Aligning Actions and Values and Being More Efficient: A Simple Exercise

Relatively quick words today, friend, because I’m co-hosting a big (virtual) watch party tonight with David Pepper and Jess Piper to watch the results come in for Ohio’s special election. You’ll recall that the special election will determine whether citizen petitions to change the Ohio constitution need to meet a new 60% threshold rather than the current simple majority.

This isn’t just an Ohio issue. It’s a national one, part of an anti-democracy push by a party that’s afraid to lose its grip on power and willing to do anything to stop its slide. The MAGA-uber-right has been changing the rules to make it easier for their minority to cement itself as a majority. (See, for example, gerrymandering.) This is yet another example.

But, like I said, this isn’t just about Ohio. And as more evidence of the national impact (and national interest) in this issue, we just heard that DNC Chair Jaime Harrison will be joining us at our virtual watch party tonight. (Yes!)

I hope you will, too. Space is limited, and going fast, so register here. It starts at 7:30pm eastern.

So you can see why I might be a bit distracted this Tuesday.

As I said last week, I’m spending some quality time reviewing my place and space in the world, and where I want to focus my attention and time over the next months and years. And I was reminded of an exercise that I did a few years back.

It requires just one piece of paper.

If you want to do it with me, take out a sheet of paper (any size) and a pen. Now split the paper into quadrants – either by folding the page into quarters, or just drawing them in.

Go ahead. I’ll wait.

We’re going to make a super quick graphic depiction of the best uses of our time.

At least as I see it, the goal here has to be spending our time on the things where we have the greatest personal impact, on issues of the greatest importance.

Before we go any further, let’s talk about what “issues of the greatest importance” means, because that’s highly, highly subjective. What I ask myself here is: what are my values – and what issues that we are facing right now are directly assaulting my values? Or, what are my “hair on fire emergency” issues – the sort of “bet the country” (or in the case of climate “bet the earth”) issues? These will be different for every person.

Democracy, to me, is high on the list. Also issues like climate, reproductive rights, human rights (supporting trans people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+)… there are too many to list, but you know what issues feel most urgent for you personally.

Now, on the left-hand side of the paper (along the vertical Y axis) write “potential for personal impact.”

Put LOW at the bottom of the page, and HIGH at the top.

Now, along the bottom of the paper (the horizontal X axis) write “importance/values”.

Write LOW on the left and HIGH on the right.

Now if you look at your paper you can see that low-importance issues where you have little chance of making a personal impact will go in the lower left-hand quadrant. High-importance issues where you have an opportunity to make a big personal impact go in the upper right quadrant.

That upper right quadrant is the Golden Quadrant: the Quadrant of Impact. It’s where you want to be spending most of your time.

So if supporting democracy is important to me (which it is), on my graph/chart it goes far to the right. Now the question is about how I can spend my time to ensure that I’m having the greatest personal impact on that issue. I can make a huge personal impact on voter registration and turnout (you can’t have democracy without voters), as well as candidate recruitment/support. I can have an impact on gerrymandering (you can’t have democracy without choice) but not as much of a personal one because it’s a systemic problem that’s going to require policy change.

Now compare that to my direct, personal impact in turning out voters: I can spend an hour or two on the phones turning out voters, and know that I probably personally, directly got someone to the polls.

Now for the tough part. The self-evaluation.

Think about where you are spending the time you devote to politics each day.

Are you spending more of your time in the upper right hand quadrant? Where you CAN have personal impact on an issue that’s important to you and aligned to your values?

Are you spending most of your time on Twitter (no I am not calling it X, no matter what that billionaire man-child calls it), or Facebook, passively reading/watching the news, or even reading newsletters like this one? That’s low personal impact and – at least probably – low importance on our graph, isn’t it?

Being informed is a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But being informed and inactive is less helpful than getting out there and fighting for democracy. It almost certainly does little to promote or protect your personal values.

Just this last weekend you could easily have spent hours figuring out what on earth is going on with Trump’s indictments. There were entire cable shows devoted to ping-ponging filings. There will be many more hours of expert commentary. I’ll be watching it, too – but I’m also going to be reminding myself that watching t.v. and scrolling twitter falls into the “active inaction” category.

That bottom left-hand quadrant is the place where you can’t do anything about it … and aren’t. It’s the Quadrant of Insatiable Anxiety that is fed by social media algorithms and 24-hour news cycles. Where you can only stew in your own stress.

Are you spending too much time there?

If so, you’re not alone. This, friend, is why Ezra Klein’s Jan. 2022 Opinion piece in the New York Times, Steven Bannon is On To Something, is spot-on.

In case you’ve forgotten or it’s behind a paywall for you, it’s all about how so many people feel personally invested in politics right now, and spend extraordinary amounts of time staying up-to-date on what’s happening. In fact, according to Klein, a recent book claimed 1/3 of Americans spend two to three hours on politics daily.

But of those people, four out of five said that none of that time – not one minute! – is spent doing actual political work.

Think about that for a second, because it’s jarring.

Two hours a day, seven days a week. A whopping 14 hours a week. Basically two full workdays … each and every week … multiplied by millions of people.

People who are very invested in politics, and already spend gobs of time on politics, but aren’t taking direct action.

That’s a massive, untapped resource.

