Share Your OPML, “a commons for sharing outlines, feeds, taxonomy”, is encouraging the idea of sharing reading lists. I’ve produced this reading list on the kinds of economics and political thought that interests me.
I’ve become involved with Dean for America UK. Two things motivated me. I want to get George Bush out of the White House in the November election, and I think Dean has the best chance of doing so. Why? It’s precisely Dean’s unconventional approach that gives him a chance against the enormous power of the incumbency and Bush’s $200 million campaign chest. I don’t think a conventional campaign will succeed against that.
The immediate focus of the UK effort is the Democrats Abroad UK caucus, which will be in London on 9 February. The results of that feed into the Democrats Abroad international caucus, which will be in Edinburgh 27-29 March. A small group of voting delegates is then sent to the convention.
I’m excited about the potential to build support for Dean in the UK, but having been thrilled by the innovative, networked campaign in the US, it is a bit disheartening to find that it makes no provision for expatriate Americans. All of the Project Commons tools on the Dean for America site rely on the user having a zip code. No zip code, no ability to “get local” or “find Dean supporters”.
Thanks to my blogging contacts, I’m trying to work behind the scenes to remedy this problem. There are over 7 million Americans outside the US, and they have a greater likelihood of voting than Americans in the US. This is pretty remarkable given the hurdles of the absentee ballot. Even though most of the expatriate Americans are civilians, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which administers the absentee ballot, is run by the Department of Defense. And the form to request an absentee ballot is something that could only be devised by military bureaucrats.
These expatriate votes are unlikely to be of much relevance in the primary season, but in a close general election they can make a real difference. Particularly this year, when the relationship the US has with the rest of the world will be so critically affected by the election result, intelligent campaigns should pay more attention to potential voters outside the 50 states.