Dean's organization: How strong? How populist?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

One of the best arguments for Dean is his organization. They've singed up tons of new voters, raised lots of money in generally small amounts from a large number of inidividuals, have their own communication system and seem to be the most grass-roots of the campaign organizations. I don't believe the organization reaches far outside of the middle class, educated, white culture, but it certainly could.

How big is the organzation? How much money have they raised? How many new voters have they signed up? Most importantly, if Dean loses the primary, what happens to the organization? It seems Dean got most of moveon.org's group, so hopefully the organization could outlast Dean if he loses?

If Dean wins, and beats Bush, can the Dean organization survive to promote progressive causes under a Dean presidency? Is Dean's group just another astro-turf campaign, or is it the beginning of a true populist organization? How can we tell before it's too late?

[realFedUp]

1. www.deanforamerica.com

Ask the questions and you'll receive the answers.

http://www.deanforamerica.com

[TLM]

2. How much money have they raised?

They've already broken Clinton's record and did so with mainly small contributions.




"How big is the organzation?"

About half a million people so far have signed up.


"How many new voters have they signed up?"

A lot... when I go to meetups they ask how many are new voters, and it is usualy about half the people there.


"Most importantly, if Dean loses the primary, what happens to the organization?"

Who knows... if the powers that be are able to keep the people out and toss the election to a special interest stooge, a lot of the Dean folks who are new voters may lose heart and just not vote. Some of the greens may finaly blow of the dems for good.

It is hard to say.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

4. than Dean's organization is no good

This is a serious problem:

"Who knows... if the powers that be are able to keep the people out and toss the election to a special interest stooge, a lot of the Dean folks who are new voters may lose heart and just not vote. Some of the greens may finaly blow of the dems for good"

In that case, Dean's organization is useless except to nominate Dean, which means it has no staying power after Dean is gone. In that case it's not really a popular organization, just a campaign.

Dean, personally, is a second rate conservative politician. If the organization is just about him, it's no good. I hope that's not the case.

[TLM]

15. Your spin is pathetic... Dean brings people together

from across the whole field from new voters to greens to moderate republicans and indi voters.

The oraganization has been brought together by Dean in the hope of taking our country back. If the insiders are able to stop that effort and keep power out of the hands of the people, then the group will fall apart.

This group is built around Dean, no matter how much you hate him, he has done what nobody else has been able to do. And what Dean brings with him will leave with him as well.

Your bashing and snide flaming will not change the facts at hand. Dean has brought together a massive gorup of people who otherwise wouldn't work with each other, and if Dean is removed from this equation, the groups will split back off into their respective places.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

18. oh I see, Dean is unique in the history of the world

because there has *never* been another politician that "brings people together" from "across the whole field" from "new voters to greems to moderate republicans and indi voters" - no one's ever said that before? That's boilerplate, we're past that now.

"This group is built around Dean, no matter how much you hate him, he has done what nobody else has been able to do. And what Dean brings with him will leave with him as well. ... Dean has brought together a massive gorup of people who otherwise wouldn't work with each other, and if Dean is removed from this equation, the groups will split back off into their respective places."

Okay, than Dean's group isn't a populist organization, it's just a campaign, held together by Dean's specific qualities as a politician...therefore, since Dean himself isn't all that liberal, Dean's campaign is nothing special.

That's not the conclusion I want to draw from all this.

[Larkspur]

3. In Connecticut, minority groups have expressed support for Dean

but they have their own organizations that don't show up on the numbers signed up. Also, some of them are supporting Sharpton or Braun now and know that they have no hope of winning, but want them to have a place at the table, so to speak. After Sharpton and Braun drop out, most of these minority groups in CT will lean towards Dean.

Dean's campaign is a blend of the new -- Internet -- and old -- existing organizations and low level party networks -- that will come together under a Dean candidacy to battle Bush & Co.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

5. kick because I want a reason to vote for Dean

but I'm not easily sold on the idea. If his organization is real, that's a very good reason.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

6. (arguing with myself) - no way, Dean's organization is the best we have!

