We're doing a good job at sticking to this so far. We didn't have major A-list "new links" on Friday, but traffic actually rose from the previous day, so the site is proving sticky. Keep up the interest.
The "coalition" so far has meant many, many blogs linking to this site and expressing support. There are a lot of otherwise-partisan bloggers that are positively thrilled to be working with their counterparts on this issue. This is obviously newsworthy by itself.
But the other newsworthy aspect is that there is a lot more latent opposition to this bill that everyone first thought. We need to work fast for it to have any affect.
This means putting the coalition to work. Here's what we will do:
I will be creating "Action" posts, hopefully one per weekday and weekend. I do not have a mailing list set up to send out Action Items by email - I always thought that was fairly lame, anyway. Instead, this effort will need to rely on weblogs continuing to read the site, and passing on the links to the Action entries. Bookmark the site, or subscribe to its RSS Feed.
The content of the Action posts will basically be determined by reader input. So, send ideas, either in comments, or through private notes.
At this point, it looks like a four-point effort:
Yes, the Senate voted. But I'm coming more to the belief that there is real potential here. There was gross cynicism in that 74-25 vote. Expedience was not appropriate in this matter, and we could make it play into our hands. If we are of the belief that we could have changed the Senate vote if we had had more time, then let's use that time to make them regret it. I don't mean that as hyperbole, I mean to actually elicit statements from Senators, forcing them to defend their votes. I'm going to look more into a congress tracking tool over the weekend so we can track what they say.
There will first be committees to focus on. Then it will be the House in general. Evidently, there are several Democrats that wrote an anxious letter asking for quick passage on the Bill (anyone have a link?); it could be beneficial to target them especially. (One of them, Wu, is right here in Portland.)
Targeting the politicians directly isn't enough. It might be possible to peel off a couple of Republicans, but in general, the Republican majority is far too disciplined - they vote as a bloc. The only way to turn the Republicans is to push them to a critical mass where they found a politically feasible way to change their approach. Their tipping point is invisible, so it's a matter of finding as many different pressure points as possible.
I am thinking: target local media. And also try to turn conservative opinion makers. Just One Minute had earlier asked if Rush could be turned. It's worth exploring. I already saw Lou Dobbs talking about the "assault on the middle class".
There's a separate part to this - PACs. There are a ton of conservative PACs that could possibly be convinced to share public reservations on the bill. And maybe MoveOn can be convinced to reconsider their stance.
I think this needs an offline component. I do not know how effective visits to Congressional offices are when the Congresscritters are in Washington. Interested in opinions here. We also need something that can be printed out and dropped off in public places. I am not a graphic designer, so if you have graphic design or marketing-writing skills, please volunteer with some publication materials. It would be beneficial if they were written from a centrist or conservative perspective. Finally, some have expressed interest in things like marches or boycotts or mass protests. Those sorts of things need far broader support to be meaningful, but I will highlight those with proven momentum.
I recognize that 95% of us are interested in being given assignments so we can get to work. But, I do need help from those that are interested in actually designing tactics and strategy and fashioning an action plan that has a chance at leading to results with the resources we have. Contact me if you can help in that regard. (Please show your hand; if you write with "I can help come up with ideas, sign me up!" you've missed the point entirely. :-) )
Weekend Action Items coming soon.
Posted by tunesmith at March 12, 2005 01:30 AM
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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Bankruptcy Coalition: How This Will Work:
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I think the media will be important. The bill didn't seem to get too much public attention when it was in the Senate. It's one of those measures slipping under the radar while everyone debates Social Security reform.
Posted by: Scott Aaron at March 12, 2005 08:03 AM
This is truly a remarkable event. Left and right populist merging for their common interest. It's about time!
Clearly, the problem at hand is that politicians of both parties have sold out to corporate contributors. As Lou Dobbs says, "the best government money can buy".
Getting the corporations out of government is an issue that Americans of all political persausion can rally around.
Posted by: Robert at March 12, 2005 08:47 AM
Just found your site. Will be linking through from All Spin Zone. More to follow later toda when I have a moment.
Posted by: Richard Cranium at March 12, 2005 08:50 AM
Josh Marshall was really good tactically on Social Security. Would be good to have him help.
