February 8, 2001 | Read Time: 2 minutes
By NICOLE WALLACE
Several progressive advocacy groups have launched a coordinated Internet campaign to voice their concerns about the Bush administration.
For the first 100 days of the new administration, the TransitionWatch.org Web site and e-mail newsletter will feature news and action alerts from participating organizations — the American Civil Liberties Union, the Feminist Majority, Greenpeace, and the International Campaign for Tibet — on executive appointments, policy developments, and budget recommendations.
The campaign was the brainchild of Craver, Mathews, Smith and Company, a consulting company in Arlington, Va.
Mark Rovner, senior vice president, says that the company envisioned the campaign as a way for like-minded advocacy groups to pool their resources to attract new activists and members.
The participating organizations welcomed the opportunity to work together.
“We feel that we should be working more closely together, and for all of us, our issues are on the line,” explains Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority.
Phil Gutis, director of legislative communications at the American Civil Liberties Union, emphasizes the value of a multiple-issue effort.
“Most people are not just concerned with one issue. There’s an entire gamut of concerns they have, and we thought this was an interesting way to see if this would be a good technological tool to help them get answers to all their issues and concerns.”
In the first two weeks of the campaign, almost 3,000 people signed up to receive TransitionWatch’s twice-weekly e-mail newsletter. Each issue of the newsletter provides links to articles and action alerts, and for each of the first three issues published, more than 40 percent of the recipients clicked on at least one link.
The newsletter also includes membership appeals from the participating organizations.
“It never occurred to us not to include a fund-raising ask in each newsletter,” says Mr. Rovner. “I think that one of the ways in which concerned individuals want to express their concern about various issues is by supporting the organizations that champion those issues. It would be a mistake not to provide regular opportunities for people to make donations.”
To get there: Go to http://www.transitionwatch.org.
