Lessons Learned: Grassroots Supporter

What lessons did you learn from the I-522 campaign?

I really think Oregon needs to wait until 2016 and in the mean time to the real ground work to gain the broad base support from farmers and unions, and educate and inoculate voters.

More food and consumer advocacy groups would definitely be able to support a longer term campaign building toward a ballot initiative we know will pass.

 In my opinion not only is 2014 too soon but I don't think there's any money out there. I doubt Dr. Bronner's can throw another $3 million into another campaign. Especially after pouring major money into two back to back failures in California and Washington.

We need the extra time to also do the fundraising so the ballot can succeed. If we move ahead with a 2014 ballot initiative it will be not only underfunded but we will not have the resources to reach enough voters and build enough political support to combat the millions that the GMA and Monsanto will throw down.

I don't see how a lot of key food and consumer advocacy groups will be able to support a ballot measure in 2014. There's just no way that's winnable with the current or foreseeable resources we have or will have at our disposal.

While these groups may support the ballot initiative process they also recognize that we have to put in the real work and time to ensure it will succeed - which is the lesson we seem to have not yet learned from CA and WA.

I really think Oregon needs to wait until 2016 and in the mean time to the real ground work to gain the broad base support from farmers and unions, and educate and inoculate voters. We would definitely be able to support a longer term campaign building toward a ballot initiative we know will pass.

What is your 2 cents regarding how the Yes on 522 campaign operated?

I think they didn't have the best grasp of how to utilize or support the grassroots.

That said, the grassroots wasn't what is should have been because we didn't take the solid year or two to build it up.

They also got a late start, which isn't necessarily their fault, Moxie Media wasn't hired until March, and it took a bit to get off the ground. I think we all-around just jumped the gun.

The Yes on 522 campaign would probably have been enough as it was if we'd had a solid year or two of building up union and ag support as well as done adequate voter education and inoculation.

I don't think they did so poorly that we can 100% blame them. We didn't put in the longer term base building necessary to ensure that the initiative would pass.

The Koch brothers and other conservatives spent unprecedented amounts of money to stop Obama's reelection. His message to Americans was strong enough to enough voters that the money spent by the opposition wasn't able to sway the electorate.