The American Political Marketplace: New Citizens, New Machines, New Strategies

American citizens today have a decreased sense of community spirit and less sense of civic responsibility, compared to the time of the nation's founding.  They are motivated first and foremost to maximize their own personal interests.  They have become passive consumers of American politics.

As participation in politics declines, politics gets more extreme and combative, to the detriment of our country.  In this environment, political brand identity and marketing techniques have been used, particularly by the conservative movement.  Progressives will likely be unable to compete in the political marketplace if they do not develop a brand and marketing strategy equal to that of the Right.

In order to protect our democracy and the well-being of the American people, it will be necessary to find a way out of the new political marketplace and into a more community-oriented, civically responsible, citizen-driven system.

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