Get Off the Damn Couch

One of the most refreshing, unusual and effective aspects of the Obama campaign was its ability to convince an incredible number of regular people that they had a personal investment in his election.

Every campaign relies on committed volunteers and every candidate builds networks of supporters, contributors and true believers.

But the Obama phenomenon took this to an unprecedented level, partly through creative use of the internet, partly by providing real opportunities for more people than ever by building an incredibly effective grassroots network, and, most significantly, by convincingly making his campaign about engaging citizens in the political process.

Time and time again, the Obama campaign drilled home the message that his election was going to change the way government works.

It wasn’t just about him, it was about us.

Well the election is over and now we’ll find out how that’s going to work.

Normally, it’s easy to be cynical and figure that that the status quo is going to win out again.

But you’ve got to hand it to the Obama transition for making good on candidate Obama’s promise, so far.

The Obama transition has provided lots of opportunities for people to get involved and be heard. But, truthfully, I have confidence that President-elect Obama has a better understanding of what it’s going to take to reform Washington than most of us in the vineyards.

What I am most excited about is the potential for the legions of us who were caught up in the excitement of this promise to get to work on the local needs we face in our community.

We can no longer show up on election day and leave it up to our elected officials in Washington, Madison or City Hall to figure things out. We need to claim our rightful place, our necessary place at the table.

The Obama organization is asking its supporters to get together in living rooms across the country this weekend and get started.

Believe me, this can get messy and it probably will. One of the great advantages of the Obama campaign was its laser focus on one goal, electing a president.

The question we will all face in these living room sessions is, “Where do we start?”

Well the answer is “Somewhere.”

Let’s face it, here in Milwaukee there is no shortage of problems. We need more jobs, our school system is failing an unconscionable number of students, and our society’s safety net programs are letting too many children and families slip through.

Here’s where that great American idea of a free market comes into play. Let’s see what happens when the concept applies to how we want to fix our communities. We may not have all the answers but we can certainly bring imagination and commitment to the process and get started.

So don’t put it off. The time is now.

Get off the damn couch and let’s get started.