Taking it to the next level

Via Annie at PhD in Parenting, the studious Canadian momblogger, we came to know this article about how the next UK election is shaping up as the Mumsnet election. That is, the women of Mumsnet, the leading momblog in the UK, will be the next soccer moms or values voters or teabaggers or whatever the “it” constituency is.

A few things worth pointing out here. First, as Annie noted, the article has a somewhat remarkable aside about how Mumsnet doesn’t accept advertising from McDonald’s or Nestle, or allow any formula or cosmetic surgery ads. That’s remarkable because in DadWagon’s brief experience as part of the parent-blogging crowd, it seems that there are many, many more bloggers who will gladly shill (yay #DisneyMoms!) than people who will take a principled stand. Not a coincidence: Annie is one of those who has taken such a stand, notably against #nestlefamily, whose acolytes would probably have no idea there is even such thing as a Nestle boycott without her ministry.

Of course, it must feel a bit like shouting into the wind. I don’t begrudge people trying to make a living, but I get the sense that for a free plane ticket to someplace warm and a swag bag or two, a fair number of mom- and dad-bloggers would start tweeting enthusiastically about being #GitmoMoms or #alQaedaDads.

Another point brought up in the article that’s worth a look: women have long had outsize influence in UK politics. Middle-aged, middle-class women especially vote in disproportionately high numbers. They do so because, depending on how they vote, their government might actually make a difference in their lives on issues of child care, child safety, maternity leave. It’s all different here in the States. Even in the golden era of Soccer Moms, much of their votes coalesced around social wedge issues. But who can blame them? Neither party offers a coherent platform that would make child care actually affordable, or mandate decent maternity leave. The GOP lacks that ambition, and the Dems lack the will. It doesn’t help anyone that political journalism largely remains the same as Michael Kelly described it in the early Clinton years, all about the image and not about the action.

One of the arguments used against the Nestle boycott (and presumably against Annie) is that mom- and dad-blogs should enjoy being courted by corporations like Nestle. It’s a sign of bloggers’ growing importance. But really, it’s not that impressive that corporations take us seriously as consumers. Despite the promises, a better Swiffer won’t change your life. But political power could. You need to take it to the next level.

So congratulations to Mumsnet for being the swing bloc in the next UK election. I just don’t think we’ll see anything like that happening on our side of the pond, not for a very long time. Mom- and dad-bloggers act too much like an Oprah audience looking under their chair for prizes to actually organize around issues. And Washington isn’t really giving them any choices anyway.

Ugh. Sign me up for #depresseddads. Maybe throw in a junket to Flint, Mich., and a swagbag full of generic dilaudid.