Alan Grayson is fresh off the campaign trail by way of Austin, Texas, home of the Netroots Nation 2008 Conference.
Alan understands that this country is shifting from a top down legislative democracy to one that is people driven. Our future leaders will be in a position to influence, counter point and lead at the level they do politically due to the rise of millions of people just like you and me. People who found the net, kicked the tires, pushed the boundaries of where it could take them, how they could wield the tool, bend the system, and tackle the giant. Being part of the netroots doesn't mean you can dictate policy, but as a sphere of influence there is viable power there. This is a political fact. There are no campaigns being run today without tapping into the voice. Our voice.
When Alan Grayson talks about rebuilding this country into one that cares, educates, equalizes and builds on the base of valuing every brain, using every ability, cultivating every talent, he isn't saying it because I and other bloggers like me are saying it over and over on the net. He says it with us.
Blogging is a tool that gives us our voice, our ability to interact with and for our democracy. What we see now that we didn't see 4 years ago is the return on our investment. Those endless hours spent blogging, lost sleep, fights with spouses over time management, bleary eyed late nights, early mornings, skipped lunch hours, time stolen from work... if you blog, you know the drill; all of that is morphing into something better, bigger than fighting over the net with the other side. It's becoming the way we impact DAILY on how we want our country run. We are in the faces of the representation, grabbing the reins and pulling the runaway stage back from the brink. We are the people.
This is not accomplished by grandiose plans, events or issue campaigns, but rather by the sheer volume of citizens who are getting into the netroots mix. It's only going to grow, and the more we use our voice, the better we, and our government, will become.
The days of voters being an inconvenience to politicians are numbered. Candidates like Alan Grayson who run with the netroots will be the ones who win. The net returns something to the process that got lost... it takes the burden of heavy fundraising off the candidates plate, and gives that candidate a way to talk to the voters, listen to them, and be funded BY them.
As Joe Trippi wrote, 'the revolution will not be televised'.
Me? I'm blogging it. If you want to join me, email me, and don't forget to visit ActBlue.
See you on the intertubes!
Jet Netwal
Netroots Coordinator
Grayson for Congress