ThePetitionSite.com Constructive criticism please?

[cdp]

I think most Democrats, or progressive minded independents, are not like most DUers. I think your typical Dem practices some activism on Nov 2nd, and that's it. I think many progressive types would like to be more politcally active, but just as long as it doesn't take too much effort. I don't agree with that way of thinking, but I feel that's just the way it is.

I think the easiest way for a more "passive activist" to DO something year round, is by signing petitions from the comfort of their own computer. And they can even do it while they are on the clock at work. We all know that petitions can work.

A few weeks ago, someone here mentioned http://www.conservativepetitions.com, and wondered why there isn't a progressive equivalent: a "one stop shopping place" for all of your petition needs. It would be nice to go to a website, fill in your information only once, and be able to sign a variety of progressive minded petitions from all of the places that have petitions (MoveOn, League of Conservation Voters, Sojourners etc) year round with a couple of mouse clicks. It would also be a good way for non-news types to keep up with the latest issues.

The closest thing I have found is http://www.thepetitionsite.com
I'd like to know if it is something you would use, and why or why not.
I'd also like to know if you think passive activists would use a site like this, if they were made aware of it.

[GregD]

1. a while ago, we tried to use it

things may have changed, but if I recall, the way it was set up I could not retrieve the e-mail addresses that were gathered. That made it useless for developing mailing lists for people sympathetic to whatever issue you are working on.

[cdp]

2. So you used it to make a petition?

So how did it work? Did they collect the names of the signers of your petition and forward them on to you, without any other info? Or dds you access a database on the site somewhere? Any insight would be appreciated.

[GregD]

3. someone else actually created a petition

for verifiable voting. I was webmaster of www.verifiedvoting.org at that time. The guy who created the petition could not figure out what to do with the thing, so he turned it over to us. I tried to extract e-mails from it and was not able to do so. E-mails sent repeatedly to their tech support were never answered. That being the case, we abandoned the thing.

I consider petitionsite a waste of time, others likely have opposing views. But then again, I'm a programmer, and like to have control over stuff like "getting to the database". Non-programmers like tools that allow them to work without being a geek. And somewhere between the two there is a balance...

[cdp]

4. Thanks for the info

and I am hoping to get some perspective from petition signers, not just petition creators. Do you mostly consider it a waste of time because of the programming factors?

[cdp]

5. Waaaaaaaaaah

:cry:

I am kicking my own thread. There has to be SOMEONE out there who can give me some feedback.

Pretty please?

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. I have some petition sites in my activism list

http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/libvsconserv.htm#irv

I'll add yours to it. :)