Obama's National Organization

[bryant]

I know I'm Huey Long obsessed, but this plan made me sit up and go "huh!" There's the Share Our Wealth Society, with the added kick of providing social services. That last bit is a great bonding agent; you want your political support organization to be something that people feel good about joining, and you want it to provide tangible benefits to people. The right wing is going to compare this to Hamas, if they're smart. It's an unfair comparison but the concept of a political machine providing social services is an important part of the Hamas power base.

I'm not entirely comfortable with this idea. I like Obama a great deal, but I don't like large political organizations built on a single individual's charisma. I also don't like actions which put one of the three governmental branches dramatically ahead of the others, power-wise.

Via Kevin Drum.

Comments

[dariusk.livejournal.com]

"But, but we're the good guys, a-and it's okay if we have absolute political power!"

[bryant]

I am eagerly awaiting reaction from both sides of the aisle. Partially because hey, I could be proven wrong.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

I don't like large political organizations built on a single individual's charisma.

That there is why it took me so long to come around to Obama... The whole cult of personality thing is a huge turn off for me as well.

But I guess given the choice of a) tapping into that enthusiasm and having people roll up their sleeves and get involved or b) have everyone sit back and want done for them, and then they eventually become embittered and disillusioned (kind of like what's happened here with Deval Patrick), I'll def. take column A! ;)

[that-cad.livejournal.com]

Campaign idea! Barack Obama's Men of Action!

[that-cad.livejournal.com]

This actually isn't a bad idea, I think. Rahm Emanuel would make an exceptional middle-man between Barry and the PCs.

[editswlonghair.livejournal.com]

Dibs on Brian Schweitzer and his trusty sidekick Jag the Wonderdog!

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

With a little work you can get that to be O.B.A.M.A. Organization of Barack's Action Men Association?

[bryant]

Same position Seymour Weiss filled in my Huey Long's Men of Action game. Although Weiss was more like Long's David Plouffe, I guess.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

"I don't like large political organizations built on a single individual's charisma."

For most of human history that's how it has worked. Does the other model really work any better? People really don't want a President: they want a king.

Bob: Because you _need_ me, Springfield. Your guilty conscience may
force you to vote Democratic, but deep down inside you secretly
long for a cold-hearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize
criminals, and rule you like a king. That's why I did this: to
protect you from yourselves. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a
city to run.

[bryant]

Doesn't mean I have to like it! There are many human traditions I'm not fond of.

[ramurphy.livejournal.com]

hmmmm. I'm not convinced the political organization is built around Obama's charisma. I certainly agree that if you have no leader with political charisma you'd have a problem rallying a corps. However, Obama's theme of change drew a lot of people who were formally dis- or un- interested in politics. I think for the survival of the U.S., it's critical that the masses become, and stay, involved in the political process. With any kind of luck, the movement (and the U.S.) will last beyond the next eight years.

[bryant]

Yeah, true. If it's not an Obama-centered movement, but rather one centered around policies and philosophy, I'll be more cheerful. I'm not entirely uncomfortable with the idea either... just not comfortable yet.

Proof will be in the pudding.

[head58.livejournal.com]

"Fellows! Howard Dean is on the hotline! It's Mark Penn and the League of PUMAs! They're threatening to blow up San Francisco unless Michigan and Florida get seated proportionally!

[kodi]

Is it just not possible for us to have a president who doesn't make me want to wallpaper the Oval Office with George Washington's farewell address?

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism."

It's especially irritating because it highlights the opportunity that's being foreclosed - to create a policy-neutral charitable organization associated with the administration and backed by Obama's charisma. Why can't the message be "There's much work to be done; that much we can agree on. Let's at least work together where we all see a common need"? It's still going to leave the "he may be my president, but he will always be my enemy" crowd out in the cold, but at least it's not generating new bitterness.

I fear my frustration has produced a comment even less coherent than normal. I would be really interested to hear an argument that the organization as described does not serve to deepen the bitter factional divide.