Okay, I have to vent.
I've been a supporter of MoveOn since the Clinton Impeachment debacle. In the intervening years, I've grown to respect and admire what a small cadre of individuals can accomplish who have vision, drive, and technical savvy. The organization has grown into an influential force in politics today. Their on-line primary garnered much publicity with media pundits and 'heads talking about the weighty benefits to the Democratic candidate who could secure the support of fifty percent of MoveOn members. When no candidate emerged with the required fifty percent, the primary was to be reheld at a future date when members had a clearer vision of the field. Hold that thought.........
In recent weeks, MoveOn members have been participating in an ad selection process by viewing and voting on submitted 30-second anti-Bush spots. The winner will be announced on January 12th. Now, after multiple ads run by such groups as the Club for Growth and the highly questionable Americans for Jobs, Healthcare and Progressive Values, MoveOn appears ready to respond--soon.
MoveOn does a nice job in communication with its core constituency and in engaging these supporters in achieving the organization's goals and objectives. Here it comes, though; the big however....
It's not the membership they should be communicating so conscientiously and meticulously with; it's the voters. I was frustrated they did not become involved with the upcoming 2004 election back when the Democratic candidates declared and began campaigning last spring. I wrote to them, articulating my concerns about waiting and urged them to become more visible in the anti-Bush process, to act as if they were actually paying attention. After a flurry with the on-line primary, months of silence have ensued.
Why is MoveOn so lumbering? Why is this organization not more agile? There are times when decisive, top-down management action is appropriate. Is timely response to right-wing media blitzes one of them? Maybe they should try to be less democratic in every single move they make and more timely--thus, more relevant--in their responses? I'm frustrated with them and will write them again. Purity of vision, mission, and philosophy is only as valuable as the effect it has upon those who do not share the same vision, mission, and philosophy. Thinking big thoughts and taking ages to act on them is a recipe for self-inflicted obsolescence. MoveOn needs to heed my mother's admonition when people were taking way too long to get their butts in gear, "C'mon, people, get a move on!!"