I've never had a drink with a billionaire. Probably because I tend to hang out in bars short on billionaires and heavy on cheap beer, free hot dogs and political palaver.
I have, however, had plenty to drink with bloggers. From the Blogger Alley we hosted during the 2004 RNC at The Tank (encapsulated by The New York Times description of Markos Moulitsas of DailyKos and Duncan Black, aka Atrios, sharing a broken down dorm-reject couch with a paper plate of cold crudite between them) to the happy hours at the recent YearlyKos conference, social bonds are a core part of the emerging progressive movement.
Yesterday, Don Hazen at Alternet and Mike Lux at OpenLeft both reviewed Matt Bai's The Argument: Billionaires, Bloggers and the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics (which I have not yet read), and both identified what they saw as Bai's insider, Beltway bias as the source of his dim view of certain netroots leaders. While Bai has his opinion, my gut says: while there are some very good billionaires (and even pretty good Beltwayers) and there are some very bad bloggers, overall it has been the activists more than the investors or insiders that have energized this this people-powered movement...and bloggers more than billionaires that have emerged as our movement's leaders as they have helped propel Drinking Liberally (and now Living Liberally) -- and dozens of other innovative organizations and initiatives -- to national scope and successful sustainability.
In August 2004, when we hosted the bloggers in New York, we had only 4 chapters of Drinking Liberally. One week later, Atrios asked his readers why Philadelphia didn't have a chapter, and by the end of the day it had one...by the end of the weekend, we were up to 12 and on our way to the 200+ we have now.
In city after city, local bloggers host, promote and attend Drinking Liberally chapters. They've given our Laughing Liberally comedians a platform, encouraged readers to taste Eating Liberally treats and now OpenLeft has given Living Liberally the opportunity to contribute regularly to the cultural conversation of our movement.
Again and again, bloggers have been ambassadors for our brand of social-political organizing -- and they've opened up doors to new partners, politicians and -- yes -- even the occasional donor.
They've also become donors themselves. BlogPAC's Progressive Infrastructure Competition just committed to moving small grants to innovative ideas...one of which could be the next ActBlue. As an organization for which a few thousand dollars here and there have often made a big difference and have just as often been hard to come by, we respect the ability of BlogPAC to move with a nimbleness that the Democracy Alliance just isn't built to have.
It isn't a criticism to say that billionaires aren't the leaders of this movement -- they just play a different role. They paid for the door hangers in '04, but bloggers moved volunteers to inner cities to get out the vote. They've funded hard-hitting ads on Iraq, but netroots and grassroots activists took the lead in pushing politicians (even from their own party) who were weak on the war. It's on the ground (or on the blogs...or in the bars) where grassroots energy stirs up real innovation. Funders can help make a good idea great by supporting the best projects and candidates that emerge from the netroots laboratory; but rarely, from a top-down vantage, can they make a good idea out of nothing.
And if you don't believe that good things come from the bars, well...you've been to the wrong bars. Ask ActBlue where they found their recent hires, or ask the Center for Independent Media how they identify state-based talent. Ask the volunteers who canvassed against Richard Pombo where they first heard of Jerry McNerney or ask Matt Stoller where he first met Duncan Black. Then check out your local Drinking Liberally and find out for yourself.
Nothing against billionaires -- you are a critical partner to this movement, but you are a different kind of partner. If you think I'm wrong, though, let's talk it over...in a bar. The first drink is on me.
