PA Young Democrats: Raise Our Voices

[rabid_nerd]

December 17, 2005

Dear PA Young Democrats:

2004 was a remarkable year for the PA Young Democrats. We earned the respect of our party leadership by organizing around the state and having an impact in our party and on this year's elections in Pennsylvania. Its time to take advantage of that respect and raise our voices on the future of the Democratic Party.

In February, 450 members of the Democratic National Committee will gather to elect a new chairman for the DNC. Young Democrats were a force nationally this year and will continue to be a force in the Democratic Party. Our voices should be heard by those who represent us at the national level and we should let them know how we feel about the direction of our party and who should lead it at the highest levels.

At this point in time, there are nearly a dozen potential candidates for the position of DNC Chair, including former presidential candidate Howard Dean, former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, party activist Don Fowler and others.

I am asking you to send me your thoughts on who you think should be elected to lead our party in the next term. I will compile your emails and send them to State Party Chair TJ Rooney, other voting members of the DNC from Pennsylvania, and to the three members of the DNC from the Young Democrats of America. Please send me your comments, with your name and the county you live in, by January 5, 2005.

Take a moment to help influence who the next chairman of the DNC should be! Send your comments to me at [e-mail] by January 5, 2005. Forward this message to other young Democrats in your county.

Happy Holidays!

Tony Campisi
President, Pennsylvania Young Democrats
1st Vice Chair, Delaware County Democratic Party
[e-mail]
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Posted by Herb Riede
Correspondence Secretary
Pennsylvania Young Democrats
[e-mail]
http://www.payd.org

[rabid_nerd]

1. My reply

I have thought long and hard on the situation, and I have been soundly turned off by anyone Al From supports. Al From from the DLC has given centrist Democrats a bad name and turned building a bridge into selling the farm.

We need someone to lead us who isn't afraid to fight, and while I surely am not one to pile up on Terry Mac, as he listened to me rattle on at length and I believe won two very tough presidential elections (yes, I AM following Ohio, thank you very much), I think we need our own polarizing figurehead for the next four years.

Howard Dean isn't afraid to be polarizing - while at the same time being smart about the debate, while the "Democratic Wing" of liberals might think he will liberalize the party, I believe Dean would instead change and improve our aging message from agreeing all the time to emphasizing where we are right and they are wrong - which we need to do as the party out of power. This does not mean moving the party per se, just changing the rules of the game.

We can no longer compromise where we have already done so, we must move forward with great things. The center is allergic to change - and I am part of that center, however I am also a progressive, and know things need fixed, and fixed badly.

I believe Howard Dean would be as good a figurehead as Rendell was a fundraiser.

For these reasons, I submit that over the last two weeks I've concluded that Howard Dean should be our next Chair.

Herb Riede
Correspondence Secretary
Pennsylvania Young Democrats

[rabid_nerd]

2. Kick. Please send responses.

If you are a Democrat under 40 in Pennsylvania and support Howard Dean for Chair, email [e-mail] IMMEDIATELY.

Feel free to also email with any other thoughts on the DNC Chair race.

:kick: