Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) Certainly expect this to rock our worlds

Politico Playbook:

EXCLUSIVE : “Mitch Stewart, former Obama for America battleground states director, and Jeremy Bird, former Obama for America national field director, are starting a new grassroots organizing firm — called 270 Strategies [270 electoral votes to win] — to help clients build people-centered, data-driven, digitally-sophisticated campaigns by applying the historic Obama organizing model to campaigns of any kind. 270 Strategies will open offices in Chicago (to be run by Bird) and in D.C. (run by Stewart). Stewart and Bird led the 2012 OFA grassroots organization of 10,000 neighborhood team leaders, 30,000 core team members and 2 million volunteers in registering 1.8 million voters, holding millions of persuasion conversations with targeted voters, and replicating the 2008 electorate across battleground states.

“Marlon Marshall, Bird’s deputy on the campaign; Mark Beatty, Stewart’s deputy; and Meg Ansara and Lauren Kidwell, former OFA regional directors, also will join the firm as partners. Together, this team has played a multitude of roles in building the Obama grassroots organization since the 2007 Iowa caucuses. 270 Strategies is founded on the belief that grassroots campaigns can change the world.” Twitter: @270Strategies

(Community Matters) quick Culture Map piece on Melba Whatley, who really is helping transform Austin in huge ways – especially St Ed’s new buildings, the AMOA-Art House merger and now the Waller Creek Conservancy.  I wouldn’t call her a trouble maker – though she does speak her mind; I’d say a transformation agent. I saw that up front when we served together on the Texas Freedom Network board. A very cool fashionista (w/ a cool husband too, Ted Whatley)

(Community Matters) LIVESTRONG released this response to the article in today’s NYTimes.

LIVESTRONG Foundation is recognized by multiple sources as one of the most highly-rated cancer non-profit organizations in the United States. This is in large part due to our governance procedures, to our endowment strength and to the fact that we have invested 82 percent of each dollar raised directly in programs, initiatives and advocacy efforts that support people affected by cancer. We are a Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity seal holder; we completed the National Health Council’s Standards of Excellence Certification Program; we are rated four out of four stars by Charity Navigator; we are A- rated by American Institute of Philanthropy; and we are ranked as one of the top three cancer organizations by Philanthropedia.”

(Community Matters) the below Playbook post reminds me of another thought chain – Africa. China is battling Europe and the US for influence to source commodities, and they appear to not give a hoot about human rights.  Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations appear to be spreading. Living conditions and human rights violations in too much of the continent don’t help.

THE BIG PICTURE – “France — Out of Africa? No easy exit for French fighting terror in Mali,” by AP’s Elaine Ganley in Paris : “France, breaking its own rules with a surprise military intervention in Mali, appears to be halting the lightning advance of radical Islamists seen as a threat to Europe. But the operation raises the specter of an African quagmire in a new theater of the West’s war on terror just as France and other U.S. allies emerge from the old one in Afghanistan. … Will French troops move into a support role, behind African troops, as initially set out for the West by a United Nations Security Council resolution on Mali? Or will they be lured into deeper involvement at the behest of Mali and other African nations — and, perhaps, take Western allies with them? … The U.S. was … expected to send in drones. Britain agreed to send aircraft to help transport troops. Germany offered political support [but] firmly said no combat troops.” http://bit.ly/V8Bhaw

(Community Matters) Sorta surprised when I heard myself promoting Giuliani style governance, especially police enforcement, for a municipality overrun by violence. Will Roman & I were discussing gun control and Oakland.

I’ve thought about this – especially when I read stories about gangs becoming more prominent in Austin. I believe they are already a very real, daily threat to too many in southeast Austin.

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(Community Matters) Politico on GOP perspective on debt ceiling:

SIREN — “BEHIND THE CURTAIN” COLUMN – “House GOP eyes default, shutdown,” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen and Jake Sherman: “House Republicans are seriously entertaining dramatic steps, including default or shutting down the government, to force President Obama to cut spending by the end of March. … GOP officials said more than half of their members are prepared to allow default unless Obama agrees to dramatic cuts … Speaker John Boehner ‘may need a shutdown just to get it out of their system,’ said a top GOP leadership adviser. ‘We might need to do that for member-management purposes – so they have an endgame and can show their constituents they’re fighting.’ … While everyone knew the [Christmastime] tax drama would end with the rich paying more taxes, no one is sure how the coming fights will unfold. … Starting [today at a leadership retreat in Virginia Hunt Country], Boehner … will discuss his preliminary thinking on a spending strategy.

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(Community Matters) Paul Krugman explains this unlikely proposal. Until the middle class feels secure again in jobs and our economic power reignited, corporate investment will lag and investors will continue seeking safer options. The article’s note about inflation easing the burden of public debt is important as are concerns for seniors without assets relying on fixed incomes. Wish we could index the minimum wage but don’t see a political chance in hell.

(Community Matters) I agree the City unnecessarily gave away citizens’ money. The project was already happening. I’ve watched and come to realize it is way too easy for some to give away or spend money that’s not theirs. We need reforms.

(Community Matters) Michael Barnes’ super profile on our dear friend and mentor, Bertha Means & her family

(Community Matters) After writing the posting below, I was thinking more about success metrics. Why is it that so many privileged Americans love spending so much time in Europe? We love the public spaces, old world architecture, museums, countryside, slower paced life styles. Hmm . . . . but we condemn their economic policies, their overburdened economies – and seriously, those lifestyles don’t appear sustainable given debt levels and GDPs.

And, then I remembered a story from many years ago which still bothers me. A dear friend, a Republican, once told another friend not to let me connect with their handy men/gardeners. She feared I’d offer to pay a better wage and would ruin their bargain.

Do some of us advocate policies which we know aren’t in the best interest of the broader public because we know they will benefit us? I don’t think this is the expected everyone-acts-in-their-own-best-interests. Adam Smith’s  invisible hand didn’t presume malevolence. Is there intention to maintain an underclass to serve the upperclass and their wealth ambitions?

(Community Matters)  I’m reading about southern states increasing state sales taxes and eliminating income taxes, resulting in higher taxes on the poor . . . . and reading economic development justifications. The metric of public economic success shouldn’t be the size of a public entity’s economy, the absolute wealth of that economy, nor even simple employment figures . . . . we should expand the benchmarks to include greater employment at liveable wages, higher rates of education attainment, lower rates of poverty, sustainability (infrastructure & environmental investment & stewardship) and yes also the robustness and competitiveness of an economy so as to continue supporting and encouraging entrepreneurial investment. Admittedly, it isn’t easy to balance these ambitions, but I fear we too often don’t even try.

Income Tax Could Be Eliminated By Many Republican-Controlled States

(Community Matters) I’m disappointed too that the top cabinet positions will be filled by beltway insider, white, straight guys. Maureen Dowd today.

We should acknowledge that Susan Rice was tossed off the roost by McCain and Graham. And, given that this administration agrees with affirmative action philosophically, this says they either couldn’t find any as well or better qualified candidates of color, alternate gender or LGBT, or they didn’t prioritize searching. The Obama White House failed to live up to its exceptionalism (in the aggregate) with these nominations.