OK Grassroots Project

Our overarching purpose is to provide a vision of a practical, proven method we can use to help build an effective grassroots network to transform our state into an economic, cultural and spiritual oasis -- a Free State. We want to help:

• Restore the Liberty envisioned by America's Founders, and restore power to the People;
• Rebuild community. We are going through perilous times in our Fourth Turning (Click for pdf interview author.) Historically, Americans have needed to come together to help each other get through crises. Today, we will need to do the same;
• Start a real Conversation on the vital issues of our day. It's time to abandon the divisiveness promoted though out our culture, come together on what unites us and seek liberty-based solutions. We can do that by Listening and Seeking to understand, and then Talk;
• Create Grassroots Gardens of Good Citizenship, where we can plant the seeds and develop the leaders we need to represent us as elected representatives;
• Hold our representatives accountable to legislating to protect and increase liberty -- and replace them if they don't.
• Crowd-source our ideas and crowd-fund them wherever possible. We want to tap the creativity and enthusiasm of the people in the grassroots. Many hands, and creative minds, make the work easy -- and fun!
• Share best practices so all can benefit from the pioneering efforts of early Precinct Leaders.

Our best imaginings of how it will work will soon be overshadowed by the actual creative efforts of people in the grassroots. Once restored, the grassroots Precinct Town Meetings and their locations, could become vital centers of community activity. It is easy to imagine precincts meeting in homes, churches, educational institutions, empty storefronts, and any place else it makes sense.

There are almost 2,000 precincts in Oklahoma. Those politically-defined voting boundaries are the lowest official level for politics in the state (and nation). They are where direct democracy occurs. People represent themselves first, as well as vote for precinct-level representatives for the political parties. They vote directly for municipal, county or state offices.

Of all levels of government, the precincts are by far the least active. Dead is a better word for it. Is it any wonder that the people feel cut off from their elected representatives? Their greatest tool to influence politicians is rusted over, discarded and forgotten in a cobwebbed, dark corner.

The Precinct Town Meeting provides a hub for citizenship that is sorely lacking today. Our colonial ancestors made many errors discovering how to build a civilization. They almost starved when they tried collectivism. As they developed the institutions of freedom, the town meeting became the place where everyone's voice was heard. Conversations happened to solve local, community problems. Those meetings were where the first elected representatives emerged.  But it all came out of, and stayed connected, to, the direct democracy in the town meeting.

The current, time-driven project of the Project, is the GOP Precinct Project. It will be of great benefit if the GOP leadership is truly grassroots-based, enough to make facilitating the meetings a high priority. If they do it, they will thereby demonstrate that they want to be of service to the People. The idea is to help build the mechanism in a way that becomes self-sustaining. If the leadership sets it up to get the people involved, it gives everyone a chance to speak for their ideas, as well as hear those of others.

Fostering the Precinct Town Meetings is one of our constant goals whether through a party, or just as interested citizens. In a real sense, it doesn't matter as long as it is done. Other project are on the horizon, but after the push toward the January precinct meetings. If we can get several thousand new participants at the precinct meetings, the county and state conventions will be lively, indeed.

Please understand that we are launching 1.0 of our website. There is much more to come. We want to get your feedback and questions. We plan to address every recurring question in FAQs. We want to know what materials you need. So please let us know at [email protected]