How Many DUers Plan on "Banging on Obama's Door Until He Gets it Right?"

[Emit]

"We're going to bang on your door until you get it right"

I am curious how many DUers who have concerns with Obama's actions and plans are trying to get those concerns to the White House, and what methods you have employed in your attempts to do so. Are you writing letters, calling or emailing the WH, calling your reps, responding online at WH website, etc.?

Part of the reason I ask is that I have been asked to be part of the Obama For America 2.0 volunteer grassroots efforts that morphed out of the Obama For America campaign. Often, we are asked to go door to door and hand out pledge cards, have house meetings, etc. and always, we are asked to submit the results through various avenues to the OFA 2.0 folks in Chicago. They want written feedback from these groups - that's a big part of the process - and I think they actually read the stuff we send back.

But, I know some volunteers who have voiced their concern to me that they feel their voices are still not being heard, and I wondered if DUers who have tried still do not think their voices are heard. It is also curious whether folks who have criticism of Obama on anonymous discussion boards ever actually take their concerns to the White House or OFA links to begin with, perhaps because we have been conditioned to believe we have no voice in matters of Presidential/Congressional/Governmental power.

I do know that Obama has voiced his desire to try to establish a system that allows for grassroots feedback up the chain of command. I, myself, attended such a grassroots meeting in Chicago back in December that involved OFA staff and other volunteers. The staff were all very interested in what volunteers had to say, and made an effort to include volunteers in all breakout sessions, knowing that once OFA 2.0 returns to the community, OFA 2.0 would be relying on volunteers for much of the activities that previously paid staffers were required to do.

I also know that during that same time, Valerie Jarrett participated in forum with Grassroots Community Leaders and Congress:

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/12/05/1700558.aspx">“We can count on you to advise us,” said Jarrett. “You know better than anybody else what your community needs in order to improve your neighborhood.”

So, what action(s) are you personally taking to try to get your voice heard by Obama and his administration?

Are you banging on Obama's door? If so, how? If not, why not?

[DainBramaged]

1. 68 days, 68 days today. I guess that's a lifetime for the Anti-Obama crowd here.

How sad.

[Emit]

2. No kidding. It feels like 6.8 years on DU.

*sigh*

edit to clarify, I think, lol.

[DainBramaged]

6. Yeah, just yesterday he was passing the oh I forgot it's been so long....

:rofl:

[ima_sinnic]

4. oh, goosestep down to DC and kiss his ass.

it doesn't "take time" to give a thoughtful answer when the VAST MAJORITY of citizens ask him to consider legalizing marijuana, or working for single-payer health care. In both cases, he proved where his loyalties lie.

[Emit]

13. The VAST MAJORITY of citizens asked him to consider legalizing marijuana?

really?

[ima_sinnic]

20. excuse me, but that was the no. 1 suggestion at the change.org site

before he was inaugurated, and it was, what? the most frequently asked? question for the Town Hall.

[Emit]

30. So , you're talking about the vast majority of citizens who replied

Not necessarily the vast majority of citizens in general.

[cliffordu]

32. You really are a limp sack o' crap aren't ya??

Please take your purity test and put it...well, you know, basically anywhere on your brain.

[Sebastian Doyle]

14. No, it's the 28 years of this bullshit that have been a lifetime

Literally for some on this board. We need to get away from predatory corporatism.

I absolutely KNOW that Tim Geithner, Larry Summers, and Shittibank Rubin have no interest in doing so.

I doubt very much Rahm Emanuel does.

Does President Obama? While it would be fair to say that it's "too early to tell", that only raises the question of why he would allow the tools that helped create the problems to be anywhere near this, if he were looking for a TRUE solution.

[FLAprogressive]

21. Very good post. ReaganBushClintonBush were the same. Looks like Obama will be lumped with them.

He's been overtaken by the DLC/Corporate interests of the Democratic party.

As the Democratic party starts leaving progressives.....maybe it's time progressives start leaving the Democratic party. Maybe they'll quit taking the left for granted then.

