During the Netroot's Nation Conference in Detroit many progressive issues were addressed and discussed in the abstract, but it's not often when you have a situation where the conference itself, and a parallel demonstration by the
Detroit People's Water Board were able to generate near immediate results - or at least a reaction, after months of being stonewalled.
Water is life. The People’s Water Board advocates for access, protection, and conservation of water. We believe water is a human right and all people should have access to clean and affordable water. Water is a commons that should be held in the public trust free of privatization. The People’s Water Board promotes awareness of the interconnectedness of all people and resources.
While most reports that touch on Netroots seem to be ignoring the fact that it actually exists when Vice President Biden or Elizabeth Warren speaks at a "Liberal Conference", [notable exception to Steve CKornacki with "Up" which at least did mention the name of the conference as I type this, and even showed interview footage with several attendee during the discussion of the early 2016 race prospects between Hillary, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren] many other things in the area were actually taking place - with hardly any media report what so ever - even though as I was informed by Dave Weigel of Slate in the Town Square, which was also confirmed by Amanda Terkel of Huffington Post, that there are far more reporters attending this year's event than in previous years.
Things such as a street rally that included high profile persons like Activist-Actor Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, Begin Again, Where the Wild Things Are) along with local Detroit Welfare Organizations joined together with Netroot's to protest the cities policy of shutting off the water to thousands of low-income residents.
What we learned after the rally was over during dinner from Maureen Taylor of the Detroit People's Water Board was that she had received a call from the Mayor who wanted to have a talk with her "Early Next Week". Her feeling was very clearly that the influenced of Netroot's, as potentially as i heard from some others the participation of the Detroit "Blight Busters" just may have moved the needle and may City Hall start to pay attention.
This of course isn't a guarantee of anything, it's only a conversation. But up to this point a conversation to even discuss the issue couldn't be had with the Mayor. Now it can. And it's only when you begin a dialogue that progress can truly begin to be made.
Vyan
Sun Jul 20, 2014 at 11:05 AM PT: Video of the March courtesy of Chris [Ecletablog] Savage. Thanks man.