THE GRASSROOTS
There are a spattering of somewhat organized "Groups" that are making some headway to divert your attention from the prize.
These Groups may be promoting various terms that include the words captains, neighbor, patriots, precinct and other words that imply friendliness or power.
Be warned!
The Republican National Committee and almost all state and local party committees have caught on to the widespread dissatisfaction of the public with the antics of the official party organizations.
We suspect that many of these Groups are executing programs either directly run by state and local party committees or are set up as controlled opposition by individuals who, perhaps naively, perhaps not, believe that they are going to help change the political landscape.
Here are the important points to consider that will help you determine whether or not these Groups are worthy of your time and effort. (Spoiler alert. None of them are worthy.)
- Are you elected? [NO]
- Can you vote on state or local party business? [NO]
- Does the Group operate according to bylaws/rules? [NO]
- Is your primary activity pleading with or persuading others how to vote? [YES]
- Are you pressured to donate time or money to the Group? [YES]
- Are some Group members personally benefiting, financially or politically, from your volunteer efforts? [YES]
- Does the Group own the political data that it collects? [NO]
- Are the results of the Group's activities measurable and tracked? [NO]
If you answer (honestly) matches the answers to any one of these questions, you are almost certainly wasting your time and energy.
Let me repeat that. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY!
It doesn't matter how noble the purpose or how charismatic the leaders. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY!
By participating in any of these groups, you are actually working against your deeply-held convictions. YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY!
If you are a leader of any of these Groups, please contact us. (We don't expect any contacts.) Be prepared to make your case on why your Group is worthy.
We realize that we're not going to convince those who have already heavily invested in these Groups. What stops these people is cognitive dissonance. They can't reconcile their enormous waste of time with their purpose.
THE GRIFTERS
No it's not a 60's musical group. No it's not a John Wayne movie.
There is another kind of individual that is also a waste of your time. These are usually individuals who are supporting themselves, their families, and close associates by staging (physically or virtually) events that make audience feel good. In other words, they are entertainers.
There is no end to individuals who will jump on a bandwagon to benefit themselves.
These individuals could be commentators (news, podcasts, videos, etc.), public speakers, event producers, religious leaders, entertainers, and other celebrities. What they have in common is that what they are doing is their business -- their current career.
These individuals thrive on controversy. Consequently, they promote controversy. They speak out about the problems that regular people experience. They always claim to have a solution or a plan, but when it comes down to the details, it's all vague. They never solve the problems.
They are grifters. Without the problems, they would be inconsequential. They need the problems. They claim victory without evidence of their contribution to victory. They blame defeat on others.
They get their power from you. If you didn't donate, they'd be done. If you didn't show up, they'd be done.
Don't feed the grifters.