Posted by: Adina Levin at March 12, 2005 09:35 AM
Okay, I dropped Mr Lou Dobbs an email. I see this as fitting into the overall pattern of outsourcing jobs. Take a person's job, create crushing debt when they can't pay the bills, take their home and all of their savings. If they find a job, garnish their wages for up to five years.
Isn't it ironic, or perhaps not, that banks are the biggest outsourcers of white collar jobs and they pressed for this bill?
Posted by: robert at March 12, 2005 10:40 AM
Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Judiciary Committee.
Chair is Cannon R-Utah.
Posted by: Nell Lancaster at March 12, 2005 01:20 PM
This is a stupendous effort, everyone. I'm impressed. I'll help too.
Go Bloggers!
Posted by: mjn at March 12, 2005 03:20 PM
To Neil Lancaster:
I believe Utah has the HIGHEST personal bankruptcy rate per capita of any state. Cannon would seem to be vulnerable to constituent pressure, or perhaps Mormon "preacher-pressure."
My immediate reaction to this based on my admittedly limited knowledge of the names on the committee at the link you provided is that all 5 Dems are or should be against the legislation. As an example, Nadler, though he represents the NYC financial district, is very liberal. If all 5 arent' against it, color me surprised (or color them bought). One doubtful might be Watt from NC.
I also note that Republicans Chabot of OH and a couple of the others are the types that might be persuadable.
It doesn't help that one Repub and one Dem are from NC, home of Bank of America.
There are 7 Repubs and 5 Dems. If Dems vote as a bloc and 2 Repubs defect, it won't get out of committee and the bill is dead. Right?
Or is there a way around the committee to the House Floor? If so, uh-oh.
Posted by: Tom Blumer at March 12, 2005 04:07 PM
For best use of resources and to maximize time, I would suggest that Dems contact pro Dems and Repubs contact the pro Repubs.
All PR should be focused in their respective districts.
We need to force them to count the beans.
Jack
Posted by: jack kashinsky at March 12, 2005 09:43 PM
Democrats.com is delighted to join!
We're building an all-purpose site at http://debtslavery.org
The site links back to the blog here at http://politology.us/
It also has a working Write Your Rep feature.
We can add lots more links - just let me know.
If you want to link to it, use this image
Posted by: bob fertik at March 12, 2005 11:30 PM
The Judiciary Committee Democrats are among the most progressive in the House. They should need reminders only from readers in their districts. That's the best method with all Congressional Reps -- messages from out of the district (or out of state, in the case of Senators) don't get read, or at a minimum don't carry the weight that constituent messages do.
Personally written letters carry much more weight than e-mail messages. Because Congressional postal mail is still delayed by screening, the best combination of impact and speed is to write a letter and fax it to their office. Put your address prominently after your signature so they can see you are a constituent.
Also effective are postal letters to their district (non-DC) offices, letters to the editor, and prepared questioners at in-district 'town hall' meetings (call the district offices and ask about the schedule).
Time-consuming but powerful are personal lobbying delegations with the Congressperson -- four to six constituents, ideally people with some weight in the community, even better if they are active in the Rep's party. This will require persistent letter and phone work with the Congressperson's scheduler (see congress.org), as well as recruiting and preparation of the group. They can happen in the DC office or at a district office.
Posted by: Nell Lancaster at March 13, 2005 07:36 AM
@Tunesmith: What are you referring to here? I'm unaware of their having taken a stance.
maybe MoveOn can be convinced to reconsider their stance.
Because the bill came up so quickly in the Senate, most of the netroots lobbying done was organized through the guest blog Josh Marshall hosted at his site.
Posted by: Nell Lancaster at March 13, 2005 07:40 AM
we have created an issue action page on this that sends your personal message to all your members of Congress at once.
http://www.usalone.com/bankruptcy.htm
we have already created a custom embedded solution for democrats.com, which we can clone for your own site in an instant.
http://blog.democrats.com/node/3696
please contact us directly at dc@thepen.us to get your own fully enabled embedded submission form for your own action page.
peace,
The Pen
Posted by: The Pen at March 13, 2005 11:09 AM
Actually I think it may be time to take even more serious action.
I'm thinking a national strike may be in order.
Or at least, say, a one-month moratorium on all discretionary spending.
Actually ... that's a very good idea ... let's show the rotten credit card companies and businesses what life would be like if everyone were under Chapter 13.
Posted by: Axinar at March 12, 2005 06:44 AM