Where's Obama's Grass-Roots Army? Conservatives Outphoning Liberals 100-to-1

While the President's stimulus plan is being Swift Boated by Republicans pushing discredited tax-cutting nostrums, the oft-touted grassroots army that was supposed to help push the Obama agenda seems to be Missing in Action -- despite some valuable efforts by important progressive groups.

Campaign for America's Future , for example, is leading an aggressive effort to promote the stimulus package, but their latest email warns that supporters of the stimulus package and Obama's recovery plan are being outgunned 100-to-1 in phone calls to Congress:

100 to 1. We've gotten word from our progressive friends on Capitol Hill that for every one hundred phone calls to Congress from conservatives trying to obstruct change, there is only one phone call from a citizen demanding passage of President Obama's economic recovery bill.

Backed by this conservative grassroots pressure, Senate Republicans are moving rapidly as a block to obstruct -- pushing reforms that are designed essentially to make the plan fail. They're demanding that billions be cut from a plan that, if anything, is already too small, and that more be diverted to top-end tax cuts.

That's not how you create jobs or counter a recession.

We can't allow this partisan posturing in the midst of a national crisis. Progressives need to pick up the phone now to counter the onslaught of calls pouring into the Senate from conservatives.

Call 1-866-544-7573 and tell your Senators: Pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act NOW!

[Here's a direct office phone contact list, state-by-state: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm]

Consider what conservatives might succeed in passing if they continue to out-call us 100 to 1:

* Giving corporations a 30% tax cut, instead of investing in clean green energy that will put people to work.

* $3.1 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy that we know simply don't work to create jobs.

* Less help for states that will be forced to lay off workers, instead of funds to retain police and teachers.

This is not the change America is demanding. It's the same failed Bush policies that drove us to economic disaster. It's time to get to work. This is the first big battle of the Obama administration, and we've got to reignite the fight for change.

Most Americans support a big and bold bill that creates jobs, generates clean energy, modernizes infrastructure, makes education and health care more affordable and protects state governments from slashing services.

But that message is getting drowned out in Washington as conservatives out-organize us and bury Congress in calls. We need to respond!

Call 1-866-544-7573 and tell your Senators: Pass a big and bold economic recovery bill that puts America back to work.

On the night Barack Obama was elected President, he said, "This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you."

And it cannot happen if we let conservatives out maneuver us on this pivotal first fight 100 to 1. If we want to turn change from a slogan to reality, we must speak up. Now.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Borosage, Co-Director
Campaign for America's Future

Other labor-led groups are launching TV ads targeting vulnerable Republican Senators, but that approach won't work without grass-roots support backing it up. Here's their strategy:

Amid a worsening economic crisis that resulted in 2.6 million American jobs being lost last year, and with layoffs accelerating in the early part of 2009, Americans United for Change, MoveOn.org Political Action, AFSCME and SEIU announced a robust television advertising campaign today as part of the Campaign for Jobs and Economic Recovery.

In contrast, the huge 13-million-plus Obama network, under the direction of the new Organizing for America organization, is sending emails through the barackobama.com website asking people to attend house parties to learn more about the stimulus package, but hasn't called yet for lobbying Congress. Will they act in time? Here's their latest message:

Sign up to host a house meeting. Last year, America lost 2.6 million jobs. This week, some of our biggest companies announced plans to cut tens of thousands more.

The economic crisis is deepening, but President Obama and members of Congress have proposed a recovery plan that will put more than 3 million Americans back to work.

You can learn more about how the plan will help your community by organizing an Economic Recovery House Meeting.

Join thousands of people across the country who are coming together to watch a special video about the recovery plan. Invite your friends and neighbors to watch the video with you and have a conversation about your community's economic situation.

The economic crisis can seem overwhelming and complex, but you can help the people you know connect the recovery plan to their lives and learn more about why it's so important.

Sign up to host an Economic Recovery House Meeting the weekend of Friday, February 6th.

The President's plan passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday. But if it's going to move forward, we need to avoid the usual partisan games.

That's why supporters are opening their homes to talk with neighbors and friends about how the plan will work -- and what it means for their community.

The video will outline the basics of the plan and how it will impact working families. It will also include answers to questions from folks across the country. Invite your friends and family to watch the video, discuss the plan, and help build support for it...

