AS I PROMISED: Valerie Jarrett and Melody Barnes to meet with GRASSROOTS LEADERS on Dec. 4

[wndycty]

I have been hinting about this all week but now it is official. An organization I work with is having a forum for GRASSROOTS LEADERS on December 4 and the Obama team is sending two high level folks to participate: Valerie Jarrett and Melody Barnes. Its kind of hard to advance the argument that they are ignoring the grassroots when they do things like this:

Valerie Jarrett and Melody Barnes, Senior Advisers to President-Elect Obama, to Participate in Forum with Grassroots Community Leaders and Congress.
"Realizing the Promise" forum to bring local leaders together with decision makers to set people’s agenda.

WASHINGTON – The Center for Community Change and the Gamaliel Foundation today announced that Valerie Jarrett, recently appointed White House senior adviser and assistant to the president for intergovernmental relations and public liaison, and Melody Barnes, the next director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House, will join 2,000 grassroots community leaders from across the country at the "Realizing the Promise: A Forum on Community, Faith and Democracy" on December 4, 2008. Their presence is the fulfillment of a promise made by then-Sen. Barack Obama who one year ago pledged to sit down with grassroots leaders during his transition were he elected president.

Representatives Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), and John Sarbanes (D-MD) have also confirmed their participation in the forum. Seasoned journalist and author Juan Williams will moderate two round table discussions with leaders of grassroots community organizations, members of Congress, representatives of organized labor, policy experts and Obama's transition team. Topics of discussion will include the economy, healthcare, employment, immigration reform and the role of community organizations in government.

"A year ago today, then-Sen. Obama promised he would have members of his transition team meet with grassroots leaders. Today, he fulfilled that promise," said Deepak Bhargava, executive director, Center for Community Change. "Valerie Jarrett and Melody Barnes are very important and influential figures in Obama's transition and White House teams. Their participation in the forum is an encouraging sign of the President-elect's willingness to listen to the community."

The forum builds on the Heartland Presidential Forum held December 1, 2007 in Iowa and the electoral work of hundreds of grassroots organizations, and is a continuation of a sophisticated effort by the grassroots community to stay engaged in shaping the policies that affect our country. After the forum, grassroots organizations will conduct weekly congressional visits for the first 100 days of the new administration.

"It's very important that everyday people be heard during the transition period and the first 100 days, so that the president can begin to address their concerns from day one," said Ana Garcia-Ashley, Southern Territory director of the Gamaliel Foundation. "There's much work to be done in easing the country's problems; having the transition team's ear is a good start."

"Realizing the Promise: A Forum on Community, Faith and Democracy," will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday, December 4, 2008 at the Washington Hilton, in Washington, DC. The forum is presented by the Gamaliel Foundation and the Center for Community Change's Campaign for Community Values. For updates on Realizing the Promise, please visit www.realizingthepromise.org.

http://www.realizingthepromise.org/news-updates/press-release-alerie-jarrett-and-melody-barnes

ON EDIT: Edited to add videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpQxVqDb1q0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWXi89Z6lvk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EVZBwL0OxA

[EFerrari]

1. Great. I hope they have a productive meeting!

I don't know much about Valerie but she seems both smart and intuitive to me. Good luck, folks. :)

[ellacott]

2. This is great, will you be able to attend?

Do you know if cspan will broadast it?

I remember that forum in Iowa and I remember his pledge.

[wndycty]

4. Yes I will be there. . .

Not sure re: C-SPAN yet. Thanks for remembering last years event.

[ellacott]

7. Last years event was very good

I remember he was the most specific with his pledge to meet with them. I also remember Hillary not being able to attend because of weather and the hostage situation in one of her offices. She appeared by video but it didn't go well for her when they talked about immigration.

[wndycty]

8. Damn that is a good memory. I was there for all the fun. . .

. . .I'm just glad we can finally talk about who all is coming. It should be good.

