by P.D. Lesko

MoveOn.org sent out a mass email this afternoon to thousands of members of the group’s Ann Arbor email list. The first sentence of the email reads: “If you were mayor of Ann Arbor, what would be the first thing you’d do? Make sure city employees don’t lose their pensions? Support green business startups? Or maybe fight back against cuts to crucial local services?”

Yes, that MoveOn.org sent an email to its Ann Arbor members urging them to run for office to fight back against crucial service cuts, cuts which local Democrats in office have said they were “pretty comfortable with,” service cuts that local members of the Democratic majority on City Council have assured constituents in blowsy emails are having little impact on the quality of living in the city. MoveOn.org disagrees, and urges its members to step up and run for office to fight against crucial service cuts in Ann Arbor.

According to the MoveOn.org web site, “The MoveOn family of organizations gives real Americans a voice in a political process dominated by big money and armies of lobbyists. With over 5 million members across America – from carpenters to stay-at-home moms to business leaders – we work together to realize the progressive promise of our country. Our MoveOn family is made up of a couple of different pieces. MoveOn.org Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization, primarily focuses on education and advocacy. MoveOn.org Political Action, a federal PAC, mobilizes people across the country to fight important battles in Congress and help elect candidates who reflect our member’s values.”

The email sent to Ann Arbor recipients on January 23, 2012 also included this bit: “Back in 2010, tea party candidates, backed by national tea party groups, were elected to hundreds of local offices. That’s exactly what we’re going to do in 2012—but with a wave of candidates who will stand up for the 99% in communities across the country.”

Evidently, MoveOn.org’s Political Action team has questions about whether Ann Arbor’s elected officials locally are doing a good enough job standing up for the 99 percent in our community.

Here’s the email in its entirety:

If you were mayor of Ann Arbor, what would be the first thing you’d do? Make sure city employees don’t lose their pensions? Support green business startups? Or maybe fight back against cuts to crucial local services?

This isn’t a hypothetical scenario—it’s exactly what more than 4,000 MoveOn members just like you have been thinking about since taking the first step to run for elective office. And they’re not just running for mayor. They’re exploring running for offices including school board, town council, and state legislature in cities and towns across the country.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ve got some ideas for doing things differently in Ann Arbor,” or seen a local politician and thought, “If that were me, things would be different,” then it’s time to join thousands of other progressives across the country and run for office.

And if you decide to run, you won’t be alone. You’ll be part of a nationwide progressive strategy to take back local offices in 2012 and beyond. To help give you the resources you need to run a competitive campaign, we’ve partnered with Progressive Majority to provide you with online trainings and strategic advice. Trust me—running for office is easier than you think. So what do you say?

Yes, I’d consider running for office.

Back in 2010, tea party candidates, backed by national tea party groups, were elected to hundreds of local offices. That’s exactly what we’re going to do in 2012—but with a wave of candidates who will stand up for the 99% in communities across the country.

If you decide to run, you’ll gain access to Progressive Majority’s great training programs designed to help progressive candidates in 2012. Here are some examples of what you’ll have access to:

• Expert training on how to run your own campaign and how to get started
• Help finding the elected position that’s right for you
• Direct campaign support from experienced campaigners
• Time-tested strategic campaign tips, and more

So if you’ve ever wanted to change things in Michigan, or imagined yourself running for office in Ann Arbor, now’s the time.

What do you think? Are you in?

Yes, I’d consider running for office.Thanks for all you do.

–Kat, Elena, Tate, Garlin, and the rest of the team