Craig Axford reveals Internet Outreach proposal &Don't Move to the Right

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Here's What's Happening This Week:

Apr 26, 2005 TOOELE County Convention CORRECTED: TOOELE County Convention April 26, 2005. 7:00 PM Location: Tooele County Courthouse Auditorium, in Tooele City - 47 South Main Street. (1st floor). Central Committee meeting at 6:30.

State party candidates forum: April 27th at 7 PM at the St. George Library.

Saturday, April 30: Axford for Chair open house – 1564 Hidden Valley Dr., Sandy
7:00 PM. Refreshments provided. Please call 755-7195 to RSVP.

Here is a map:
http://tinyurl.com/8m4kq

Web outreach plan available for review:

After publishing my ideas for improved internet outreach in early March, several delegates and other Democrats approach me about facilitating a team that would develop and present to the next Executive Committee an internet proposal. I am pleased to report a draft of their plan is now available for your review. It can be found at:
http://www.axfordforchair.org/internet.doc

Your feedback is welcome.

11 Principles Democrats can use:

As I stated in earlier updates, over the course of the remaining weeks of the campaign for state party chair, my weekly updates will focus on 11 principles Democrats can use to retake the initiative in Utah and begin building our party both locally and throughout the state. These 11 points are borrowed, with some minor changes, from George Lakoff's book “Don't think of an elephant! Know your values and frame the debate.”

My last update featured principles 9 & 10 out of the list of 11 principles Democrats can use. Previous updates can be viewed at:

http://www.axfordforchair.org/archive.htm

This week will focus on the last principle, item 11. As always, your feedback is valued and I will do my best to respond to any questions you may have about these points or how I would apply them to building a stronger Democratic Party here in Utah.

11) Speak to the base of the party in order to activate “swing voters” compassion. Don't move to the right. Rightward movement hurts in two ways. It alienates the party's base and it helps conservatives by activating their model in swing voters.

We are all familiar with the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party regarding the direction we should move in order to begin winning more elections. Truthfully, the Democratic Party has only two choices. We can either distinguish ourselves from the Republican Party by proactively advancing ideas that represent our values, or we reactively respond to the Republican agenda by attempting to mimic it with our own kinder and gentler version of it. Over the past 15-20 years in particular the later approach has been ascendant. While it has worked in some individual races both locally and nationally, overall our losses have exceeded our victories.

On a recent visit to Salt Lake City Congressman Kucinich perhaps said it best. The Congressman was asked about the debate raging within the Democratic Party. He responded by describing the eagle that dominates the House chamber and stated it can only fly if it has both a strong right and left wing.

The Republican Party consistently exhibits pride in its message. Its candidates proudly display the elephant and the name “Republican” on their literature, signs and advertising. Too often we hide our identity as Democrats by intentionally leaving the donkey and the party name off our literature and other materials. By doing so we signal there is some shame in being a Democrat, and we are paying the price.

Not only is there no shame in offering a clear choice when voters go to the polls, it is essential to maintaining and strengthening our representative democracy. There is no shame in standing up for working people, advocating for universal healthcare, civil rights, and a quality education for every child. The Republican Party is the majority party in large part because they are not ashamed of who they are, and it shows. The time has come for us to stop allowing them to define being a Democrat as something we should be ashamed of. Let's stop trying to mimic the Republicans and start distinguishing ourselves from them!

Donate Today!

Help create the change you want to see. Please donate to the Axford for Chair campaign. You can donate online at http://www.axfordforchair.org and click on "Contribute" or send a check payable to Axford for Chair to 521 East Hollywood Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84105. Thank you.





Craig Axford for Utah State Democratic Party Chair
Office 801 755 7195
Personal(801)485-4076
Cell [phone]
[e-mail]
http://www.axfordforchair.org
Visionary Leadership for a New Democratic Party