WP: Democrats' Grass Roots Shift the Power

[Pirate Smile]

Democrats' Grass Roots Shift the Power
Activists Energized Fundraising, but Some Worry They Could Push Party to Left

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, February 20, 2005; Page A04

-snip-
"Paul in OC" and "Steviemo in MN" wrote that they had made their first-ever contributions to the national committee. Someone identified as "J" pleaded with Dean to come to Florida, "home of Baby Bush," to "heal the irritating red and help us become a cool blue state again." "Donna in Evanston" wrote, "It's sad, but it is up to the grassroots to set the example for our representatives in Washington. Howard gets it. Maybe some day the beltway bunch will get it too."
Those sentiments square neatly with Dean's call for "bottom-up reform" of the Democratic Party and the further empowerment of grass-roots activists who flexed their political muscle in his unsuccessful presidential campaign. They later became the backbone of organizing and fundraising efforts by John F. Kerry's campaign and the DNC's election-year efforts.

But the rising of this grass-roots force also signals a shift in the balance of power within the party, one that raises questions about its ultimate impact on a Democratic Party searching for direction and identity after losses in 2002 and 2004.

-snip-
At a minimum, say party strategists, the shift will mean a more confrontational Democratic Party in battles with President Bush and the Republicans. But some strategists worry that the influence of grass-roots activists could push the party even further to the left, particularly on national security, reinforcing a weakness that Bush exploited in his reelection campaign.

-snip-
As Dean takes the helm as party chairman, Democrats now face a competition between what might be called the Dean model and the Clinton model, between confrontation and triangulation. This amounts to a contest between a bold reassertion of the party's traditional philosophy that fits the polarized environment of the Bush presidency vs. a less provocative effort to balance core values with centrist ideas that proved successful in the 1990s but has since produced a backlash within the party.

more...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38436-2005Feb19.html

[lovuian]

1. Ya when Liberman was picked as the VP for Gore and gets a kiss

from Bush that says the Democratic Party has been Hijacked!!!

[skeeters]

2. Listen To Your Mother

My Mother taught me in the Sixties, that grass-roots were the answer. They helped end a war, and ended segragation. And still I never learned. At least till now.

Yes, the grass-roots will be the answer. And they brought us Dean. Who is not to the left, I hate to tell the braindead Washington Post.

I welcome input if you are Right, Left, Center. Anyone but a brainwashed evangelical praying for the rapture. For them, Bush may well be the answer.

But to the rest, if you don't like the Left. Take Hillary, Lieberman, Zell Miller and join the Republican Party.

[Melodybe]

3. Screw the post every local democrat I know is happy

for the 1st time in a long time democrats are hopeful, the post is a rag. They are trying to rain on our parade, well I, for one, won't let a Bushco enabling POS newspaper tell me what to think.

[OzarkDem]

21. Agree

local Dems in our area are feeling energized for the first time in years.

[Erika]

5. I totally agree

Those you named are republican lites. Hillary campaigned for Goldwater, Lieberman is for Israel defense regardless of the cost to Americans, and Miller is a racist redneck.

[Racenut20]

16. You are right, but !

When Hillary campaigned for Goldwater it was 41 years ago and she was a girl influenced by her father.

"Mo-Jo" is Jewish, so he gets half a pass. A whole one if he would stop kissing Shrub and PorkChop's ass.

And I DO agree. Zell is nothing more than a redneck racist who kissed up enough to the "blackfolk" to get elected.

[karynnj]

24. Statute of limitations - Goldwater ran in 1964!

Hillary became a Democrat in college and has been one since. She was perceived to be to Bill's left throughout the time she was first lady. Although it is way too early to pick a candidate for 2008, Hilary is not my favorite, but this is totally unfair. How many potential candidates (other than Kerry) can prove their political preferences that far back? Should we condemn Clark for more recently supporting Republicans?

Miller is obviously the last of the Dixiecrats, most of whom joined the Republicans years ago. The strange thing is, when they were Democrats, they added to the number of Democrats in the Congress, contributing to Democratic control. They now add to the Republicans. They still project much of the same racist message, though it's hidden now behind a values facade.

