As the Nation noted, the League of Conservation Voters <a href=”http://www.thenation.com/article/hillary-clinton-lands-key-endorsement-from-league-of-conservation-voters/”>endorsed</a> Hillary Clinton. You may not have heard of the LCV, and your reaction may be based on whether you are for Clinton or Sanders.
Try to put aside who you are for a second.
I know a fair amount about this organization. I know something about how this decision was made. And this was entirely a decision made by the Board of Directors in Washington. LCV made NO attempt to poll their membership about this decision. There was no opportunity for membership input into this decision.
This was decision made in Washington, by people who see no reason to consult the members of the organization.
And that is why you should be upset. This decision is typical of many of the DC based interest groups that look for money and support. They really aren’t about two-way interaction with their membership.
This is a model that is past its prime. In the age of social media, people EXPECT to be made part of the decision. Modern Organization theory — theory adopted by corporate America — states that organizations are far more effected when their membership is consulted.
The LCV is a sign of the disease of the DC based interest groups. They aren’t about listening to anyone but themselves. We desperately need knew activists organizations built on a new model in which membership consultation is a core principle.
I would argue that until we are able to build liberal organization accountable to membership, we will fail to mobilize people to go out and work on behalf of campaigns.
It’s sad to say this: but if a Tea Party organization did this without consulting their membership they wouldn’t survive long.