Everybody who wants a big leftward shift in the Dem Party, please read this link.

[Waiting For Everyman]

It tells how we can make the Dem party more Progressive/Liberal - it's easy and can be done in time to influence the 2012 elections. It's the only way to do it. The good news is, it WILL work. It worked for the Repubs in the 1970s, it worked for Obama (Dean's strategy), it worked for the TParty, and it will work for us too. That's proven by now. But it's the ONLY way to change the party, and make a real difference on our issues. Just working for candidates or pressuring them after they're elected won't do it. We have to become dominant in the party central committee. Then we can choose Progressives for decision-making positions, and as candidates.

Why should we let conserva-Dems within the party choose our candidates, and then have to work against them in a primary from outside the party? Why should we have to start a third party when it's easier and faster and cheaper to just take back our own? We have to start working smart, instead of just working hard. This is how.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1640640

I know this isn't new information, but it's new to many of us. It is kept a big secret in both major parties. The parties will tell us quickly enough how to work for them for free, and how to donate our money to them. But they make it very hard to find out HOW TO INFLUENCE THEM.

Precinct committeemen have a say in choosing party leaders, and candidates to run for office, and in determining how the vote will be counted in the public elections. In some places these party committeemen positions are vacant, or a matter of simple appointment just by asking the county party chairman for it.

Just working for the candidates we can still like won't do us any good, while leaving a conservative party structure as it is. This is how it got that way, btw. And if we don't change the party, as time goes on there will be fewer and fewer candidates we can support. At best, even if we can elect them, we'll keep getting stuck with more and more candidates we don't like, that way. We have to vote for them against Repubs because "what choice do we have"? Well the Dem party doesn't want us to know this but we DO have a choice, and this is it. Besides, if we DON'T do this, from now on we'll have THREE CONSERVATIVE PARTIES against us. We have to at least turn around one of them.

The TParty got started on the "precinct strategy" with as little time before the 2010 election as we have now. Lots of us doing this all over the country could make a difference.

Maybe many here already knew this but I didn't, and I have ASKED how to break into the party and got no answer. It's very hard to find out, even though it's so simple and easy. This is how...

BECOME A COUNTY PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN. They are INSIDE the tent, the rest of us are outside of it. No wonder we feel that way.

[FreakinDJ]

1. K&R - Agreed

[loyalsister]

2. Also....

Be active in the community. If your issue is environment get on county or city environmentally oriented boards and commissions. Get involved on medical boards, PTA school board, etc....
The more active you are the more credibility you will have.
And even better.....
Get involved with or form a local League of Women Voters.

[jwirr]

5. I agree with that - 15 years ago I was on every board I could get on

and it is a good way to change things. Community service is also rewarding. You actually get to see what you have accomplished. At 70 I am not so active anymore. Would like to join some local progressive groups but do not even know how to find them. I have moved from the community where I was so active to another community. Some of us at the church tried to start a group but after about 6 meetings we slowly broke up because each of us had our own issue we were more interested in.

[truedelphi]

20. jwirr, try googling

the word Transitions and then your own county name and state

For example, in my case, I'd google transitions + Lake County + California

Transitions is a marvelous nation wide program whose goal is to connect people who want to move away from the greed and hopelessness of the current paradigm into more hopeful and meaningful activities. Usually, if there is a Transitions group in your locale, there would be at least one monthly meeting, with splinter groups having other meetings.

Our local transitions group has focus groups on the economy, on solar and wind energy, on gardening, on using local resources to fight off foreclosure, etc.

I have found it a great way to meet people like me.

And the only draw back has been that most people are older individuals - I do wish more young people would join.

[lib_wit_it]

32. Additional search terms? As transitions + county + state for me returns quite a few

results, none of which seem to be what you describe. Thanks.

[librechik]

58. Heres' a link to the larger US organization (Transitions)

http://www.transitionus.org/

willl give you a clue to what they are about

[truedelphi]

83. Thanks librechik

Not aware of that link.

But now thanks to you, I am.

[jwirr]

41. Thank you.

[nashville_brook]

3. k and r

[StarsInHerHair]

4. kickety

[MineralMan]

6. Absolutely. I'm the chair of my DFL precinct organization in St. Paul, MN.

I also chair the caucus meetings and serve as a delegate to three district conventions at every election. In 2012, I'll probably get to be a delegate at the state convention. The number of people who participate in all of this is small, which means the influence of those who do is large. That's on the nomination side of things.

Then, I get to walk my precinct, with the help of others who are active and work on campaigning and GOTV for that precinct. That works very well, indeed, and the precinct I chair had one of the top turnouts anywhere in MN.

A link to the precinct website is in my signature line. Betty McCollum is our House member.

[Papagoose]

7. My county Dem party supported McCain in 2008

I was told in no uncertain terms that I am not welcome at the meetings, when they sporadically have them. Living in rural Georgia has some major drawbacks for a Liberal Yankee.

[Waiting For Everyman]

9. Wow, that is awful.

I had no idea it was that bad anywhere.

[Mnemosyne]

19. NW PA here, same crap. n/t

[Leopolds Ghost]

22. Let me guess, black people are not welcome at their meetings either. n/t

[kenfrequed]

24. Hmm

Sounds like you have to organize a takeover.

[Enthusiast]

26. Damn!

That is terrible!