[yurbud]

17. how is it ''anti-Obama'' to make sure he responds to our concerns and not just Wall St?

[lumberjack_jeff]

31. Influence the policies before the policies are set in stone.

seems sensible to me.

[ima_sinnic]

3. I wrote two angry messages about health care just yesterday through the whitehouse website

before that, I sent a few criticizing his corporatist kowtowing.

but I don't think I'm going to bother anymore. He couldn't care less about me and the other millions who actually donated our measly $20 or $40 and voted for him believing his "community organizer" bullshit (it must have been a gig that looked good on his resume, is all, nothing he really cared about).

Marijuana legalization is off the table because "it won't help the economy" (BULLSHIT--sheesh, what a fucking IGNORANT thing to say--he just flipped off the entire up-and-coming generation, probably 75% of his base), single-payer health care is off the table because "it will raise (rich people's) taxes" (of course, there's plenty of money to waste in Afghanistan on murder and bloodshed in that folly)--heaven forbid that his buddies on Wall St. get their taxes raised or the insurance companies lose their grip on the health care golden goose--those are far far more important than the health of most of the nation.

In addition, Gitmo detainees are still being held without being charged and Obama is simply following in Bush's footsteps in "prosecuting" their cases, even retaining all Bush's lawyers in the DOJ who wanted to stay--that's far easier than actually doing anything humane, isn't it?\

He picked our pockets so the fatcats wouldn't suffer without their bonuses, and that's all that matters I guess.

[Wwagsthedog]

8. The only major change so far was an ex-change

on January 20 of the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

[Emit]

15. You think it's been that bad?

seriously?

[Emit]

11. Well, I commend you for trying and encourage you to not get discouraged, and continue your efforts

I never was aware of Obama's stance during the campaign on legalizing marijuana - did he say he was for legalizing it?

I was surprised at the volume of online comments and questions at the White House feedback forum earlier this week that related to legalizing marijuana. I have to agree with you --a large part of his base does seem motivated by that cause.

With just a few edits and changes, btw, your response here would make a nice feedback letter, by snail mail for effectiveness, to Obama, no?

[rug]

5. I'm trying to crack his Blackberry.

[DainBramaged]

7. I'm getting ready to crack eggs in brownies.

[rug]

10. Not too heavy with the "seasonings".

:smoke:

[DainBramaged]

12. Just brownie mix....... (sigh, oh for those good old days)

[annabanana]

19. lolololol

you and everybody else, i'd guess...

[malaise]

9. Door bangers v Tea baggers

Should be fun.
I'm backing door bangers.

add

[bottomtheweaver]

16. Hi Emit since you seem pretty tuned in

can you suggest a few links? Also what would you say is currently the most effective way to make ourselves heard?

Personally I haven't sent any e-mails since the inauguration but I sent a few through the campaign and transition links earlier.

[bottomtheweaver]

23. Here is the link to the Whitehouse.gov e-mail form:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Emit, did you mention a forum at that site? If so, can you give a direct link to it?

[Emit]

24. I posted on it this past week

But I don't know if it's too late to participate in this particular "Open for Questions" forum.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8290939

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/

http://www.whitehouse.gov/OpenForQuestions/

I'm trying to find some more links for you in response to your other question - I'll respond in a moment.

[bottomtheweaver]

25. Thanks, the blog links don't seem to work but the others do

Very interesting resource. Bookmarking, thanks!

[Emit]

28. Well, I don't have a lot of links, but

my.barackobama.com is your best bet for staying informed. It is still being used to organize and find events, so I would sign up there if you haven't already, try to find a group near you, or start your own if you are up for it. Some of these groups are very, very active, and will welcome newcomers - and they communicate through MYBO and via email.

I am still seeking the most effective way to make ourselves heard, but, for now, getting involved in these various house parties and groups and submitting your feedback back up through the channels is the best we've got so far. Once the grassroots efforts that I mentioned in the OP, (OFA 2.0) get rolling, you might be able to connect with them, as well, if there is an office or representative (either paid staff or volunteer) near you.

