Thursday, September 27, 2007
Why I quit MoveOn.org
I unsubscribed from MoveOn's email list today. For whatever reason, this last email was the one that broke the camel's back. I didn't even scan it for content. When I saw the message from "Nita Chaudhary" it offended me - as an interactive marketer.
MoveOn continuously generates these emails. My guess is that they think they are going to keep me "energized" as part of their "base." But what's happened is that they simply became background clutter in my inbox.
Then they took out the Petraeus ad in the NYT a couple of weeks ago, and I realized that my offense ran far deeper than professional disagreement.
When I clicked through to MO's subscription management page and started answering their "why are you leaving?" form, I realized how furious I was with these idiots. I have come to expect incompetence from the Bush administration. But the Left needs to remember that it was complacency, arrogance, and incompetence governance and campaigning that lost us the goverenment to begin with. The Republicans were once dedicated and competent campaigners, and those advisors and networks *haven't gone anywhere*.
When a marquee group like MoveOn pulls a bonehead move like this, they give the Right exactly what they need to terrify the moderates in this country: The Left is shrill, The Left are ideologues that will at without consideration for reality, The Left are anti-national security.
These statements are only true of the tiniest (but very vocal) minority of the Left in this country. But we have to take these traction points away from the Right, and rob the right of their perceived strengths on national security and counter-terror.
Was the Petraeus report a suspect act of political theater? Yes. No shit. You don't need a PhD in Political Science from John Hopkins to figure that out. Petreaus is Bush's last hope for something that doesn't look like abject failure in Iraq. What are Petreaus's motives? Anyone that looks over his CV will see an hyperambitious over-achiever that is playing to the audience of History. He sees himself as a U.S. Grant - a practical man who arrives at the Republic's darkest hour of hysteria to do the thing nobody thinks can be done.
I think Petraeus is a smart guy with a huge ego. The promise of the impossible is what drives him. Maybe his motives are less than pure. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what his motives are. Attacking his honesty and honor, while he's wearing that uniform, decked out in all his fruit salad - its just fucking stupid. Did the Left learn nothing from going after Ollie North?
When I buy stock in a company, I am expressing my trust and confidence that they are solvent and smart. I am placing a vote with my capital that they will make money in the market.
When I give a donation to a NGO or political action group, I am expressing my trust and confidence that they are ideologically grounded, and that they will provide with me actionable analysis and act as my proxy in the marketplace of ideas. I am making an investment in their message. I have to *trust* them.
They have lost my trust. Forever, I think.
Here's my letter to MoveOn
****
I don't know when MoveOn developed such a tin ear politically, but your ad in the NYT about the Petraeus testimony was a disaster. You immediately gave the Republicans the smoke screen they needed to dodge the vital issue at hand - the incompetent conduct of this unnecessary war.
Honestly, I was furious when I saw the ad, and with every passing day it remains a story in the news cycle, my anger only grows. I can't believe I ever gave you guys money. I think you provided the left great value when you were a lone voice in the wilderness against this administration. But you have become arrogant, self-righteous, and smug.
I am not telling you to compromise your principles, I am asking you to examine your methods. Who are you trying to connect with? Yes, the base needs energizing, always, but it is the center that decides elections in this country. Big, stupid, inflammatory ads are counterproductive. They give aid and comfort to the ideologues of the Right. The brazen incompetence of the bush administration gives you all the ammunition you need. NEVER attack the military and give the Right that stick to beat you with. Get on message and stay there: the brave men and women of our military are being held hostage by an incompetent and ideologically fanatical administration. The only thing that will end the war is a new president. Focus on that.
I also want to give you some advice on your direct campaigns. I do think you send too many emails. I work in the interactive industry, and there is such a thing as attention inflation. Your organization has diluted its impact by continually sending out these emails. You become part of the noise, not an answer to it. A political organization needs to provide actionable analysis to its members. Continually messaging them in one-way communications does not do that.
Sincerely,
Steve Grant
MoveOn continuously generates these emails. My guess is that they think they are going to keep me "energized" as part of their "base." But what's happened is that they simply became background clutter in my inbox.
Then they took out the Petraeus ad in the NYT a couple of weeks ago, and I realized that my offense ran far deeper than professional disagreement.
When I clicked through to MO's subscription management page and started answering their "why are you leaving?" form, I realized how furious I was with these idiots. I have come to expect incompetence from the Bush administration. But the Left needs to remember that it was complacency, arrogance, and incompetence governance and campaigning that lost us the goverenment to begin with. The Republicans were once dedicated and competent campaigners, and those advisors and networks *haven't gone anywhere*.
When a marquee group like MoveOn pulls a bonehead move like this, they give the Right exactly what they need to terrify the moderates in this country: The Left is shrill, The Left are ideologues that will at without consideration for reality, The Left are anti-national security.
These statements are only true of the tiniest (but very vocal) minority of the Left in this country. But we have to take these traction points away from the Right, and rob the right of their perceived strengths on national security and counter-terror.
Was the Petraeus report a suspect act of political theater? Yes. No shit. You don't need a PhD in Political Science from John Hopkins to figure that out. Petreaus is Bush's last hope for something that doesn't look like abject failure in Iraq. What are Petreaus's motives? Anyone that looks over his CV will see an hyperambitious over-achiever that is playing to the audience of History. He sees himself as a U.S. Grant - a practical man who arrives at the Republic's darkest hour of hysteria to do the thing nobody thinks can be done.
I think Petraeus is a smart guy with a huge ego. The promise of the impossible is what drives him. Maybe his motives are less than pure. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what his motives are. Attacking his honesty and honor, while he's wearing that uniform, decked out in all his fruit salad - its just fucking stupid. Did the Left learn nothing from going after Ollie North?
When I buy stock in a company, I am expressing my trust and confidence that they are solvent and smart. I am placing a vote with my capital that they will make money in the market.
When I give a donation to a NGO or political action group, I am expressing my trust and confidence that they are ideologically grounded, and that they will provide with me actionable analysis and act as my proxy in the marketplace of ideas. I am making an investment in their message. I have to *trust* them.
They have lost my trust. Forever, I think.
Here's my letter to MoveOn
****
I don't know when MoveOn developed such a tin ear politically, but your ad in the NYT about the Petraeus testimony was a disaster. You immediately gave the Republicans the smoke screen they needed to dodge the vital issue at hand - the incompetent conduct of this unnecessary war.
Honestly, I was furious when I saw the ad, and with every passing day it remains a story in the news cycle, my anger only grows. I can't believe I ever gave you guys money. I think you provided the left great value when you were a lone voice in the wilderness against this administration. But you have become arrogant, self-righteous, and smug.
I am not telling you to compromise your principles, I am asking you to examine your methods. Who are you trying to connect with? Yes, the base needs energizing, always, but it is the center that decides elections in this country. Big, stupid, inflammatory ads are counterproductive. They give aid and comfort to the ideologues of the Right. The brazen incompetence of the bush administration gives you all the ammunition you need. NEVER attack the military and give the Right that stick to beat you with. Get on message and stay there: the brave men and women of our military are being held hostage by an incompetent and ideologically fanatical administration. The only thing that will end the war is a new president. Focus on that.
I also want to give you some advice on your direct campaigns. I do think you send too many emails. I work in the interactive industry, and there is such a thing as attention inflation. Your organization has diluted its impact by continually sending out these emails. You become part of the noise, not an answer to it. A political organization needs to provide actionable analysis to its members. Continually messaging them in one-way communications does not do that.
Sincerely,
Steve Grant
