What we decided at our County Democratic meeting last night

[Jane Austin]

Here in Bastrop County, Texas, which is just east of Austin and is growing very fast with instant bedroom communities, we had a big turnout at our monthly meeting last night.

This is an accomplishment, because there are three main towns (Bastrop, Smithville and Elgin) in our county, and I personally had to drive through Austin traffic before speeding the 50 miles out to Smithville, and others had to drive from either Austin or their home towns to the meeting.

Anyway, we had registered quite a few new voters and had had active GOTV efforts, so we needed to discuss what else to do from now on.

The main thing we came up with was that we are going to do more things with the community, and we are going to take pictures of everything we do!

We've had good luck getting publicity in all three weeklies, so when we all bring toys for Pink Santa to the meeting in Elgin next month, we are by God going to take a picture of us donating them AS A GROUP to publicize a) that we are here, and b) that we are public spirited.

We appointed a committee to identify community needs that we can work on (school supplies, poverty, drugs, Christmas dinner, whatever they come up with).

We are also going to begin a college scholarship fund of $3000 this year. That would be $1000 for each of the three towns' high schools.

Our county has the kind of rural area where kids are forced to join the army because they can't afford to go even to community college.

Where will we get that kind of money? Our enthusiastic and young voter registration guy thinks he already knows of 13 successful candidates we helped that he can hit up!

Meanwhile, we held on to our Democratic state representative, half of our county is now under Dem Congressman Reuben Hinajosa although the rest of us are under a RWinger from Houston.

We kept our Dem. County Sheriff and a few other important posts.

The most touching thing was that at the end of this meeting, a rather elderly woman stood up and made a little speech. Considering the history of our area, she is probably the descendant of slaves.

She quoted Rosa Parks, who said that her feet were tired, but that her spirit (soul?) kept her going.

She said that she would die a Democrat if she were the only one left in the world, but that looking out on our young (Ha!) and enthusiastic faces she had hope once again that she would by no means be alone.

She thanked us from the bottom of her heart several times for being there and coming up with so many good ideas for the fight back, but most of all for coming out that night.

She said she never dreamed anybody would come to that meeting after what had happened the day before.

She closed by quoting Rosa Parks again, "My feet are tired, but my soul keeps me going" and added that we there that night helped her soul keep going.

[Jane Austin]

1. Kick

n/t

[lapislzi]

2. It's people like you who keep our party going

This is where the war will be won. Instead of kicking ourselves, we should be pleased that our efforts made a difference. This chasm didn't open up overnight, and it is not going to be fixed overnight, or even in the course of one election cycle...or three.

We need the long view, and it starts with you and me.

Thank you for your efforts. You're a hero!

:yourock:

[IrateCitizen]

3. Yeah. What you said. (nt)

:pals:

[Jane Austin]

4. I'm not the hero! I was even late to the meeting. :)

Eric and his crew who registered so many voters . . .

Judy, who gets us a lot of publicity . . .

Jewel, who talked to us about Rosa Parks . . .

A young man I don't know who really fired us up about community activities . . .

Our chairman and the other officers who have worked so long and so hard . . .

Addie Mae and her crew who will cook dinner for our next meeting . . .

And all the rest of the members who have worked for years, and want to keep working . . .

I'm a newcomer to Bastrop County, so I'm just reporting things.

But you're right. It's people like them who will keep our party going.

[chimp chump]

5. Interesting report

Instead of venting, you're digging in and have a strong local strategy.

Tip O'Neill used to say all politics is local. He was right.

[Jane Austin]

7. Thanks so much. I was impressed

with the can-do attitude there.

There was little if any nay-saying and negativity.

[HootieMcBoob]

6. Excellent!

Those are all great ideas :) Get those pictures in the local paper!

[Jane Austin]

8. And the nice thing about local publicity is

that this is something that is actually easier in rural areas than it is in the cities.

After all, the local weeklies are operating on a shoestring and are probably looking for stuff to put in their papers.

