I've become disgusted with my local Democratic committee

[IrateCitizen]

I joined my local Democratic committee in the summer of 2002, and have served as a district leader during that time. But over the past year and a half, I have become so disgusted with them that I'm ready to throw up my hands and just say the hell with it!

I was talking to one of my neighbors yesterday, an older gentleman named Al who I see every couple of days when he's out walking his dog. Inevitably our conversations turn to politics, and we are both glad to find someone else with whom to Bush bash. But yesterday, Al asked me what I thought of the local election coming up.

I had been to the village debate last week, and it left me thinking, "Just what in the hell is the DIFFERENCE between these candidates?" I mean, if you had listened to the answers they provided, there was NO discernable difference between them. Hard to get excited to do the door-to-door stuff in that kind of scenario.

Al, who has lived in my town for many years, voiced his disgust with the trustee we have who is running for mayor against the incumbent Republican. And I have to admit that I have become more displeased with him as well, especially going back to a board meeting shortly after the invasion of Iraq started in which he got up and gave a disgusting display of empty patriotism, pointing out how he was wearing a yellow ribbon and he thought we should all do the same. As someone who marched and wrote and acted AGAINST the war, along with being a conscientious objector applicant before it started, I was left with a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Finally, living in NY, we have cross-endorsement, a situation which leads to interesting developments. For example, of the three people on our slate this year, only one is a Democrat. The other two (including the mayoral candidate) are members of the Independence Party. And the IP trustee candidate on the Democratic slate even admitted in the debate that he is more of a Republican than a Democrat. The other incumbent trustee who is not up for re-election but who is a member of our committee is probably, at best, a centrist Democrat -- a fact he has readily acknowledged.

We also had another younger person join our committee this summer who wanted to run for office. When asked about his party registration, he was (hold on to your hats!) a REPUBLICAN!

The party apparatus is controlled by the old guard, who it seems have little interest in doing anything except WINNING. If I wanted to vote for Republican candidates, I'd vote Republican. If those candidates don't like the current Republicans in office, they should primary them -- but running on the Democratic ticket should be out of the question!

If I had more time on my hands and was looking at living in my town for more than the next 3-4 years, I'd be willing to undertake a serious grassroots organizing effort to take over the party apparatus. But, unfortunately, I'm working full time in Manhattan, taking classes at night, having more and more time eaten up by Army Reserves, and just want to spend some time with my wife of three months once in a while outside of that. I'm tempted to say the hell with all of them.

Has anyone else had similar experiences working within their local committees? Has anyone been able to successfully do anything about it?

[Flying_Pig]

1. I've noticed this in certain areas. And sometimes, it seems the

Dems do everything they can to "throw" a race. I've seen statewide races, where the state Party couldn't get out of their own way, let alone manage creditable opposition, and it left me wondering.

On more local levels, it is sometimes even harder to tell the two parties apart. This is the influence of m-o-n-e-y, and perhaps the DLC wing.

Anyway, I know what you're talking about. After the 04' election, we need to shake this Party down to its foundations. If it refuses reform, I'll bet there will be tens of millions who will desert the Party, and I (after 35+ years).... will be one of them.

[PATRICK]

5. the Leisure party

Working with some volunteers I noticed that those with time on their hands shared a certain range of emotions, values and decisions. They certainly themselves did not represent the majority. Comfort was something taken for granted, controversy a polite game, guts or instincts of another species altogether. It once was(not ancient history) that local politics was non-partisan before Yin and Yang branding and team divisions reached downward.

The reassertion of relatively valueless non-partisan politics on the local level unfortunately is dominated by types and classes whose core values are written on the wind. Enthusiastic spectators at best of the major league bouts shown on TV.

Observing how many millionaires and wine and caviar Dems and Repugs are in the "upper" reaches of officialdom the unhealthy state of political democracy seems top to bottom a vain show. Those with the most will could possibly run over these sheep, or around, or simply throw up their hands and move to higher levels of real power.

Generaliizing, though the state of body politic as a whole seems dangerously ill on a number of levels. But to have the national level of party leadership tolerate the local state of affairs, be unable to find, fund or even think about candidates or the "cause" shows a false ultilitarian sickness gutting their ability even to protect themselves- to exist as a true party at all. Between a hollow candidate and a determined manipulator or fanatic(with gloss)ther electorate will end up with the manipulative fanatic.

Real Dems and real Dem actions- or the party except as a convenient label is simply dissolved.

[RichM]

2. That sounds pretty bad, all right. But I'm curious to know 1) if you are

the ONLY seriously progressive person that's joined your local committee 2) how much time it takes up each month, & 3) if any of your experience as a volunteer has been valuable (beyond the mere fact that you've learned some unpleasant realities - learning, always having some sort of "value")??

