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.