[blondeatlast]

9. For that wonderful woman: we need to start recruiting 16 year olds NOW.

We need to make their first election as important as their first time driving a car or drinking.

This should really be the next big push.

Congrats on your organization being proactive in the face of Black Tuesday. Good to hear this!

[Jane Austin]

14. And thanks for your encouragement.

n/t

[bigwillq]

10. These are great ideas

I am also trying to get involved more in the community and with my local democratic committee.

[wicket]

11. Awesome ideas!!!!

:kick:

[kodi]

12. you are doing for people what a political party has done traditionally

viz., take care of its party members.

Excellent ideas, the more communitarian things done by liberals and progressives the better. we need the public to see the light that shines from us.

It is a year-in, year-out, door-to-door commitment, the dirty, inglorious, thankless, and tiring tasks at the local level to engage in the problems of schools, zoning issues, health issues and other communitarian concerns that carry the preponderance of local support of people. Progressives are long on ideas and ideals, but have fought on the wrong battlefield for so long, and yet many of us wonder why we get our butts kicked at election time.

At the local level, people know each other and those who seek elective office all participate in the community and its life in some way, either as a soccer coach, volunteer fireman, dog catcher, or serve on voluntary boards of communitarian affairs, where they begin to be noticed at large, and start to have some influence over the affairs of the community.

We progressives might want to re-read Sinclair Lewis’ “Babbitt” to see that active participation in community social organizations like the Rotary Club, the Elks, the Shriners, the local Chamber of Commerce, and others leads to local political power. I recognize that most progressives are by nature independent and usually are not “joiners,” but I believe that such a methodical positioning of progressives in these places of public influence is the most rational and effective long term way to move our agendas to the forefront of public discussion.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Good for you!

I've long thought that suburban Dems need to create communities of their own to provide an alternative to the social life offered by the fundamentalist megachurches.

[Jane Austin]

15. Isn't that what Starbucks is for?

LOL.

Not that we have such a thing in little Elgin, but there are some cafes where it seems like everybody knows everybody else.

[demokatgurrl]

16. That's great- and a good attitude.

I think we'll have our local Democratic meeting in about January, unfortunatley.

[Teaser]

17. You're part of project for a new democratic party, right

If not you should be...

groups.yahoo.com/groups/pndp

[annabanana]

18. YES...this is the work that needs to be done!

We can do it from the ground up... Our next focus is 2006.

[Tsiyu]

19. This is encouraging stuff

Rather than giving in to fear and desolation, you guys are moving beyond your grief to impact the next election, and the next, and the next.

Very good ideas we should all take to our local Dems

[Astrochimp]

20. Can your..........

Democratic state representative speak at the schools?

NOT as a campaign, but about civics, how the gov works, getting involved with volunteer programs?


In Mo. in 7th or 8th grade we has civics class- IMHO a state rep showing up to talk to the students about their job is good for everyone.


And it is hard to hate someone you have spoken to face to face.


David

PS- Bikers love to do any kind of "toys for tots" ride.( any kind of ride- breast cancer, habitat for humanity- any excuse to ride) Most do not care who is sponsoring it. Start a few, and have our elected people show up. Again, no campaign, just a "hello, thanks for showing up, I'm your rep, contact me if I can help".

[Jane Austin]

24. You are right about the bikers.

We hosted "Hogs for Dogs" at our store a couple of weeks ago.

Hogs for Dogs is a cross country ride being made by a fabulous couple with their two Golden Retrievers in side cars. They're riding through the 48 contiguous states raising money for assistance dogs.

You can see a picture of them with us when they came through Austin right here:



And if you'd like to make a donation to this wonderful cause, you can do it at Hogsfordogs.org.

They have very cool tee shirts for sale with Max and Bailey's pictures on them, too.

[catbert836]

21. This inspired me

All we can do is what Bob Dylan said: "To keep on keepin-on"

[gratefull4u]

22. Wonderful ideas! So glad to see the spirit is not dead! (eom)

[F.Gordon]

23. And this thread sails off into the archives?

:kick:

[Jane Austin]

25. kick!

n/t