Take the first step right now by signing up to host an Economic Recovery House Meeting:

http://my.barackobama.com/recoveryhost

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Leaders of Health Care for America Now are joining in supporting this grass-roots initiative, but are adding a more urgent tone in their alerts and asking their members to write to their Senators as well, according to an email I got:

Just a few moments ago, I sent an email message to all of Health Care for America Now's supporters asking them to write letters to their Senators supporting President Obama's economic recovery plan, which is under assault by conservatives.

I'm not sending that email to you. You see, if you're getting this email, you, like me, live in Washington, DC. And therefore, we don't have Senators to send letters to.

Instead, there's something else you can do. This weekend, President Obama has called for grassroots supporters - people like me and you - to attend house parties around the country to learn and discuss the President's economic recovery package to build public support so it can pass with important provisions like health care for Americans who lost their jobs. Health Care for America Now and DC for Obama are hosting one of these house parties this Sunday in DC.

Can you come to our house party this Sunday, February 15th? Click here for more information and to sign up.

Thanks!

So far, the full power of Obama's mighty Web-based grass-roots organization hasn't yet been unleashed to support the President's stimulus package in the battle now underway in Congress. So outside progressive groups have to take up the slack, but if grass-roots conservatives are out-lobbying progressives 100-to-1, then still more needs to be done -- and you can join in to help.

As Robert Borosage observed, and it's worth repeating:

Most Americans support a big and bold bill that creates jobs, generates clean energy, modernizes infrastructure, makes education and health care more affordable and protects state governments from slashing services.

But that message is getting drowned out in Washington as conservatives out-organize us and bury Congress in calls. We need to respond!

Call 1-866-544-7573 and tell your Senators: Pass a big and bold economic recovery bill that puts America back to work

UPDATE: Jason Rosenbaum, editor of the The Seminal group blog, has a trenchant c commentary about the importance of the much-vaunted "netroots" in stepping up to the plate: "Progressives: Stop Whining About the Recovery Plan and Actually Fight." He writes:

Bloggers need to stop complaining about the economic recovery package and start prodding their readers to make phone calls. And you, dear reader, should join me in calling our senators.

There are two reasons why Obama's economic recovery package needs to pass and why we, progressive bloggers and blog readers, should support it and call for action.

First, Obama must win this fight. I'm with Krugman, Stirling Newberry, and others - I'm not sure this package is going to be big enough or bold enough to solve our economic problems. But I can tell you one thing for certain: If this bill gets defeated, there will be absolutely no chance for recovery, let alone anything else like health care, energy, education, and the like. If Obama loses the first big fight he picks, he gets cautious really quickly, just like Bill Clinton.

Second, if netroots activists don't go all in on this fight, we lose relevance. We criticize Democratic politicians for treating us like a cash machine to tap every time they need re-election funds. Once they're in Congress they promptly forget about us and our needs. Well, if the only time we're going to put our power and credibility on the line is when these people need to get elected, they'll only turn to us during elections...

There's a lot of writing about the economic recovery plan on blogs like Daily Kos, Open Left, Americablog, Crooks and Liars, and Talking Points Memo, but something is absent. Not one post is asking readers to pick up the phone. Or write a letter. Or visit their Member of Congress. People definitely have something to complain about. But now that the Senate is debating, the time for complaining is over. It's time for action.

To be sure, there are exceptions. MyDD has a post up. So does Seeing the Forest. So does Firedoglake. Bleeding Heartland too. ACORN is in on it. And Campaign for America's Future has been doing a ton. But it's hardly the swarm of blog posts we've had in the past.

Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh supporters outnumber progressive calls 100 to 1. As Bill Scher says:

Are we flooding Congress with phone calls (Call 1-866-544-7573 NOW!) to keep President Obama's economic recovery bill big and bold? Or are we overly focused with perfection, letting conservatives, despite their diminishing numbers, dominate the phone lines?

I'm not saying bloggers need to support this package blindly. Our message should push from the left even as it supports. Asking people to call with the message, "Less tax cuts, more investment in jobs," if communicated loudly enough, would allow politicians room to move left in their policy. But there's simply no excuse for sitting back, criticizing, and not calling for action.

So, for the country's sake, stop complaining and start acting. I don't care how you do it. Call the Senate switchboard (202.224.3121). Call your Senators in their home offices (look up their websites here). Go visit your Members of Congress, either in DC or at home. Sit at your computer and click a button to call your Senators. Health Care for America Now will even hand-deliver your letter to Congress if you just take a moment to write one.

Comments

[FebM]

Progressives need to know Freedom is never granted but is always defended, at all times in time of peace and in time of "war". Conservatives know this and they never let their guards down.