[MessiahRp]

27. Is there anyway to start up alternate Democratic Party meetings and declare them official?

I mean if they're not supporting the Democratic candidate then they're not really the Democratic Party. Couldn't you basically run your own meetings and report back to the state party with your info so that you could become the official party group for your county?

Rp

[alfredo]

45. We did that in 2004. We out worked the party, and eventually took over.

A general rule: those who do the work, get the job. We did things the old line didn't do. We built up a list of 2,000 names, and computerized them. The party was not good at retaining voter info, we were. We were aggressive, on the streets organizers. we created our own forms and handouts.

We also were good at prioritizing. We knew that Kerry would not carry our state, but he was good as a loss leader. He got the volunteers in the door. With those Kerry volunteers hooked, we used them to help down ticket candidates. It worked. We gained a seat. We did this with a mere $5,000. More money is spent on our Jefferson/Jackson dinner.

Those volunteers caught the eye of Dean and others up the food chain. Many opportunities came to our little group of insurgents. Many are in DC or other large markets. some now hold power on the state level.

[Papagoose]

79. It's a good idea, a lot of work, but worth looking into

I really hate it here though and am trying to move away, closer to Atlanta and civilization.

[JDPriestly]

86. You should question whether they are Democrats to the National

Democratic Committee. Doesn't sound like they are.

[MelissaB]

8. Bookmarking these threads and

I hope these are posted here frequently.

[mikeburetta]

10. right (er i mean left) on

Thats right we have to take our party back from the bottom up and that starts at the prescient level! advise all to check out the pages of democracy for america`s "night school". its free on line so take advantage of a few hrs of your time and educate yourselves on the fundamentals and then get out there and apply it. Remember education in the hands of those that dare to use it can and is a dangerous thing to the powers that be!

[mikeburetta]

11. who are we waiting for

The people we have been waiting for is us and that means every last one of you and me out here.

[Better Believe It]

12. So how has this strategy worked out for the past 20 years or so? It's nothing really new..

And this old strategy really doesn't determine the Democratic Party political program or require Democratic Party officials and officeholders to implement it or face possible expulsion. That's what would happen in a truly democratic political party where decisions mean something.

And this is really yet another supposedly new and "clever" inside maneuver designed to wrest control of the Democratic Party from the big business and Wall Street as an alternative to building a mass movement organizing strategy against corporate interests.

Been there, done that.

[Waiting For Everyman]

13. Both can be done.

It isn't mutually exclusive.

[JDPriestly]

17. In the 60s, California liberal Democrats demanded a change

in the way the party was organized to permit a track for grass-roots organizers to play a role in the overall decisions of the Party.

[Better Believe It]

35. How is that working out nationally?

[JDPriestly]

67. I don't know, but we finally have liberal Democrats at the

state government in, I believe, all offices -- and they were elected in 2010.

That supports my theory that when Democrats run strong, articulate liberals and unite their party, Democrats win.

[Major Hogwash]

66. That's not exactly what brought on the change in California. It started with 2 Socialists.

Who were unhappy with the way Congress was ignoring the will of the people.
So, they circulated a petition to get a proposition to be placed on the upcoming ballot.
The elections board for the state of California was owned by the Republicans in 1968, so they were told they could not get propositions on the ballot by petition.
So, those 2 Socialists sued in court -- and won!!

And that's why the people in California have so many propostions on their ballots each election cycle.
2 people, a man and his wife, started the idea of using propositions in California out of frustration that none of their ideas could get passed in their state legislature.

[JDPriestly]

87. You are talking about the change in state politics.

I am talking about the change in the organization of the Democratic Party in California?

I attended a short lecture on it by one of the men who lead the movement toward change.

[Major Hogwash]

99. Yes, it was interesting to learn about it.

I lived in California during two different time periods during the 80s when the propositions were becoming so numerous at the time.
It was very interesting to watch the process of how the parties would try to block each other.
Nothing like what we are witnessing now with the Tea Party, though.

[Chan790]

14. Can I redistribute this with proper credit and citations?

I have some connections that I might be able to make this go viral among liberal activists in the twittersphere...and I'd kinda like to. More eyeballs means greater chance of success. (Also, I figure if I ask and you say yes, then other people might feel free to do so as well.

Also, I've been working on a reading list for people who want to become more effective activists and volunteers at the grassroots level for progressive causes and those looking to move the Overton Window leftward; may I use it there. I'm not sure that project is going anywhere, but I want to try and I think this might be a vital inclusion.

[Waiting For Everyman]

21. Very definitely yes, on anything you'd like to do.

[RagAss]

15. Thanks for posting this.

[JDPriestly]

16. Start by joining your local Democratic Club.

Seek out the progressive members and join their team.

Prepare a slate of progressive candidates to run for the local governing body of the Democratic Party -- precinct committee if you will. The name of this body differs from state to state.

Finally, prepare a progressive slate to run as delegates from your community for your state convention and attend the Progressive Caucus at the convention. You will get to know a lot of other progressives if you do that.

Once you know a lot of people and gain their respect, you may be able to run for office or to become a delegate at a national convention.

You have to be committed and willing to devote some serious time.

If you have less time, you can support your progressive friends who are more active than you can be.

[mmonk]

18. I've been at the precinct, district, and state level for years.

Been a precinct officer and delegate. But when many of our candidates go to DC, they forget our decisions and platforms back at the state level and our local conventions. It's made me question our function. My advice is to run for office or get people to run for office that you know well enough to know you won't be forgotten once they get to Washington. People on the state level are usually much easier.

