Organizing 2.0 in the age of Obama

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday November 20, 2009 · 6:20 AM PST

2009/11/20 · 06:20

Organizing is enjoying a renaissance these days, as evidenced by a steady stream of articles and books about last year's presidential election campaign and the impact it had on legions of young idealists. It's worth noting then that the two forms of organizing - community and online - have actually been engaged in a 'frenemy' type struggle for years. Why has it been so hard for America's bastions of community organizing to understand, embrace and work with the tools of online organizing?

On December 5th a mostly volunteer group will be putting on the first ever conference explicitly aimed at the intersection between community organizing and online organizing. This is important: two of the most important actors in the progressive movement (labor and community organizing groups) have lagged far behind in the race to adapt their methods to the current moment. It's a troubling situation that won't change on its own.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday November 05, 2009 · 5:23 AM PST

2009/11/05 · 05:23

Thank you.

We defied the odds on election night -- and together, we sent a clear message that our elected leaders need to put New York City's working families first.

More people voted on the Working Families Party ballot line than in any New York City election in our party's history.

Working Families-endorsed candidates Bill de Blasio and John Liu were overwhelmingly elected to the City's second and third highest offices, where we know they will be strong voices for a more progressive New York.

And with the WFP's help, a new generation of grassroots community organizers joined the City Council -- including Jimmy Van Bramer, Jumaane Williams, Debi Rose, Ydanis Rodriguez, Steve Levin, Brad Lander, Danny Dromm, Fernando Cabrera, and more. We're also thrilled about what the future holds for inspiring candidates who ran strong races solely on the Working Families ballot line, such as Mark Winston-Griffith and Lynn Schulman.

And then there was the Mayor's race.

When the WFP sent out an e-mail message saying that the Thompson-Bloomberg contest would be "a stunningly tight election," political pundits scoffed. Yesterday we proved them wrong.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday November 02, 2009 · 12:12 PM PST

2009/11/02 · 12:12

How can we make a City that works for everyone?

That's the question the Working Families Party asks when deciding which policies and candidates to support in NYC.

And that's why, on Tuesday, we're backing Bill Thompson for Mayor.

Our current mayor has his own ideas about how New York City should work, but it has become increasingly clear that many New Yorkers are left out of his vision.

After eight years under Mayor Bloomberg, we are concerned that homelessness in the City is actually on the rise, the achievement gap for black and Latino kids hasn't closed, and many development projects have become boondoggles that drain tax dollars and divide communities instead of creating new jobs and affordable homes.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 20, 2009 · 5:23 AM PDT

2009/10/20 · 05:23

If you're sick, stay home. That's not just commonsense, it's advice public health officials dealing with Swine Flu and other infectious diseases give everyday. But for half the people reading this column, staying home might not be an option.

A shocking new report released last Thursday by the Community Service Society and A Better Balance shows that nearly half of all working New Yorkers (as many as 1.85 million people) - have no paid sick leave on the job. At least 1.3 million New Yorkers have no paid time off whatsoever (no vacation, no personal days).

For them, every cold or flu means having to choose between losing out on the paycheck they need to get by, or putting their health at risk (not to mention the health of their co-workers).

What's worse, the numbers are trending in the wrong direction. According to the report, 69% of "near-poor" workers - those earning just above the federal poverty line - had paid sick days in 2004. Today, just 33% of near-poor workers report being able to take a paid day off work when they get sick.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 13, 2009 · 8:17 AM PDT

2009/10/13 · 08:17

What if we could help stop global warming, save homeowners on their utility bills, and create thousands of badly needed jobs too?

It’s not a far-off fantasy, it’s the power of the green economy. And thanks to Albany’s leadership, New York is set to become a national (and global) leader in harnessing green technology -- and making sure its benefits are enjoyed by everyone.

The landmark Green Jobs-Green New York bill signed by Governor Paterson this morning in Syracuse, is based on a simple idea: set up a statewide fund to help homeowners and small business owners with the upfront costs of making energy-saving renovations and repairs, like fixing insulation problems or replacing an inefficient boiler. Then, use part of the energy savings to pay the fund back and help finance repairs for the next home or business.

Using the power of energy savings to pay for itself means reaching far more homes and small businesses than current energy programs allow. And taking away the burden of upfront costs means the benefits of green technology will finally be accessible to working families.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday October 01, 2009 · 1:44 PM PDT

2009/10/01 · 13:44

Hundreds of Make the Road New York members marched over the Brooklyn Bridge and rallied in Foley Square today in support of a New York City Council bill that would make paid sick days a basic workplace standard.

