Australians can learn a lot from the US – like the perils of an unregulated market, how not to set up a health system, and what happens if you consume a lot of high fructose corn syrup.
The US is also a rich source of social movement innovation. As an activist educator many of the resources I draw on in my work come from US organisers and theorists.
As we settle in for a federal election year many of us are looking to the recent US election for campaign insights.
Here’s a selection of interesting links to get you thinking in the lead-up to the Melbourne Campaigners’ US Election Report-back on Thursday 28 February.
Election Analysis
- How Obama won a second term (Rolling Stone)
- How Obama won four more years (Slate magazine)
- The 2012 Election: What Happened, What Changed, What it Means
Field Organising
- How the ground game trumped super PAC millions
- Marshall Ganz – Designer of the grassroots organising model and training for Obama’s 2008 presidentia
l campaign, further built on in the 2012 campaign. See in particular Organizing as a campaign strategy and the online Organizing curriculum - New Organizing Institute – Training in engagement organising (‘Obama-style organising’). See especially the Organizer’s Toolbox and resources
- What Role for Obama’s Organizers in a Second Term?
- Obama for America to morph into Organizing for Action
Digital Campaigning & Data
- In the 2012 election, big data-driven analysis and campaigns were the big winners
- With The Help of Digital Infrastructure, Obama Wins Re-election
- For Romney’s Digital Campaign, a Second-Place Finish
- Built to win: Deep inside Obama’s campaign tech
- Obama Wins: How Chicago’s Data-Driven Campaign Triumphed
- The Parser - NOI’s tech blog
- Dream team of behavioural scientists advised Obama campaign
Ongoing US Political News & Analysis
- Daily Kos, Think Progress, Mother Jones and Talking Points Memo – Progressive blogs
- Real Clear Politics – Aggregation of US political stories
- Five Thirty Eight – The famous Nate Silver
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Want more?
Come along to the US Election Report-back. We’ll be hearing from three Melbourne campaigners who worked on campaigns during the US election: Victoria McKenzie-McHarg (Environment Victoria), Alex White (Union communications specialist) and Lucy Manne (AYCC). More information here and invite your friends via the Facebook event.
Photos: Three US Election highlights - Romney vs Big Bird, Clint Eastwood vs an empty chair, and #bindersfullofwomen
Many thanks to Simon Copland for research and assistance putting this post together.