[defendandprotect]

60. All decision making is being moved behind closed doors -- Super Congress ....

that's how the FED has come to be making the decisions re our nation's

economic policies and employment and stimulus rather than our elected officials

and our president!!

People we elect and can un-elect --



That's how Obama betrayed the nation in back room deals with Big Pharma and the private

H/C industry -- and then Rahm bragged about their having "preserved the private h/c system"--!!


That's how this budget deal got done -- in private meetings between Obama and leaders rather

than being hashed out on the floor of Congress!!


They don't want you to see or know what's going on -- and they're ensuring that you don't know.



Meanwhile 80% of the public want an end to the wars -- and

76% and more want MEDICARE FOR ALL --=


And our elected officials and president are ignoring the will of the people for the

benefit of corporate/fascists!!

[Firebrand Gary]

23. Kickety Kicked, Recd too....Now lets go remove the Conserva Dems.

[calimary]

25. This is GREAT!!!

You HAVE to start local!

That's how ralph reed did it - with the Christian Coalition. He recommended starting small and local and basically under the radar, where it's easier to infiltrate. You could get in more easily and start building your own power base from which you can influence policy at the very low ground level that never gets that much attention. AND you can start from there and build your credentials and allies, the better to run for higher office and even higher office. So you start at the school board level and a few years later you might find yourself in Congress. He was big on running for the school board. Imagine how you can fuck things up there - influencing education issues from class size and policy to what they can and can't teach in science class.

[TorchTheWitch]

28. All that matters is the money - and who it comes from

The Dem party made a giant rightward leap when Reagan killed the unions which is where they got the bulk of their campaign money and threw in the towel in favor of corporation money. Whoever gives the bulk of the money is who the politicians will be beholden to. It's that simple.

The only thing that as going to work to return the Dem party to being beholden to the workers is to get rid of our campaign finance system. Period. It is the SYSTEM that is the problem. Unfortunately, it will probably take a revolution. Historically, it always has.

[indurancevile]

29. The TP party was FUNDED. The reagan republicans were also FUNDED.

It wasn't just one winger as an individual going down & becoming a precinct committeeperson. It was an ORGANIZED, FUNDED MOVEMENT DIRECTED FROM ABOVE.

That's the "secret".

There is no one funding the left these days. Which means a grassroots movement must be created from scratch. And historically that's rare as hen's teeth.

[ecdab]

30. True, but nobody is going to fund the interests of the common folks

of this country. The powers that be count on us common folk not putting forth the effort to organize because getting organized is hard, and they have been correct in their assumption to this point. I would argue that it is well past time for us to be mad enough to put forth the effort. We are curently going down without much of a fight. Our own history suggests this is a fight we can win, but also that it will be a very hard fight. But one certainly worth the effort.

[MissDeeds]

31. K&R

[angel2]

33. We need a common bonding theme

The Christian-right has the notion that they are for 'Jesus',
a false notion, I'm a Christian, and I see little 'Christian'
likeness to them, nevertheless, the theme works to gather
them, they claim to be persecuted, ---

Sooo, our theme could be 'PEACE'  everyone knows the peace
sign, and the peace hand,  we could educate the public through
'Peace Groups' charge membership $10.00yr and they get a
t-shirt, we show movies, have refreshments, church's provide
the meeting room, Newspapers often provide free ads.  Pass the
basket for extra funds at each meeting. 

I know because we have a local peace group. The brain-child of
two local people, an author, and a professor.

[Remember Me]

51. I think something like "Rescue Democracy from the Tyrants" is more apt

And sorry, but as interested as I am in Peace, it's a tired old non-winning theme that has little to do with what we're faced with today.

And my "suggestion" isn't meant to be taken literally as a "common bonding theme", but rather an attempt to focus on what is truly at stake.

[RKP5637]

34. K&R !!! n/t

[a2liberal]

36. A good idea in theory. I don't think it can work.

I am a precinct delegate. The problem is two-fold: most delegates believe that for the most part the party leaders are working for our benefit, and the party leaders work hard to keep meetings from moving in directions they don't like. I'm going to make my points in disjointed bullet form because I'm not good at putting things together:

- At the last local convention I went to, we did finally hear some rumblings of dissent, when a guest from the state level (I believe a member of the Board of Education) started talking about how Dems needed to work with Gov. Snyder(R) to reform "excessive" state pensions. The discussion was quickly ruled out of order and steered back toward the pre-prepared agenda.

- Our state conventions are effectively choreographed shows. At one of them, there was a group that wanted to bring up the fact that the "favored" MI supreme court nominee was a Republican in disguise (had donated to Engler(R) and to one of our most conservative supreme court justices, had been initially appointed to a judgeship by Engler, and made relatively conservative decisions). Any floor debate was shut down with "hearing no objections", "unanimous consent", etc. even though there were CLEARLY loud objections and a large number of people wanted a floor debate. They couldn't have the show be disrupted...

- At the same convention, there was a large group (even larger than the group above) that wanted a floor debate or at least to make their point about the way Detroit Public Schools were being handled by then-Governor Granholm(D) (think Snyder's emergency financial managers on only a slightly smaller scale) before voting on some resolution (I forget what). They were repeatedly and loudly ruled out of order by a very angry leadership even though it was clear the whole floor wanted to hear what they had to say.

