Why this and why now?
In all honesty, the driving force behind this project was frustration. Frustration with people trying to control information and prevent others from feeling welcome in the world of local/state/national politics.
Contrary to what some folks seem to believe, our democracy belongs to all of us and not just an elite few who like to think they’ve got it all figured out. If that were the case, the world wouldn’t be such a mess.
Rather than wallow in my frustration, I’ve decided to channel that energy into something (hopefully) more productive, which is to provide information and resources for those who want to get involved.
One infuriatingly pervasive issue I have come across is the lack of access to basic information, like how to run for local office. This one really grinds me, because limiting access to that information (by making it wildly hard to find) is a method of voter disenfranchisement.
Think it through … if only those who are “in the loop” know the who, what, when, where, and how of running for office, and they only share that information with those they deem fit to have it, they are seriously limiting your choices as a voter. Those details should be front and center, not buried in city charters and/or state statutes. That’s why I have taken the time to do some fact-finding and dump that information on our Run for Office page.
As the year progresses, this project will evolve. My goal is to provide information about who is running for office, share local/state/federal/global news, and also share information about other ways people can feel involved. Civic engagement isn’t all politics – it’s also becoming an active community member and volunteering to support issues that are near and dear to you.
So there you have it. A bit of the what and why of this little BADASS project.
