I think the internet does open up a vast world of new possibilities for political involvement, such as the UK Public Engagement Deficit Reduction Project that is using Facebook as a platform for expanding public involvement.

Sometimes, you just need to build some momentum around a cause that you care about in order to be heard. Often times this can take reaching out to your immediate network, but sharing your involvement publically. I am always looking for new ideas though.

Creative actions:
Go after known associates of targets, from donors to board members to outspoken supporters to relatives. Yes, relatives.
Find a way to show people the growth of your list locally. (You were one of the 23 people who did X in your Congressional District)
Organize call-ins to talk shows at the local level (thanks Wellstone Camp)
Target specialized media (ethnic, religious, association, etc.)
Do something newsworthy, eg
“activists are collecting dead bugs to deliver to Congressman Porker today. If he votes for the bailout tomorrow, activists say they will ‘squash him like a bug’ in the upcoming primary.”
and then build a web app where people can squash ‘bugs’ to deliver….

Get as many of your supporters to treat politics with the same passion they have for say, keeping a job or getting laid.

P’shaw, says me — if this kind of article weren’t needed, the e.politics Online Politics 101 PDF wouldn’t have been downloaded more than 20,000 times now.

BTW, if you want to see more specifics, write ‘em up! I’d be happy to publish.

Sending email for comment periods and to state legislators are old hat. Same with phone calls, meetups, and fundraising. And corporations do more than Congress could dream of to throttle off consumer complaints to CEOs.

Can you to delve more into different creative actions? Groups have been encouraging people to type up stories or take a picture of themselves with a sign for a while. I’d love to read about the creative things groups are doing with those stories and pictures to encourage a sense of community and how the rates there compare to straight text petitions.

One thing I do disagree with: encouraging a custom message doesn’t need to drop your response. By focusing on the intersection between the issue and how people relate to it (as opposed to the policy angle, for example) and then not providing much of a sample letter you can get a rate well above 10% of people editing their actions.