After the general elections in November, two Dallasites launched a website that connects grassroots citizens nation wide, as well as in their community.
“We felt like conservatives needed to come together in a place where they could have access to activities in order to have maximum impact on the government,” Chad Biddinger, founder of LibertyLinked said.
Biddinger and co-founder Corey Cheek organized LibertyLinked around three core principles: fiscal responsibility, limited government and the rule of law.
LibertyLinked’s mission is similar to the Democrat group, Organizing for America.
“We looked at our country and saw that the left had this amazing machine and we had to respond,” Biddinger said. “And this is our response.”
Before they created the site, conservatives followed the Republican activity through more than 100 websites. Now, they only have to access one—LibertyLinked—for a full activity calendar.
When someone becomes a member of the site, he or she is automatically added to the district, both state and federal, in which they live.
Through this website, conservatives across the nation can elect and hold their representatives accountable. Members can also blog and join activism groups.
As they build their site, LibertyLinked is looking for student interns. Staring in May, interns will be working 20 hours a week for a total of 10 weeks. Interns will implement marketing campaigns through digital communication.
“It’s a unique experience,” Biddinger said. “Interns are offered a real life experience as they work with costumers and implement basic marketing to business development.”
Both Biddinger and Cheek are excited about the “energy and passion” the interns will bring to the organization.
“We are committed to have these folks leave and have a marketable quantifiable thing to put on their resume,” Biddinger said.
SMU junior William Floyd will be interning for LibertyLinked this summer.
“I was browsing MustangTrak looking for any internship opportunities related to marketing and came across LibertyLinked,” Floyd said. “Being a conservative organization working with conservative clients, I found to be very appealing.”
Interns are not paid but can receive up to $4,000 in bonuses. However, Cheek and Biddinger are willing to give class credit when possible.
“Although it is unpaid, I feel that I will be able to gain a lot of experience and knowledge,” Floyd said.
Currently, this for-profit organization has more than 650 members. The interns will work to gain members by the 2012 election.
Cheek is a self-employed attorney and Biddinger works in business.