[creeksneakers2]

4. The "party strategists" still don't get it.

Nobody is planning to or wants to or is capable of launching a military attack against us. Its not even close. There is no "national security" issue. Its all about making the military sacred and calling anybody who doesn't want to waste over $400 billion a year on it "weak." Bush wants to cut home heating assistance. Does that make him "weak" on home heating assistance? This "weak" logic applies only to the military, which is by far the biggest money waster in the government.

The problem the "party strategists" have had is they don't even have the guts to ask "Who is going to attack us?" Or, "What do we need more subs for?" That's why we get killed on the whole military thing. I hope Dean gets it.

We can start off by calling "defense" spending what it really is - foreign military aid.

[Erika]

6. Excellent logic

Call defense spending what it is. Redisribution of wealth by the American working class to profits by corporate globalists.

[Just Me]

25. Moreover, aggressive imperialism always leads to a wave of warring.

Sometimes, I feel like we've returned to the beginning of the last century and are setting up all the elements necessary for another world entanglement that will be far more devastating than the 1st or 2nd world wars.

I wish we'd return to a Wilsonian model of foreign policy which gravitated towards the development of a world body that worked to prevent aggression and advance self-determination.

[kodi]

7. "some strategists worry that the influence of grass-roots activists could"

cost them their cushy jobs.

[MisterP]

8. it's bad when people get in charge instead of corporations!

very very bad!
This is the official message, brought to you by Tammany Hall version 2.0.

[torque]

9. WP, stop pissing down my back and telling me it's raining

Grassroots = truth, justice, responsibilty. WP = Bushit!!

[Jane Eyre]

10. What Happened in NC Today - Big News!

Jerry Meek, a 34-year-old attorney from Fayetteville, won the state party chairmanship over Governor Mike Easley's handpicked candidate Ed Turlington. Every elected official, except for Insurance Commissioner Jim Long, endorsed Turlington. Former Senators Bill Bradley and John Edwards made personal phone calls to State Executive Committee members on behalf of Turlington.

Jerry Meek won anyway because of the overwhelming support that he earned from grassroots activists. It is the first time that the governor's choice for state party chair.

[mazzarro]

14. Very, very good - let the grass root defy these SOB party

hacks. Sick and tired of these hacks being unresponsive to the base - i.e. brazenly choose the people they want in the leadership, then turn around to ask for the votes of the base as if the base has no memory of these things.

[LiberalFighter]

31. Who all gets to vote for state party chair in NC?

[Jane Eyre]

34. State Executive Committee Members

Each county elects members to the State Executive Committee at a county party convention held in April of odd-numbered years. The number of voting members that each county gets is calculated based upon the number of votes the Democratic gubernatorial candidate got from that county in the last election. Right now, there is one SEC member for every 3000 votes given to the governor. There are also other elected officials with votes on the committee as well as the presidents of affilated Democratic organizations such as the Democratic Women's Club and the Young Democrats.

The short answer is that there were 573 people eligible to vote, or to sign proxies allowing another Democrat from their county to vote at the meeting. Jerry pretty much knew most of the members from having been involved with the local county organization over the past two years. As first vice chair of the state party, he traveled about 6000 miles per month visiting nearly all the counties in the state. To win an election with a limited number of voters like this, you need to know them personally. You have to know who you can count on to speak to others on your behalf and solicit proxies where necessary.

Howard Dean used the same basic approach in his campaign to win the DNC chairmanship. He simply picked up the phone and called people. And listened to them.

[LiberalFighter]

35. Don't have that here in Indiana...

it is District Chair and I think Vice Chair

That's it!!

Which would be 18

[hedda_foil]

11. This is actually a very well reported article.

I like this paragraph especially. It lays out what's going on quite well:

In the 1980s, Democrats courted corporate interests for political contributions, and that marriage helped influence party policy on economic and tax issues. But it also produced complaints by liberal Democrats that the party was selling out its principles for campaign cash. Gauging the ideological complexion of the small donors who opened their wallets in 2004 is much harder, but their participation in the process has diminished the power of business interests within the party and likely will produce some shift in the party's ideology as well.

