We have ourselves to blame

[JNelson6563]

With the Roberts vote going through today I see much wailing and gnashing of teeth. "Throw the DINOs out!!" is the sentiment of the day.

Well my friends I'm here to tell you we have only ourselves to blame. Look across this country and you will see the weakened condition of our party. Many counties have no party organization to speak of and there are even some states who aren't as strong as some counties I have worked with.

There is no threat to those Dems in office. With no visible support network in place we're hardly going to draw lots of canddiates and certainly not those who would run against an incumbent of their own party. No, we come on the internet and bitch and send e-mails to those who piss us off, maybe even get invovled every four years in teh race for the WH but, for the most part, what we have as a power structure is what we deserve. Not much.

Until we get down to business, get involved in our local parties and create support networks and powerful grassroots movements things will remain as they are, Dems can sell us out without fear of losing their office and America will continue to be sold to the highest bidder.

Julie

[patrice]

1. It felt very good to lobby Dennis Moore Monday for UFPJ - AND

mention, in the discussion, that I am the Precinct Coordinator for my precinct.

BUT, it felt bad to tell his staff person that Moore failed to vote for any of the bills/issues United for Peace and Justice supports.

[JNelson6563]

2. Good for you!

The more of us who get involved in the day to day operation and growth of our party the stronger we, the rank and file, become and the more our elected Dems have to listen to us.

Thanks for your efforts! :toast:

Julie

[patrice]

6. I'm looking forward to the door-knocking . . .

hoping to find like-minded spirits. I will invite them over; we'll have some fun together and then write letters to people who need to hear from us.

[sandnsea]

3. Yep, locals have to talk to locals

Whatever inclination a DC politician might have on a vote, unless locals understand the issues, the DC politician will continue to have no cover. When I heard NOLA Dems bashing all government and buying into the blame Blanco/Nagin bullshit, it becomes clear that there isn't anything the DNC or any other DC Dem can do about it. Locals have to change things locally.

That, or a whole lot of national Dems have to accept that left/liberal ideas really aren't popular anymore.

:shrug:

[katsy]

4. I agree with much of what you say...

about the state of the Democratic Party's organization and the need for involvement at the local level.

But there's other dynamics not to be ignored.

1. Can voters, who can barely make ends meet, be expected to donate the funds necessary to streamline party organization?

2. Getting involved at the local level assumes voters have the leisure time to do so (after work; at the expense of their children; or schedule conflicts between family, work & volunteering).

Corporate funding of the gop has produced the most corrupt party imaginable... but an effective political party nonetheless. The Democratic Party can have this also. All they need to do is totally sell out to corporations. The gop's goal is much simpler: keep people poor and divided enough not to harm the gop agenda & raise funds from corporations.

I try to remember this conundrum every time a Democratic Representative casts a vote which seems contrary to progressive ideals, and ask myself if we would not lose one more seat to the gop if they had voted otherwise. That leaves me looking at my Dem Rep's entire record as opposed to one or two contrary votes.

[JNelson6563]

8. You make an excellent point

There are all kinds of people who make up the party. The trick is to marshal the resources available. Here in my county for instnace we have rich, poor and in-between. We raised the funds from the monied people, established a store-fornt office and went to town buying swag last year. We asked for a donation of a buch or two for the various things (bumper stickers, lawn-signs, buttons) and raked it in a few bucks at a time.

Our membership is $10 a year and dues are not mandatory. We neeed volunteers to staff the office and we offer weekday, week-night and week-end hours. The goal is to be open for when working people (of various shifts) can make it in to either visit, volunteer or whatever.

You get folks to invest a buck or two in swag, join as a member (with or without dues) and they have a vested interest. They put that lawn sign in their front yard or a bumper sticker on their car and they are sporting a mini-billboard for us. On top of that they announce their opinion for all the world and are more likely to help make that cause a "winner".

The trick is to make people feel included no matter what their situation.

I was at a fundraiser tonight for our city commission candidate. I work practically full time at this effort and some thanked me. I thanked them back and they generally say, "I don't really do much". These are generally the folks with money. I tell them they help in ways I cannot so it works out well.

It can be done but we have to be creative, resourceful and determined. We can make it cheap for those with little and ask those with much to pick up the slack. It does take a monumentous effort but it's worth it.

Thanks for your insightful comments. :toast:

Julie

[katsy]

9. Great ideas Julie!

I printed your post and will be sure to share it with our group.

Thanks!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. I have notified both my senators(D) that I'll be voting Green.

The ONLY way to make them shape up and quit rolling over on important votes (I can put up some politics-as-usual) is to withhold our votes.

[HereSince1628]

7. I respect Feingold, I have to think about what his decision means