It's so interesting that you mentioned it. Their use of data and user input and ratings was fantastic and engaging. I really loved them too.
Apologies in advance for the length
------ Background on the original idea -------------------
The original notion for GreaterGoodUSA was to create an organization that engaged and provided support services for individuals and groups lobbying at the federal level. We were looking at piloting it in our own congressional district, recruiting members door-to-door if necessary. The big dream was to eventually go nationwide. We would have a staff of "Citizen Lobbyists" in each district or state that members could "hire" to lobby for specific actions in face-to-face meetings and communications with members of the House and Senate (or more commonly staffers). At any given time, the top two or three actions in a district or state (or more, depending on number of citizen lobbyists we had) would be identified though voting with "voice points" that members earned either by taking some action themselves in an existing campaign (like signing a petition or sending an email or fax through a hosted app that could track the actions) or by providing financial support at a given level.
The types of actions we would take on would have to meet a defined set of parameters (to prevent getting "hijacked" to support something abhorrent and to steer toward efforts in areas we identified as truly pivotal.) We would also publish supporting materials targeted to groups and individuals who wanted to do their own direct lobbying – guidance in how to get their own meetings and be more effective when they got there.
A key component was to be "up to the minute" on reporting back on member actions, meetings and meeting follow-up communications to get answers to unanswered questions (along with solicitation for others to call to ask to get answers too, when answers were not forthcoming). We believed feedback is the key to engagement. To often we take some action and have no idea “what happened.”
The philosophy of lobbying was not just to go to "be heard," but to ask key questions that forced the person on the other side of the table to defend a morally indefensible position (like "can't win, so won't fight" on a core moral principle they should be standing up for, win or lose).
Implementing the business plan required a substantial infusion of cash. Staff to coordinate tracking and reporting. Citizen lobbyists. Technical web services. Another belief of ours was that “our side” is too reliant on volunteer efforts or people paid a pittance. As a service and support organization providing valuable services, we were committed to having a "launch" budget and creating a membership model that enabled us to hire enough staff at reasonable compensation to provide the services promised. In "pitches" we compared the model on "our side" of the spectrum to opening a business service provider, such as a Kinko’s, by going around the neighborhood asking for money to get off the ground. "Real" businesses don't start that way because it doesn't work. They invest up front and open their doors as full service providers -- and then succeed or fail. We envisioned the same thing. The organization would open it's virtual and brick and mortar doors fully capable of providing a core set of services that could be expanded if we actually had success recruiting sufficient members willing to make a small financial commitment sustain it. We happened to be in a good financial position ourselves at the time and were soliciting other investors. Tragically, fortunes turned (but that is another story). Then my partner died, and along with that, my capacity to pursue the plan.
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Anyway, this is a very, very long way around to get back to the beginning. (If you were even able to wade through all that).
BuyBlue's use of data, feedback, individual input and ratings, and offering a truly tangible, valuable, service, was indeed along the same lines. They were a fantastic thing. I fear they just didn't have a financial model that could sustain the effort. At this point, I don't have the financial wherewithal or time to carryout our original "big dream," but want to do something -- I just don't have a concrete picture yet of what. If GreatGoodUSA ever did take off (dream, dream…), I would love to be able to hire people (perhaps connecting with the folks who started it all those years ago) to implement a BuyBlue2 project under the auspices of GreaterGoodUSA – a project structured in a way that would compensate and be financially viable for the people doing the research and maintaining the site.
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