But those people who use twitter/face book/blogs are getting older every day. And just like every generation before them, as they get older, they will get wiser. (By and large, I know George Soros/Tim Robbins/etc. break this rule, but I’m working on the law of averages now)

When they do get older, they aren’t going to give up technology. If we are right there where they are at presenting our case and common sense, some – and eventually most – of them will come over from the dark side. But we need to be prepared to present our case where they are, not just where we are.

Very seriously considering volunteering some of my time for this, however, I just don’t know how useful I’d be. I’m also a C#/.Net guy with quite a few years of web dev under my belt, Java/UNIX as well. Most of these hobby projects tend to be PHP, though, and that’s simply not my thing. Nothing against the language, I’m simply coddled by my intellisense and complete library of tools in .Net and don’t feel like branching out. Utter laziness on my part, I know.

If I free up some time between work, kids and church, I’ll definitely be shooting Erick an email.

But this I think. It may take people from the spectrum of the software/hardware palette. I don’t think this is a “software developers only need apply”. Sounds to me like programmers, webdevs, graphics specialists, DBAs, BAs, UNIX admins, firmware and chip people, and so on.

If those seem the same to you, I don’t know what to tell you.

We don’t have an Action Center yet, but there is a group coding on it now. So far our team has over 24 members. We are open to your input. As a matter of fact, ‘Open’ is the first word in the name of the project:

Open Action Center

Now the web address I will give below is not the Action Center itself – it does not exist yet; we are coding on it now.

The web address below is the communication and admin work space for the team that is coding the project. Ning is nearly perfect for the team coordination function, but it’s not the product we are working on.

There is a non-functioning dummy of one unadorned, non-functioning illustration of what an action center might look like. More than anything else, it’s a somewhat complete ‘illustration’ of how all complete functions of an action center might be tied together.

If you visit, please DO click on the ‘dummy-up’ link near the top of the opening page, then click the ‘Call’ button. Click all the other controls made available on the dummy… then imagine that if it were real.

That’s what we are working on, although I expect the presentation to be very different.

And we are very, very open to your suggestions and needs.

http://gopguerrillas.ning.com

I hope all of you will join and offer your suggestions, and even code or moderate on the project if you can. We still lneed lots of help! Right now the conversation focuses partly on trust/privacy/security/abuse and more thoughts are needed on that topic right away. You input is not only welcome, it is essential to our success.

Ron Robinson
Open Action Center

As noted above:
I would love to see something that would mobilize all of the Conservatives online to make a difference in their local politics by engaging in conversation on the blogs of their local newspapers, local activist sites, etc. Make the argument in the place that it can affect the decision of an actual voter.

I like the Red State Army that encourages us to contact our representatives. I think that is very effective (as long as we all do our part!)

I test online titles for a living (among other things) so I think I might a too much in the weeds here.

I do think your idea has great merit. A lot of people (including self proclaimed liberals) hold core, conservative values.

My main bone of contention is this: all of the “shiny” new tools will be totally worthless if no one knows how to use them or if no one actually mobilizes because of them.

The most fundamental issue that I believe Erick is addressing is to create an organization(s) “for the grass roots by the grass roots”. I would go beyond what Erick wrote

I am convinced that this must be done outside the party because bureaucratic inertia and ineptness within the party will stifle the efforts.

to add that even if the competency issue could be fixed, there would still remain an incentive issue. When push comes to shove, the RNC is incentivized to serve the top-down RNC.

But, and I know this may be difficult to fathom, I’m finding that before I can use these tools, I have to do the job of teaching people they exist and how they can help. Facebook is finally coming along for mobilization but people still look at me funny when I talk about this thing called Twitter.

Can they learn? Absolutely! And that’s why I’m working on a local level to teach others how to use these tools for Party building. I’d encourage others here to do the same — work with your Conservative candidates and Party leaders.

No matter the product produced from this current effort, we will need evangelists to help implement it.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

…organizations which design systems … are constrained to produce designs which are copies of the communication structures of these organizations[1]

Variants include:

• Any piece of software reflects the organizational structure that produced it.

Unfortunately, it’s not just that the RNC is technically incompetent. The bigger issue is that, when push comes to shove, the RNC is incentivized to serve the needs of the top-down RNC, not the grass roots.

I appreciate your comments and your effort in heading this up at Red State. I think you’re right in that you have a great, conservative community that could be the catalyst that this needs to succeed.

I have zero trust in the RNC. These are the people who told “Finance Boot Camp” attendees that Rule #1 was to get all of their donors to max out. Great advice. What’s Rule #2? The people that have worked there over the years seem to have zero experience with real world experience on a political grassroots campaign.

I understand your push to bring in the technologists, because the Good Lord knows we need them. My main bone of contention is this: all of the “shiny” new tools will be totally worthless if no one knows how to use them or if no one actually mobilizes because of them.

I am NOT saying that it shouldn’t be done – far from it. But I would ask you to define the terms of what you would like to accomplish.

A huge online presence is useless if nothing results from it. It would absolutely have to mobilize Conservatives to the front-lines of the war.

Erick, you have often encouraged us (and rightly so) to step away from the keyboard and get active. As a campaign veteran, I love that advice! But I think it’s important to realize that campaigns have evolved from the traditional campaign activities (parades, yard signs, phone calls) to now include online activism.

I would love to see something that would mobilize all of the Conservatives online to make a difference in their local politics by engaging in conversation on the blogs of their local newspapers, etc. Make the argument in the place that it can affect the decision of an actual voter.

I have 12+ years of experience working on campaigns with various candidates and county parties so that is where my understanding lies and from which my comments are springing. I have long been fascinated by the intersection of the internet and politics. I do understand the utilization of the internet in political causes, primarily the mobilization of the activists, because I have done it. After all these years, I am thrilled that the likes of Twitter and Facebook have finally come along to strengthen the ability to mobilize. Are they the answer to everything? No, but they are another instrument in waging a strong fight.

But, and I know this may be difficult to fathom, I’m finding that before I can use these tools, I have to do the job of teaching people they exist and how they can help. Facebook is finally coming along for mobilization but people still look at me funny when I talk about this thing called Twitter.

Can they learn? Absolutely! And that’s why I’m working on a local level to teach others how to use these tools for Party building. I’d encourage others here to do the same — work with your Conservative candidates and Party leaders.

No matter the product produced from this current effort, we will need evangelists to help implement it.

The discussion needs to be had: are we trying to reach online people and organize them? Or are we trying to reach Conservatives in general and mobilize them? Whatever the answer is will necessarily guide the development and predict the success of any such tool.

I don’t know if I’d do the “You might be…”. I think it’s been done to death now.

Ignore the following, I’m just experimenting:

8 )
8.)

Something like “You May Be a Conservative If…” might engage better because it’s not threatening and has a implied humor payoff.

Of course, the smart thing is to try both and see which one gets better results (assuming you have a specific metric you want to track).

Then try to write a new headline that beats winner.

Then try to beat it again.

Then try to beat it again.

Then try to beat it again.

And then market the heck out of it on friendly blogs etc..

Then take it mainstream…

I’ve done enough programming to know that it can’t be too difficult to make up these little game apps. The key is to be constantly putting new ones out. Also, set up the site for users to develop and submit their own.

The kids even like the little IQ quizzes that you see on addictinggames or other places, so the conservative quiz mentioned below could be useful as well.

Someone who knows what they’re doing with web dev could set up a site like we’re discussing in probably a few days. So you see the technology part is really the follower, not the leader.

Think about all the people in the country who don’t even know what conservatism really is because of how conservatives are represented in the MSM.

That would be an easy start and outside the box at the same time.