Obama asked me “What’s your cause?”
As a contributor-volunteer I was surveyed by www.barackobama.com. They asked the following questions – How would you like to see this organization move forward in the months and years ahead? And how would you like to be engaged as a volunteer and organizer?:
I would like Obama to have a new grassroots initiative every quarter that is publicized through news outlets and his web-site. These quarterly initiatives are fund raisers for a particular cause. This will be an alternative to higher taxation. It gives Americans an option to direct Government funds to the initiatives they want. Hence, if they don’t want their tax dollars used for a particular initiative, they will not participate. Those who want to help fund certain programs have the ability to donate a single or a monthly contribution. This will reduce taxes and the participation is in direct relationship to American’s interest in the resolution. It also puts to rest many conservative’s argument against income redistribution. Each initiative will have its own link from barackobama.com. Each link will 
have a program description as well as a monthly progress and results report with full transparency. News broadcasters may investigate the results as Americans help Americans willingly. To keep cost low, private industry may bid on certain functions as long as they meet community building parameters such as hiring from within the served community. The initiatives will also utilize volunteers and interested youth for paid internships to pay for higher education or student loan forgiveness. We should want all Americans to have contributed to at least one cause. This will enhance the effort to engage Americans in actively promoting social change. A common question among Americans will be, and the question I pose to you is “What’s your cause?”
I too like the idea of the American people donating money every so often to prevent the government from borrowing money, receiving money from the lobbyist, and or increasing taxes. However, the Obama-Biden “Transition Team” is asking for donations now. This administration stated that they need help from the American people in order to “assess the state of the federal agencies, prepare the agenda, staff key positions, and generate support to pass legislation that puts America on the road to recovery.” They also said “For the first time, transition efforts won’t be financed with donations from Washington lobbyists and PACs — which means they’ll need to keep asking for our help.”
So far, I like the transparency that this administration has given to the American people with change.gov and all of the press conferences that Obama has been making recently. However, is it too early too start donating to this Transition Team?
I think the volunteered money from America should be reserved for social causes that are grassroots by nature. We as taxpayers are already on the hook for the big stuff. No one wants to pay Government any more than they have too. This extra money should be only for very segregated and visible causes, so that people will know the effectiveness of their “donations”. It is too early; the first issue of depression avoidance is too large ($800B) for grassroots to be effective. We as citizens need to spend our money in the Mall this holiday season to stimulate the economy. Grassroots are for the Spring.
If our new administration creates some type of system similar to what you’ve suggested and they ask the American people to donate to a social cause that also stimulates the economy, I will consider participating whenever my budget permits. I think that this initiative will be a good alternative to what we’ve done in the past.
On another note, people individually also bring about social change. I’ve been focusing on educating myself on social issues and making better choices in every aspect of my life. I want to do my part in making America a better country, live more harmoniously, and to be a good example for those who I might have an influence on.
After all, “we have to be the change that we wish to see in the world.” Gandhi