Big Red Tent is an effort to put the tools of the Internet into the hands of our grassroots members so each member can do the most good for the Republican candidate(s) of their choice.

The Big Red Tent community will build a slate of candidates through dialog, what we calling stumping, and voting. Users in our community will be able to contribute -- and raise -- money for all of the candidates on the Big Red Tent slate.

Big Red Tent is an effort to combine online activism with fund raising.

How can we do this?

First, we'd like to recruit Republicans of all stripes into the tent - especially folks who want to use the Internet to propel candidates and campaigns toward success.

Second, we want people in the tent community to organize. Folks with similar philosophies will have discussions about their candidates and their passions and we envision a community with lots of groups based upon one philosophy and groups based upon many shared philosophies.

Republicans continue to show that their online strategies are stuck in 1999. They think the Internet is best used for "pushing" information to supporters.

Here's what they need to know: the Internet is a medium for active communication. Users like click, read and take action.

Take this example. The message gets points for brevity, but it's a classic example of what's wrong with the GOP's style of online communication.

Subject: RNC General Chairman's State of the Party Address

Friends: