[statecom-discuss] "Local Ballots 2008" Sunday Feb 18th conference call 9:30pm

[Ron Francis]

Thanks for the thoughts and feedback.

I would be careful here ... "comprehensive" can also be top heavy and limiting in some cases... it doesn't necessarily imply a diversity of and a flourishing of ideas.

As for incorporating plans into other plans....I'd say that maybe things can be incorporated and maybe they can't be...  Either way though, it is not a problem.

The whole idea is to have different experiments and let the ideas flourish without restricting them.  (Like the West Soemrville Nuts and Bolts re-energizing locals model which is well defined and poised to produce more good results)   Good ideas usually grow whether or not they are incorporated into other ideas.   Some ideas work well together and some don't.   In fact there are cases where one set of ideas actually can work against another set.   

So I wouldn't get into a mindset where one is insisting on a "comprehensive" plan especially if it takes an inordinate amount of time to come to it (comprehensive plan) only to find out that no one wants to do it for a variety of reasons including comprehensive plans that are too multi-faceted or too general, dilute and have no passion or focus behind them.

What we need are plans that work to build our strength more than anything else.   If the plans fit well together then great but it is not necessary  Strategies that work in the suburbs may not work in the city.  Strategies and plans that work in communities of color might not work in white communities. Plans that focus on ballots may not work with lobbying campaigns.  Trying to get all the stuff to "fit together" into one plan may not work.  We need to be prepared for that reality.

As for advocating for Local Ballots 2008 and other models... Don't worry... If it all possible I will be around to advocate for the fundamental organizing principles that I believe in for the GRP in as many possible settings as I can.

Anyway, I hope you can join us on the phone call this Sunday and also at any strategic discussions that are going on at any level of the party.  In fact I was thinking of having a separate phone conference for people working on local organizing techniques - just to share ideas about things that work locally - sort of a roundtable for locals. What do you think ?

ron

Melissa Harrell <lissagrp at gmail.com> wrote: Ron,

I just wanted to point out that one of the reasons behind having a
comprehensive plan is so that there will be many activities being offered to people.  I second Merelice's thoughts, this is a strong plan and it would be
a shame if it couldn't be incorporated into the larger activities because it
wasn't being offered. Part of bottom up leadership is weaving local projects
like this into part of a larger plan.  If you're only interested in this,
that's fine, we'd just like you to be there to advocate for it.

~Melissa

On 2/15/07, Ron Francis  wrote:
>
> Hi Merelice,
>
>   I look forward to a discussion of different plans at different venues
> with the State level strategy discussions being just one venue out of many
> different venues.
>
>   "Local Ballots 2008" focuses more on local work and local
> strategies.  I'm finding that many people, who are not involved at the
> state-level seem attracted to this plan and outreach hasn't even really
> begun yet except for a few emails.  It may be that folks not involved at the
> state level are attracted to a concrete plan rather than a long protracted
> process involving lengthy discussions that doesn't clearly lead to any
> definitive results (and might just lead to a consensus to try different
> strategies anyway....)
>
>   In any event, if at the end of the day there are enough people in our
> party who want to do something, then they can and should do it, and they
> should also try to attract others especially many folks who just aren't
> involved at the state level of discussion and also have no idea about things
> being discussed in statecom.
>
>   Nothing stops another subset of GRPs, such as statecom, from trying a
> diferent plan that attracts a different type of person.   One glove does not
> fit all hands.  We should let each idea prosper to the extent that it can.
>
>   ron
>
> Merelice  wrote:
>   Hi,
> I think this is a strong program and should clearly be considered by
> the strategy committee. I hope no one will be asked to commit to this
> program until the work of the strategy committee is complete.
> Otherwise we would be shattering our limited resources and not have
> the benefits that can accrue from working in a concerted way across
> the state. Many in the party have yearned for a coherent strategy and
> now we have a viable process for discussing and developing that
> strategy. If this program is being vetted for presentation, that could
> contribute toward this important process. Otherwise it is premature
> and could even be counterproductive.
>
> Merelice
>
> On 2/15/07, Ron Francis wrote:
> >
> > Dear GRP's,
> >
> > There will be an informal phone conference on Feb 18th, Sunday night,
> 9:30 pm, to discuss the "Local Ballots 2008" 2-year Plan that has been
> circulated. So far 6 people have expressed an interest in coming to the
> March 1st meeting in Somerville while several others have expressed a
> willingness to help.
> >
> > "Local Ballots 2008" calls for the GRP to use the direct democratic
> means of local State Rep Ballot Questions, backed by and led by the GRP, and
> done in many districts around the Commonwealth, in order to establish a
> particular issue that we are identified with, passionate about and for which
> there is a root cause analysis (embedded in the language) that distinguishes
> us from the other parties. The plan also would necessitate an enhanced
> effort in local organizing for a year and a half in preparation for the
> petition drives necessary to execute the sweeping State Rep ballot
> questions.
> >
> > The point of the conference call is to answer questions about the plan
> and suggest improvements to the basic plan and timeline (see below for
> details).
> >
> > To participate call
> >
> > 641 497 7002 code 724655
> >
> > I look forward to getting feedback on the plan and discussing in detail
> the thinking behind the 2 year Plan.
> >
> > Ron Francis
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