- Despite all these things, most people still believe the leaders are working for us most of the time. The PTB are also good at infiltrating dissenting groups. The labor caucus I believe endorsed above-mentioned supreme court nominee. The "progressive" caucus which I was initially quite excited about keeps endorsing Mark Brewer as a "great progressive" even though he's the one perpetrating a lot of the above shenanigans.

I think seeing these things was when I finally decided to give up trying to change the party. I can't really think of any way to stop the shenanigans of the leaders when they have decided that the rules of order for a meeting don't apply to them (other than litigation, but I don't think anybody wants that...). I will not be running for precinct delegate again when my term expires.

[drm604]

40. So you advocate simply giving up?

You seem to have posted a long thought out post on why we shouldn't even try to change things. I understand that you're discouraged but coming on here and trying to discourage the rest of us isn't helpful.

I have to strongly disagree with what you say. Not every precinct is the same as yours, and maybe even yours could be changed if enough progressive individuals ran for committee.

[a2liberal]

42. I'm not advocating anything

I'm trying to explain my own frustrations and my own situation. I'm sorry you saw it as trying to stop others... I'll have to work on that. Personally, I would love to see this idea succeed. I'm just being honest that I don't think it will. That doesn't necessarily mean others shouldn't try. What I was hoping for, instead of a post accusing me of trolling, is that people would have advice for everyone on how to counter these tactics. Frankly, I don't think that pointing out holes in a plan is tantamount to discouraging anybody from doing anything.

Also just FYI I probably live in one of the most liberal areas in the state (see my username) hence why we can actually have the disruptions, but that still doesn't help. The problem is a large number of people with strong progressive views themselves still believe that everyone above them is doing the right thing and therefore is willing to go along.

[drm604]

48. I wasn't accusing you of trolling. Sorry if it came off that way.

Your post just seemed overly negative and I guess I misinterpreted it. :hi:

[a2liberal]

53. No problem, sorry I misinterpreted yours :) (n/t)

[JDPriestly]

90. Go to the meetings. Prepare a business card

with your name, e-mail, maybe phone number and the words Progressive Democrat. Then add the note, if you are interested in forming a caucus of Progressive Democrats within our Party, call me.

Ask everyone you meet whether they are interested in working with you and then get their phone numbers, e-mails, names, etc. and start a list for your eyes only.

That is how you can change things.

Also, be sure to volunteer to organize a Get Out The Vote campaign at your local level and find some friends to help you.

Make sure that the higher-ups in the Party are aware that you are working whether they like you or not. Just keep them on your toes and build a small group of Progressives that will work hard. Eventually, you will be in charge. I have seen others do that. I helped them out, but did not step into a leadership position due to personal reasons.

[Glaisne]

73. If I were there

I would have gone up and forcibly removed the leaders from the stage to allow the floor majority have their say. People have to be willing to do this or things will not change.

[a2liberal]

85. I'm not that brave :-/ (n/t)

[JDPriestly]

89. You have to start working at the local Democratic Club level

and build a coalition of like-minded Democrats. They you vote for members of your coalition to get into the positions that chair the State Conventions and other activities of the Party.

That is the whole point in this.

A lot of stale buzzards are in those positions in our Party now. We need to vote them out and replace them. It can be done. That is what the Republicans have done.

[cyberpj]

37. The Tea Party got Big Money backing once they were discovered by the Koch Bros. People were PAID to

organize and solicit and hold rallies all the while still believing they were a grassroots movement.'

THAT was how Koch money paid for their 50-state strategy AND the governors and congressional candidates they elected.

[robcon]

38. Ridiculous idea when the electorate isn't as progressive as the candidates.

Reality says the candidates will reflect the electorate.

[a2liberal]

39. That's a big lie and you know it

When polled on individual issues without loaded terms around them, American repeatedly and overwhelmingly support progressive policies like higher taxes on the rich, more regulation, and single-payer healthcare. The problem is that there's nobody advocating in the public sphere for those policies so the naysayers are able to define the terminology and make people think that we're going to turn into China, and have death panels, if we have "socialized medicine"

And no, 2010 is not a good argument. In fact, it's an argument for the opposite. 2010 was a referendum on what the Democrats actually did. Look at 2008 for an example of what happens when you campaign on progressive, bordering on socialist policies (single-payer healthcare or at least a public option, restoring civil liberties, ending wars, government job creation stimulus): the largest majorities in a long time. Look at 2010 for an example of what happens when you do approximately the opposite (forcing people to buy insurance from corrupt private companies that actually have literal death panels, continuing or even worsening civil liberties abuses, continuing and escalating wars, and continuing and adding tax cuts for the rich instead of spending on government job creation -- half the stimulus bill was wasted tax cuts).

Look at Wisconsin for what happens when Democrats actually stand up for and advocate real progressive values.

[robcon]

47. Calling me a liar is reprehensible, IMO.

Spinning the election of 2010 as one where the Democrats were too conservative is hilarious.

If that were true, you're basically saying that there were independents that voted for the Republican because the Democrats were too conservative???? Illogic is king in your post.

[a2liberal]

50. I stand by my post

You are being disingenuous by ignoring the points I made. The healthcare bill forced people to buy private insurance with REAL death panels (which by the way is in no way a progressive policy). Republicans promised to repeal that mandate while keeping the good parts of the bill like banning pre-existing condition exclusions (seriously, go read about it... I didn't believe it at first either). Democrats passed credit card reform but left a delay loophole in instead of making it effective immediately. While a progressive policy in theory, the loophole left room for companies to jack up rates before it took effect, where a real progressive bill wouldn't have done that. Voters don't like their rates being jacked up so they voted for the Republicans who wouldn't have passed the regulation in the first place. That's not a failure of progressive policy, it's a failure of corporate loopholes. Many tea partiers campaigned on cutting defense spending which Democrats had failed to do. Plus, we all know many liberals unfortunately stayed home because they had nobody to vote for.