[ellacott]

9. You'll have to wear a special outfit so we'll know who you are

:)

[wndycty]

10. LOL I won't be anywhere near the stage. . .

:kick:

[happychatter]

3. if they don't CSPAN this, I'm going to have a conniption fit

thanks for posting

this needs to NOT sink

[wndycty]

5. LOL please no fits, we will be streaming it as well

:kick:

[wndycty]

6. KIck for the addition of the videos

:kick:

[ellacott]

11. K&R

[wndycty]

12. Evening kick

:kick:

[political_Dem]

13. It's nice that Ms. Barnes and Ms. Jarrett are attending.

But what about Mr. Obama's "team of rivals"? Will they lift a finger to talk to progressives? Just asking.

Otherwise, I hope it will be on C-SPAN so I can watch the proceedings. I will be very interested in what they (along with the Dem Representatives) will have to say.

[wndycty]

14. LOL can't pass up an opportunity to be negative can you. . .

LOL

[political_Dem]

15. I can be very positive. :)

But, I'm not going to bite my tongue regarding my dissenting opinion just to be a Stepford automaton on DU. I'm sorry.

[wndycty]

18. So those of us who support the team of rivals are stepford wives?

Really?

[political_Dem]

19. No.

But those who remain quiet and don't speak up even when there are apparent issues that bother them even when it's a leader that they like (and believe me, I appreciate and am very glad that Mr. Obama will be President of the United States), only become a disservice to not only themselves, but to others.

There ought to be discussions in regards to the national issues of the day coming from all sides during good times and bad.

When people stifle dissent of any kind, they harm democracy. They also harm their leaders ability to govern wisely.

So, when it comes down to having a nation filled with people who are active, boisterous, and participatory in their government, I'll take it.

Ironically, that isn't my problem with the "team of rivals" approach. I do love the fact that Mr. Obama has dissenting opinions around him. But, what I worry about is his safety and the progression of his ideas among people who don't have his best interests. With a team of rivals, he'll have to watch his back. I have no doubt, he'll be doing that. However, you have to have allies who will demonstrate some sort of loyalty. In this guise, people who are diametrically opposed to their leader or boss do have the opportunity to change.

But, mostly, rivalries breed underlying resentments that cannot be changed through the testament of time or by a change of feeling. Furthermore, rivalries work under the supposition that they'll be considered "equals". Under the "pomp and circumstance" of wanting to "serve the President" and "the country", they'll get a rude awakening when it finally comes down that they aren't in charge any more. In that realization alone, ugliness can brew.


Another point regards the fact that he is banking on the fact that the people he picks will truly "serve at his pleasure". Some will. Others, I'm afraid, will put their own agenda above those of the President. Still there are others who will answer to the influences of other people/organizations that have their ear more than the President's. And that is the chaos and the drama that Mr. Obama did not ask for. Even people who run a tight ship always have to deal with the trouble-makers. You can't always bet upon the fact that people will act their best even in important positions--especially when there are people who have disparate agendas and beliefs that run contrary to whom they serve. Intrigues (by virtue of Machiavellianism) always come out of that. Our problems in this country are too great to put our trust in people who value their own agendas over the problems of this country.


Clearly, the majority of whom he has hired belong to centrist/central-right paradigms with only a sprinkling of those who represent leftist interests. I understand he doesn't want "yes men" around him. I also appreciate the fact that this is a part of his "governing style" and "his plan". In many ways, it is brilliant.

But, it doesn't do one well to leave the people out of the bargaining process when it comes to change. And in many ways, some of his picks suggest that. Secondly, it seems that hawkish and corporate interests get the upper hand instead of instituting a government truly for and by the people. That's why, after his picks so far, I am very interested in what will be said at this event. I'd also like to hear how they plan to get these proposals off the ground so they can help the people who desperately need some relief from the policies of the past.

And although I still reserve the right to dissent when it comes to thinks that particularly bother me about government (whether it is the "current" leader, or the next one sworn in during the next month), I also am a patient person. I will give things a chance--even when I express my contrary opinions about them.

But the worst thing that anyone can do is to be disengaged and let things run without speaking up. I think we have eight years of proof of what complacency without any questions or dissent has done.

[Forkboy]

16. K&R...good to hear.

:kick:

[elleng]

17. Good News

that my congresscritter, van hollen, will be there; will be watching him.

[wndycty]

20. Wednesday midday kick

:kick: