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Does the NDP Need to Reorganize its Organizing Approach?
Mon, 2009-08-17 10:35
#1
Does the NDP Need to Reorganize its Organizing Approach?
Mon, 2009-08-17 10:36
#2
From what I saw at the Halifax convention I would say a giant "YES"
Mon, 2009-08-17 10:44
#3
Kudos have to be given to the NDP convention organizers for bringing in those Obama organizers (for me the highlight orf the convention), which to me is something the NDP desperately needs in spite of the fact the NDP prides itself on organization. NDP organizing is so behind the times it's pathetic. And NDP communication with its membership sucks big time, and it needs to be completely revamped. Imagine asking citizens for their opinions instead of the NDP telling them what to do.
And was in Ganz who said that every generation has to be re-educated about the importance of organizing.
The NDP could do so much more if only they would listen more to the people in the communities, and their grass-roots.
Come on Jack, the rest of the Caucus, Peggy, and Brad, we are with you, and yes, we can do much, much better than this.
Mon, 2009-08-17 15:32
#4
Without getting the pros and cons of talking points, and of course there are many, just curious where the NDP talking points are in relation to the convention, the resolutions, etc. Is the NDP Head Office so badly organized that they cannot send something out, at least to their membership, apart from a website address. Will Peggy Nash be able to change things like this?
Mon, 2009-08-17 15:33
#5
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Tue, 2009-08-18 10:43
#6
How can the NDP capitalize on what was said at the convention?
Anyone, who aspires for power for the NDP, if they think for one second that one of the NDP's strongest allies is NOT the labour movement, they seriously need to give their head a shake.
That said, I was surprised somewhat by the coverage (or lack thereof) as to what actually did happen in Halifax. There were two barn-burning speeches that went more or less unnoticed in the print press. The first by the United Steelworkers prez Leo Gerard. The second was by a senior organizer for the Obama presidential campaign Harvard professor Marshall Ganz.Ganz, a long-time labour organizer and advocate (he was one of the leaders of the California grape boycott in the 60s), spoke eloquently and passionately about Barack Obama's success in reaching across traditional demographic and racial lines to draw together a new constituency of American voters - one that gave Obama his six-point victory last November. His point is that under certain conditions - say, and I'm just spitballing here, the collapse of capitalism - opportunities open up to organize voters that empower not only the candidate and the Harvard grads who want jobs in his/her administration, but the actual voters as well. All of which is, at least theoretically, pretty much standard fare among the Birkenstock-clad beatnik-hipsters who tend to populate NDP conventions.
Which brings me back to Leo Gerard. Gerard is a leather-lunged working class hero who also happens to make a good case for himself in front of pointy headed intellectuals like Bill Moyers. Here's what Gerard said to the NDP: that in the last U.S. election the Steelworkers sent out 11,000 volunteers to work for Obama out of an American membership of 530,000. He also said that if the Steelworkers can't put at least 3,000 volunteers at the disposal of the NDP in the next federal election his union, for one, should be ashamed of itself.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/douglas-bell/the-dipper-dilemma/art...
Tue, 2009-08-18 12:18
#7
remind
I had lots emailed to me throughout the convention NR.