Astroturf Just Ain't the Same

Written by: DFA Staff on Apr 12, 2008 9:00 PM EDT

Freedom's Watch, a right-wing non-profit, was supposed to be the conservative movement's big organizational power-player in this election cycle. The group talked about spending $200 million to support conservative ideas and candidates. Freedom's Watch had Ari Fleischer sitting on its board and the big money pockets of conservative uber-donor Sheldon G. Anderson. The group is now plagued by infighting and a lack of vision and purpose. The New York Times reports:

But after a splashy debut last summer, in which it spent $15 million in a nationwide advertising blitz supporting President Bush’s troop escalation in Iraq, the group has been mostly quiet, beset by internal problems that have paralyzed it and raised questions about what kind of role, if any, it will actually play this fall.

Conservatives do not understand the grassroots. They do not understand how to build a people-powered movement. They just think they can throw a lot of money and fear around and expect everyone to fall into place.  Now, it is too early to completely write-off Freedom's Watch's potential to generate influence, but this whole episode provides a very clear picture of the difference between progressive and conservative organizing principles.

Conservatives place a premium on money and top-down control.  Progressives, on the other hand, believe in a bottom-up structure that is fueled by involvement.  A conservative organization is owned by a handful of so-called powerful and important people and a progressive one is owned by its members.

Danny
Communications Director

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