[ObjectiveRealist]

I have not seen nor heard a sensible rebuttal to Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman, who states clearly that we are in much greater danger from underspending than from overspending. If we do not get to work now we will never recover. If, on the other hand, we get back to 4% - 5% unemployment within a few years, we can payoff our debts, even a little bit of pork. What we cannot tolerate are more tax cuts for the over-privileged.

[mamaearth]

Where are Obama's grassroots constituents? They're complaing just as loudly as the conservatives over this "joke" called a stimulus bill!

I can't believe it's ONLY conservatives. Liberals can't all be that clueless either!

This bill is packed with so much pork and nonsense.

The only ones for this bill will be those with socialist views!

[mcearlgrey]

You don't have to be a conservative to think this bill is crap. House Democrats gave the GOP an in to oppose it by putting in a bunch of liberal agenda items that have nothing to do with the economy. Did Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn not see the Republicans mounting a soapbox over family planning/renovating the Mall/arts funding in a bill called the Economic Reinvestment and Recovery Act? If not, they should be ousted and replaced with serious people who aren't going to be blindsided by nonsense like this. They've embarrassed themselves, the president and the party.

What this bill should have done is cut corporate tax rates across the board to encourage foreign investment and create private-sector jobs; while implementing the income tax plan Obama campaigned on, lowering or eliminating the tax burden of the working poor and middle class while raising the top marginal tax rate on the wealthiest earners and thereby increasing revenue so the government actually has money coming in to spend on infrastructure projects and bad mortgage debt.

[ProudLiberalDan]

LOL. Now that's funny.

Supply-side economics has already been tried and failed under three Republican Presidents, each time failing greater than the last.

Tax cuts don't create a single job. All cutting corporate tax rates will do is allow CEOs to pocket even more bloated and unearned bonuses.

Time for conservatives to go back to their think tanks and come up with some policies that actually work in the REAL world.

I do agree with raising marginal tax rates on the wealthiest earners.

[thoughtful3]

I'm sorry, but for all of the liberals and progressives who don't feel "fired up" enough to push the bill because it isn't "pure enough", have you considered the alternative? Would it get you "fired up" enough to do nothing and see 2010 look like 1932?

[ProudLiberalDan]

Well, maybe if Obama had spent half as much energy honoring his base as he did wooing Republicans we might be fired up.

It is not encumbered on liberals and progressives to enable Obama to be a DLC Centrist.

[milo9]

Remember FISA?

[BlackJAC]

And we know a hundred individual gops are calling rather than gops making a hundred calls because...?

[Chris Desouza]

This election was all about a back man getting elected. Now that, that was accomplished, there is no incentive. It was a feel good election. Some sense of vindication.

The very people who were all charged up for Obama's election are back to their old ways. They barely get Obama's message - Government can't do it all. Not a smart bunch of people.

[Haditup2here]

No, but when it comes to issues such as the health care crisis, the economy, and wall street they can at least show some leadership by leading by example. For instance, it is hard to reprimand companies and corporations for paying out outrageous sums for bonuses for a lack of performance when you are receiving campaign contributions from those same companies and corporations.

[RiceStarz]

You wish. BO is half black, yes, however he was the best candidate and that is why he won. End of.

[stell]

Couldn't have said it any better. They won't be able to use the first AA thing in 2012, because the novelty will have worn off. He is about to lose the first big battle of his presidency. Way to make a first impression. He thought his charisma was enough to get this bill passed. You, know, you ask him a question that he doesn't want to answer, and he'll just walk up to you put his hand on your shoulder, and stare at you as if to say, "Don't you know who I am?"

[johnsonc20]

When Obama takes a strong stand and stops undercutting his Congressional allies it will be much easier to rally to him. He may be leaning that direction slightly today. All this cozying up to Republicans when they gave him zero (zip, nada, zilch) votes in the House is more than off-putting, it is vomit inducing. His wimp act has let the Republicans run all over him and the Democrats, whom he blindsided.

How many times will the Democratic leadership charge up the hill for him when he treats them so poorly. "Oh, I didn't want them to charge up the hill, THAT way! That was all their idea. I'm above it all. Won't you please love me, Republicans?" It makes me want to write angry blog posts on Huffington and sit on my hands when net roots people tell me to "rally to Obama."

Sorry. Obama is going to have work harder selling the stimulus plan, and quit watering it down, before I will spend time promoting his agenda.

[PJay1]

I think this 'grass roots army' is feeling a bit discouraged by all this catering to Republicans.

