Last September, I called Tara McGowan "The Democrats' Most Dangerous Digital Strategist." I did so because I thought her non-profit tech model could upend politics as we know it.
I was right. Only, not in the way I expected.
ozy.com/news-and-polit… @ozy (thread)
I was right. Only, not in the way I expected.
ozy.com/news-and-polit… @ozy (thread)
For those who don't already know, @taraemcg is the founder of ACRONYM. The progressive nonprofit funnels donor contributions to progressive causes and for-profit companies — one of which is Shadow, which created the app that seemingly shut down the #IowaCaucuses last night.
ACRONYM was trying to fix a digital campaign space that often advises clients to use tactics that they can profit off of, rather than tactics that actually help candidates win. 
The other lefty campaign tech companies haven't been happy with @anotheracronym. Not only has the non-profit raised tens of millions from groups that could be paying them but they feel @taraemcg struck them as holier-than-thou, blaming them for what's wrong with Washington.
What's worse: they believed Tara's model wasn't any more accountable or transparent than theirs despite her claims. The bulk of @anotheracronym's work was shrouded, still being done by for-profit companies.
Companies like Shadow.
Companies like Shadow.
And so ACRONYM's big test was simple: What would happen to their call for transparency when they faced their first major crisis?
The answer doesn't look good. @taraemcg and @anotheracronym released a statement distancing themselves from Shadow amidst the #IowaCaucusDisaster.
The answer doesn't look good. @taraemcg and @anotheracronym released a statement distancing themselves from Shadow amidst the #IowaCaucusDisaster.
But describing themselves as just another investor is deeply misleading.
Shadow's CEO is ACRONYM's former COO, who took over when ACRONYM bought Groundbase and turned it into Shadow. The whole point of ACRONYM is its relationships with the for-profit companies it helps develop
Shadow's CEO is ACRONYM's former COO, who took over when ACRONYM bought Groundbase and turned it into Shadow. The whole point of ACRONYM is its relationships with the for-profit companies it helps develop
This debacle may lead to the death of the #iacaucuses, which probably should have died a long time ago.
But the real tragedy is that it could threaten ACRONYM's grand experiment, which has/had real potential to fix perverse profit incentives in elections.
But the real tragedy is that it could threaten ACRONYM's grand experiment, which has/had real potential to fix perverse profit incentives in elections.