You can't honestly tell me you believe that if we had passed true universal single-payer healthcare, pre-Reagan progressive tax rates on the rich, ended the wars, and restored civil liberties, we wouldn't have had huge majorities for decades. Or can you?

I'm sorry I offended you. For the record, my intent was not to call you a liar but I don't think I could have made my point about "the big lie" without somehow insinuating that. So again, sorry.

I'm done arguing by the way because I know it's pointless. I've made my point, you may have the last word.

[Pisces]

43. Go away, while democrats figure out how to help our President pass progressive legislation.

[JDPriestly]

93. If only the President had a progressive agenda.

If he had a progressive agenda, we wouldn't be holding this discussion, and there would not be so many deeply disappointed Democrats at this point.

But Obama doesn't even talk about a truly progressive agenda any more.

It is highly doubtful that Obama supports workers' rights (other than regarding racial and gender discrimination), unions, Social Security or Medicare. I mean those are really, really basic cornerstones of the Democratic platform.

But Obama has failed to hold strong on any one of them. It's pretty disgraceful.

He has no credibility among Democrats who are progressive/liberal and read the news. No credibility whatsoever. He ran as a Democrat but he just plain is not one.

He is a fox in sheep's clothing.

[Pisces]

100. Riiighhht. That is why he worked as a community organizer helping the poor and underprivileged. He

also worked as a civil rights attorney. I guess it was his genius plan to do these things to fool democrats into making him the first black President so that he could enact his secret Tea party agenda.

What jokes some of you have become in your incessant Obama bashing. It like you were infected with Obama Derangement Syndrome and no rational argument will penetrate.

Good luck to you. I hope you get the proper medication.

[JDPriestly]

105. What did Obama actually do as a community organizer?

What did he do as a civil rights attorney? I know that these rumors abound, but I don't know whether he really did anything significant.

It's my understanding he was involved more in real estate deals for organizations than in actual nitty gritty representation of poor individuals in court.

[redqueen]

44. A majority of the electorate wanted a public option.

So no, reality says the candidates will reflect the interests of big money.

[Remember Me]

54. Except, of course, when they lie

Which they do with regularity.

OR, when they don't have guts or spine enough to match the rhetoric they use during the campaign.

OR when their intentions are good goin' in but they get bought off (sooner or later), as so many have.

OR when "none of the above" would've been our choice, but we're always limited to NAMES on the ballot, and sometimes there's only one name in a slot.

[indurancevile]

78. the electorate is MORE progressive.

[JDPriestly]

91. We have to educate the electorate.

We can do that by talking to people about the issues.

Start talking about liberal books you like. People are likely to read the books you like and then you have helped to educate them.

Talk about TV shows or internet sites you like and why you like them. There are lots of ways to educate people. You don't have to be a bore to do it.

Ask other people what they think. Then you can naturally respond to that with your ideas. You may find that "most people" agree with you but that they are afraid to admit it because they think they are alone.

Remember, the average conservative just recites talking points. If you ask them to explain, they begin to talk circles around themselves and you can easily show them just why some of their assumptions are false or their conclusions are unreasonable.


You don't have to be offensive or even aggressive. You just have to be a very, very careful, interested listener. You just have to ask strategic questions. There is no harm in talking to someone and learning from the discussion and changing your own mind about something.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. This is what many of us have been screaming about! If we want to push Obama to the left

we have to FORCE him there!

The only way to do that is to become more directly involved in grassroots politics!

If the Teabaggers can do it, we certainly can!

Remember, folks:

WE OUTNUMBER THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[uponit7771]

71. +1000

[JDPriestly]

94. Good post, Liberal_Stalwart71

[dianaramadani]

101. Size ain't *everything*...

Yes, but we lack the complete lack of reality and rabid fanaticism that they do. And that's helping them. They get out there in April and have marches and rallies and what-have-you, and scream and foam at the mouth like rabid raccoons, and people get all worked up about what they're saying.

On our side, we have "protests" at Kay Bailey Hutchinson's or Rick Perry's offices, at noon in Texas in August, and it was 110 today and I work in a data center (at night, besides). I can't go to that kind of thing...for one, we just as well should hold the rally at 4 am; it's cooler and less deadly (although still 90+ degrees), and for another, I still have to work at night.

[tabbycat31]

49. I tried that

I would give my left arm to be on the county committee, but unfortunately I am non-existent to the chair of the county party here. We probably have the most dysfunctional county party in the state. We're mentally preparing to get our asses kicked in November and lose our one Democrat elected to countywide office.

[Waiting For Everyman]

62. I'm a novice at this but

as I undersand it, a precinct committeeman is elected on the day of the general election primary. Yes, there are vacancies that the chair can appoint, but the normal route to becoming a committeeman is to be elected on primary election day. To run, go to your county Board of Elections website and get one of their forms and file it (the time would be some weeks/months before your next primary, whenever that is, probably next Spring). Then you will be on the primary ballots printed for your precinct. (The info in the OP explains more about this - the handful of signatures you need to get from registered voters to file with the application, etc.)

