It is one of the enduring yet neglected mysteries of Obama's first term.
Why hasn't the massive, record-breaking volunteer and fundraising apparatus built during the 2008 Obama campaign exerted more influence in Washington?
On Wednesday, Organizing for America (OFA), which grew out of the campaign's 13-million-person network and is housed at the Democratic National Committee, is asking its members to throw "birthday parties" for the President. The big guy turns 49. Supporters can find local events on an interactive map and upload photos of Obama-themed birthday cakes. These are the kind of gatherings that can replenish social capital by bringing people together around Obama's personal appeal -- there's no policy agenda or legislative strategy on the agenda -- and recruit volunteers for the mid-terms. OFA has made some progress on this front, as I documented in a study about the group's first year, while coming up short on efforts to pressure Congress or tap bottom-up participation.
The BBC's Katie Connolly has a new article about OFA keyed to the birthday drive, and we talked a bit about the tradeoffs facing the organization. Here's an excerpt from her article:
OFA is attempting to use the president's birthday to provide both a boost for the commander-in-chief and encourage willing volunteers for Democrats in the mid-terms. "The events that focus on anniversaries or that focus on the president as a personality or someone that people like and identify with tend to do well, so its understandable that they continue to try to tap that enthusiasm," Ari Melber, a writer for The Nation who has studied OFA, told the BBC. "However, everyone knows there is significant concern from Obama's base about his progress on changing Washington." ... The Washington Post reports that, in what looks like a spot of campaign nostalgia, OFA is urging supporters to bust out their campaign '08 "yes we can" T-shirts, hats and buttons and wear them on Wednesday. But while recapturing that campaign zeitgeist seems desirable, Mr Melber warns there are risks, particularly for some of the most active campaign supporters who have become some of the most disillusioned.
"There is always a risk that if you only do these kumbaya events and you don't give people meaningful voice then they may tune out," Mr Melber says. "Most of these people would still like to see Mr Obama re-elected, so we are not talking about a real crisis in his political support. But walking around with a button or wishing the president a happy birthday doesn't really achieve anything either.
Another key factor, of course, is that the White House has generally boxed in OFA as a soft-touch for supportive incumbents and a message amplifier for administration message, which restricts the kind of strategies, activities and events they can sponsor.
The entire BBC article is here and my OFA study can be viewed here or downloaded at the Social Science Research Network. This piece was originally published in The Nation.
Follow Ari Melber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AriMelber
I volunteer for ofa because I care about the issues. OFA is about the issues like healthcare reform, which was needed to prevent the 50,00 people that die a year due to lack of health insurance.Also, the healthcare crisis has contributed to the foreclosure crisis, when people go bankrupt from medical bills. Additionally, healthcare insurance rates have risen according to CNN 130% in the last ten years. This rate increase is way above the rate of inflation. HEALTHCARE REFORM WAS SERIOUSLY NEEDED and OFA volunteers made sure people called their senators to tell them to pass it.
OFA is about engaging first time voters to make sure they get out and vote again, raising awareness about issues, and organizing people to take on organized money.
I am an OFA volunteer and if the president or the democratic party were to do something I strongly opposed I would send a email to the OFA director and would tell him I no longer wish to volunteer.I have to say I came close on the offshore drilling issue. We are not sheep, we are ofa volunteers and we think for ourself.
Lucy still has the football, but I'm no longer playing. And I'm not voting Republican either.
progressives did support the public option (obama did not)
progressive do not support the wars (obama does)
progressives did support drug importation (obama did not)
progressives supported halter (obama supports lincoln)
progressives don’t want to cut social security (obama wants to cut social security)
progressives support privacy rights (obama does not support privacy rights)
Bush and Cheney ruined the country, and for many it was because they weren’t “true” to conservative values. Too big of a government, too much spending, etc.
So, their supporters take a couple elections off to send a message. The GOP loses badly in 2006 and 2008 and now in 2010 suddenly brand new Tea Bagger candidates appear, espousing, you guessed it, the more “true” conservative values of smaller government, less spending, etc. of course taken to a batshit crazy extreme but you get the picture.
The GOP suffered losses after it’s “party” didn’t perform well, and you see real change in their candidates after those losses.
Now the Democrats by all measure don’t perform well, so you would think logically then that their supporters would take an election or two off of supporting them to send them the message, then you would see real change in Democratic candidates after those losses.
Unfortunately, logic doesn’t play well on this side. On this side fear plays well. Fear of the OMG TEABAGGERS REPUBLICANS SARAH PALIN RAND PAUL OMG OMG OMG we’ve gotta support the Democrats.
Please! Tell us the names of a few good candidates. This game is not fun anymore. Too many of our families need a solid roof over their heads, too many of our children go to bed hungry, too many of our hard-working adults really need a job!
It looks like our government needs a good kick-in-the-pants to pay concern to the fortunes and futures of our people and less attention to the bribes and promises of their corporate benefactors.
A few good candidates, OMG. Maybe you know who they are.
Better to follow the conservative Republicans lead, sit this round out and work on the primaries in 2012.
The youth have moved on ,,, The AA community is still out of work ,,,, and the White Guilt crowd is getting over it
I'll tell you why, because people like me and alot of people I know voted and supported him but now we regret it. We didn't get the change we were promised. This time we are voting for republicans!!
However, no real and actual OFA activist will vote Republican.
Trusting in corporate campaign cash to reelect you, believing you can scare your own base into voting for you over the opposition, is a political strategy that has been tried and sometimes succeeded in the past by both Republicans and Democrats.
It is sad for the country, but this was a political decision by the President, just as much as choosing Emanuel, Geitner and Summers to run things for him. That cannot be blamed on disloyal blue dog Democrats, Republican obstructionism or incompetence in Congress.
The President was always a DLC corporatist in his bones.
He could have sent his activists out into the country to press for transformational changes, but that would have stopped the flow of corporate campaign cash.
A mystery? Not really. Not really a mystery at all.
OFA had meaning once, but it is now just a political tool of a corporate leaning administration.
I am also wondering about their fund drives. Getting the same bang for the email buck? I bet BoldProgessives and MoveOn have picked up what OFA lost.
But I would love to see numbers on it. I know Obama doesn't have that kind of guts - it's just not him. So, David Plouffe: How is OFA doing these days?
You suggesting that president Obama is responsible for such a landmark piece of legislation.....
Now that the evidence is in, the fall is fast and final. The guy, at the very least, does not possess the leadership qualities that really would have made a difference to the very people who worked so bloody hard to put this guy where he is.
His appointments and double speak on issues like the health insurance giveaway are "Obama".
Personally I can't even hear him anymore.
So it's no mystery. I would encourage putting away the campaign buttons and canning the love fest.
He is not being held back by the Republicans by any means. He was given the coveted gift of writing his own ticket. Barack Obama is a creature of his own making. We are just now able to see the guy we all elected for what he is.
Sad.
However, Obama has been handicapped by a conservative media (think FOX, Limbough) who want him to fail. By crooks and liars (think Sarah and Newt) who are out for revenge. And, a bunch of racists who do not want a president that looks black.
I am sure there must be some good Republicans out there, but NO WAY would I ever vote for the current crop of Republican right-wing bigots. Talk about Nazi Germany!
He was voted initially as one of the most popular presidents in history. He walked in the door
controlling both houses.
You think "Fox News and rascists" are holding him back?
He is exactly where he wants to be. This is unfortunately the creature that is the real Change Candidate. Yawn....