Some thoughts on how to hem our party members on the hill back into line, and organize efforts to be heard:
The time has come for us to get off of duffs and do more than post here at Kos day in and day out. The time has come that we've got to take a stand and get our ducks in a row, or else we're going to be toast.
I'm a pacifist, and for me to say that, you know it's gotta be true; but I'm not talking violence here, I'm talking about serious organizing efforts.
I came up with a couple of ideas recently, and I want to share them with you:
1. The RECAPTURE INDEX - (I posted this idea on another diary, and was encouraged to create a diary for it)
We the people need to stick together. The folks on the hill are the ones we're concerned about hearing us and doing what needs to be done.
Like the Conservatives have a "Rapture Index" that tells them who/what/when their supposed savior is (coming), we need a RECAPTURE INDEX to count points that Democrats on the hill can earn our respect from.
We forget all too often that Biden did this back in 2002, or Daschle did that in 2003, or Mr. Bluestate been in his seat a long time did something really audacious way back in (whatever year that was).
We need to keep a database, and we need to make these representatives of ours earn points. The Republicans do this, and this is part of how they kept their base informed,so why have I never seen anything like this on our side?
Each vote a member of Congress takes should be entered into a database with a score (just like tests in school). Big bills like the recent Bankruptcy bill would score double points (like a semester final) and all scores should be averaged out to coincide with a scale of how they should have voted if they were true representatives of "We the People" Democrats.
It seems to me that if someone earns a score less than 80% (or 90 would be my preference) we just find someone to replace them. There was a diary set up recently encouraging new Kossack blood to run.
We need to stop feeling powerless and start keeping a running score. A place where anyone can look up the tab at a moment's glance and see who is actually working for our team and who isn't.
Anyone know of such a place already? If not, anyone care to help me set this up?
2. Brainstormers Forum:
An anything goes brainstorming issue/action site where we can go to put out ideas, join efforts that are already organizing, advertise our own, help advise on those efforts and feel like we're all a part of the process.
I've recently acquired some webspace, and I'm looking for something to do with it. My artwork would of course be part of that webspace, it is the reason I got it to begin with; but I would like to set up an organizing clearinghouse where people can volunteer, hookup, toss ideas out into the air, and set up organizing campaigns to make ourselves heard.
It's possible these things already exist, and I'm just not aware of them. If they do exist, please just tell me that this diary is not worth it and I'm a total moron. I'll completely understand.
I've seen sites that organize marches, or this or that, but I have not seen an actual clearinghouse that has brought all these sites together and given them a place to gather more supporters.
Are my ideas worth any support?