Doing something useful.... being proactive.

[bobbolink]

Recently a DUer posted about being pissed and doing something useful with it.

There are a lot of posts now about Social Security, reminding people here that SS does NOT enlarge the debt, etc. Most of us here know that.... but clearly, the conservative left and the conservative right can play on the misinformation that independents are getting from the media.

DUers have shhown that they are capable of raising Big Bucks for various purposes, including wonderful and compassionate efforts like providing surgery for a DUer who was in desparate need, and buying thousands of roses for congresscritters, etc.

So, here's a thought about doing something useful and shortcircuiting the corporate media:

What about taking up a collection to be used for a full- or even half-page ad in the NYT, giving important and truthful facts about SS? I have been involved with an organization who has put in an ad in NYT, had had very good results.

How about taking up a collection for billboards in strategic places, drawing attention to the real facts?

Besides the ads themselves, it would likely get more attention in the press.

So, what about it? CAN we do something useful? Are there any other ideas for actually putting the true facts in front of people?

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Oooh.. I like it. If the media won't report the facts, we'll just buy a piece of them and do it .

[bobbolink]

3. That's what I'm thinkin'. We keep talking about being our own media. Well, time to do the walking.

And we CAN do it. We have already demonstrated that.

:hug:

[a la izquierda]

2. K & R

an ad might be a good thing, and I'd be willing to contribute some money. I'm not in the "creative" mindset at the moment, so I can't offer suggestions other than what you listed (which I think are good, anyway); my dissertation is currently sucking all life, creativity, and time out of me. But do keep me posted. I typically check my messages once or twice a day.
Cheers.

[bobbolink]

5. Thank you! As the saying goes, not everyone can do everything, but everyone can do something.

There are many people who are good at composing ad copy, so you are hereby excused. :hi:

Also, it isn't a matter of big donations, as online campaigns have proven.

Your cheering and passing this on to others are effective ways to contribute to the effort, as are any other ideas.

Thanks for letting me know you are interested, and want to be contacted... much appreciated! :yourock:

Good luck on the dissertation... I have another friend going through that, and I know how draining it is. I have also been working on a project that sucked the life out of me..... :(

:hi:

[Tansy_Gold]

4. Sneakies

Printed four or six to an 8 1/2 x 11 page. Put in places where they'll be found by the unsuspecting. In a public restroom. Inside a popular book at the library. Left on the table at a restaurant.


I distributed several hundred back in 2002-2003.

On one side an introduction of your choice. Mine was:

This isn’t America any more. Where am I,
and what have you done to my country?

This commentary is brought to you by an anonymous but concerned American. If you would like more information and have Internet access, I suggest you check the website (insert your favorite source for news). If you do not have Internet access, you can obtain much of the same information from magazines such as The Nation, The Progressive, Mother Jones, or The American Prospect, which are available, along with many books on current affairs, at bookstores and public libraries.


On the other side, some commentary, again of your choice, such as:

Democracy has difficulty taking root in many parts of the world because national militaries are too strong. Elections get pushed aside by generals and junta leaders; troops become thugs and executioners. That has never been a problem here. We in the United States built the most powerful military on earth, yet keep it in check by subordinating it, totally and without question, to the civilian government. The suggestion made by Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge, that we allow the military to conduct domestic law enforcement is a cause for real concern.
Editorial, Chicago Sun-Times, July 23, 2002

or

The career of George Bush himself epitomizes the kind of self-dealing and insider enrichment that men like Ken Lay and Bernie Ebbers raised to new heights. Bush can tactically shift his current policies, but he can't erase his own record. Just as one corporation after another now faces close scrutiny of past dealings, so does Bush.
It’s the barrel that’s rotten.
from Robert Kuttner, "The Gathering Storm: Bush's record on corporate ethics," The American Prospect, July 11, 2002.

or

The key to (Ted) Kennedy’s politics is his belief that Democrats must simultaneously advocate for the poor and the middle class at the expense of the wealthy and corporate America. As someone whose policies and politics are so well integrated, Kennedy knows that liberals win elections when the poor and middle class vote together. And liberals lose when the suburban, independent middle class votes with the upper classes.
Jack Newfield, “The Senate’s Fighting Liberal: Kennedy at 70.” The Nation, 25 March 2002


I had about 30 selections for the second page. I printed them out, eight to a page, cut them apart and placed them wherever I thought someone might find them.