Guillermo Barerra, a father of two who was fired from a Brooklyn Restaurant for asking permission to go the hospital joined the spirited rally. He told the Daily News about how he was let go: "She told me I was fired and she never wanted to see me again and I should never return...It's terrible. Employees should not be treated this way."

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday September 30, 2009 · 10:06 AM PDT

2009/09/30 · 10:06

Yesterday, something amazing happened in New York City. John Liu rode a rainbow coalition to win the runoff for Comptroller and in November he'll become the first Asian-American ever elected to citywide office.

And Bill de Blasio, who just 6 months ago was an inspiring but little-known progressive hero, won the contest for Public Advocate against a much better known opponent.

These were hard fought victories. Bill and John spent months crisscrossing the city, talking to people in every borough and nearly every neighborhood about the issues that matter to middle- and working-class people. They each built broad coalitions: neighborhood leaders, union members, tenant activists, advocates for the homeless, and just good old-fashioned civic-minded citizens.

Turnout wasn't high. But those who did come to the polls cared deeply about the future of our city. New York has big challenges ahead. The affordable housing crisis. Rising unemployment. Every day, New Yorkers grapple with a city they love but fear they can no longer afford to call home.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday September 17, 2009 · 10:05 AM PDT

2009/09/17 · 10:05

Tuesday’s election results were simply incredible. Two major citywide upsets. Two major milestones for civil rights and equality in New York City. And seven inspiring, first-time candidates for City Council made it across the finish line.

The lesson is clear: when people organize and act, we can carry on the wave of progressive change that started with Barack Obama’s victory last November.

The Working Families Party started this election year with a simple idea. If we have a community organizer in the White House, why not put a few community organizers in City Hall?

So we scoured the city, looking for neighborhood leaders, tenant activists, and even the occasional progressive policy advocate. We found some incredible candidates. And after months of hard work – knocking on thousands of doors, recruiting hundreds of volunteers, after talking to voters day-in, day-out about the issues that matter in their community – we did it.

Here are the highlights:

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday September 14, 2009 · 11:02 AM PDT

2009/09/14 · 11:02

Paul Rosenberg wrote an informative and suggestion filled article over on OpenLeft (Third Party Folly) which references those perennial voices calling for political mobilization outside the Democratic Party. His position: don't waste your time.

It should be: don't waste your time at the national level, but by all means, pay close attention to third party efforts which have proven themselves in the real world. Like the Working Families Party in New York, Connecticut and elsewhere.

Right now a major test of this model is underway in New York City. The WFP has backed a handful of insurgent candidates fighting against entrenched, incumbent Democrats - the same kind of uninspiring politicians who usually have nothing to worry about, given the 97% reelection rates for NY City Council races.

Can the WFP-backed candidates prevail? A single win against a sitting politician would be enough to rattle the cages of the political establishment in the city. Er - actually, consider those cages well rattled, as evidenced by this Crain's article.

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Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday September 13, 2009 · 1:21 PM PDT

2009/09/13 · 13:21

At a time when health care, Joe Wilson, Glenn Back and Van Jones are uppermost in so many people’s minds, I’d like to do my best and draw some attention back to base level politics: local elections.

It's not easy to generate attention and excitement for the thousands of races for county legislator, town council, highway supervisor, and even mayor. Yet the men and women who aspire to these offices are the very heart and soul of the political class in the neighborhoods, wards and precincts where we live. Progressive change doesn't happen without change at the local level.

In New York, find the best candidates here.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday September 01, 2009 · 11:49 AM PDT

2009/09/01 · 11:49

Cross-posted on the WFP Blog The Party Line

When the Swine Flu outbreak hit New York City, public health officials and even President Obama told us to stay home if we felt sick.

It’s sound advice for preventing the spread of germs, but for the more than one million New Yorkers who do not have a single day of paid sick leave where they work, staying home may not be an option.

Today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg briefed city officials on important Swine Flu prevention measures. Here’s another: making paid sick days a basic workplace standard for all New Yorkers.

Charles Lenchner WFP

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday August 21, 2009 · 8:47 AM PDT

2009/08/21 · 08:47

The battle lines have been drawn in the historic battle for universal, affordable health care for every American.

Every day we see the reports: lobbyist-backed front groups like "Americans for Prosperity" and "Freedom Works" orchestrating disruption of town hall meetings on health care being sponsored by Democratic members of Congress; police being called in to protect members of Congress, like Suffolk's Tim Bishop in the 1^st CD, from rowdy mobs of screaming protesters; an epic campaign of disinformation seeking to discredit the most important social reform initiative in 40 years.

The Republican, corporate strategy for the August recess and after is clear: raise doubts, sow fear, force delays, kill reform.

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