly fiscally irresponsible, and it mirrored the behavior.

Synthesis

The communist Russia of 1917 scared the capitalist west. The welfare state of the FDR types was a synthesis to save capitalism and democracy. The challenge of the War On Terror is for America to morph into becoming a non racist democracy. The election of a Barack Obama is a good start.

700 Billion Bailout, 500 Billion Stimulus?

The answer to America's economic challenges are not in the past. If the American taxpayer does not get all those 700 billion dollars back, the Paulson gang did not dole out the money right. They will have thrown good money after bad. The bad behavior that brought forth this bad mess has to be part of the rectification. Loans and mortgages have to be renegotiated so most people can keep their homes. Losses will be suffered. Inflated assets will not stand.

To say the rich got the 700 billion bailout, so let the poor get the 500 billion stimulus, that thinking alarms me a little for a few different reasons. One, 500 billion is a lot of money. Two, this 500 billion is not coming back. You could argue a big chunk of the 700 billion might not come back either. Three, this looks like too much of an effort to rescue the old industries. It is for America to invent new industries. The biggest effort ought be to invest massively in human capital. Universal health care and universal broadband are what tomorrow asks for. Broadband is the interstate highway for tomorrow.

Balanced Budgets: Still Sexy As Ever

You can't do it in one year, or even four. But if you can't deliver a balanced budget in five, six years, the pendulum is going to swing the other way. The Democrats can't hurry up and snatch the fiscal indiscipline mantle from the Republicans and still hope to rule for any length of time. Someone somewhere is paying.

Ending the misadventure in Iraq is going to be a big part of bringing down the deficit. Hopefully the US federal government will get a good return on its 700 billion investment in the financial sector. Maybe 700 billion will have become a trillion in five years. It is possible, if the right decisions are being made now. That could help usher a new era of balanced budgets. Health care reform, if done right, is to be a money saver for the country. Universal wireless broadband is to bring the educational costs down too.

Global Financial Architecture

Global warming, global terrorism, global WMD proliferation, global financial meltdown, global US President. Barack did his elementary school in the Third World, the guy has family on three continents.

I think the number one lesson of this crisis is that the big heads need to come together and put in place a new, robust global financial structure in place. No country is an island. No one country can do it alone.

In The News

Obama Unveils Team to Tackle ‘Historic’ Crisis New York Times
Team Obama promises huge jolt to economy guardian.co.uk
Obama says economic worst still to come International Herald Tribune
Wall Street's nervous about more bank rescues The Associated Press
Zimbabwe on brink of collapse as outbreak of cholera spreads guardian.co.uk
Jimmy Carter says Zimbabwe crisis is 'much worse' than imagined Los Angeles Times
Venezuela's Chavez faces new challenges The Associated Press
Key gains for Venezuela opposition BBC News
Chavez Loses Biggest States on Defections by Venezuela’s Poor Bloomberg
New Orleans Ranks as Most Violent US City, Study Finds FOXNews
Obama costly stimulus needed to jolt US economy Reuters
Obama: Did Jackson County cost him Missouri? Kansas City Star
Hillary Clinton swayed by Barack Obama’s vow to listen to her input Boston Herald
Return of the Clinton gang AsiaOne
Clinton's potential pitfalls seen in FDR's secretary of State Los Angeles Times
My government’s innovative steps transformed Bihar: Nitish Kumar SINDH TODAY
Citigroup Bailout Charts New US Course for Rescuing Banks Bloomberg
Opera Mini 4.2 beta now surfing Google Android CNET News
Android G1 gains Visual Voicemail via PhoneFusion Phones Review
Dell Offers 'Black Friday' $349 Notebook InformationWeek
Bobby Jindal's Saturday in Iowa MSNBC
Make way for Bobby Jindal? Canada.com