The Great American Conversation

Written by: rich^kolker on Jun 16, 2008 8:59 AM EDT

Those of us who were Deaniacs remember that a theme of the campaign was that we were responsible for building and maintaining "The Great American Conversation."  It all tied together: "In your hands, not mine, lies the future of this nation," the Doc would tell us, and we'd believe it, and go forward.  We generated posters, bumper stickers, software, campaign tools. in a way that had never been done before.

In those days, the blog was the center of a lot of these activities.  You know what the first "DFA training" was?  It was when I suggested Meetup groups kick in $20 each and send representatives to the 21st Century Democrats training in DC, and that those representatives bring the information back to their groups and pass them on.  We had jc's and demetrius' and others art - better than what the "pros" were putting out, all shared here, generated from ideas begin here, and refined through conversation.

Now we are told "The Great American Conversation" is to be shunted off the "the watercooler."  We need to be more serious and issue oriented.  Our comments need to relate to the main post.  This is a mistake as well as being a betrayal of the history and heritage of this blog.

Synergy happens when seemingly unrelated actions interact in unexpected ways.  This can only happen when there is a critical mass of activities and those activities are unfocused.  This is the power of what has become a buzzword, but is still valid, "outside the box" thinking.  Follow down the normal trail and there is no solution.  Step off the trail, and there's no telling what you will find.  Bread mold may become penacillin.

BFA will not become stronger by being more like Kos.  BFA will become stronger by promoting what it is.  BFA will become stronger when DFA HQ uses it like Dean for America did -- as a window into DFA operations, a place to discuss future activities, plan and synergize, and build community.  There have been folks who have left, but not because of the conversational tone.  Generally, it's been because of specific posters and postings.  That can be controlled now with the rating system.  Go out and actively invite perople back.  Open the shutters between HQ and the blog again and make this the organizational and creative tool it was during the campaign.

We don't need another Kos.  We have one already.

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