[madfloridian]

12. It is a good article . You are right.

My favorite part which gets to the way he inspires:

"Paul in OC" and "Steviemo in MN" wrote that they had made their first-ever contributions to the national committee. Someone identified as "J" pleaded with Dean to come to Florida, "home of Baby Bush," to "heal the irritating red and help us become a cool blue state again." "Donna in Evanston" wrote, "It's sad, but it is up to the grassroots to set the example for our representatives in Washington. Howard gets it. Maybe some day the beltway bunch will get it too.."

Florida, home of Baby Bush...I call it Jeb Country. When I write to reporters I always refer to it that way...they usually write me back, too.

:hi: to Hedda. Don't see you much.

[hedda_foil]

13. Hey, mf! Donna in Evanston is a friend of mine!

We live in the same town and did the Iowa storm together in '04. She's co-leader of our DFA meetup. When I saw this article, I sent it right off to her and her co-leader, who's running for city council ... in true DFA fashion!

Sorry I've been so hard to catch lately. First the recounts and now we're putting together a new organization to support the grassroots state and local (anti) e-voting groups. It's been really exciting, but I don't get to post much lately.

:pals: hedda

[rodeodance]

15. BushCo is weak on compassion;BushCo is weak on Compassion--that

should be the mantra!!!!

[madfloridian]

29. I wanted to ask you, but wasn't sure.

I recognized the Evanston part when I saw her name. She posts at the blog sometimes.
If you have not read the summaries of the DFNY meeting this week-end at the blog, but sure you do. Bloggers and all. I don't have the permanent link, but not far down the page.

[OzarkDem]

22. What also happened

As the article states, Dems became moderately successful at cultivating corporations for campaign and operations funds. They took the lazy way out and became dependent on a mix of corporate and union donors, with a smattering of wealthy individuals and a speck of grassroots funding.

R's capitalized on it by using their political power to pressure corporations, wealthy folks and unions and dried up much of the local funding for Dems. Those who were able to raise money at all had to do the bidding of their corporate masters and local Repubs, even to the point of not supporting other Dems for office. That's how Ohio ended up with R control of all 3 branches of government.

The grassroots have completely revamped fundraising and used it to decentralize political power. Its given Dems the freedom to run their own candidates again.

[LinuxInsurgent]

17. i hope it does...

Centrism won't stop the Right....and frankly, I want to fight with the gloves off...no more appeasing the middle-class to get their votes...I want to fight.

[underpants]

18. Reports of the party's demise are premature

3 months after the election and the Dems hit the ground running.

[meow2u3]

19. The grassroots of the Dem party

Contrary to the consultants' belief, the influence of the grassroots won't shift the Dems far left, but actually to the radical center, or more accurately, center-left populists. Most of the disenfranchised Dems who dropped out of politics are the genuine populists: economic liberals and social moderates, as opposed to the far-right pseudopopulists, who are really the brainwashed, Bush-worshipping fascists who get away with murder.

[AnneD]

23. There are those of us.....

that are fiscally conservative but socially liberal. There are also those of us that are Christian Liberals (we actually take the words of Jesus literally and support programs to help the poor). We think the Beatitudes should govern your heart and the Ten Commandments your actions. And it is not just Christian Liberals either. It can be Muslim moderates.
If you exercise fiscal discipline in some areas, you have funds available that can be used for the betterment of all. We are the people that don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk. We would be the ones that sheltered run away slaves or provided a safe house for Jews. We are the group that know instinctively that what you do to the least, you do to all. We are humanities grass roots.

[Arugula Latte]

33. AnneD -- you will burn in Hell!

Jerry Falwell says so! Don't you know that greed, hate, and bombing brown people are the true Christian values?

:evilgrin:

[ausiedownunderground]

20. What is America's version of "left" To us it seems very "Right"!

America seems to have this view of Democrats as some type of hard core left wing radical's who will take to the streets at a drop of a hat. US Democrats are absolute "pussies" by international standards. Look at Georgia and The Ukraine. The "Rest of the World" 's Democrat's usually win elections by "Sheer" brainpower and an uncanny ability to be able to "Control" their media. Now Rove has changed the "Rules" in the US. The US Democrats are a "Joke"! In the "Rest of the World"! Democrat's your not!!! Your a "Bunch of wimps" who are quite likely to let the " Bush Gang" invade anybody they want! They know that!!! It's time you "Real" Democrats realized that! Because if you invade OZ we'll give you a "Real" War. Were already planning our reception for your 19 and 20 plus somethingy's. Oh, thats right youv'e got "Stryker" mobile infrintary platforms and "Air support" and we don't have "Suicide" bombers and RPG's. Bring it on AWOL Chimps!

[reprobate]

26. You confuse the 'Democratic Party' power structure with the grass roots.

The power structure of the party has been right wing since the DLC took over and pushed the corporate money on them. They are just obeying their masters, the money givers.

The difference now is that the 'money givers' for the DNC have become the grass root people. This may (and I say 'may' because nothing is sure in politics) move the party to the left-centre.

I believe-hope-that things are changing with Soros starting a liberal network and other things that have been on the board. Many of us agree that the defense budget is nothing more than a transfer of wealth from the people to the defense industry.

[dandrhesse]

27. Thing that gets me riled is all of these assumptions are based on the

assumption that bush won the election. He didn't. He was awarded the most votes but that is all. There is only one issue, the vote. All other issues are moot if we don't have fair elections. All the posturing the claiming of a mandate the wringing of hands over what the Dems should do. I was hopeful because Dean in his acceptance speech to the DNC mentioned elections and that was good.

[reprobate]

28. Re: fair elections, I agree. To have any chance at effective change.....

....the power structure of the party must be changed, and I'm hoping that Dean can be a catalist for that change.

Let's face facts, nothing will be done until the current crop of senators and representatives bearing the label "Democrat" is replaced by people who are not a part of the power elite inside the beltway. That will take a new hand at the helm of the party, and I'm hoping that Dean can be the one to do that.

There's a possible positive side effect of a Dean leadership of the DNC: In most of the surveys I read a majority of the people of the nation believe in the same things that Democrats do. Never mind the election spin we are given by the Mindless Media, when asked the questions in the right way, leaving off labels of libera, conservative, republican, democrat, they believe that the poor should be taken care of, that there should be a safety net for everyone, that public schools should be strong, etc.

Dean has the ability to talk to those people in a way that can cause them to change party affiliation. And that will mean the difference in coming elections. And I'm hoping also that Dean can be the one to shame the Mindless Media into returning to journalism, not just stenography for the administration. If that happens, Boy George is toast. Along with the repug party.

[coreystone]

30. Both parties have been "hijacked"! The Republicans did a better job....

of "PSY/OPS" in the transition fazes. I still think that there are many grassroots Democrats who feel that the Democratic Party should be the "people's" party. The Democratic Party let the Republicans take complete control of everything; the Presidency, the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the corporative media shills; you name it they got it!!

Now it is time for the Democratic Party to rebuild and let the "rubber stampers" know where the line is drawn. NO MORE MORE TRADE OF VOTING. It doesn't work anymore! The "crooks" and "thugs" want it all, and, they won't be satisfied until there are 100 Republican Senators, 435 Republican Representatives to the House, the Supreme Court to occupied by only those "rubber stamped" by the Federalist Society http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/apr2001/aba-a06.shtml as opposed by the ABA, total corporate ownership of ALL MEDIA with the FCC "rubber stamping" any regulation necessary to insure for the proper "psychological" propaganda distributed to the American populace, and control of the "INTERNET".

But, that still won't be enough. THEY WANT TOTAL CONTROL!

The Democrats must not concern themselves about re-election, or obfuscating the "majority" in Congress, they are at the DRAW THE LINE..FILIBUSTER EVERYTHING!!! If any lose the next election, then they won't have to take Ambien to sleep at night.

Support the "new" grassroots for the Democratic Party that aren't AFRAID of Winning! It is much better to TRY to win, then to give it away, "PIECE BY PIECE"!

[GOPBasher]

This worked for the Republicans.

The Republican party made a huge comeback when the grass-roots right wing activists took it over. Now maybe we should return the favor.

[DU GrovelBot]

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