I Do Support an Org for Bernie Supporters–I Just Want to Know What I’m Joining
Got some flak for my recent blog post entitled “Why I’m Not Joining Bernie’s New Org.” My wife, in particular, worried publicly that people would get the idea that I think Bernie’s movement is flawed.
In reality, I’m objecting to being forced to sign a membership in order to find out (maybe) what the organization stands for. I object to this from marketers and I object to it from politicians. It’s bad marketing.
I support about 95% of Bernie’s agenda and would likely be very happy to join his new org if only I could see its principles before I join. But joining blind is not the way I want to roll.
A lifelong activist, profitability and marketing specialist Shel Horowitz’s mission is to fix crises like hunger, poverty, racism, war, and catastrophic climate change—by showing the business world how fixing them can make a profit. An author, international speaker, and TEDx Talker, his award-winning 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, lays out a blueprint for creating and MARKETING those profitable change-making products and services. He is happy to help you craft your messaging and develop profit strategies. Learn more (and download excerpts from the book) at http://goingbeyondsustainability.com
Shel, Anyone who has spent the last couple of decades maneuvering the Internet knows what you are talking about. The Internet has the capacity for instant transparency with very little effort — yet FEW people, let alone organizations, put their agendas forward online with apparent integrity. There is nothing more frustrating than chasing brickwall links leading to little longterm accountability and leaving too many layers of unanswered questions. Smart people everywhere cave to consuming images without question, reading “content” without substantiation, and upholding organizations at face value, like so much fodder for their inbox. It does not help that Bernie chose to endorse Hillary within a party mired in layers of corruption, including the systematic sabotage of his very campaign — while he bows to her coronation. If he has a spine, he should at least uphold his new endeavor with some kind of bold upfront statement. A slapped-up website is forgivable, but without some kind of clear, bold statement upfront it smacks of spinelessness.
I would guess it’s more cluelessness than spinelessness, and perhaps putting too much trust in his web team and less energy into actually looking at what they’re dong in his name. Bernie’s always been very transparent.
I don’t fault him for endorsing Clinton. He never expected to win, and he recognizes that stopping Trump is far more important than an expedient but false political “purity.”
Agree!
I think that we agree that the DNC & RNC mask their agenda. So if you like 95% of Bernie, the organization can’t be too far behind. They just haven’t written it yet. You have to admit that you would be thrilled with 60%.
Yes, that would still be a whole lot better than typical. But I still don’t want any org to put words in my mouth without getting permission.