Caught in the Act - A New Politics of Leading by Example

In the midst of the media storm surrounding Larry Craig's bathroom habits and the immediate Republican response, it may have been too easy to forget that last week marked the two year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the Bush administration's utter failure to respond to a real disaster. The two events hardly seem related, but the tempest in a Minneapolis men's room and the truly disgraceful government response to Katrina do bring to mind the same cliché: actions speak louder than words.

It doesn't matter what Larry Craig says about what happened in the Minneapolis airport or what George Bush says about recovery in New Orleans. Words only go so far when the actions on the ground (or in the stall) tell a very different story.

Indeed, these are just two examples of the disconnect between talk and action in our nation's politics. This is a familiar refrain, and we could chalk up these episodes as further evidence that politicians are liars or are corrupt or always say one thing and do another -- that it's just "politics as usual." We could dismiss Senator Craig's troubles as yet another case of yet another politician engulfed in yet another scandal. Or we could look for more, and turn a fresh eye to a new kind of politics.

For the past year, our organization, Democrats Work, has been building a new style of political engagement that closes the gap between our professed values and our public actions. This approach has a very simple guiding principle: put your values into action. By mobilizing Democratic volunteers to do tangible service projects in their communities, we are creating a service-based approach to politics -- a "politics of service" -- that we hope looks nothing like politics as usual.

Since January, Democrats Work has mobilized nearly 900 Democratic volunteers who donated thousands of hours at over 30 service projects across the country. Because we care about the environment, Democrats have planted trees and cleaned up parks, trails and open spaces from Colorado to Georgia, Nevada to Nebraska. Because we care about public education, Democrats have supported schools and teachers in Arkansas and California and helped the children of our deployed troops start the school year with the supplies they need in Texas. Because we care about livable and safe communities, Democrats have removed literally tons of illegally-dumped trash from poor neighborhoods, supported programs to combat homelessness, and worked at food banks in Atlanta, Little Rock, and San Francisco.

Democrats Work and its local partners validate the notion that voters respond more favorably to deeds than to words. Others are pushing the politics of service as well. John Edwards' One Corps has mobilized volunteers for service projects across the country, the Blue Tiger Democrats have supported local veterans in Michigan and organized community cleanups in Flint and Troy, and the Service Politics Institute has worked with politicians in Vermont to link community service to policy prescriptions. These actions serve as simple and powerful reminders of what the Democratic Party stands for. We believe that this type of leadership by example may be the best way to convince voters you'll do right by them. Put simply, there is a credibility and a confidence that comes from acting on your values.

In this era of unrelenting 30-second television ads, eye-popping fundraising, and news coverage that too often misses the point, wouldn't it be nice if political campaigns bragged that their volunteers did more for our communities than the others? Wouldn't it be nice if politicians were judged by, um, what they actually do? Next October, we want the person dropping campaign literature off at your house extolling the Democrats' commitment to public education to be the same guy that volunteered to build the new playground at your kid's school.

A service-based approach to politics may not grab as many headlines as corrupt hypocrites, morally bankrupt do-nothings, liars and louts, but our country and our politics would be a lot better if it did. And, when it comes time to ask for votes, I believe that this politics of service will allow Democrats to ask with more than words.

Jason Carter, a grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, is a co-founder of Democrats Work and serves on its board of directors.

Comments

[frank67]

I am really sick of hearing about immigrants called "invaders" and other derogatory terms. All of you must be forgetting that we are a nation of immigrants. I will say again that unless you are a Native American Indian, you need to go and buy your airline/boat ticket and go back to wherever your forebearers came from.
Think about what those Native Americans must have thought when the Europeans started showing up!
Benjamin Franklin: "No more Germans in Pennsylvania or we'll all be speaking German!"
A member of the House of Representatives: "We can't accept any more immigrants; the Country is full!" - year was 1791.
The influx of the Irish as a result of the Potato Famine - newspaper want ads: "Irish need not apply. "There are already too many Irish," Senator Lodge.
"Too many (Wops) Italians." "Too many Jews." Too many (Polacks) Polish." "Too many Bohunks (Czechs)."Too many Spicks (Puerto Ricans)."
So you see, derogatory comments are as old as our nation! And it is still going on, and on, and on...

[ThomasBates]

If folks are interested in getting notices about service events in their community - or better yet, organizing events in their community - please go to DemocratsWork.org to sign up.

[WigWamWag]

Congressional Call-In Day

Join the nationwide effort to flood the offices of our member of Congress with calls demanding an end to the U.S. war in Iraq. Let's make it clear: there cannot be "business as usual" in Washington. We need to bring our troops home immediately!

Our voice is extremely important to the decision makers in Washington, and we need to tell them, "Bring the troops home now, and protect the Southern border with Mexico from constant invaders!"

