350.org and CREDO Mobile are testing a new tactic to turn up the heat on polluter-friendly politicians who receive large campaign contributions from dirty energy interests and then turn around and vote against public health and the environment. Kinda like the Senators who recently voted to gut the Clean Air Act, like Scott Brown (R-MA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH), for example.
Making phone calls and signing petitions to Congress are tried and true grassroots organizing tactics, but there are other tools that might have an even greater impact. That’s why 350 and CREDO are experimenting with crowd-sourcing – asking a few Senators’ constituents to crowd-fund ads connecting the dots between their Senator’s vote to gut the Clean Air Act and their campaign contributions from polluters.
The first ad push is seeking to bring a bipartisan smackdown to two dirty-moneyed Senators named Brown – Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The Browns are both big takers of dirty polluter money – Scott to the tune of $1,907,988 and Sherrod a whopping $3,464,689.
350 and CREDO are trying to raise $12,000 in the next week to put up the ads in both Ohio and Massachusetts. The groups are a little iffy about the plan, noting the weak economy and the ease of “clicktivism” which might discourage people to participate in an effort that actually requires forking over a few bucks.
350’s Jamie Henn says:”We hope to show them that corporations aren’t the only ones who can team up and buy some ads. With the right tools and a bit of motivation, citizens can make an impact too.”
What do you think? Does this tactic stand a chance of success? Let’s see some clicktivists weigh in below in the comments section.