Obviously, I have no idea if they did any good, but the same would be true of a one-time-run full page ad in a newspaper in a single city.

TG, TT

[bobbolink]

8. Great, grassroots ideas! Also, slipped into magazines in waiting rooms!

Would you be willing to write up some short and pithy facts about SS that could be used? Some people will like your idea, but not have the initiative to put it together themselves.

From my perspective, all facts need to be well-sourced... especially the big ones like refudiating ^_^ the assertion that SS is "dying", and that it adds to the deficit.

"Obviously, I have no idea if they did any good, but the same would be true of a one-time-run full page ad in a newspaper in a single city."

As I said, one organization did this, and reported very good results.

I'm not ready to concede all to the POWERS THAT BE, and have confidence in the intelligence of liberals to figure out how to fight this.

An elderly friend of mine, in telling me how life was under the Communists in Czechoslovakia, told me of a friend of his who said, "If you kick at the brick wall, all you will do is hurt your foot. However, if everyday you piss on that wall......"

Here's to doing a hell of a lot of pissing! :toast:

[chervilant]

16. Wow!

I've been doing something quite similar. I print pithy quotes on Avery labels, then carry them with me to post in 'appropriate' areas. Other activists, including Cindy Sheehan and Ann Wright, have taken these labels to post in key locations. I wish that this was my idea, but I heard about it during my anti-Bush activism. I think these labels, and your idea, and the OP's suggestions could become the core activism of a dedicated group of DUers. I call this 'planting seeds,' because you never know when a kernel of truth might plant itself in inhospitable ground.

[Tansy_Gold]

23. If I didn't have a crappy day job that sucks up too much of my time

I'd make it a point to distribute a couple dozen -- or a couple hundred -- of these every day.

Stickers are good because they will get a lot of readings; sneakies are easily taken home (or thrown away, to be sure) for further contemplation. So a combination of both would be even better.

TG, TT

[bobbolink]

25. Oh, yes.... they are all good! There isn't one perfect way, and different projects will appeal

to different people.

Could you assemble some good facts about SS that could go on the sneakies? That could be started right away!

Thanks! :hi:

[chervilant]

26. hmm...

I am busy teaching trig and college algebra, but I should be able to come up with something this weekend. Also, I think we need to strengthen our network of activists, and pursue a 501C-3 to enable us to collect resources and maximize our efforts.

Any attempts to 'communicate' truth and civility will of necessity be in the populist style, since better than 40% of our adult population is functionally illiterate. Let me know if you agree.

I remain, most sincerely yours,and quite impressed by your activism,

Ms. Silence B. Damned

[bobbolink]

31. I'm glad to hear that you will be coming up with some ideas for either stickies or sneakies.

I will look forward to your contributions!

As for doing a non-profit thing, if you know somebody who is willing to do that, that is fine. I am certainly not in a position to set up anything.. most homeless people aren't. It was suggested also to set up paypal.... obviously, a person without an address cannot do something like that.

I will insert here that big collections have been done at DU without waiting for non-profit status. Certainly all the thousands spent on roses for congresscritters weren't held up while going through a lengthy process like that. In my opinion, this is at least as important as roses.

I very much appreciate the acknowledgement of my activism. It doesn't come without a price.

[bobbolink]

24. There are many different ways of doing this, and I like yours, also.

Could you come up with some really good facts about Social Security that would fit on labels?

This could be really helpful! Thanks! :yourock:

[Odin2005]

6. I like the billboard idea!

[Jackpine Radical]

7. I like all the ideas.

The main challenge when you use billboards is to pare the message down to a few words that hit hard.

