Long time no post. My focus has been on creating content surrounding Voting Rights and Build Back Better. I have really missed writing, but understand the reality of time management means daily blog posts is not a realistic ambition, so I'm going to try and move to a weekly blog post right now, while I get a feel for how much time I have available on what is about to be a busy schedule.
I thought it important to set the stage for how I intend to move forward in this mission critical year to help in any way I can to get critical messaging into the bloodstream of social media. As some will already know, I have now created an active presence on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok as well as Twitter. Whilst Twitter will remain my home, I will be making a concerted effort to grow my presence on other platforms.
To date, I have been limited without access to a voice to articulate the core of my messaging intent, but all that has changed recently with the addition of the very talented Duncan Shiels to my messaging toolbox. This gives me the flexibility to better target specific messaging rather than having to rely on cutting up news clip audio. It's important to say that news clips still remain an important part of the messaging armoury, but having Duncan around gives me a much better vehicle to mix and match scripted messaging with news content and I feel this will be a potent weapon moving forward. You can find Duncan on Twitter @duncanshiels and here on the web.
One thing that I felt would be important, was to make all my content available for Dem social media activists, so I have spent some time over the last week putting this together and you can find the library here. It's a really easy to use, fully searchable list of what will be by the end of the week over 100 Ads that have been created on various policy issues.
Each media card provides a summary, the date originally published, policy description. The simple search box at the top right allows you to do a simple search that will search the title, policy and summary. In addition, you can search by policy description, content type and sort date ascending or descending. At the foot of each card is a set of buttons that will link you to the content on the specified platform. If the content is not available of a specific platform, then the button will be greyed out. This way you can clearly see where it's available. Each Ad can be previewed on YouTube by pressing the red play button on the Ad image. It really is as simple as that. The small button on the right of each social media button will copy a link to the content to your clipboard, so you can simply past in a link to your messaging. This just gives you another option.
The thinking behind making this available to activists is, most of my Ads on critical policy issues are pretty timeless and don't date. I am always very mindful when producing content to make sure it will stand the test of time to ensure it can be used more than once. The library will form the central hub of my activity moving forward and my website will additionally provide links in the same way to resources such as important news articles, websites and call to action activities. The object here, will be to provide a searchable resource library that you can rely on to have been fact checked and above all, provide well informed sources. The library will have a dedicated curator for this information and as the year goes on, we will be featuring key campaigns to support etc.
Truth Matters as a brand is very very important to me and I operate a 'total objectivity policy' that ensures the focus will always be on the truth, regardless of how uncomfortable that might be. I have spent 18 months working extraordinarily hard to create a trusted brand that I am dedicated to developing into a go to space for the Dem activist community. In the weeks ahead, I will be appealing for like minded truth seekers to help build on what has been achieved to date. Stay tuned for further announcements if you would like to get involved.
Never in modern history has so much been on the line. It is no exaggeration to say, Democracy is on the ballot in November and if ever there has been a time to put aside factionalism within the Democratic Party, this is it. It's time for social media to become a formidable force for good and time to ask yourself why you are here. Follow backs need to take a back seat to action. The focus must be to constantly flood platforms with information about achievements and new ambition to create a better society. This is no time for progressives to attack moderates and visa versa, the focus MUST be on defending democracy, so that the two years following the midterms can be a productive period for progress. Personal attacks on Dem legislators or the Attorney General are counter productive. Voice an opinion, of course, but don't obsess, there are better things to do with you time.
In me you could not have a better friend to democracy and advocate for your cause. I will do everything in my power to get messaging out there that mitigates GOP negativity and sells the ambition of this administration. I Hear much said from progressives about the reason this administration is in trouble, is because there are too many Dem lawmakers that are Republicans dressed in Dem clothing. Well this is your chance to prove it. You have to sell your vision and test it on the voters. However, be careful what you wish for and be prepared to take responsibility for any failure of that strategy.
For those new to me and my Truth Matters brand, here's a sort of greatest hits compilation that should help introduce what I do.
As we move forward, I'll be hosting a weekly opportunity to have your say on the important messaging delivered by Truth Matters. These we be Twitter Spaces chats and zoom meetings and will be on alternate weeks. We begin tomorrow (Wednesday Feb 9) with a Space's Chat on Twitter. You can access information on this event by clicking on the image below. Please note the time shown here is UK time, it will be 2pm ET and 11am PT.
Next week, I'll be hosting a zoom meeting where you will get an opportunity to preview upcoming Ads and resources. The objective of these events, is to allow YOU to have your say on the messaging I deliver. Whilst I may be the content creator, you are living directly in these challenging times and your input is vital in making sure we get the message on the button.
It is no exaggeration to say that America is living through a horror story and the reality is that millions of your fellow citizens seem comfortable to accept proposed authoritarian rule.
Those that know me, will know that I stated shortly after the 2020 election that the only game in town was Voting Rights. I have written about it at length many times. Dem leadership seem to have a habit of thinking tomorrow will never come. However, it WILL and elections are steaming down the track against a backdrop of a failure to deliver a coherent positive message on achievements, and a DOJ that seems reluctant to go after those at the heart of the threat to democracy itself. I still want to give Garland the benefit of the doubt despite the anger out there from activists. The law is about evidence and that evidence has been obstructed and hidden from the very outset.
It is no exaggeration to say, unless the DOJ takes decisive action, democracy may well not survive. Voters are fickle and governments are always judged by their most recent achievements. Child Tax Credits and stimulus simply fade into the distance as Americans focus on the problems they face today. In an an environment where the opposition political party is offering no solutions other than ‘life would be better with us in charge’, it’s a huge uphill battle to carve out a narrative grounded in reality. This is because the GOP have created an alternative universe that millions of people have bought stock in.
The truth is, it’s a terrifying moment and sadly, Dems appear unable to sell reality because truth has become harder to sell that lies. These are unprecedented times. It’s no secret that I think DeSantis will be the Republican nominee and if that happens, those that think the Trump years were bad had better prepare themselves. It is delusional to think that by November, everything in the garden will be rosy and for sure, you can’t out organise legislation that allows the opposition to simply disregard ballots. The gravity of the moment is historic and all the GOP is has to do is sit and wait, like a vulture waiting to feed on the carcass of democracy. This is it, there’s no ‘fake it ‘till you make it’. Dems have 7 months to convince voters, democracy is better than the unthinkable. The moment is now and a clear cohesive message is required.
I hope you will join me in helping to deliver that critical messaging.