As Rod Patrick points out, they are sort of irresponsible. But only in the same way that all people involved in (even private) charities are irresponsible. When I donated my time to the American Cancer Society, no one punished me when I messed up.

That said, Community Organizers are not all saints. They do not always deserve the benefit of the doubt. We should really look closely at his track record. Found this article by way of Althouse. It points out how lousy Obama’s CO track record was.

It’s NOT to reach out and uplift individuals.

I consider myself an independent moderate and am on this site purely to get a sense of both sides of the story. So far, I have found the baseless rhetoric on this site no less absurd than the baseless rhetoric from the left. But, I understand this site is designed to motivate conservatives.

Your post was one of the few posts I’ve come across not based pure dogma and rhetoric. I couldn’t agree more that the Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot by criticizing the value of being a “community organizer”. The elder Bush was a solid and principled President (things that can’t be said for his son) and his words should be taken to heart.

I can’t believe I’m touting Nader and Kucinich, but there you go.

Bad EPU!

I disagree over community organizing (if and when conservatives really get into this I sure hope we choose a new and better name for it) but Pejman is a regular thorn in the side of liberals and definitely the Bomb!

To most people, the very idea that your profession, as opposed to your avocation or even your passion, would be “community organizer” is absurd. And that’s why the line is funny and draws laughs.

My knee-jerk reaction to the terms in any case, since they are only used in deep-blue communities, is that conservatives don’t need “community activism;” this is something reserved for victimization-obsessed lefties, feminist groups and race-baiting agitators to whip up support for high-tax anti-conservative schemes. Community activism and organization as practiced by liberals is just collectivism by other names. Conservatives reject the very concepts as now practiced. We may or may not join a lot of organizations but we treasure individuality, which is the antithesis of what now constitutes community activism and organization.

On the other hand, we have Obama, who “got the asbestos removed” from some public housing. He did not “remove” it himself, nor “organize” and direct those who did, but “organized” the political pressure that brought about government action. Meanwhile his concept of “family” does not even extend to his half-brother.

There can be no better illustration of the contrast between Republican vs Democrat “activism” than the comparison of Cindy’s vs Barry’s actions.

That’s not volunteering your time for charity – that’s getting your ticket punched for future reward. (Kind of like Kerry going to Nam, but I digress.)

That’s not my idea of the type of community organizer who should be applauded.

That is far different from the Obama-style “community organizers” whose average day is: 8:00 AM wake-up 9:00-12 post on Daily Kos; 1:00-3:00 PM go to stores, tell managers we will protest his stores unless he gives us some $$$ 4:00 PM See local councilman about the grant we have requested to pay my salary to be a “community organizer” 5:00 PM meet with local residents and give them a few $$ to go protest in front of the store whose manager wouldn’t give me money. NEXT DAY; Repeat.

There’s no control, ex-ante and ex-post, of the whole process. Because of that, CO work has become a tool of the far left.

And they’re usually specific about what they accomplished – and who they were working for.

Obama is not.

Community organizations in and of themselves are not praiseworthy. Neither are community organizers.

Neither are senators with 30 years of experience.

What matters is the substance of the work.

I mean, even Osama bin Laden is a community organizer. We wouldn’t praise Al Quaida now, would we?

My take: Cowardice! Face the hockeymom, Obama!

Obama was a creature of that machine. By all means invite us to examine his work in detail.

Obama was a creature of that machine. By all means invite us to examine his work in detail.