The precinct is so small, it's basically your neighborhood. The election takes place at your polling place, and those are the people who can vote for you. So since you're canvassing anyway to get out the vote for the "ticket candidates" (those running for non-party offices, governor, senator, president, ect.), at the same time you can campaign for yourself for committeeman. You can do it on primary election day too, as people walk in to vote.

It usually doesn't take many votes to win for committeeman - a handful in most places, sometimes only one (your own). The county chair has nothing to say about that. So now you're on the committee. Next step, you might have to take over the committee or get rid of the chair, or both.

So if you can find other like-minded people in other precincts in your county who can do the same thing above, you and they will be in a position to elect the chair next time. Maybe a meetup group online or something like that could be started to find closeby local people who can get to know each other and do this in other precincts. Next time the county chairman will be elected from your group, if you network together enough precincts. It's totally possible that a month after the next primary, the county chairman could be you! Then you'll be appointing who you want to vacancies.

Two tools I learned about while checking out the OP and info for how to do it in my state:

1) There is such a thing as a "walking list" which is used in canvassing. It's a map of your neighborhood which shows how everybody is registered and how they voted previously. The party has it and should be giving it to you to GOTV. 2) My county has voters lists for sale, I'm sure most or all counties do. I'm kind of shocked that that is available, but nevertheless it exists so we may as well use it too. In my county, the entire list for the whole county was $50 which is also surprising to me that it is so cheap. (I'm not sure if those two are the same thing or different.)

I guess what you and others in that situation will have to do is take over the local party, one notch at a time. (All of us will have to do it at some level, to some degree - that's what we're talking about here.) If there's a bad apple, find out who can elect them, and get Progressives in those lower positions to vote them out. If you keep networking with others wider and wider as needed, the bad applies will be replaced with your own people.

That's just my untrained thought on it, as a "battle plan". Maybe others who are more experienced have some input to give you.

[uponit7771]

72. *****PLEASE TOP POST THIS***** This needs to be a sticky no doubt

[proud patriot]

77. Please Everyone Read the Post I'm responding to

:hi:

[tabbycat31]

107. I'm a field organizer, I know the ins and outs of canvassing.

However there's a sitting committeewoman in my precinct right now and to get on the committee would be to challenge her would be "going rogue" and ruining any credibility I have with the county party (I already have next to none). She has been in there for about 5 years and was hand selected by my very progressive mayor (Dennis Kucinich liberal) before I moved into this area. We also have a municipal chair that has not been active at all and never goes to the chair meetings (several of my friends are municipal chairs and I have them report back to me).

Eventually I would like to take over my municipality, and I know that I have the ability to organize all four voting districts in it. However the other side of being a field organizer is that I am on the road for months at a time and often not around during elections (last year I was 700 miles away on Election Day).

So until she steps down I am SOL. There is a group of progressives here trying to take over the local party, and we even have a new legislative district that is very winnable for a Democrat in this otherwise very red county.

[truedelphi]

110. I think anyone in the SF Bay Area who was not a close buddy of

Di Feinstein or Nancy Pelosi (who herself got in through being approved of by Di FI) would find a similar story to the one you are telling.

In the SF Bay Area, you cannot run on the Democratic ticket, even for Dogcatcher, with out someone close to Di FI approving of you.

And I have seen little evidence that Diane Feinstein really even cares about having the Democratic ticket win. Watching the choice of Bustamente against Ahnold the first time around, and then Phil Angelides the second time around, I was not at all surprised that Ahnold won easily.

It makes it clear that somewhere along the line there is a BIG PAYOFF to Di Fi for her choices, even if those choices are stinkers.

(Jerry Brown, who himself has a great deal of power, is perhaps the only Californian that doesn't need Di's approval.)

[tabbycat31]

111. I'm on the other coast

Here we are usually desparate to fill the Democratic ticket, but if there's someone already in the seat you have to sit back and wait your turn.

[JDPriestly]

95. Put an ad on Craig's list: Progressive Democrats, please respond.

Then when they e-mail you, meet them somewhere -- a donut shop, wherever and ask them to join you at the next meeting of your local Democratic Club. If you don't have a local Democratic Club, form one through this method. And then go to the next county committee meeting WITH YOUR GROUP. You will be noticed, I assure you. That is how it is done.

[grahamhgreen]

52. "ONLY elected precinct committeemen get to elect the Party leadership"

And most slots run unopposed!

Give it a go, mate!

[bertman]

55. If someone who is not INSIDE the tent is not considered part of the party and is therefore

ignored, then why the fuck would I want to stay in that party?

The Democratic party USED to represent the WORKING PEOPLE whether they were inside the party or just citizens who voted Democratic and supported Democratic ideals. Now it represents corporate interests.

What I have found is that the party is so INFESTED with corporate types and Top Two Percenters that it is a damn near impenetrable structure. It's set up that way for a reason--to keep the control in the hands of those individuals and groups who have the money and the time to be actively involved in politics. Most of us are too busy trying to make a living, support our families, and stay alive that we don't have time to devote our lives to changing the Democratic party.

I appreciate your sentiment, Waiting For Everyman, and I hope it works, but I think you're pissing into the wind on this one.

[JDPriestly]

97. bertman, form your own group and work as a group to

take over the existing structure. You can find out how to get your name on a ballot from the Sec. of State's website in your state. You can find out how to get your name up for a position in the local party from your state or local party website.