When: Thursday, Sept. 6

Capitol Hill Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Other numbers to reach Capitol Hill switchboard:
(800) 828 - 0498
(800) 459 - 1887
(800) 614 - 2803

[EdwardUlyssesCate]

Jason, you have some education to be learned yet. Your grandfather did the best he could under the powers that be. It would have been wonderful if he could have exposed those who truly rule this country, but then you might not be here to write today.
I'm refering to Charles A. Lindbergh Sr. who fought the creation of the Feds, only to lose the battle. He warned us in 1913, that "From now on, depressions will be scientifically created." His grandson Lindbergh II was kidnapped and murdered, possibly to keep the famous and popular Lindbergh, Jr. from following in his footsteps.
As explained at GreatRedDragon.com there are known entities of great financial power to force men, whether Democrats, Republicans or whatever, to do their bidding. Therefore, do good, but tread carefully.

[larry278]

This is yet another justification for the existance for another partisan group which is bent upon giving back to the community only what the group thinks a community needs. This is a pluralistic nation. We have many view points. Groups which enforce a demand that a student complete a period of 'voluntary' service to the 'community' before being graduated from high school are blissfully unaware that a 'required period of unpaid service to a 'community' can't be called 'voluntary'. There are also individuals & groups considered to be disadvantaged who wish to be left alone to live in self sufficient peace by self appointed ladies & lords bountiful who have determined what these individuals & groups 'need'.
The saying, "No good deed goes unpunished." was devised for the use of self-pitying, self-appointed 'do-gooders' when their services are unappreciated or rejected by the self-sufficient.

[Eliskel]

Great article Jason!

I found out about Democrats Work earlier this year, and have since signed up and volunteered at a couple of events. Armchair politics and passive frustration are a thing of the past for me, instead of just sitting around and complaining about what is not being done, I am out doing it. It's so empowering. I would recommend it to anyone.
By putting our values into action, we have a great opportunity to define the Democratic party as one of integrity, while also making a positive difference in society. I anticipate that this movement is going to gain a lot of momentum and I'm excited to be a part of it.

[1980Dawgs]

You have not heard of it because it is less than 1 year old.

[1980Dawgs]

Great Idea; that man is more than Genius.

[rdberg1957]

Jason, methinks you have learned a lot from your grandfather who is probably the greatest ex-President the US has ever had. Rob

[swkidder]

Bravo

[JoAnnCr]

Thanks for mentioning the good work John Edwards' One Corps does.

John Edwards One Corps offers hope through universal service and the good, sensible works Michael Moore credits to the conservatives.

BTW there are a lot of us conservatives in the John Edwards camp. In the climate of the current administration, you have to be progressive to support conservative values. John Edwards is a great conservative leader as well as a great progressive leader. He"s just good common sense and that takes care of both.

[Dansden]

Mayan:

May we presume to expect that you would rather continue the global embarrassment of our national disaster and utterly corrupt presidency supported, encouraged and financed by the Republican influence of BUSH, Darth Cheney, Turdblossom hisself, et al than vote for a Democrat?
That's the choice...:
throw up your hands in an adolescent tirade of immediate frustration like BUSH et al....OR
think through the real issues that affect our children's futures...

Course, your children may not be as important to you as mine are to me...
I think that's how we got the present President...NO ONE thought beyond their greedy pocketbooks....or their immediate interests...

[tandrmcdonald]

Thank you, Jason Carter.
Gramma Rose

[avergejoe]

I would like to give thanks to your grandfather for his tireless efforts in this area.

[elenanow]

Yes, it is important we practice human values in everyday life; but until the Democrats align values with broad POLICY the gap remains. How long will they allow the majority of the GDP to derive from defense spending and empire building all advanced under the transparent code of "spreading freedom and democracy"? Will they really challenge privatization of health care with substantive reform? How do they really plan to step up to the plate on environment with anything but token legislation? Anti-monopoly media reform (not a chance they'll touch that)? Voting reform, including gerrymandering?

They are complicit in it all, willing partners, no matter how many roadside projects they take on. Sure, do "good deeds" in one's community; but don't let these individual acts of conscience become a smokescreen or a diversion that take our eye off far greater concern over severely misguided governance.

[mayan122112]

Any group that has the word "Democratic" in it,is now a turn off to me. We need a new party. The Democrats in office parrot Bush in every instance. They are no better than the Republicans. All the candidates except Edwards would follow the same party line. The war still rages, we still are torturing, we still hold prisoners without rights, we still have no national health care, we still have one of the worst public transportation systems of any industrialized country. And, we voted the Democrats in office 9 months ago to change the system. After nearly 50 years of voting, I am not longer a Democrat.

