From The Window Seat

America's Best Idea

It's been impossible to miss all the recent promotion about Ken Burn's new PBS documentary, "The National Parks:  America' Best Idea."  Steeped in the midle of a public relations campaign for a PBS documentary myself, I have been particularly cognizant of all the well-deserved hype.

I'm particularly attracted to the use of the phrase "Best Idea" in the title.  Are the National Parks are best idea?  If not, what is?

After the election of Barack Obama, a grassroots group launched a campaign to solicit 'best ideas" which you can evaluate for yourself at www.change.org/ideas.  I'll go along with the National Parks suggestion by Burns, and add a few of my own:

• Our system of checks and balances (Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches)
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (albeit 200 years overdue)
• A federal holiday on the Thursday before Thanksgiving
• The interstate highway system
• A nationwide 911 system for emergencies 
• Nutrition labeling on food

What would you rank as some of our best ideas as a nation?

If you can't say something nice...

One of the jobs I've imagined pursuing in my second life is that of social studies teacher.  I am a strong believer in being actively engaged in civil life in large part because I was encouraged to political involvement at a young age.  I grew up writing my Congressman, going to rallies and volunteering in campaigns. 

Today, after a raucous summer of health care town hall debates, Tea Parties and a Member of Congress calling the President a liar on national TV, I'm not so sure how well I'd do inspiring 9th graders to get involved in our democracy. Of course, finger-pointing and name calling is not new. And it is by no means is confined to Republicans or Democrats. 

If I had to stand in front of the classroom Monday morning and say something to a roomful of students , I'd start with the admonishment, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."  Honestly, when robust political debate over ideas is reduced to name calling, that is pathetic.  No high school debate coach would allow his or her student to get away with what some in Washington  - including party leaders on both sides - have resorted to in attempts to further their point of view.

Let's send Congress home to cool down a bit and invitethe state winners of high school debate teams spend a week in Washington reminding us how to make a compelling argument without looking foolish.

A Write-In Campaign

I was in one of my favorite stores Friday - Crane's Stationary - and overheard a woman say,  "I need help. I need to write some thank-you's, but I've never bought any paper."

Never bought note paper?!  I was shocked, appalled and frankly depressed.  Although I'm a social media junkie, I absolutely love writing and receiving a handwritten card or letter.

I was among the first visitors 15 years ago when the Postal Museum opened in DC.  Imagine what visitors to this museum will think 15 years from now.

Years ago - maybe ten - I started talking about how the days of people in uniforms and funny hats coming to our doors six days a week to hand us a wad of paper were numbered.  It wasn't a happy prediction.  An image of the removal of the iconic blue boxes from street corners in today's Washington Post is further evidence of changing times.

I decided I should be happy that the woman was buying her first paper for handwritten notes.  Afterall, "retro" is in with the young set. 

My advice to the Hallmarks, American Greetings, Crane's and anyone else who makes a buck of people handwriting notes:  Your window has slowly been narrowing for some time, and is now almost closed. Don't be like the newspapers and wait too long to save your industry. 

I, for one, will lead the people's campaign to save the US Postal Service as long as possible, even if for only three days a week mail delivery. (For friends reading, my birthday is coming up in about a week so get out your stamps and show support for the campaign!)

  

Grip & Grins soured by SwineFlu

Momentum is building for a voluntary handshake ban (see previous blog post), at least until this swine flu thing passes.  The Washington Post reports today that visitors at a State Deptevent were given hand sanitizer before their grip and grins with Hilary Clinton.  

We discussed this "handshake ban" idea over lunch at VOX Global yesterday and there were some who took issue with the idea, noting that they like shaking hands as both a friendly gesture and professional courtesy.

I understand that point of view, and welcome alternative suggestions. That's what this campaign is all about!  

Spread the Word, Not the Germs

Everyone is buzzing about H1N1(aka swine flu).  At dinner tonight, one of my clients made a brilliant suggestion, which I think is worth vigorously pursing.  Her idea was to stop the practice of shaking hands - at least in restaurants.

Think about it.  You arrive at your restaurant and slip into the restroom to wash your hands of any germs you've picked up in the cab or on the metro on the way to lunch.  But on the way to your table, you run into a friend or associate and you shake her hand. It's the polite thing to do. Whoops!  Back to the bathroom before you pick up that dinner roll with your now potentially infected hand??

According to the CDC website, it is easy to catch a cold or the flu by shaking hands with someone who just used that hand to cover a sneeze. Viruses can stay alive for two hours or more on hands.  

I suggest we start a social media, public health experiment right here in Washington, D.C. with the goal of getting a self-imposed ban on hand-shaking in restaurants for the month of May. Join this experiment by forwarding this blog, tweeting, or whatever else it is you do to spread the word. Over the next few days maybe someone will create a Facebook site for our campaign, and I know there are creative types out there that will design a cool logo that restaurants could place in their windows.

Join the campaign and spread the word, not the germs.    

Campaign Post Mortem

The votes have been counted and unfortunately I was not successful in my bid for a seat on the U.S. Senate Credit Union Board.  Not surprisingly, the three incumbents running beat out the three challengers.  But I am proud to have received the most votes among those challengers!

