Demos preparing comeback in La. - Beaucoup Blues

[funkybutt]

http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf?/base/library-84/1122098264188150.xml?nola

They meet in N.O. to plan new strategy

"Democrats from Louisiana's northernmost hamlets as well as from posh suburbs and troubled city neighborhoods in and around New Orleans gathered Friday to plan what many acknowledge is, for now, an impossible dream: a nationwide Democratic takeover."

-snip-

"This is not an instant-gratification game. This is a long-term investment plan to enhance our own brand ID," said Jim Dean, chairman of the grassroots group Democracy for America. Dean is the brother of former Democratic presidential candidate and current Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean."
___________________________________________________________________
Here's an email about the event from LaRoots.net, which is a privately-held Louisiana grassroots database and e-bulletin network.

"PREPARING TO TURN LOUISIANA BLUE, A Beaucoup Blues Report
From Monisha Sujan and Deborah Langhoff...
On Thursday and Friday, July 21-22, 2005, Democrats from Monroe, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and the Coastal Parishes, gathered for Beaucoup Blues: Democrats for a Blue Louisiana. Louisiana's first Democratic grassroots advocacy summit brought together national, state and local Democratic leadership, statewide grassroots activists, and political novices for two days of cooperative community building. The enthusiasm and energy created by this event initiates a Democratic "comeback in Louisiana" and launches a conversation focused on Democratic core principles.

The heat and humidity of July, weekday work obligations, the forced postponement caused by Hurricane Dennis, and Jim Dean's three and a half hour standstill on the airport tarmac did not stop this movement to organize and energize grassroots activists. Approximately 150 people participated in Beaucoup Blues to frankly discuss past disappointments and the numerous grassroots initiatives, both those underway and new ones that will lead to future Democratic successes.

Jim Dean brought his experience in organizing state conventions to Beaucoup Blues. His keynote speech clarified for all participants that effecting progress "is not an instant-gratification game" and motivated everyone to engage in unrelenting efforts which he promised would net results in the long-term. After already participating in 25 state conventions, Jim was excited by the Panel exclusively devoted to African-American politics and promised that he would encourage this feature in future state conventions.

The four panels were didactic and fun. A long-time Dean enthusiast, commented, "Beyond excellent. We need local voters to know about these stellar Louisiana people." A Kerry activist agreed, "Excellent - thorough and timely."

Organizers of Beaucoup Blues hope to restore Louisiana to its blue status. While Bush captured the Louisiana majority in 2000 and 2004, Bill Clinton's two wins, the numerous statewide offices held by Democrats, and President Bush's destructive stance on Louisiana's coastal issues set the stage for a color change from red to blue in Louisiana. The alliance behind Beaucoup Blues, including activists from the broad Democratic umbrella, grassroots individuals, and Democratic officials, know this will start a fruitful organizational effort to reclaim Louisiana."

[BOSSHOG]

1. After electing garbage like jindal and vitter last year

I'd hope the good folks of Louisiana would make some sharp rudder correction. I sincerely believe that bush and rove and the whole gang of criminal conservatives are the best thing for national democrats since FDR. Keep on making mistakes for another two years george and send your party into permanent minority status. Such a thought just makes me wanna dance.

[funkybutt]

6. Hey Boss! Funkybutt is workin hard to

adjust that rudder as we speak

:hi:

[JackDragna]

2. It's not going to happen.

If anything, Louisiana is trending even more conservative as the power of the moderate liberals here wanes and the whites here become ever more desperate about their own encroaching poverty (which, of course, causes them to vote Republican, as if that could help). Louisiana, like the rest of the South, is a lost cause for us for probably the next thirty years.

[funkybutt]

4. This type of attitude is just as detrimental to our party

as the waning support for the moderate dems here. If everyone believes it's such a "lost cause", then there is no reason to put forth any effort to make things better and get our party message out there.

Sorry, but i don't really see anything constructive about your post. If it's such a waste of time, what are you doing here?

[QC]

5. But jaded, world-weary defeatism is just so hip! n/t

[madfloridian]

3. That was a good turnout. These sessions have been drawing good numbers.

150 to 200 in many red state organizational meetings. I liked these 3 paragraphs. At the blog today there is more about Jim's travels and activities. He was in Orlando just over a week ago. We did not make the organizing session just the reception. Nice man...determined as his brother. Love them both.

"Jeanie West, 51, applauded. On Thursday, she drove five hours from Mer Rouge, a town with a population in the hundreds. She calls Mer Rouge "the Bush-swamp." The part-time paramedic knocks on unfriendly doors as a Democratic National Committee field coordinator.

"This is really like a refresher course for me. I've been doing this so long," said West, who wore shorts and a T-shirt with a crossed-out "W" on it.

She feels a little hope, she said: "Right now, I'm starting to see them (Bush supporters) turn, except for what I call the ridiculous right, the hell-and-damnation people."

Yeh, Jeannie, we still have a few of the "ridiculous right" here as well.

[madfloridian]

7. More Lousiana activism ....getting liberal talk radio. Proud of them.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/006632.html

Activists bring liberal talk radio to Louisiana
Francisco Melli-Huber is a DFA member who joins us today to share the story of six Louisiana women who changed the radio airwaves in their city.

Vicki Lancaster and five other Louisiana women wanted to listen to progressive talk radio but had nowhere to turn their dials. The Baton Rouge Advocate reports:

"These are public airwaves," Lancaster said. "We have a Democratic governor, Democratic senator. Why don't we have... liberal talk radio?"
These women contacted ClearChannel, organized a petition drive, collected 1500 signatures and got a Baton Rouge radio station switched to progressive talk. Lancaster posted a comment to the UncommonSense blog explaining how they did it:

We first found all the commercial radio stations in BR and got their Arbitron ratings. We found a Clear Channel station that was floundering and changing formats with no success. So we went to the regional VP of Clear Channel armed with marketing info about Air America and articles on the success of progressive talk radio and we asked CC what would it take for them to switch one of their stations to progressive talk.
We were told—get 1000 names and contact info—we did it and put the info in an Excel data base—and CC kept their word. Don't ever let anyone tell you a few committed individuals cannot make a difference. We are now working on getting Democracy Now (independent news) aired in BR.


It took only six dedicated people to get Air America on the radio in the deep south. This is a project that can be easily taken up by local DFA groups, following Ms. Lancaster's example. If your area doesn't have a progressive talk station, you can do something about it!

—Francisco Melli-Huber

Two corrections on the Baton Rouge Advocate's article:
The radio station is 1380 AM, not 1630.
The talk show host mentioned should have been Ed Schultz