Do you "Like" Making a difference?

by: johnwmccarthy

Tue Aug 09, 2011 at 02:50:53 PM EDT

I was supposed to be at this training, talking blogs. I had to cancel because of an accident, so apologies to the Monmouth Dems. I heard great feedback on your training - congratulations. - promoted by Rosi

Sometimes we seem to forget what the State Committee, Elected Officials, and County Leadership can do to build our team, write our playbook and foster our talent. More importantly, we often forget our responsibility as democrats to help ourselves! In Monmouth County we are setting ourselves on a track to implement an aggressive countywide organization with well trained party leadership, elected officials and party activists. On Monday, August 8th State Committee Communications Director (and social-media-guru) Jason Springer, Congressman Pallone and myself joined the Monmouth County Democrats for a a free training on how to use social-media to involve young people in the party, organize around a idea and better communicate our message.

Under Chairman Scudiery's leadership, Monmouth County has hosted a series of free trainings for elected officials, municipal chairs, activists and volunteers. Topics have included an ELEC training, candidates campaign training and advance fundraising. Not only were they free for the people attending, but were held at no cost to the county party.

johnwmccarthy :: Do you "Like" Making a difference?

Let's talk about why these events are necessary, past the obvious communication of information: they involve a whole new group of people in the party! Out of the 22 people who attended our training, 8 had never been to a county function before and most had never been involved past their municipality. Since that training our office has received calls, emails (and thankfully) tweets and Facebook messages about how they are implementing social media in their municipal, legislative and countywide races.

We seem to forget the great resources we have provided to us by talented activists, elected officials and the state and county leadership. I guess the old adage about politics being a game of "inclusion not exclusion" still stands true. For no cost, some incredibly talented people shared there knowledge with a group of fellow democrats who are now organizing in their communities and helping democrats on all levels get elected.

That's what is so great about being part of the party that brought us the fifty-state-strategy. We can still do it here in New Jersey. We can have an active and well-trained party in every precinct, district and county. We can each find a talent we have that we can share with those around us to get our slates elected and further our message. Now, we just have to be the ones to share them.

You can follow the Monmouth County Democrats at @MonmouthDems and follow me at @JohnWMcCarthy