Many times, once you sign up at MYBO or at whitehouse.gov, you get emails asking for levels of participation, like joining a conference call, or being asked to submit your opinion on certain topics. Now, my first thought is, who's reading all these and will it make a difference? But, I see the effort being made, so I gotta think they are at least trying.

You can also call or write to the President - I read somewhere he is reading letters weekly:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Phone Numbers

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: [phone]

And then, of course, we can always call, email or write our reps in senate and congress when we want them to support something, or when we don't and why.

So far, it's the same ol' same ol' with many feeling our voices are not being heard. But I do believe that Obama is trying to hear us - it's just hard and there's really no efficient way to do so...yet.

[annabanana]

18. I will continue to participate. Pats on the back when I like his work..

stern letters when I don't. It's my job. I'm a citizen.

[Starry Messenger]

22. Hi Emit!

Thank you for all your hard work. I've never heard of OFA 2.0. It sounds like something that I would be interested in.

I wrote a letter when Warren was chosen for the Inauguration and sent it in to protest. I was very discouraged from the outcome of all that. People here said they watched news shows where letters about the Inauguration were spoken of by people representing the organizers of the event, but not one of these organizers mentioned the letters protesting Warren. I'm sure mine was not the only one. The fact that these letters were not mentioned by Obama's spokespersons on the news was used as proof on DU that people here were just complaining and not taking action! I am still pretty pissed about that!

I will be happy to be more involved and take action anyway I can. I'm inspired by people like you who put so much in. I remember your posts about all your door to door work in the election. I would like to feel like I could do things that would have an effect.

Sorry, that was kind of a lot. :o I'm usually pretty shy, but I had to get that off my chest, I guess.

[Emit]

26. Thanks, Starry Messenger

for the fine praise but I was but one of many here on DU who were walking, knocking and calling. I do get the impression, however, that good rants get wasted not only on DU but elsewhere in the blogosphere and wish that more would direct their (in some cases well thought-out) rants to Obama himself, perhaps by snail mail even.

I'm not yet cynical enough about the Obama administration to believe that if more were to call, write and respond through the channels that Obama and his teams are trying to exact, then our voices might be heard. I don't know, maybe I'm naive, or just wishing, 'hoping', lol. But, that's why I put this OP out there.

FYI, regarding OFA 2.0 is still in the making and will likely not even be called that once the structure has been implemented and gets rolling:

But while her presentation was titled "The Future of OFA 2.0," Aniskoff had few additional details to share, beyond saying "We do know we have a budget but we don’t know what it will be yet, or how much people will be willing to donate, but we will have organizers nationwide helping strengthen local volunteers." OFA 2.0's goals will be to support Obama's legislative agenda, do electoral organizing behind local candidate, expand civic engagement, and facilitate two-way communication with the administration. "There will be some way for the administration to be communicating with the grass roots, but we don’t know how that will work yet," she said.
http://techpresident.com/node/6612

More here from FiverThirtyEight, about the event I attended (Nate Silver was a guest speaker, and Sean Quinn was there as well):

From the beginning, a close-to-the-vest gathering of several hundred elite Obama organizers and volunteers we shadowed at the O’Hare Westin December 5-7, 2008, OFA 2.0 has been a work in progress. Nobody’s tried anything like this before. Much as the campaign learned best practices during the many primary test cases and implemented what worked and ditched what didn’t, the post-election grassroots effort should be expected to have fits and starts, mirroring Obama’s frequent expectation-setting rhetoric on the difficulty of change.

Curtis Valentine, a regional field director during the campaign who also attended Saturday’s 2+ hour meeting, summarized the spirit behind OFA 2.0 that manifested throughout in Bowie:

“We’re vested in the campaign, it’s not just something where we’re just bystanders. We’ve put sweat equity in bringing this campaign to fruition. The real campaign started on November 4... A lot of us here have paid so much into it and we want to see the rewards are reaped.”

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/02/ofa-20-and-stimulating-working-session.html

[omega minimo]

27. how sweet

[Starry Messenger]

29. .