Engage Michigan – Take Back the American Dream

Messages that Work

Just two months ago, on November 12, nearly 1,000 Democrats attended the Engage Michigan Issues Convention in Lansing. This important meeting and workshop was chaired by Jocelyn Bensen, who ran for Attorney General in 2008. Assisting was Kalamazoo’s Mark Totten. The primary purpose of the convention was to illustrate ways to engage voters in the election process but more importantly to recognize how to improve our Democratic message. We must use messages that not only connect with active Democrats but that resonate with independents as well.

Jocelyn posed the questions, “Who will speak for us? Who will band us together to fight the right wing? We give our power away every time we don’t vote. And we give our power away by not making our voice heard.”

Workshop leader Eric Sapp told us that our job is to help build bridges to independents and conservatives. We need to make our message more focused on moral and values issues. We need communicate our values through our messages instead of just arguing facts and data and numbers.

How can Democrats act on what was learned at Engage Michigan?  Are specific steps planned?

The planning group is continuing to receive feedback from people who attended, and is exploring concrete ideas that are on the table and will have specific steps ready in the next month or two. Also in the works is Engage Women 2012, which is bringing women together to strengthen our vision for a better Michigan.  “We will be reaching out to friends, family and colleagues.  We want everyone to know that the women of Michigan are organizing to promote women in leadership and an agenda for Michigan that prioritizes issues important to women, children and families.”

The kick-off meeting was Saturday, January  7 in Canton, Michigan.  You will hear more of their plans through email.  For more information contact them at

This article appears in the January 2012 newsletter.