Email from a friend --->>> Hi Alai. The basic problem of Orange Democratic Movement is the party’s preoccupation with message of what it is against( reacting politics) rather than creating sustained persuasive message narrative of what it stands for. Politics is contested and won based on protracted policy dialogue, negotiation and consensus. A party has to table its policy options as basis of engagement. It builds coalition of interest constituency voters based on its policy choices on say education, health, transport, economy, governance etc. Let me illustrate using Obama Example. Obama in 2008 created a narrative of hope. He marketed himself as the real face of new America prosperity and exceptionalism. He rekindled and captured imagination of voters giving them a new direction both in leadership and policy choices. However, 2012 was completely different ball game because of certain well-analyzed realities. His team of seven advisors and himself recalibrated the message opting to market the successes of first term and what next steps to the prosperous future for American people while reminding Americans why they must never trust Republicans’ policies. Hence the campaign message “ Forward”. Obama created coalition of voters based on interests and needs of those voters. He also milked dry the mistakes of Republicans depicting them as enemies of the Americans. He therefore elevated the policy choices available while keeping message that he is the best choice to deliver for America. He also escalated the electorate mobilization and communication strategy with targeted messages to each group of voters. One year down the line, ODM is completely lost. Even as it rebuilds, it must never have dropped its political policy engagement with public. Today, the party is seen more in position/context of rejecting everything rather than party of progressive alternative policy choices. Just look at how it has failed in offering policy direction on devolution matters. Yet devolution is key strand in its politics. Its online and social networking is just ZERO! I rest my case
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 09:41:48 +0000
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