2012/02/19

Does turnaround need unity?


Some unity is needed to get each of many reforms, but it is possible to do that without a single, comprehensive unified effort that combines all the needed reforms. Turnaround is not a single reform, but the convergence of thousands of reforms. We cannot expect any one unified effort to cover them all. The various efforts should avoid conflicting with one another, and support one another where possible, but it will take massive efforts of many people in many organizations, moving like a tsunami in the same general direction.

Just consider all the bills I have so far at http://jonroland.net/proposed_bills . Yes, if elected I could introduce them all, but getting them passed would take groups forming around support for each one. Of course, it would start with a group uniting to elect me or someone who would introduce all those bills, but after that it would take groups electing each of many more members of Congress, and building support for each bill in each state and district.

The tea party movement provides a model. Much of its strength rests on it being a large number of local efforts with no central leadership or agreed agenda. We need more of that, but now the components need to push more specific reform proposals that are a lot more substantive than the Contract from America suggestions.

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