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Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

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Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#11

Post by x0x0 »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #8

Interesting article, shame to see the continuing pattern of demonising the DCCC for being pragmatic. If someone could unlock a way for idealists and pragmatists anywhere to the left of fascism to work together better then the government would far better reflect the views of the population (which, polling tells us, are all in line with the Democrat platform). It's only gamesmanship from the Republicans, and apathy fro…

Hardly pragmatic and more stupidly self-interested.

Look at the DCCC screwing Conor Lamb in Penn. There is no downside; he's running in a district that was Trump+20.

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#12

Post by LyndsySimon »

masonic wrote: post #9

He doesn’t even own a laptop or smartphone. This is a definition of "progressive" with which I was previously unfamiliar. Spencer doesn’t take PAC money. How is Great Slate itself not a PAC, in the general sense?

> This is a definition of "progressive" with which I was previously unfamiliar.

Welcome to Arkansas! The Democrats here are a faint shadow of those on the coasts - they walk a fine line to have any chance at making it into office, and have a (at least publicly) uneasy relationship with the DNC.

I note that the word "progressive" only appears once in a search of Spencer's campaign site[1], and isn't used to directly describe him or his beliefs: "[...] we must no longer be afraid of making bold, progressive demands on the issues that matter most to average Americans [...]"

> How is Great Slate itself not a PAC, in the general sense?

I'd say it is, in spirit. In practice, my understanding is that the distinction is in the fact that individuals nominally choose where how their donations are allocated, whereas a PAC makes that decision on their behalf.

1: https://encrypted.google.com/search?hl=en&q=site%3Apaulspenc...

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#13

Post by idlewords »

baldeagle wrote: post #5

I know some people running for public office. Can't even get them to use Signal, much less a dongle. I would welcome an Intro to Privacy for Campaigns MOOC though; maybe that would teach them? Are there any concise refernces for how to securely communicate yet remain flexible and welcoming?

This is the training outline we use: https://techsolidarity.org/resources/congressional_howto.htm...

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#14

Post by kevinburke »

baldeagle wrote: post #5

I know some people running for public office. Can't even get them to use Signal, much less a dongle. I would welcome an Intro to Privacy for Campaigns MOOC though; maybe that would teach them? Are there any concise refernces for how to securely communicate yet remain flexible and welcoming?

Yes, here. https://techsolidarity.org/resources/basic_security.htm

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#15

Post by idlewords »

masonic wrote: post #9

He doesn’t even own a laptop or smartphone. This is a definition of "progressive" with which I was previously unfamiliar. Spencer doesn’t take PAC money. How is Great Slate itself not a PAC, in the general sense?

Because the Great Slate is an effort to persuade people to make individual contributions to political campaigns. That is a different animal than a political action committee.

You should look up the history of "progressive" in the political context. It has nothing to do with keeping up to date with technology.

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#16

Post by idlewords »

lgleason wrote: post #7

This is everyting that is wrong with the electoral system in the US and the attempt (often successful) of many people to buy elections. It's one thing when you live in an area, vote in it, and work at that level. It is another when you have no real connection to an area, have no real idea about what the struggles of the peole in that area face, or their local issues, but are willing to do anything you can do influenc…

Congress makes laws that affect everyone in the United States.

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#18

Post by x0x0 »

idlewords wrote: post #13
baldeagle wrote: post #5

I know some people running for public office. Can't even get them to use Signal, much less a dongle. I would welcome an Intro to Privacy for Campaigns MOOC though; maybe that would teach them? Are there any concise refernces for how to securely communicate yet remain flexible and welcoming?

This is the training outline we use: https://techsolidarity.org/resources/congressional_howto.htm...

Do these candidates need tech help? I don't have piles of free time, but I might be able to donate a weekend to set computers up / set up mailing lists / set up blogs /etc.

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#19

Post by LyndsySimon »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #8

Interesting article, shame to see the continuing pattern of demonising the DCCC for being pragmatic. If someone could unlock a way for idealists and pragmatists anywhere to the left of fascism to work together better then the government would far better reflect the views of the population (which, polling tells us, are all in line with the Democrat platform). It's only gamesmanship from the Republicans, and apathy fro…

> the population (which, polling tells us, are all in line with the Democrat platform)

In Arkansas? Citation, please.

Here, Democrats have to be very careful not to align themselves too closely with the social platform of the DNC, while Republicans have to dance around the issue of farm subsidies.

> their [Republicans] unpopular ideas

Yeah... about that. In Arkansas, our incumbent GOP governor has a single primary challenger - Jan Morgan. Morgan is best known for running a shooting range and vocally defending it as a "Muslim Free Zone". Here are her words: http://janmorganmedia.com/2014/09/business-muslim-free-zone/

Arkansas is moving to the right, not to the left. I have no doubt that your assessment accurately reflects the realities of the areas around most HN readers, but it's dramatically incorrect when applied to this state.

For what it's worth, I've not seen any polling to know for sure how Morgan is doing against Hutchinson, but the impression I have is that she will lose to him but that his public stance will shift further to the right in response to her primary challenge. Some fairly clear signs of that started to manifest around the first of this year: http://www.guns.com/2017/12/29/arkansas-governor-weighs-in-o...

Re: Meet the Campaign Connecting Affluent Techies with Progressive Candidates

#20

Post by idlewords »

durkie wrote: post #3

Thanks for your great work Maciej! I'm impressed with how well you're able to mobilize people and dollars.

Thank you! The people and dollars have been self-mobilizing; I think all people needed was a specific list of candidates to rally around. Working with these campaigns has been a real privilege and a strong antidote to feelings of political despair.
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