Subject: MORE THAN ONE ISSUE; MORE THAN ONE NGO; WE NEED A MOVEMENT!
Date: Mon, Mar 24, 2014
Msg: 100848
From: List for transpartisan leaders and innovators [mailto:TRANSPARTISAN@LISTS.THATAWAY.ORG] On Behalf Of Mark Gerzon Sent: Friday, March 21, 2014 7:09 AM To: TRANSPARTISAN@LISTS.THATAWAY.ORG Subject: Re: [TRANSPARTISAN] MORE THAN ONE ISSUE; MORE THAN ONE NGO; WE NEED A MOVEMENT!
I want to thank Evelyn Messinger and Steve Rubenstein for their spirit exchange about money in politics.
To review: Evelyn made the compelling case that money in politics is the issue that could unite all Americans across the partisan spectrum and proposed a transpartisan focus on this troubling issue. Steve responded that "money in politics" is not just one issue; it is part of a system of issues that require change.
All that I want to add to their exchange is that I money is one of several issues that require reform; that a diverse spectrum of approaches are needed; and that only a transpartisan movement bring many of the brilliant current initiatives together will be a effective.
This is the reason that NCDD and Mediators Foundation started this website: to catalyze a dialogue that would lead toward a movement.
Think about your work in the Dialogue and Deliberation field. Think about the issues that you address. Don't you think that they are part of the answer to the problem of hyper-partisanship and political gridlock?
If so, then you part of the transpartisan movement. That's probably why you joined this listServ. So let's start making those links between what each of us do, and each of us care about, and begin to weave together this framework for a movement that makes sense - and makes a difference.
Thanks for letting me share these thoughts, and again, thanks to Evelyn and Steve for inspiring me this morning.
On Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 1:24 PM, Evelyn Messinger wrote:
Briefly: my name is Evelyn Messinger. I am a television and web producer whose work focuses on bringing citizens into the policy-making process by leveraging their opinions via media - see our website below my signature.
If there is one issue that unites left and right in fundamental agreement on a problem and a solution, it is the corrupting influence of money in politics. The transpartisan movement could look at this issue as a case study and perhaps a way to seek practical avenues to engage the public.
This post is inspired by a new campaign from http://Represent.us - which sponsors an "Anti-Corruption Act" among other things - to hold a nationwide march on April 15 to "turn tax day into representation day." This is the group most likely to have a real impact using a grass-roots approach, because they are dedicated and professional, as this video shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGECjjoJ3KE#t=137
Liberals and conservatives emphasize different aspects of this problem, with conservatives focusing on the venal actions of politicians and liberals on the greedy demands of corporations, but there is surprising agreement on both sides, even among many elected leaders, that the rules of campaign finance should be changed. See this video we produced at both the Republican and Democratic 2012 Conventions on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDIkiD3irBA &list=PLC4B2F48B04494A6A (disclosure: we worked with Represent Us on this project).
You would think that this degree of support would lead to change, but there are two problems: extremely powerful vested interests in maintaining, and even expanding, the current system; and the fact that money in politics, a root cause of many concrete problems, is more abstract than the problems themselves (my mortgage is under water, my kid's college tuition is going through the roof, I pay for 3000 TV channels but spend most of my viewing time watching commercials.)
Is this the one issue that our transpartisan community could united behind?
Thanks and regards,
Evelyn -- Evelyn Messinger http://citizenschannel.org +1.415.377.6278
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-- Mark Gerzon Mediators Foundation 2525 Arapahoe Avenue E-4 #509 Boulder, Colorado 80302 3038171409
"Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them." - Albert Einstein
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