A very fascinating exchange of ideas has been engaged between Patrick Ruffini and Soren Dayton of Eye on 08 about online efforts as they relate to the GOP and what we should actually be working towards.Patrick's first post is basically an evaluation of a comparison between the Dean Model and the Bush/Cheney Model. It is persuasive in that you can look at the results: Dean lost big; Bush Cheney won it all. But Ruffini doesn't acknowledge that Dean ultimately won control of the Dem party apparatus and that his operation is what caused that to happen.
Soren picks up that theme in his response. I believe that there is clear evidence that the Deaniacs have taken over the "mainstream" of the Democratic party. It is evident in their leadership... The issue becomes whther or not a movement can "work" with a campagin and vice versa.
Patrick replies raising the question of whether or not the right needs a movement.
Soren points out in his second post that the "nutroots" (as I call them) didn't ask their party's permission to "kick their butts" they just did it.
Now, all of this has been rather focused on the national party... As I often do, I put this in to the perspective of state level politics. The Ohio GOP has had plenty of opportunity for outreach to the Ohio center-right blogosphere. The results have been rather mixed, in my opinion. When I put forth the idea of the State of Ohio Blogger Alliance, it was with the intention of advocating for change by working with and within the established system. I knew it would be a LONG process and a TON of work; and it has been. But if I am understanding the gist of this debate, the SOB Alliance is not likely to effect significant enough change in a timely manner to be effective.
Clearly, I am a "movement" kind of guy. I would be curious what others in the Alliance might have to say...particularly "party" guys like Matt Dole of LincolnLogsBlog. Matt Naugle of RightAngleBlog should have an interesting perspective as well...but just about anybody in the Alliance should have an opinion worthy of the discussion.
The question I put forth to any and all comers is this: Is the center-right blogosphere in Ohio in need of a movement-oriented approach or a party-centered strategy? Or both? Neither? Some "synergized" combination?