In fact, I feel quite victorious because through this endeavor I gained first-hand experience in running  a completely digital campaign.  My budget didn't include enough resources for print advertising in the Hill pubs or a 30-second spot on Meet the Press, so my sole means of communicating was through email, blogging, Facebook, and Twitter. It was great to conduct GOTV activities in the middle of the night without actually waking someone up.

While my blurb in the voting materials distributed by the Credit Union was pretty good, I know a good number of the 700 people who voted for me learned more by visiting this blog.  I appreciate the friends who joined my Facebook Group and forwarded my e-mail campaign pitch even though they did not quality to vote themselves. 

Special thanks to Leah King who advised me in use of the digital tools and created my digital materials. 

I'm ready for the next race, and if you are interested in running for something - let's talk!

Back to the Future

With the election and inauguration of Barack Obama, there has been a lot of talk about witnessing history. This weekend I got a glimpse of what that might actually feel like from a different perspective.

Exploring the western corner of Maryland, my husband and I discovered Savage River State Forest, a 54,000 acre preserve in Garret County.  Inside the forest boundaries is New Germany State Park.  Signage at the park explains how the area was originally damned by mill operator John Swauger. The mill operations were ultimtaely abandoned (though that chapter of the history is not well detailed) and in the 1930s, the area was converted into recreational use by FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps, a public work relief program for unemployed men.  Today the area is apparently quite popular for swimming, boating, camping, and fishing.  

This week President Obama signs into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a sweeping piece of legislation intended to create some 3.5 million jobs. In speeches about the measure, he talks of putting unemployed Americans back to work building wind turbines and solar panels.

I've been in town for the passage of a whole lot of legislation intended to change history that ultimately fell short.  I'm not totally convinced that this act will have the sweeping impact on the US landscape and economy that FDR's New Deal made. But it is very possible that someone 75 years from now will stand reading a sign like I did this weekend, pleased as they look upon the positive and lasting result of efforts initiated by the government in response to a domestic crisis back in the early 21st century. I certainly hope so.

The Republican Gamble

About a year ago I blogged about the newly elected Florida Governor Charlie Crist and how, in his first 100 days, he had managed to build bridges across partisan lines in Florida, winning respect from many Democrats without alienating the Republicans that propelled him into office.

A hot topic in today’s national media is the question of how well new President Barack   Obama is doing in his first 100 securing bipartisan support for his key priority – the economic stimulus.  He secured no votes from the Rs in the house and just 3 in the Senate.  But his track record on the state level is a bit better.  Four Republican governors, including Charlie Crist who appeared with Obama in Ft. Myers as he politicked for his package, joined 15 of their Democratic counterparts in a letter urging Congress to pass the President’s stimulus package.

Crist, once rumored to be on McCain’s VP short list, is now being talked about to run for Florida’s open Senate in 2010. Surely, he is considering the political implications of appearing in such close proximity to the new President while many of his fellow partisans in DC are distancing themselves. A conservative PAC is promising to support primary challenges to anyone who back Obama on the stimulus. 

This one is a big gamble for the Republicans.  The stimulus bill will be signed with or without R’s in Washington.  If the economy begins to show measurable improvement by next November’s elections, the Rs who thumbed their noses at Obama could be in even sorrier shape than in this last cycle, though Crist could be looking pretty good.  But if the economy stays the same or worsens, what happens to the President’s coattails for the few Rs like Crist who dared to take the olive branch?  There are over 500 days until the next Congressional election – and this one is way too early to call.  

Bowling Together

A friend arriving in town just after the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President asked what the highlight of the event was in my eyes. My response - crowding onto a metro train after the ceremony and looking at all the faces of my fellow passengers.

The whole scene called to mind Robert Putnam's 2001 book"Bowling Alone" in which he chronicled the trend away from participation in civic life. (I realize this is an oversimplification of his message and encourage readers to visit the Bowling Alone Websitefor a more thorough description of both Putnam's book and his work to date in the field of civic engagement.)

My point is that the gathering of nearly two million from all walks of life to witness a one hour ceremony just as easily viewable from any number of personal digital devices in the comfort of one's own private home was a seismic departure from prevailing trends.

While certainly some may have participated in the campaign as volunteers, I doubt most ever considered traveling miles by car, bus, plane or train; giving up a day or more of work or leisure; and walking long distances in crowded, freezing conditions to participate with an enormous number of strangers in a political event. 

It seems fitting that at the center of this phenomenon is a an individual schooled in community organizing who just completed a campaign unlike any other in its ability to connect individuals with not only the candidate but one another as well. 

What remains to be seen is if the factors that drove so many to crowd together en masse on the Nation's front yard in January 2009 will spillover into the way we engage in civic life back home.  I hope so.  

Bracing for Change

It is the eve of the Presidential Inauguration and I'm not only bracing for extreme cold, I'm bracing for change.  At least that is what President elect Barack Obama has promised. The concept has a nice ring to it, but its a lot harder than it sounds.

Change is tough stuff, and it's rarely successful without the involvemement of others. In my own life, I've been most successful achieving change when inspired and joined in the effort by others.

So, when we question Obama's ability to "fix" all the problems with America, particularly the economy, we better be ready to talk about what measures we will personally take to help change happen.

Judging by the thousands of ideas submitted to www.change.gov, the Obama transition team website, people have a lot ideas about what they want change, but I'm not certain folks will be stepping up to the plate to personally lead change.  

What do you think needs changing in America, and how do you plan to help change it?