Change via Community Organization : US Presidency

What makes Barack Obama believe that he will be able to bring about necessary changes in the many, widely acknowledged, dysfunctional aspects of our government, when so many other well intentioned efforts to do so have been unsuccessful?

Up to now his efforts have rightly been directed at attempting to get in front of the American people so they come to know who he really is and as a corollary, for him to fully understand the diversity of who we are.

A major advantage he would bring to the White House is his own stereotype busting history subtending black and white, domestic and international, poor and rich. Who better, (it is offered)  to lead a diverse nation than someone with a diverse background, who inspires, is intelligent and has had a history of successful accomplishment.

The reason many of our institutions have fallen into disarray, many have concluded,  is because of partisan politics, but it goes beyond that. Much of the debate that takes place about issues is characterized by dichotomized position taking. liberal vs. conservative, legal vs. illegal, right vs. wrong, black vs. white, rich vs. poor, good vs. bad, constitutional vs. unconstitutional. This kind of factional position taking, all too often means that participants will defend their point of view, literally, to the death and, in doing so, will rigidly close their ears and minds to anything offered by their assumed  opponents.     

Community organizational principles offer a feasible way around that morass. By de emphasizing judgments of which group is absolutely right or superior in any way, the focus can be shifted to listening fully and negotiating. Instead of seeing everything in dichotomous terms, the focus is broadened and made more expansive to include constellations of groups or party's who share an interest in the matter at hand. Who has what to offer instead of whose rights are being violated.

To illustrate: The US in Iraq should have been treated from the outset as a neighborhood problem that would have recognized the important roles, interests, resources and fears existing among all the surrounding middle eastern nations.