As I told someone else, advertise on Craig's list. Set up a table in a public area and get people to sign up in support of a progressive caucus. You could get the names by simply asking people to sign a petition on some issue that liberals will support. Get some friends to help you do it. Talk to each voter separately.

Get a group of people together, the bigger the better. You don't need a top-down organization. You can organize your own group and then attend Democratic Party outreach events or town-halls of your congress-member or other public events.

Just start. It will get easier. It will get better.

[bertman]

103. Thanks for the advice, JD. I live in an extremely liberal community and I have seen how the

party has managed to use its bureaucracy to thwart attempts to get grassroots LIBERAL policies adopted. I honestly have no desire to waste my time and energy fighting those entrenched interests.

[sybylla]

56. No one solution fits all. Party structure varies from state to state.

This will work in many states, but some, like Wisconsin, are dues-paying membership driven organizations. Precinct Captains have no more power than anyone else. Those who are elected party leaders are elected by members or by delegates elected to represent those members.

That said, I wholeheartedly agree that the quickest way to change the party is to be a member of the party. It's the only way you have a say in its direction.

Add all the voices of all the people who do this to the "professional left" already in the building and you're building a movement.

I've been here trying to do the same thing since 2001. Come on in. The water is fine...:evilgrin:

[SalviaBlue]

57. Thom Hartmann is talking about this now.

[defendandprotect]

61. How about some details of what he's saying ... ?

[SalviaBlue]

63. He said this is absolutely what we need to do...

BECOME A COUNTY PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN.

He also played audio of teabagger types instructing their minions to do the same... which is what they did in 2010.

[defendandprotect]

104. thank you --

[tilsammans]

59. K & R!!! n/t

:kick:

[SteveM]

64. Some forty years ago, the Democratic Party was more lefty...

with the rise of McGovern as the Democratic nominee. Our (Travis) County (TX) party was firmly in the hands of so-called leftists. We supported workers' rights, withdrawal from Vietnam, gay rights, women's rights, stronger environmental standards, legalization of marijuana and fair taxes. There was NO mention of gun-control.

This kind of organizing works. "We" changed party politics from the local level, and to some extent, at the state level. I was twice elected precinct chair, and was part of a rather large hard-core activist base which for years put out the effort and had the skills to get in the face of the Right Wing (in or out of the Democratic Party). A strong tactical discovery we made: You don't have to have more money, only enough. For a time, we made ourselves heard.

By the end of the 70s, the "Democratic" drift rightward had begun, largely in reaction to perceived "cultural vulnerabilities" (like pot legalization) which could be exploited by the Republican right (which was also shifting hard to the right). The Democratic Party wanted nothing to do with anything "left," and wanted to reassure corporate America it was no longer a threat. And "left" was defined by the GOP.

Present-day differences and problems:

(1) The Vietnam War and the maturation of the Civil Rights Movement made it easier to organize at the party level as literally thousands of folks were already part of a community (note also that the attendant "hippie movement" was rural and idealistic at its base;

(2) There seems little in the way of "cosmic" issues which folks have organized around, and from which a party movement can draw from, and the atmosphere (even in Austin) is deep into "militant apathy." New communication technologies (the latest is "social networking") have not been well adapted to community-building (and may be explicitly ill-adapted to such), instead favoring the on-going myths of "choice," "consumption," and "finding your own way."

It would seem that things are not "economically" bad enough for most people to organize and act, or more accurately, "react." If the "Left" has been rendered irrelevant, "reaction" will nevertheless occur. One of the criticisms leveled by conservative theorists toward liberalism is that liberalism doesn't leave much permanence for people to hold onto. Those notions of more-permanent values and generational grounding are reflected in cultural expression. The "hippies" of the day were distinctly rural in outlook, and for a time did form some "permanence" by "getting back to the garden." Even the punkers had a strong community (more suburban and urban) of self-identity and support. One must ask what is culturally "out there" now which represents grounding and permanence within liberal thought and life. That must be answered, even if the economy goes Depression and liberals/progressives win (for a time) by default.

[Waiting For Everyman]

92. The best I can come up with, Steve M

as a grounding principle for me at least, is sanity, fairness, and caring (bottom line, that equals to me quality of life in genereal) - if I ask myself "what is it all about?" that's what comes to mind. To me, that in turn means being *against* a lot of things like union-busting, corporatocracy, so many things, basically total destruction of the New Deal.

I'd don't know yet how to make that into a culturally grounding nucleus, because liberals are so diverse and all don't entirely share the same lineup of issues and priorities. Whatever that nucleus is, it will have to be very basic - something probably that even some or all non-Dems could agree with. It needs to be a human thing, concern for basic human-ness is the best part of what it means to be a Democrat (in my opinion). Preserving an acceptable basic way of life for all is what it's all about these days. (Maybe we need to invent some new terms for these things, and a new understanding of them to go with it.)

But I will think on it further. I am of an age to remember the era and people you mentioned, so I do see your point.

Thanks Steve M.

[SteveM]

108. Thanks for taking the time to read my remarks. nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

65. Here Comes Everybody

K & R

[Waiting For Everyman]

69. Your post made me realize

that, by golly, you may be right. Everyman may be showing up at last. Who knew - I had to figure out how to show up, myself, first. LOL. Isn't that just typical?

libmom74 is responsible for turning on the light bulb in my head, by mentioning the OP info in another thread. Thanks to you, libmom74! (Thread below)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1629170


Honestly, I always thought that party positions were all appointed. I asked how to get in many times and never got an answer. I thought all I could do is be a member of the party, and the rest wasn't up to me. I had no idea that there was a "door handle", a way to get in without being a friend of a honcho who's already inside.

