This idea has been in the pipeline for some weeks but its start was delayed by poor health on my part. Well, I still have poor health but I’ve always been an impatient sod (comes from being a genuine Tassie Devil!) so health be damned – let’s get this project launched!
The objective of The Grassroots Handbook is to provide everyone who is starting out or already active at the grassroots level with practical information in a user-friendly format that is free to all those who want it. It is also intended to be a combined effort in that everyone is encouraged to contribute to it with information, editing, printing or fundraising. All volunteers and suggestions are very welcome!
What will The Grassroots Handbook look like?
My preference is for pages enclosed in a ring binder as I believe this format provides several advantages:
☆ Information can be updated without requiring a whole new printing.
☆ Users can easily add blank pages for their own note-taking (which may well become future amendments to everyone’s Handbook).
☆ The first complete Handbook will take several weeks to put together but, to cut down on the wait time, we can undertake ‘progressive’ printing, ie: print sections as they are completed and mail them out to recipients who can then compile their Handbook section-by-section.
☆ A ring binder will also allow the owner to remove pages to copy for branch members, meeting info if a section relates to an agenda item, and info for candidates who don’t need the entire Handbook.
☆☆☆
What kind of information will The Grassroots Handbook cover?
At this stage, I anticipate it will include the following sections:
☆ Making the decision to Get Involved - "Why Me?"
☆ First Steps
☆ Finding Your Local Branch
☆ Assessing Your Local Branch - Is It Right for You?
☆ Starting your Own Local Branch
☆ Help Is All Around You! (Essential DKos Groups and Outside Help)
☆ First Planning Meeting
☆ Branch Structure
☆ Recruiting Members
☆ Finding a Venue
☆ Setting an Agenda
☆ Meeting Procedure
☆ Establishing Branch Executive Positions and Roles
☆ Tips for Making Meetings Work (so everyone is keen to come back for the next one!)
☆ Developing a Political Platform
☆ Developing a Relationship with the State Party
☆ Working Smart: Getting More for Less
☆ Actively Involving the Local Community
☆ Fundraising
☆ The Hunt for the Best Candidates
☆ Supporting Your Candidates
☆ Setting up a Campaign Committee
☆ Campaigning
☆ GOTV
☆ The Schools Project
☆☆☆
Fundraising
In order to provide anyone who wants one with a free copy of the Handbook, the costs of printing and dissemination will need to be met via fundraising. I am open to suggestions!
☆☆☆
Printing and Dissemination
This section is all questions!
Which would be the best budget alternative?
Would be possible to print sections out on a home printer then pay for professional photocopying on pre-hole-punched paper?
Here in Australia, federal politicians will cheerfully let you use their excellent and very modern facilities, especially if your cause benefits their party! Therefore, I’d like to suggest that group members contact their state and federal Democrats and ask if we may use their copying facilities. This would not only negate printing costs but also alert elected Democrats to our project. It may be possible to get some input from them – it might even be possible to get a donation for the cause from them! I’m all in favor of political donations reversing direction from time to time.
Is there a good source where we can buy bulk binders and bulk paper?
If there is more than one volunteer to undertake the printing and dissemination tasks, is it practicable to spread this task around in order not to burden one person?
Of course, anyone who does undertake the tasks of printing and mailing copies to recipients, must be reimbursed as quickly as possible, preferably before bills are due to be paid!
☆☆☆
How can you be involved?
☆ Watch out for the diaries outlining each section and add your suggestions in the comments.
☆ Follow People Power Grassroots
☆ Join People Power Grassroots
☆☆☆
I can think of no better way of concluding this diary than with this Top Comment by our own Angie in WA State and I urge all of you to follow her, support her and take her message to heart:
You want a solution? I'll give you one.
We need to stop waiting for some heroic Democratic figure to rise up, and like a Knight on a White Steed, Save the Day.
We need to BECOME the government we desire.
By that, I mean WE THE PEOPLE, people like me and you, need to start running for these offices.
Hell, if nincompoops like Michele Bachmann can get elected to the US House, shouldn't people like the reasonable and intelligent folks who write such moving diaries here at Daily Kos make some decent Representatives to Congress?
I believe that is true. I believe it deep enough that I plan to run for my Congressional seat in 2016.
I cannot strongly enough urge each and every one of the Daily Kos users to run for something in 2016 - anything will do.
But imagine, if you will, what could happen if even 100 of us ran for our US House seats next year? Do you think it would be a phenomenon which might catch the attention of the mainstream media? Which might give at least some of those candidates a chance at winning?
What would the US House look like with even 25 fierce kossacks as new members? What impact could our progressive voices have to forge a better future?
Well, we'll never know if it remains just a pipe dream! So COME ON people, take a walk on the wild side, dream big and come on the adventure of a lifetime with me next year.
RUN FOR CONGRESS!
"I like paying taxes...with them, I buy Civilization"
By Angie in WA State on Fri Mar 20, 2015 at p1:33:20 EDT
☆☆☆
Diaries in the People Power Grassroots series:
We've Agonized, Analyzed & Advised – It’s Time to Act. The People Power Plan: Introduction
The People Power Plan Phase One: Change at the Local Level
People Power Project Announces the Formation of Two Daily Kos Groups
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~☆☆☆~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~