PS - the way you word your next-to-last para above ("I'm tempted to say the hell with all of them..") leaves you open for some wit to say, "Well, I think you should probably hang on to the wife!" (I'll pass up the opportunity to make this joke!)

[IrateCitizen]

6. Answers to your questions...

1. Yes. By a mile.

2. The problem lies not just in the amount of time, but WHEN. Committee meetings typically take place on Sunday evenings. Problem for me has become that my Sunday evenings are usually taken up with one of three activites: Army Reserves, travelling to visit my family in Western PA, or family dinner with the in-laws. Now, I am certain that there would be those who would say that I'm just choosing not to attend, but I look at is as family being the #1 priority in my life, and having meetings at a time that is commonly set aside for family gatherings is just plain asinine, IMHO.

3. One of the major things I have learned is that I am not particularly valued for contributions I can make outside of the grunt work. The older woman who is the de facto head of our committee will ATTEMPT to act as if she is interested in anything I have to say, but I can easily tell when I am being seriously listened to and when I am being patronized -- and hers is nothing but patronizing.

[CWebster]

3. Yeah, our local politics are pretty disgusting too

and getting worse with each passing day.

A small group calls the shots and operates in secret--a fact they don't even try to hide. The entire town could turn out at a public meeting to protest some of their shenanigans and they brazenly carry on with their plans regardless. It is a small colonial town surrounded by affluent suburbia that seeks to develop the town into a mall - complete with a Starbucks on the corner - to cater to their preferences over community concerns.

It is like a microcosm of the larger picture, along with the frustration of not even being able to act locally against this bullying and arrogant cast of characters representing business interests over residents.

[mdmc]

4. Upstate NY is tough for us

But I would encourage you to hang in there. I have the same problems in upstate, but now see a large Green and progressive democratic coalition that represent our beliefs. The landscape is beginning to change. If your scene is too conservative, try to nudge it to the left.
Most of our local elected Dems are cross endorsed conservatives, or renagade GOP that couldn't get along with their own party.
I encourage you to hang in there. Really work your district and get the vote out in the area that you represent. Listen to what the residents say. Then take that base and run yourself (or a trusted candidate) when your ready (perhaps in 2004 when the big dems come to NY). Just by you working within the local system and holding on to your core beliefs you can really influence your local political culture.
By being active you give the local party and the media a reference source for progressive ideals. This is how a progressive base can be established.
Ironically, I'm a crunchy Dean supporter (you know the kind; Deans not liberal enough, but his electability overshadows Sharpton / Kucinich's grasp of the issues). I work very well with my local conservative democrats and local moderate repubs. I work hard, and have earned their respect, even thought they think I'm too much of a lefty. I think that my hard work, and Deans great campaigning will REQUIRE the rest of my 'conservative' committiee to endorse Dean! Just keep standing and delivering. They will take notice. Then they will follow. :~)
:dem:

[IrateCitizen]

8. Problem is, I'm only planning to live here for another 3 yrs or so...

Right now, I live in Upper Westchester and work in Manhattan as an engineer. I'm back in school at night, pursuing a teaching certificate. Our goal is to completely exit the corporate world (my wife is already a teacher) and move up to Ulster Co (New Paltz, preferably) and live a simpler life.

If I had long-term aspirations of staying in my town, I'd be more apt to get involved. But right now, between work (and the long commute), school, Army Reserves, and wanting to spend time with my wife -- the committee is slipping down on the priorities list.

Additionally, the district I represent is not even the one I live in. I was just thrown into a district, something I'm not overly pleased about -- and something that causes some issues with organizing, because it's much more feasible to organize those in the district in which I live.

[CWebster]

9. New Paltz

One of our stops enroute to VT. My mother's family had a "farm" in Esopus, where my grandmother carved her name- CWebster, on the door of the barn---hence the handle-CWebster. ;-)

[mdmc]

7. I just noticed your sig. line

and it reminded me of another local party issue.

The local GOP candidate for council met me for the first time. She had heard of me and was "concerned" that I would work/vote for my party instead of the "best" candidate (the GOP have put out a great platform and have really campaigned; the dems have slacked). I told her that I would be voting row B, just like most of the dems in our city.
She contended that it was wrong to vote party line as opposed to voting for the best candidate.
I removed the debate from our current campaign.
"225 years ago," I said, "this council race could have been between the "more qualified / best candidate" British loyalist and a "less qualified" American Patriot candidate. I would vote for the "less qualified" Patriot over the "more qualified" Loyalist. The candidate that represents my party the best, represents my beliefs the best, deserves my vote. She understood this.

Sometimes we take our candidates just because they will take us. My town COULDN'T find candidates to run as Democrats for many posistions.

We just gotta play the cards that we are handed.