Apparently there’s a new group out there called Obama Works that is doing community service projects in the name of the Obama campaign. According to their website, the idea is to “…implement Barack Obama’s message of change through public service, harnessing the immense energy created by his presidential bid to serve their communities.” Which is pretty interesting. One of their first projects is a street cleanup in New Haven. From a press release issued by the group:
On Saturday, March 1at 2:00 pm, supporters of Barack Obama will gather on the College St. side of the New Haven Green to kick off the first Obama New Haven Sweep. Street cleaning tops the agenda for this community service event, marking the beginning of a new breed of political campaign, one that brings volunteers together to improve their neighborhoods.
The Obama New Haven Sweep is the first local event hosted by Obama Works, a grassroots organization taking shape in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Obama Works volunteers hope to harness the immense energy created by Senator Obama’s presidential bid to put his message of change into practice in their communities. According to organizer Amirah Naim, the group is “working to transcend our differences and transform our country.”
The idea was hatched by two Yale undergraduates who volunteered for Obama in New Hampshire. You can read more about this idea at the Yale Daily News.
10 responses so far ↓
This is a great idea. When I hear that political campaigns spend millions on TV ads, I want them to spend millions instead on urban infrastructure rejuvenation. This is a start. Congrats on great work, Obama people!
Not original I’m afraid. Ron Paul supporters were doing this months ago. In fact the New Haven group held a free pumpkin painting event for Halloween where residents were invited to bring their kids to select a pumpkin and paint it.
The remaining food and beverage was donated to the homeless who take residence on the town green and left over pumpkins were given away at Babies R Us in Manchester.
Of course, its not original.
Matt Dunne, Democratic candidate for Vermont LT Gov., ran on this platform in 2006. Many other candidates have engaged in similar measures. But to see a national campaign with a legitimate chance of winning the presidency doing it in three states, that is something else altogether.
Now we just need to convince Obama to stop perpetuating the media monopoly, to stop sending money to ABC, CBS and NBC for air wars and instead invest it in our cities on grow America projects, invest campaign cash in human capital, not 30-second long propaganda carpet bombings.
Silly and probably stupid. Howard Dean taught me that I want a candidate and not some idealistic “movement”.
Honestly, if they want to do the service work, that’s great. But do it genuinely and not out of a desire for headlines.
Oh, it’s a “movement” alright.
So we need campaign volunteers to clean up the streets? I thought DeStefano was taking care of that… you know, with unionized municipal employees?
“So we need campaign volunteers to clean up the streets? I thought DeStefano was taking care of that… you know, with unionized municipal employees? “
I wonder how long it will take for some disgruntled union members to worry that this sort of community service will soon lead to less OT, and maybe even fewer unionized workers. At that point a simple grievance will be all it takes to stop this “movement” and once again restore business as usual in New Haven.
Ken…the reason why Obama invests in ads on ABC,CBS and NBC is that a majority of americans still get their news that way….though he is advertising on many many diverse levels, involving both media and “human capital”…to listen to your advice and suddenly stop advertising on those media outlets would doom Obama’s ability to reach out to a majority of americans. Its a good thing for Obama that you arent heading his strategy team.
Speaking About Barack Omana, get a load of this neat new site that
exposes his rhetoric….
www.obamacopy.com
Weicker Liker said:
What the hell? Was that site made by a five year old?
Whoever it was, they don’t want to be known. The Whois comes up with “Domains by Proxy” as the owner of the site, and the address is an office in DC that seems to be shared by the embassy of the Republic of Palau. Which just goes to show how incredibly thin their arguments are.
So you like the site Ghengis?
You must log in to post a comment.