He got around McCain-Feingold, took the lead in fighting Bush early on, and has introduced a whole new generation to partisan politics!

[Capn Sunshine]

7. YOU'LL GET THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS

by attending a Meetup near you
7 pm this Weds.
http://www.meetup.com

[rucky]

8. Reminds me of Clinton

...organization-wise. His delegating skills are awesome, and he always gives credit where it's due. That's what BC did, and that's what a president should do. Dean stumps alot about transparency, and there's no reason to believe otherwise.

You brought up a good topic, and it's something to really consider. I think that's his best quality. And when our next president - whoever s/he may be - is most likely up against a Republican congress, the skills to build active support beyond the ivory tower of the White House are crucial.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

19. Dean's org will be great foot soldiers in the general election

If he can keep the steady level of participation through the general election, he could beat Bush strictly through ground level tactics, which would really be great.

[gully]

9. You said...

"Most importantly, if Dean loses the primary, what happens to the organization?"

Were not thinking in those terms at this time mmmmk? Now go wash out your mouth with soap. :spank:

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

11. true

but that's on of the weaknesses. See if Dean had gotten 50% on moveon.org and they were officially endorsing him, I probably would too. That's an existing organization, not started for just one person, and it will survive without the person they endorsed.

If Dean's campaign is truly populist, it can last when Dean's gone. That's what I'm not sure of yet.

[gully]

10. Have you seen this?

www.wellstone.org

[no name no slogan]

13. But Dean isn't a progressive

...and he sure isn't Wellstone, either.

Sure, he's copped some of the language and style of a progressive and looks like a progressive compared to 50% of the field, but you can hardly call his positions on the issues progressive.

Look at the people behind the scenes. Most of them are the same party hacks who have led the Dems down the same losing road since the 1980s. If I was new to politics, I'd be a little suspicious of a "populist" campaign that relied on such connected insiders to run it.

If anything, his campaign reminds me of those of Ross Perot in the 90s and the Jesse Ventura in 1998: a lot of pissed-off people who are angry at the present situation, who see Dean as an "outsider" who will go to DC and kick some ass. They're not supporting Dean because they agree with him on the issues-- most of them agree more with Sharpton or Kucinich on these. They're supporting Dean because they don't like Bush.

I think the energy around the movement is great and it's always good to get new people involved in the democratic process. We need all the help we can get.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

14. Dean was the electable outsider

but Clark is an even more electable outsider, and requires a bit more compromise :) Behind the scenes it's the same old insiders, of course.

[JNelson6563]

12. After reading this whole thread

I understand whee you are coming from.

Personally I have been giving this very issue a lot of thought and am planning to address my local meet-up regarding it.

I am going to speak on what we can do to complement and build on what the Dean campaign has accomplished. I am going to urge them to do all they can for GOTV as well as joining their local Dem boards. I am on the board for this county and I chair membership. I am using the premise that we need to provide Dean with not just the WH but some more allies in Congress as well (working in plug on same for our Dem Gov, Jennifer shoulda-been-born-in-the-US Granholm).

Either way it is a win/win if they accept my invitation. If Dean takes nom then working to take back other offices helps him--and all of us. If Dean does not take nom then the folks are still involved and working to make a difference, which helps us all too.

I am a Democrat first and a Deanie second.

Julie

[ryharrin]

16. I can't speak to what's going to happen after the 2004 election, but

my local Dean group is going to do our best support all of our local dem candidates too. In NY Dean won't be the only one benefitting from the Dean campaign, Schumer will have plenty of help from us, along with whoever is going to be running against the incumbent republican representatives in Central New York.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

17. If Dean has a lot of "coattails" that's really good for the Dems

in general. And most new voters that you guys sign up are probably going to vote Dem in other races as well. That's a really good key strength the Dean group has.