Time for OFA to be scrapped. At least as it currently exists.
I can't tell you how disappointed I was after all of our kick-butt, grassroots groups -- part of the 'social network' MYBO (mybarackobama.com) -- were morphed into the boring, unorganized, OFA (Organizing for America).
Some of us tried to stay on-board after the 2008 election. We were ready to take on our local city councils, our county boards, and our state houses!
WE had a mandate for change. Hell... we should have been the Tea Party!
We had the same anger and frustration as the Tea Party, we just know who the real culprits are, and it's not the poor, the old, the unemployed, the sick, OR people of color! We worked hard to elect Obama so that our country would not be BOUGHT!
But while OFA tried to figure out what to do next, the 'buyers' and their media reps used our slogans, our organizing tactics, and our Internet savvy to form the Tea Party. Their 'movement' wasn't a natural occurrence like ours... built from $5.00 and $10.00 contributions. Their movement is about exclusion. Our movement was about inclusion.
So where was OFA while the Tea Party was created and let loose in our suburban, rural, and southern towns?
OFA couldn't seem to figure what should come next after Obama won the White House. After a few months, they sent out some C-list organizers from the campaign to conduct 'listening' tours around the country.
By the time they made it to my neck of the woods, in conservative Riverside County, California, most of our people had gone back to trying to stay employed and keep a roof over their heads.
Still, a sizable crowd turned up for what was 'NOT' a listening tour but a BORING lecture. We were told to organize a health care related event in support of legislation that was coming. We had no idea what the legislation would contain (and guess what...many STILL don't know!)
The bottom line is -- OFA did not seize the moment and continue the enthusiasm of the Obama campaign.
What a gigantic loss of momentum.
MYBO was the political Facebook in its heyday. It also collected a lot of money for the candidate.
There were MANY strong bloggers and commenters on MYBO and they saturated the web with pro-Obama messages. MYBO groups shared information and local groups would often meet-up.
These weren't 'the party faithful.' Most were people never before involved in the political process.
What happened?
So now 2012 is upon us and we aren't going to get anywhere with OFA. (OFA doesn't even sound right.)
Let's get back to MYBO asap!
Borrow some of the nation's top tech people (again) and add bells and whistles, redesign the site, and get us all back on MYBO.
Form watchdog groups to follow the activities of all these new Republican congressmen.
Send us to local, county, and state meetings to see what's going on with stimulus funds and enforcement of the health care law.
Organize protests and unity rallies in cities other than D.C.
We're ready to get fired up again.
After the results of the mid-term elections, we're ready to get rabid!
OFA, as it currently exists, won't fit the bill
Next up - Obama Fix #3 -- Get a Plan and Communicate it
Link to Obama Fix # 1 -- Put a Woman Over the DNC
Linnie Frank Bailey 2008 campaign activity as chronicled by Jose Antonio Vargas -- Washington Post Article "Something Just Clicked"