Not Too Hip to Vote

By Christopher Hayes, AlterNet. Posted April 20, 2004.

The crowd lined up outside the Cooper Union great hall on March 25 for a gathering called "Where's My Democracy?" did not look like your typical participants at a political rally. There were no suits and ties, no pleated khakis or Izod shirts, no signs or buttons -- not even a single baby to kiss. No, this crowd, which formed a line that snaked around Astor place onto Lafayette, was garbed in American Apparel t-shirts, thrift store blazers, and the hyper pointy-toed shoes that are currently standard issue for women south of 14th Street.

"A week ago we'd only sold 200 tickets," said Elana Berkowitz, a member of Downtown for Democracy, the group organizing the event, as the crowd of impatient hipsters pressed to get in. "I can't believe we gave away tickets for free to try to fill the place!"

The packed crowd of over 900 had paid a minimum of $50 a head ($10 for students) to listen to readings from some of America's finest writers, including Salman Rushdie, Susan Sontag and Jhumpa Lahiri. The event raised $75,000 towards D4D's ultimate target of $3 million, attracting the politically and literarily-minded alike. "When we saw this combination of writers and the cause, it's what we're into right now," said Libby McGuinness who lives in Chelsea and works in publishing. "I actually ran into someone I work with, a much younger person than we are, and you know she works two jobs to get by and ... I can't believe she got together $50 bucks to come here. To feel so strongly for her to give 50 dollars is great."

Though most of the writers read from non-political works in progress, nearly every one of them had something to say about Bush. "I want to speak at this moment sans hyperbole" said Michael Cunningham, author of the The Hours. "I've never known of an election that mattered this much and darlings, I have lived through Nixon, Reagan and Bush #1!"

The event, which featured a voter registration table right next to a table hawking sleek D4D tee shirts, exhibited D4D's novel approach to political activism, a combination of edgy creativity and hard-nosed politicking -- Lou Reed meets James Carville.

But marrying innovation to pragmatism isn't just limited to this one group. With the John Kerry the clear Democratic nominee and the battle lines for the general election firmly drawn, a number of small, independent groups like D4D are coming up with innovative ways to maximize their electoral impact.

Swing State Spring Break, which sends college kids to swing states to canvass, and IMPACT, which trains law students to monitor polls on election day -- in addition to D4D -- are all seeking to tap the potential of specific constituencies, and leverage their abilities, talents and resource to maximum effect. While Bush has inspired a profound and energetic opposition from progressives and even many moderates, the fact remains that no matter how passionately an undergraduate, or artist, or law student feels about unseating Bush, they only have one vote. The challenge for progressives outraged at the Bush administration's abuse of the public trust is to convert depth of sentiment into breadth of influence.

On the Downtown Train

"Our goal is to invigorate progressive politics and defeat George Bush!" said D4D founder Erik Stowers, kicking off the reading to enthusiastic whoops from the crowd. "By mobilizing all those Americans who share our progressive values but don't actively participate in politics, D4D raises funds through contributions and cultural events like this one in Democratic safe states like New York and we spend the money in battleground states where this election is going to be decided."

D4D is the brain child of Stowers and his friend Mike Bullock, who works at the interview magazine Index. The two initially discussed starting a group called Downtown for Dean back when the Vermont Governor was the front runner for the nomination, but ultimately saw the group as "being much longer term and bigger than just the Dean campaign" and decided to file with the Federal Election Commission as a Political Action Committee (PAC).

Stowers, who spent several years working for New York's Working Families Party and the progressive advertising firm Avenging Angels, says he and Bullock saw a huge opportunity to harness the talents of their friends in creative circles for political ends. "There was a long-term permanent need for an organization that would provide a means of access into political activism for people in the culture community," Stowers says. "You do have these people who are culturally very liberal. If you sit down and talk to them they are down the plank: Electoral reform? Yes. The environment? Yes. Women's rights? Yes. But they don't participate in politics."

"Where's My Democracy?" was D4D's second fundraising event. The first, an art auction, raised $130,000, with 85 percent of the donors at that event never having donated to a political campaign before. Over the next seven months, D4D hopes to eventually raise millions of dollars, which they'll funnel to 527s and PACs operating in swing states, as well as to progressive congressional candidates like Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama.

Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from AlterNet! Sign up now »