Occupy Your Precinct

It may be possible to organize and change our federal government without corporate finance.  In fact, the only way to truly end the wholesale corruption of our US Legislature is to organize in spite of corporate money.  How can people do this?

There are over 500,000 registered voters in your US Congressional District.  These districts are broken down into "Precincts" where you, as a citizen, go to vote.  There are usually hundreds of precincts in each district.

100 active community leaders (i.e. anyone who wants to go outside and actually do something) located one-per precinct could generate:

• 3000 petition signatures in a single weekend (for ballot access or whatever)
• 10,000 fliers distributed to local neighborhoods in 3 hours
• 1000 yard signs distributed and maintained throughout the congressional district
• 500 supporting members, running local campaigns and helping out when they can
• 10,000 new registered voters in the district each year

Combine this model with another 100+ US Congressional Districts just like it, and you have a national movement capable of displacing the current power structure in America.

Seems simple enough?  Enter the question of "policy".  That's usually when everyone throws their hands up and goes home.  My view on policy is that it should outline the Social Contract--- bind the organization to a common trust, complete with a definition of rights and privileges of membership.  But that's me...

You, I, we each have the ability to occupy our own precincts.  Map your district, get a street list from the local county election board, and get voter registration effort started.  Combined with the efforts of others, the effect could be immense.

Ah, but how do you trust the others in the group?  How do you trust your very own candidate?  This needs to be resolved.  If it were up to me, I'd organize a national party at the Congressional District level, binding them to charters that guaranteed membership rights.  It is not up to me though.

It is up to you.  If you're willing to take responsibility for your precinct, and if 100 other people also take responsibility for theirs, and if those 100 precinct leaders formed a Congressional District committee, the people could stand up to financial control, win popular support and change their government.

As long as the policy doesn't suck :)