LOSING THE FIGHT TO CONTROL THE AGENDA FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

[NVMojo]

July 18, 2006

http://www.opednews.com

The power struggles that take place here in my state of Massachusetts are a microcosm of the problems we Democrats face at the national level.

For several decades now the leaders in our state legislature, overwhelmingly Democratic as is party enrollment throughout the state, not only refuse to adopt agendas approved by convention delegates but subvert convention procedures for selecting candidates for statewide offices. Democratic State Committee officials have been complicit in these moves to short circuit the will of the grassroots.

Democrats in other states may experience power struggles in a different context but with the same results. In my state, delegates are elected in February at city and town caucuses to attend a Nominating Convention that takes place in June. Candidates for statewide offices have a qualifying hurdle: each must get votes from at least 15% of the delegates in attendance in order to win a place on the ballot in the September primary. The intent is not only to narrow the field, but also to weed out weak candidates so that the winner will go into the November general election with solid support. Of less significance is that the convention endorses the candidate that achieves 50% or more of the vote.

But Party leaders are not satisfied with this democratic process. The old maxim that says any Democrat is better than a Republican no longer holds. For them, the Party nominee for governor cannot be just "any Democrat," but must be a candidate they prefer.

Legislative leaders want a governor who will play ball with them and not put forward his or her own agenda or, heaven forbid, that of the Party's. In 2002 as well as this past June candidates for governor have come to the Convention who have not come up through the ranks and have never held elective office. More threatening, perhaps, than their lack of a record that would reveal their inclinations to make deals is their star power that has come from their having served the country at the federal level.

more...

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mary_l___060718_losing_the_fight_to_.htm

[jobycom]

1. Loosing the fight to control your CAPLOCK key, too, eh?

:rofl:

[NVMojo]

3. bite me. I copied/pasted the headline from the article. Can't read, eh?

[jobycom]

4. No, I couldn't read, my eyes were deaf from the shouting.

[ClassWarrior]

2. Never give up.

Never give up.

NGU.

[mom cat]

5. Good article. I know that I have been doing quite a bit of thinking about

how to have my voice not be watered down. I certainly am NOT going to just donate to large general funds such as the DCCC, but am going to make targeted contributions.

[xchrom]

6. let them know you're doing that.

i was donating to dean until the 700 club flap -- then called and told them i would no longer do that.

and told them who the candidates were that i would support.

oh i'm sure they were bored as hell -- but -- i got some satisfaction.

now dean is starting to sound like someone i could support again for the sake of whole party -- but we'll see.

[mom cat]

7. Oh, I let them know with every solicitation, and also tell them that my

money is going to make sure that I have a vote that will count. Otherwise, it is all a sham.