The Coffee Party?
The Coffee Party is a new movement of individuals whose stated purpose is to seek compromise and cooperation from their government, not obstruction. They want a society in which democracy is treated as sacrosanct and ordinary citizens participate out of a sense of civic duty, civic pride, and a desire to contribute to society. The Coffee Party is a call to action based in the principle that our founding fathers and mothers gave us an enduring gift—Democracy—and we must use it to meet the challenges that we face as a nation.
The Coffee movement pledges to support legislators who put their energy toward solutions and call out those who use their power to block progress. Members encourage citizens to engage in political discourse and work together toward achieving solutions to the nation’s problems. Chapters have been forming virtually overnight since the movement’s inception and, if the meteoric rise of its Facebook fan base is any indication (at the time of this writing about 65,000 members in the space of one month, and growing), there soon may be Coffee Parties in every area of the country.
Growing mainly through a Facebook fan page, the party pledges to “support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.”
It will be interesting to see if this movement stays virtual or actually becomes real. At this point it doesn’t seem to have the same passionate, organic roots as the Tea Party movement—at least to me.
What do you think?
-Patrick Strother
3 comments admin | Patrick Strother, Whatever Wednesday
Makes sense, though it’s always hard to sustain passion for something vague (better government, “solutions”) than against something you don’t like (taxes)… Good idea, though, if it truly sticks to defined problems and best thinking and legislation to solve them.
Ken,
The mission seems to be a plea for reasonable government, but I’ve already heard it called an astroturf approach. But it’s rapid growth (18,000 new Facebook fans since yesterday) suggests it’s striking a chord.
Patrick,
I would surmise that the success of movements like this has a great deal to do with a sense of failed expectations. The mood of much of the country after Obama’s election was one of excitement with an expectation that our government would finally break through the partisan politics-business-as-usual mindset that has to date hobbled congress’ ability to get anything done.
As it has now become apparent that this is not the case, there is such a deep, collective, ground-swelling groan being uttered by so many hurting people in this country that movements like the tea and coffee parties strike a resonant chord. People are grasping at any means possible to voice their frustration and demand change.
The recent election in my own former home state of Massachusetts is an example of this frustration being voiced through people’s votes.
But, because the digital world offers an easy and instant means to do this, and provides an emotive release that doesn’t require any additional effort or commitments, my own guess is that it will not become an analog movement.
I do believe, however, that movements like this will continue to mushroom in the digital realm. Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other social and electronic media have become the new town squares in this country, they have become the church doors where we can now post our reformative demands.
It is my only hope that our legislators are truly listening.