I feel like Homer Simpson (big D'OH! and facepalm). And I am not what's usually known as an "uninformed" person. So if I didn't know this, there are lots of others "out there" who don't know it too.

We gotta round up all us Everymans, get us briefed on the rules of the game, and get back in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgXzWhexJh0

At least I was right about this being the place to wait. :)

[xxqqqzme]

68. In CA there are no

COUNTY precinct committeemen - my city alone has 142 precincts. Finding precinct captains for each precinct is a huge task - I know because I have been an precinct captain recruiter. We started working on 2012 on November 9, 2010.

I'm not throwing cold water on your suggestion only that each state organizes their party in a different manner. The CA Democratic Party, until 4 years ago, was organized on the State Assembly District level. 'All politics is local' is the mantra. Once you know how your state is organized, then you can start at that point. Using the assembly districts, our local DFA has completely dominated the CDP delegates from our area at the last 4 state conventions.

[guruoo]

70. knr for later nt

[Chimichurri]

74. Nice shout out to Waiting For Everyman from Thomm!

[Waiting For Everyman]

81. Big thanks to thomhartmann for getting this info out to a LOT more people!

I had only hoped to stir up a buzz on here, at best. One thing I'd like to emphasize though.

Thom mentioned the CorcordProject.org site, but that and more info is actually on:

http://ThePrecinctProject.wordpress.com

www.WagTheDog2010.com


Also see the page on Facebook for Progressives who are doing this (actually the link I started from, given me by libmom74)

Flash-mob the county party executive committees
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=211258725592719


Again, thank you thomhartmann!!! :)

[proud patriot]

75. Thom Hartman just mentioned this thread

:thumbsup: mentioned by username too .

[uponit7771]

76. This is the most important thread on DU right now IMHO

[mikekohr]

80. I Am A Precinct Committeeman and you are EXACTLY correct

With out involvement your voice is diminished.

[Waiting For Everyman]

82. *******BEST LINKS TO THE INFO HERE******* Concord Project isn't the most detailed

See post #81 above:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1647494&mesg_id=1655404



These three below are primary, especially the first two:

http://ThePrecinctProject.wordpress.com

www.WagTheDog2010.com

Flash-mob the county party executive committees
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=211258725592719


And the Concord Project videos which Thom Hartman mentioned today (they're also linked on Precinct Project site on the right hand side):

Concord Project videos:
http://youtu.be/KMBa713YCUI What is a precinct and how it works
http://youtu.be/Nczt5cN8hd4 The importance of precinct committee members
http://youtu.be/yMkTdMXwhbE How you become a precinct committee member
http://youtu.be/MendmDZ-iu0 The time committment for a precinct committee person

[truedelphi]

84. Much appreciatintg the links you provided.

Maybe it will motivate me to get involved with some politics.

[myrna minx]

88. K&R n.t

[Optimus_Prime]

96. Michael "Precinct-Level" Dukakis

The Duke was my professor in graduate school at Northeastern in Boston.

He used to always hammer the point to his students and anyone that would listen that elections were won at the precinct level.

Because of him (and reading this thread), I'm seriously considering getting involved at the committee level.

Thanks Waiting For Everyman!

(I know I posted this in the other linked thread, but this deserves a bump, if not a sticky!)

[Waiting For Everyman]

98. Thanks, Optimus_Prime, and welcome to DU!

I'm new to this too. I like to think of a whole ton of Progressives "out there" doing it at the same time with me. We'll all...

Flash-mob the county party executive committees
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=211258725592719

The TParty was a well-publicized thing, this one might be a surprise - if it gets off the ground. I hope it does.

How great is that, to have Dukakis for a professor! Wow! I haven't been following him, I'm glad he went into teaching. He certainly knows a lot.

[Optimus_Prime]

109. I absolutely love The Duke!

Although he's certainly aged since his presidential run, he still hasn't lost any of his faculties. He's still razor sharp and whip-smart on all of the current policy issues.

He got an unfair rap as being a dull technocrat, but he's incredibly lively and engaging in the classroom. He wouldn't tolerate any bullshit in his class and would cut you off, if you ventured or rambled off. And he's a tough (but fair) grader to boot. But the thing that really struck me the most was that he always made time for his students. He loves it when students just drop by to chat and he WILL stop what he's doing to talk to you. I actually ran into him while on the train and not only did he remember me by name, but he also took the time to ask me about my job prospects and what he could to help in terms of contacts and recommendations.

If Mike Dukakis had shown some of that intellectual feistiness and genuine emotion in 1988 that he routinely shows in his classroom in 2011, he'd have trounced Bush I in a landslide.

[Proles]

102. I endorse this strategy.

If I weren't going through university right now I'd really really like to get involved with this sort of thing.

I hate standing by and doing nothing. It'd really be nice to take action, even minor action for a change.

[JTFrog]

106. Aw, come on, you mean we have to like, actually do something?

I thought Obama told us we could just sit at our keyboards and hope for change. I mean weren't we all sure we voted for one man who could cure all that ailes this country and its citizens with a nod of his head or a wave of his hand.

You mean he actually expected us to get involved?!? :sarcasm:

Ffs, get out in the streets already and quit expecting one man to fight 150,000,000 right wing nutbags on his own.