And you, friend, may be part of that resource.

In contrast, Steve Bannon and his comrades spend the majority of their time getting things done. They have what Bannon has coined a “precinct strategy,” going hyper-local and running candidates up and down the ballot – even in school board races. (You can see their results in the headlines about book bans, and trans kids – and pushing special elections to cement their minority view in places like Ohio.)

They’re finding, targeting, supporting and funding … spending their time in that upper right hand quadrant.

It reminded Klein, and me, of the old saying “amateurs talk strategy, professionals talk logistics.”

To be fair, I firmly believe we need to do as much as is humanly possible to educate ourselves and those around us – and that’s not an insignificant accomplishment these days. Education and enlightenment are not illusory goals, and just because we can’t measure their impact with call sheets and knock counts doesn’t mean they’re not important.

But if you are spending a significant chunk of your time consuming on Twitter and then not taking action… It’s time to ask yourself if that’s the highest and best use of your time.

To make it even simpler, just look back down at your quartered paper. If you are spending the majority (or all?) of your time in the lower left-hand quarter of Quadrant of Despair, then shifting your time allocation will not only give you more feelings of power and control … it means you’re going to have a much greater impact.

That’s why I like this simple, pen-and-paper system.

It helps you move from passive consumption to effective action.

So today, go split up a piece of paper and see if it doesn’t make your life more productive.

Because I did this exercise and realized that I was spending far too much time in the bottom-left-hand Quadrant of Anxiety. I needed to shift things to another quadrant.

When I did, I felt more in control, more productive, more effective.

I want that for you, too.

Now, let’s get to work.

Actions for the Week of August 8, 2023

Join me, Jaime Harrison, David Pepper, and Jessica Piper for A Virtual Blue Ohio Watch Party!

Today’s the day! Ohio’s special election ends today – and we’ll be joining together virtually to watch the results come in. Space is limited and going fast – so please register here to join us: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvcumuqT0vHtCsPaT_w3hzHkTbfzMuCarh

Cameras In the Courtroom: Support Grassley’s Bill (Yes, that Grassley)

The Trump trial has to be televised. It just has to. The master of disinformation can’t be allowed to lie his way through the most important trial in our country’s history. But cameras are not allowed in federal courtrooms, unless Chief Justice Roberts changes the rule, or Congress acts.

Interestingly, the lack of transparency in federal courts has been an issue of contention for both parties.

As proof that “even a broken clock is right twice per day,” earlier this year, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley – who is a member of the Judiciary Committee – introduced Sunshine In the Courtroom Act, allowing cameras and broadcasting from federal courtrooms. It’s a bi-partisan bill, with Democrats Durbin (chair of judiciary) Klobuchar, Markey and Blumenthal joining Grassley and Cornyn. (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/833/cosponsors?s=5&r=22&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22grassley%22%5D%7D)

AND Senate Bill 858 (Cameras in the Courtroom) – sponsored by Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin was co-sponsored by Grassley, Klobuchar, Blumenthal and Whitehouse – does the same thing.

Both bills have been referred to Judiciary. Here are the members of the Judiciary Committee:

Democrats:

Republicans:

Now for our action: Yes, we are on recess. No, that should not matter. Your Senators and Dick Durbin’s Judiciary office should still be tracking what issues are being raised in calls. (I know Durbin’s is, because I called them. Lovely people!)

Look above to see if you have a Senator in Judiciary. Call them, if you do. (Missourians, you can try Hawley’s office at 202-224-6154. I’ve had a tough time getting through – let me know if you can get to a person.) If you don’t, call Durbin’s Judiciary office (202) 224-7703.

Script: Hi, I’m calling in support of providing more transparency in federal courtrooms. I know that the Judiciary Committee is considering two different bills that would add cameras to federal courtrooms, and I think we need that legislation now more than ever. Both bills 833 and 858 would allow Americans to see for themselves what is happening in the most significant trial in our country’s history. What’s the Senator’s position on this issue, and what is s/he doing to move these bills along?

Join Civics Center on Thursday: Run A Registration Drive!

I’m a big fan of the Civics Center’s work – and they are doing a lot to register young people. Not only do they have a postcarding campaign for Ohio’s young people to register and vote in this coming November election (more on that next week) but they have ongoing zoom calls to help high schoolers and educators organize voter-registration drives.

From them: Registering future voters at your high school is one of the best ways to strengthen our democracy. If you are a student or educator, join this workshop to learn how to organize a youth-led voter registration drive at your school.

By completing this training and signing up a drive with The Civics Center, you and your team can receive a free Democracy in a Box with everything you need to run your drive.

Join them at 3pm central on Thursday: https://www.thecivicscenter.org/events/run-a-drive-workshop-aug10

WHEW! GO TEAM!

P.S.: Why don’t you make someone’s day and send this pep talk to a friend or two? I bet they need it.

If you’d like to sign up to get this pep talk and action list in your in-box each week, you can do that here. Welcome, friend!

P.P.S.: If you want to help support this work you can do so via Patreon at
https://www.patreon.com/smalldeedsdone or via paypal at https://www.paypal.me/smalldeeds
My deepest gratitude in advance.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for writing. I read and respond to every email! We’re in this together. Don’t you forget it.