[tandrmcdonald]

mayan122112
Kind of throwing the baby out with the bath water aren't you? Blanket generalizations are the last refuge of those who don't want to take the time to think through a problem to its solution. Naming a problem doesn't solve it. Get out there and do something about it.
look at it this way: All Germans weren't Nazis.
Demand that the Democrats keep their pre-election promises. Loudly and often. If I can, you can.
Gramma Rose

[pelosiforpresident]

Fantastic idea! Good luck. What more can i say?

[neejerk]

Jason

good luck with this. i made a similar suggestion once to my local democrats. they looked at me as if i had two heads.

would be even better if you could find some excuse to work with churches and help out old folks and such with the chores that drive old folks out of their homes.

you don't need to hard sell. get to know them and the rest takes care of itself.

i am serious about this. but then i have two heads.

[repearwo]

As the comments above indicate, you can howl at the moon, or get involved and do something to effect real change. No party has a corner on the ideology thing. I strongly believe in government as a protector of those who can not protect themselves, but government is rarely ever the solution as such.

Communities need to take care of their own and the Goverment should step in to help or prod where needed.

It is good to know that the fourth generation of Carters has the spirit of public service that has been evident since Lillian Carter was in the Peace Corp.

[indypete]

You tree hugging tax raising atheist babykillers are always looking for a gimmick when you should be fighting for open markets and American capitalism....

Just kidding!

But, serioisly though, keep up the good work, sounds like a splendid idea.

[midwestvoter]

It's hard to argue with putting your actions behind your convictions. Of course, we are dealing with Republicans that clammer for war and torture from behind the wheel of their hummers.

[kwright]

public service should be just that. actions speak louder than words.

[dadw5boys]

Public Service here in our local government was unpaid until a lawyer got a bill past requiring that all elected officals be paid $25,000 a year miniunm.
So the cost of our local government went from zero for the part time elected officals to $250,000.00 over night.
The good volunteers are now those looking for support from business because the income for only 12 to 15 meeting a month is pretty good AND THE COMPETITION FOR THE OFFICES HAS GROWN.

[dadw5boys]

12 TO 15 METTINGS A YEAR.

[TOFHAS]

Hamas uses the same tactics. Not that I am comparing you with Hamas, but the DLC will surely try to swoop in and coopt any success you've had.
Good luck and watch out for the buzzards.

[giita]

Right. Not only Hamas, but the Salvation Army, Black Panther Party, and all sorts of other idealists have found that actually doing good stuff for people builds trust and strengthens the organization. My question is, why is this being presented as a brand new idea? Who hasn't read enough history of political/social movements?
When did Democrats STOP paying attention to community service, neighborhood relationships, and the value of direct human contact? Time to Re-read Michael Moore's chapter on What's Great about Conservatives [they're the folks that will help jump-start your car in a snowstorm.]
The hard part is staying committed to such programs when the political benefits are less obvious; but only then do people REALLY start to believe you mean them well.

[dadw5boys]

NOT COMPARING BUT YOU DID!
The largest TRANSFER OF WEALTH is happening with this war and the TAXPAYERS will be forced to pay for it.
So you will soon be calling the DEMOCRATIC PARTY tax and spend.
Because of the $ 10 TRILLION DOLLAR BUSH AND REPUBLICAN NATIONAL DEBT has to be repaid!
RIGHT?
You will want more tax cut so more bridges will be falling too I guess?

[tandrmcdonald]

To dadw5boys,
Wake up, Papa. I generally agree with you, but not this time. Tax cuts only go to the very Republican rich in America. You usually sound as though you've spent some time looking around at what our country has turned into under the Republicans. Maybe you've missed something here.
It's not the time to blast people who have a plan, it's time to put our politicians' collective feet to the fire and demand some real changes.
I have a plan to start rebuilding America. Fist: Bring our troops home from the Haliburton War.
Second: Roll back corporate incentives for sending American jobs overseas.
Third: Bring the outsourced jobs back to America. All of them.
Fourth: Enforce the immigration laws already on the books. Reject the corporate spiel about jobs Americans won't do.
Finally: Limit imports. Severely.
Mattel and Fisher-Price used to be the gold standard for kids' toys, not any more.
I recently coined a term, Matelling it, translates to doing it on the cheap. Formerly know as Rumsfelding it.
How many massive product recalls did we have when things sold in America were made in America? The Pinto doesn't count, it was never recalled.
If we want to get our country back on its feet we have to begin with jobs; everything else devolves from the ability to pay the bills, put food on the table and keep a roof over one's head. Fewer and fewer Americans can do that.
The old saw works for all of the above, including bridges: take care of what you have.
Gramma Rose

[pelosiforpresident]

Lighten up, dadw5boys. Good luck and watch out for the buzzards was a very good point.

[oldvet]

How come I never heard of Democrats Work before? What a great idea! I have been active in various community activities most of my adult life. (I'm 69 now.)

I learned the importance of community service as a Notre Dame undergrad, and it has made my life very rewarding. We are, after all our brothers and sisters keepers.