Certain emails with Represent.Us

I am a participant on the Team Lessig Social Media website. The website cites the online book SWARMWISE The Tactical Manual to Changing the World as a model to follow. I initiated a discussion about this book. See https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/teamlessigsocialmedia/OBlr_G6gLcs. In the discussion, questions were raised about campaign finance refrom organizations joining their forces better. I have done a lot of urging that the same happen, and I am trying to convey to others on the Team Lessig Social Media website how I have made little headway. The below recent interchange of emails I have had with Represent.Us seems indicative of organizations preferring to keep things "in house". The emails are posted here to facilitate transmittal of this information. If Represent.Us or Team Lessig Social Media finds this form of sharing to be objectionable, I will be happy to try to revise it.

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshattuck@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 7:27 AM
Subject: Re: Debate Night
To: Represent Us <info@represent.us>

OK, thanks Jamie. Represent.Us has at least favorited some of my tweets, and I appreciate that. Rob

On Wed, Sep 23, 2015 at 2:39 PM, Represent Us <info@represent.us> wrote:

Hi Rob,

Thank you for your email and apologies for the delay in my response.

Represent.Us does have a twitter and we are always looking for ways to engage with our supporters and get attention on twitter. We are happy to have you run your own twitter campaigns and even tweet at us, however it is unlikely that we would enter into any partnership with you to run any specific tweet campaigns.

Cheers,

Jamie and the Represent.Us Team

On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 5:25 PM, Rob Shattuck <rdshattuck@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks Mansur,

I tried to get tweeting going during the first debate. See http://campaignfinancereformers.blogspot.com/2015/08/are-cfrers-tweeting-tonight.html. To my knowledge, nothing got going.

A couple of weeks ago, in response to a solicitation from Susan, I replied that I had keen interest in developing tweeting campaigns.  Susan never replied to me. (See below emails.).

My interest in tweeting campaigns continues. If Represent.Us would like to get something going regarding next week's debate, or for something else, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Rob Shattuck

From: Rob Shattuck <rdshattuck@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: What motivates you?
To: susan@represent.us

Dear Susan,

Your email is timely for me.

My main interest is in the use of Twitter to advance the cause of anti-corruption/campaign finance reform. I have spent more than a year at this. For current explication of my interest and efforts, see CFR'ers Agenda 2016 and The tweeting plan. 

I am very desirous of finding others in the grassroots to join with in these efforts.

If this is of interest to Represent.Us, but Represent.Us would want efforts in which it participated to be more tailored to its agenda and activities, I am open to discussion of the same.

For your information, I previously endeavored to participate in the small business initiative of Represent.Us, but little seemed to have come of that. See Team up with Represent.Us re: small business.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Rob Shattuck

On Fri, Aug 21, 2015 at 8:01 AM, Susan Heitker <hq@represent.us> wrote:

Hi Robert,

Thanks for supporting people across the nation to fix corruption in our political system.

We have 500,000 members throughout the country working in their communities to build an unstoppable movement. Many of them are creating Represent.Us chapters, others are planning bold, iconic actions to get our issue noticed, and still others are working locally to enact tough, new anti-corruption laws and resolutions.

As one of our members, we want to know what excites you about the anti-corruption movement and Represent.Us. Please answer the following question.

What is your primary motivation for giving to Represent.Us? (Click on your selection) 

1. Comprehensive Anti-Corruption Acts
2. Cross-partisan ethos
3. Represent.Us chapters and volunteers
4. Creative digital media (ex. satirical Gil Fulbright senatorial campaign)
5. Bold, iconic actions (ex. Representation Day)
6. Money in politics blocks progress on the issue I am most concerned about
7. Add your own and tell your story

We are grateful to have you on board. Passing bold anti-corruption laws makes it possible to win on all other issues. And achieving such sweeping change will need a lot of people rolling up their sleeves, pitching in, and getting to work.

Thanks for joining the team.

— Susan

Susan Heitker
Manager, Membership Engagement
Represent.Us

On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 3:30 PM, Represent.Us <hq@represent.us> wrote:

Robert –

Not one presidential candidate has faced a debate question about our nation's corrupt political system. But we have the opportunity to change that during the next presidential primary debate on Wednesday, September 16th.

CNN has asked the public to submit questions, and with enough public pressure we could make sure they force every candidate to answer ours: As president, what specific steps would you take to fix our corrupt political system?

It's hard to overstate how huge this opportunity is. More people watched the last debate than any of this year's NBA Finals or MLB World Series games. If we succeed, we put America's corruption crisis front and center for millions of Americans to see, creating a new wave of demand for solutions like the American Anti-Corruption Act.

Will you add your name and pressure CNN to ask the question during Wednesday night's debate?

Allowing the presidential candidates to go unchallenged on America's corruption crisis simply isn't an option. Asking tough questions will force the candidates to tell us exactly where they stand and give us the power to hold them accountable to their answers – but only if enough of us demand it.

Click here to tell the CNN moderators to present our question on corruption to the candidates.

Every election, Americans tune in to see the candidates give talking-point answers to the same softball, party-approved questions.

No more. We won't be satisfied until every candidate – Republican, Democrat, and Independent – has told us exactly how they plan to fix corruption. 

– Mansur

Mansur Gidfar
Communications Director
Represent.Us
 

P.S. If we're going to get our question into the debate, we'll need to make a big splash on social media too. CNN loves their hashtags, so don't forget to include #CNNDebate and #AskTheQuestion in your posts – otherwise CNN's team might not see them!