I can't take the lead on anything like this, but would be willing to kick in a few bucks.

[bobbolink]

10. There's going to be a challenge in whatever ways we try to be our own media.... brevity

isn't my strong suit ^_^, but there are people who are very clever at that.

It doesn't appear that many want to carry it further, tho... sigh....

[bobbolink]

9. Wouldn't it be fun to be going somewhere and see a billboard with REAL facts and REAL info on it?

We have tolerated the greedy capitalists getting our attention with billboards, and we have tolerated the RW using them.

Why not us?

[maryf]

11. Be the press you want to read!

K&R

[bobbolink]

12. You are sooo good with taglines! Great motto, maryf!

:hug:

[maryf]

29. glad you like it!

I'm corny :pals:

[Tsiyu]

13. I like the idea

We also used to print up posters here during the Bush reign. Perhaps an artistic DUer could take some poster ideas and make something of them.

take the best poster ideas and vote for which one becomes the ad? Like the photo contests...



hmmm....

[Lifelong Protester]

14. I like the idea, and if we can do it via Paypal to make it easier

then I am in, and I think a lot more folks would be too.

Love the 'guerrilla tactics' of putting notes in unsuspecting places.

[Marr]

15. Suggestion-- If the needed amount of money were raised, I'd first try to get the ad on Fox News.

A picture of their written refusal to air such an ad would make a nice visual accompaniment to the text.

[bobbolink]

20. You're really twisted. I like that in a person!

Thanks for the laugh, and that kind of turning the tables on them really appeals to me!

Keep coming up with these!

[OneGrassRoot]

17. Do facts even have an impact any more?

We're bombarded with information daily, so much so that most people disregard facts and figures, unless the source of those facts is truly unassailable. The source is what often turns people away immediately, given people's preconceptions about "liberal" or "conservative" sources.

A statement that is an emotional punch in the gut (or heart) that opens hearts and minds may provide the opportunity to present facts and figures?

A memorable line or call to action, with a memorable website addy that people can visit for more info, for facts.

Just my initial thoughts, but I love the idea and appreciate you putting it forth.

K&R

:)

[OneGrassRoot]

18. Also, what is the ultimate goal with such a campaign?

Until our system is cleansed of the corruption that is so pervasive -- with DC simply being a huge corporate headquarters -- I'm personally not hopeful about legislative approaches being effective.

I tend to gravitate more towards doing things person to person.

HOWEVER, if enough people were truly educated and chose to act on that knowledge (another huge missing piece), perhaps there could be a sea change and that would affect legislators, and thus DC could start changing.

I realize education is your focus, bobbolink. I'm just thinking out loud and asking the questions that come to mind, and wondering how, in the best-case scenario, you envision such an ad having an effect.

:hi:

[Hannah Bell]

19. kr

[my2sense]

21. k & r

[dajoki]

22. Its a great idea...

Obviously we have gotten nowhere with the status-quo. TRUTHFUL advertising couldn't hurt and may actually help.

K&R

[somone]

27. Recommended

[Luminous Animal]

28. I've found for stickers and sneakies it is best to assert the positive.

For instance, a sticker for Social Security (large, caps, and in bold)

SOCIAL SECURITY WILL BE THERE FOR YOU

THERE IS NO CRISIS

get the facts / take action

www.ncpssm.org
national committee to preserve social security and medicare

For a 8/5 x 11 sneakei, you'll have room to list the facts.

[bobbolink]

30. This is a really good point, and fine idea. Thank you for giving us an example!

I can see this on a stickie label, and that headline WILL get attention.

Here is a question I have about it... most people aren't that likely to look up a website without strong provocation. While this is definitely provocation, I think it needs to be stronger.

How 'bout at least one fact.... like that SS can fund at 100% for... what is it... twenty-something years?

I think there is room for that, AND the website below it.

What do you think?

Again... I really appreciate that you have taken a step forward on this!