What are your thoughts on the FUNCTION of the party (NOT the chair, btw)

[blondeatlast]

This is an exercise in thinking broadly, IMHO. Getting down to the nitty-gritty, in other words.

Sometimes it seems as the party is meant to be all things to all people, a recipe for failure if ever there was one.

So what are the absolutely basic functions of the party, in your opinion?

My thoughts, at least for now:

Liasion between candidates and party members

Fundraising

Strategy wonks--not the best way to put it, but it sums it up well!

Agenda setters

Your thoughts?

[judy]

1. To me, the Party should represent an entity behind a common cause.

In the case of the US Democratic Party, I think the common cause which hasn't been addressed so far, especially not by John Kerry, is this:
Defense of the US Constitution and the values that made this country great.

That's all. It's easy. You can then attack Bushco on all fronts since they are acting against the Constitution and against the law.

Examples:
Patriot Act.
The Democratic Party of the United States of America should emphatically oppose the Patriot Act.

Torture:
The Democratic Party of the United States of America should be opposed to the nomination of anyone who has currently or in the past endorsed any form of torture.

Foreign Policy:
The Democratic Party of the United States of America should be the champion of the UN and International Law. As the leaders in the Nuremberg trials, the United States set a new precedent for the world in the Nuremberg judgements. The Democratic Party is the champion of Nuremberg laws and clamors for their application on their own beloved soil.

And so on, so forth...No need to torture your brain...it's so simple. Why do they all claim it's hard to find the true direction of the Democrats? Read a little history and it will become quite clear.
Also, Bushco is becoming so careless with the law, that it is easy to stand up against them by espousing traditional American Values as described in the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, the Geneva Protocols, etc.
Why not??

[Old and In the Way]

2. Today, I think it's the anti-Republican Party.

A amalgam of diverse political interests united in one thing: get the criminals out of office; the sooner, the better.

[Mend]

3. Get Out The Vote and get it counted

[sherilocks]

4. I'm still pretty pissed with the party, but I will try to put that aside

"Sometimes it seems as the party is meant to be all things to all people, a recipe for failure if ever there was one."

Very true words and probably a place to begin. Even if I despise the chimp and everything he stands for, he certainly doesn't cater to moderates or liberals. There are too many Democrats that try to appease everybody and in doing so, make everybody hate them. Party insiders seem hung up on a doomsday strategy that if we play ball with the repugs, someday we might win. The strategy doesn't work. People, even if they have no political smarts, can sniff out a weakling appeaser; they don't like them and they don't vote for them.

As far as strategy goes, here in Florida we go through the same old same old every election cycle. DC sends in a team of neophytes to run the campaign and they don't know what's going on locally. They march into the campaign offices, bark out some things that need to be done and act like god almighty has sent them to instill strategic knowledge that we local yocals don't know a thing about. This is a huge mistake, which even Scott Mattox, chair of the Florida party admitted after the election. Send us the money, send us some workers, but don't send us these snotty interns.

Fund-raising didn't seem to be a problem this year.

[blondeatlast]

9. Agree on the "interns," take, believe me.

They need to use local precinct captains more effectively.

There's a DUer in my area who is our district chair and is well-liked and respected and knows how to motivate people--yet they pay these kids to come in, and they never listen to her.

They have the talent at the local level, but choose to ignore it EVERY TIME.

Spend the funds on local people with the roots. The interns just don't have the hunger the local people do.

[MissMarple]

5. Helping grow the grassroots, especially where the party is moribund.

While we don't need "snotty interns" as Sherilocks so colorfully describes them, we do need some help with developing and communicating a positive message to local folks to build the base. This is probably just basic PR stuff, but we need a cohesive, cogent message about our beliefs, values, and issues that people can relate to. We need progressive leadership and we need money at the local level to keep the message current.

Progressive talk radio will become more of an asset, a support, as it matures. Progressive think tanks that promote their scholars' publications and put them on programs that reach into our living rooms will bring added benefit. A party should have a role in nurturing these kinds of assets.

The party also needs to support local politicians even in areas where they may not be elected. Keeping the message before the people about our liberal political values that made this country great is important. In other words, give no ground, don't wimp out.

[sherilocks]

6. Therein lies the problem

My local DEC has people with a lot of political smarts, but they are old guard, and while they want everyone to do the grunt work and give money, they really don't want any input and literally cut off the speakers when there is any disagreement. Many people have been turned off and while they still contribute money, they don't come to meetings. I'm one of them. This is pervasive right up the food chain to the DNC.

Also the state party will not give money to anyone they consider a "loser." This turns off people who might consider a run, and who truly might lose this time, but come back again in two years for another try. Locally, we do give money and support to all Democratic candidates.

[sybylla]

7. IMHO, the national party organization needs to become a PR firm

for Democratic principles. The media is not only falling down on its job, it's turning against us, slandering liberals and misconstruing liberal positions.

We need some brazen advertising demonstrating the importance of maintaining social security, the weight of the birth tax (deficits as far as the eye can see), the terrible consequences of secret government (war for oil, torture, indefinite detention, propaganda), and the crisis awaiting us as more and more citizens of this country go without adequate healh care.

I'd like to see 30 second spots supported by full page newspaper and magazine ads. We need to get off the defensive and frame the debate on our terms and we need to do it now.

Sure, they should expend some effort toward fundraising. But if they did a better job countering the mighty propaganda machine that the pukes have, the state and local party orgs would have an easier time of it all around.

[blondeatlast]

10. Absolutely! We need to keep our message out there between

election cycles.

I hope to hell the party has figured out our media problems and will address them ASAP. In the meantime, we need to hire PR people and booking agents to get our best and brightest out there on the cable channels and the radio.

[KT2000]

8. Getting Democrats elected

all over the country.

Making sure the state's Democratic party offices are run well, offering organizational assistance and money where necessary.

Establishing good communication between state and national party offices.
Making sure that the state offices reach out for grassroots support - to organizations that fit well with the party - civil rights, environmental, health etc.
Increasing the visibility of the Democratic Party in public places - all over the country. ex, Making sure that MSM has a constant supply of Democratic "pundits" for appearances on tv and radio.

In other words - the DNC has to take back what has been farmed out to consultants. There must be a strong center to the party's organization.

and oh yeah - raise money