I know I am, but thanks for the nudge.
I will call my senators and congressman.

[Citizen54]

I believe you are correct. We see the corporate Republican toady and Bush family friend Judd Gregg being appointed to the Cabinet, but no even moderately liberal Democrats (w/ the exception of Hilda Solis). The liberal wing of the Democratic party has been fighting for 8 years, and some even longer, and it's getting kind of tiring.

Is Judd Gregg having a house party to discuss and promote the stimulus? Is his Republican replacement in the Senate doing anything?

What was that about Change?

[PJay1]

it's very disheartening.
I'm hoping Pres Obama learns quickly. Otherwise, not only WON'T he have Republican support, but he'll lose his base as well.

I'm hoping today is the beginning of the rest of his presidency in that he is standing up to the opposition (his op ed, his strong speeches, etc.) rather than taking a defensive stance as he appeases the morally bankrupt Republicans.

[shelby35]

The grass roots army are rag tag irregulars compared to the well oiled machine that is the conservative opposition. For decades the conservatives built a advocacy machine unrivaled and unparalleled only to see it go under from corruption and incompetence. Obama's grass roots are constantly bickering and divided over numerous issues and strategies and refuse to consolidate, unlike the Repugs. As much as I despise the GOP, I gotta give them props for organizing a fully trained army from the business and religious communities. They operate like a functioning business while we are a high school social club. Unfortunate but true.

For more information about why the Republicans are better organized read The Wrecking Crew

[forsmokey]

I wouldn't say the grassroots is rag tag. They really pulled together and added to their numbers for the election. Once the excitement is over and the hard work begins seems like everybody drops their water buckets and thinks someone else is going to pick up the slack.

You're right about the Democrats finding an identity though. As disorganized as the GOP seems right now they still have a laser beam point on their issues and talking points. Democrats don't know if their Democrat light, progressives, moderate Democrats and even the work liberal has had an ugly connotation added to it. The GOP are and always will be conservative Republicans standing for these issues; low taxes, less government, a strong military, God and guns and certain social issues and there is usually no infighting and they don't waiver.

[ohioan73]

I've been writing Voinovich. I don't have to bother Brown because he's a Dem. Sherrod Brown always sends back a warm response. I'm waiting to hear back from Voinovich now.

[AnnfromCA]

I think grass-roots reflects how people really feel. They felt strongly for Obama, and they spoke out. On this spending fiasco, they feel strongly it's not a good bill.

It's not organizing that is the issue. It's the substance of what people are trying to communicate to WA.

[BBackSoon]

Maybe the people that can still afford a phone call are all Republican?

[NCRDIBULL]

100-1...Basically the grass roots Obama Presidency was won NOT because of policy or philosophy but because of the aura of his charisma , race and yes the hope and change theme , along with the hate everything Bush theme that was played out tremendously ...I put it to you that the majority of Obama voters are not of the extremist (progressives if you will ) but of the taxpaying working Americans (white and blue collar ) that see the hugely obscene pork laden bill that this has become .

[StillweRise]

you seem to not even have a rational thought in your head. right.. so 57 million people were tricked... and NINE states were flipped from red to blue... TO ELECT A BLACK MAN... ugh... but.. YOU are smarter than ALL of us... (rrrriight)....

and on the pork... THERE IS NO PORK.... creating JOBS is not pork. what is STUPID and brain dead of you is... how can you look for tax cuts to save the economy when tax cuts DON'T CREATE JOBS...

if they did... then Bush's tax cuts would have every single person in the world employed! IS THAT THE CASE?????? no. its not.

go spread your propaganda some place else, comrade.

[forsmokey]

This Pelosi -Reid Democratic Congress led Stimulus Bill sucks. Can't they get anything right? First they capitulate to the Republicans in just about everything in last years Congressional Session. Now when they have the power of the election behind them their "we'll show you" egos get the best of them and they shoot themselves in the foot by adding everything but the kitchen sink into the bill. Republicans kill when it comes to swoop in and spin on an issue. Don't they know that by now? A New York PR firm could be tougher in getting the right ideas and message out about this bill than this bunch of Dem jokers.

I thought it was in Obama's change message to get in there and lay the smack down on them so just this type of crap stops happening. Make the bill short and sweet and get it done. Short on the number of items needed to get the votes and sweet (big and bold) enough to stimulate the economy.

I know it's only the first weeks of a new Presidency and Congress but this group combined looks like amateur hour. That's our Democrats.­..........