In one of my recent posts, I shared an image that quite intelligently drew a parallel between President Obama’s victory and its impression on the global geopolitical climate. The image was as clever as it was telling. It was simply Obama’s name presented in its branded style as made famous during the campaign but with the first two letters ‘O’ and ‘b’ replaced with ‘O’ and ‘8’ – ‘O8ama’ - signifying how our posterity will come to remember the year 2008. Now the elections are over, the inauguration has been held and President Obama has the wheels. But the fascination remains. Many books have already been published, many are in print and many more will be written about the ways this campaign changed or at least challenged the established fundamental principles of politics, campaigning, fund-raising, public awareness, silent revolutions and mass movements.
While inspired by the Organizing for America movement and how it democratized democracy by personally reaching out to millions and millions of Americans during the election campaign, I didn’t really believe when Obama claimed that this movement would still be active during his time in the office. I will be honest. As much as I liked the message of change from the bottom up, I didn’t think it would even survive after the elections let alone translate into ‘real’ reforms in governance. It just seems like a remote possibility that any one person could scrap off layers and layers of corrupt political practices that have corroded the shining armor of governance.
But I must admit, I was wrong – at least on one account – the continuation of the Organizing for America movement. It is alive and thriving. Two weeks back, it organized small discussion forums all across America so people could sit together and discuss the economic stimulus package and share their views on its website. A month back, Al Gore reached out to millions and endorsed the vision of President Obama to focus on alternative energy and presented his policy recommendations through the movement. Today, President Obama has announced the launch of a website http://www.recovery.gov, where citizens can track every dollar spent and every job created through the stimulus package using the Organizing for America platform.
This is the dawn of a new governance paradigm that reaches out to all citizens and makes them feel like an integral part of the process. Today we have the communication mediums that provide very cost effective methods to disseminate the message to large masses and receive their feedback. What governments only need is the resolve to take the initiative and share the message with all the stakeholders and take them along. I thought Obama’s message of hope, upholding of political ethos and strength of belief, were all that we could learn from him. But I must admit, once again I was wrong.
