any thoughts about a "Coffee Party" forum or group?

[Motown_Johnny]

I just got back from my local Coffee Party. (much better turnout than I expected)

They seem to be using Facebook to organize and I hate Facebook.


I was wondering if a forum or group here on DU might be appropriate since it is not an actual political party but more of a progressive movement.



Any Yeas or Nays would be appreciated.




Link to Coffee Party home page for reference
http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/

[Taverner]

1. I'd like to know a little more about them

Everything on paper looks good - but then again, everything on David Duke's website looks fine...same with Scientology and the Vatican websites

[DavidDvorkin]

2. The Coffee Party is a complete waste of time

I went to one of their meetings today and left before it was over. Here's my post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7908066&mesg_id=7910038

[SecularMotion]

3. The Coffee Party is an attempt to divide Democrats

Democrats need to hang tough while the Republican Party devours itself.

[applegrove]

6. Yup.

[Motown_Johnny]

9. I disagree

at the meeting I attended the moderator made multiple statements about civility and agreeing to disagree on some issues.

The meeting was, and future meetings will be, structured to form small groups with like minded people on specific issues you want to focus on.


It looks to me like there is a serious attempt being made to avoid conflict within the group and to help everyone focus on what he/she can agree with instead of being forced into discussions that you can't agree with.

[Warpy]

4. The devil is in the details

While the reforms contained in this bill will kick in 6 months after it is signed, the mandate that is sticking in everybody's craw won't kick in for three and a half years.

That's three and a half years they have to hammer out the particulars of what would constitute a public insurance option.

I think the feeling in Congress is that we need the reforms NOW, not a year or two from now when the public plan has been designed and is ready to be voted on.

The one thing I would request of them is to lower the Medicare age to 55, the corporate expiration date at which older workers are deemed no longer cost effective and are dumped, left to find whatever dead end, entry level jobs they can until they're able to qualify for Social Security. They're thrown to the wolves just when chronic diseases are appearing in earnest and they're in need of care, unable to get it through any program out there.

That's the one reform they need to add to this bill. They can work on the public option for the next three and a half years. If there isn't one by that time, then it's open war on conservative incumbents.

[Motown_Johnny]

10. this has nothing to do with my OP

did you want to post this here?

[rucky]

5. They just set up their own forum space...

http://coffee.kwilinski.org/

I learnt that from the Facebook!

Update: It's throwing 404s right now, but I'm sure they'll have it up in a jiff.

[Motown_Johnny]

11. Yes, I registered there already (as Motown_Jonhnny)

and couldn't get into the 4:00 pm cst meeting

I am just wondering if it wouldn't be better to increase traffic here on DU.

I love this place, it is well run and is moderated extremely well. I don't trust any Facebook types to keep the trolls out.

[lunasun]

7. I say Nay

Facebook could not be any more appropriate!! Hope they twitter themselves into oblivion soon.
Will turn those tea party marches in to hour long specials on TV for sure now
:puke:

[Motown_Johnny]

12. Thanks for a direct answer, you seem to be the only one

There were discussions about the usefulness of counter protests and it seems most of us were against it. We don't went to turn this into "our angry mob v. their angry mob".


The free health clinics that were held over the past year were also discussed. Hopefully the approach will be similar to that tactic. Things like getting everyone to show up and clean up a local park or plant trees, maybe have a blood drive or volunteer at a food bank are the ideas that were brought up.
I was also thinking about helping at nursing homes or book drives at local collages to try and mine votes there. It was only the first meeting so we were just spit balling ideas.

I know this isn't as sexy as pitchforks and torches but we are not tea party types. Doing well by doing good has worked before, maybe it can work again.

[JI7]

8. it just seems useless

[NightWatcher]

13. I dont know anything about them. Who are they? What do they do/stand for?

Let's learn more about them before starting a forum that might turn around and bite us on the ass if it comes out that they are a front group, as has been mentioned by a few people here.


We'd look silly if we had a forum for a group based on astroturf roots.