Howard Dean's "permanent campaign" and desire for smaller donors....will they be continued?

[madfloridian]

As the time nears for him to leave as chairman, I realize how very easy it will be to ignore two of the basic goals he wanted to accomplish. He often talked of the party needing to have a "permanent campaign" that went on every day for four years, not just before the election.

He also wanted to concentrate on small donors. Unfortunately, that was not accomplished as fully as he would have wished because so many progressives chose not to donate to the DNC because of the actions of Congress...or should I say lack thereof. Not fair, but it's how things work.

I remembered this segment from BlueBus blog from a long while ago...about how he had a hard time with traditional large donors because he wanted to concentrate on getting one million to donate 20 dollars a month.

Dean and large donors clash initially

While The Hill, in reporting that three DNC fundraisers quit on Dean because of his focus on cultivating small donors, said:

“Democratic fundraisers say that there is growing concern over what they call Dean's lack of attention to major donors and that donors are much less likely to give money if they don't have sufficient opportunity to meet with the party's leadership.”

All LiberalOasis can say to that is: Halley-Frickin-Loo-Yah.

Dean is attempting to fully put the party in the hands of the people and minimize the influence of corporate interests.

And the big money guys don't like it.

He learned his lesson, and hired fundraisers to work with the larger donors.

His "permanent campaign" may or may not be continued. It is at the heart of the 50 State Strategy. I find myself thinking that things will most likely go back to what they were before.

From July 2004 while he was still working with DFA.

Dean's Permanent Campaign

Interviewer: Do you have any specific things in mind to do yourself in the campaign?

DEAN: This battle does not end on November 2, even if we win. We’ve got to reconstitute the Democratic Party. We haven’t paid attention to small donors. We haven’t paid attention to grassroots activists. We need to get people enthusiastic, and that has to be done with the same kind of discipline that the right wing used to take over the Supreme Court, the Congress and the presidency.

Interviewer: What do you see Democracy for America doing?

DEAN: What we do is mainly grassroots intensive support for candidates. And the other thing we do that most people don’t do in the Democratic Party is we work in areas where we don’t have any party organization left. I’m going to be in Mississippi and Texas, because if we’re not willing to spread progressive messages elsewhere, nobody’s ever going to change their mind, because they’re never going to hear our message.

I would like to find a way after the election not to lay off the 4,000 grassroots activists that we are going to be putting in the field in Ohio, but to be ready to keep them on so we can start pushing issues like health insurance. Another thing is building constituencies and issues-based organizations, so when the next election cycle comes along you don’t have to retrain a whole grassroots corps to go out and sell your message. This needs to be a permanent campaign.

He started it and has done well in spite of much opposition from DC insiders and being ignored by the grassroots he depended on for funding. They never really understood what was possible.

It will be someone else's decision whether it continues that way or goes back to old comfortable ways of the smoke-filled back rooms.

Oh, Howard, BTW, there's a place waiting for you at DFA. Dare we hope?

[madfloridian]

1. More about the "permanent campaign"...

In his December 2006 speech to the European Progressive leaders he emphasized this again:

Keynote Address by Governor Howard Dean to European Progressive Party Leaders

Whether we're talking about the United States or the European Union -- it's pretty simple. Show up everywhere. Knock on doors everywhere. Make the calls everywhere. Shake hands everywhere. Do the hard work everywhere. And keep doing it because that's what running a permanent campaign requires.

"And make no mistake, all of us have to run permanent campaigns. If we bring people together and talk with them about our values and the beliefs we share. Then we can win at any level, anywhere.

"My party took a major step in this election towards our goal of being a national party again. We won in places that some thought we couldn't. And we earned the votes of people who have not voted for a Democrat in a very long time. We even earned some votes from people who hadn't even seen a Democrat in quite some time.

"But most of all, we showed up in every state in the country and reached out to all of our citizens, regardless of party or religious affiliation. We did it by being inclusive. In essence, that's what the rebuilding of the Democratic Party is all about. And I think there is a lesson here for progressives everywhere.

"Because power resides with the people; it is only loaned to us. As I said it does not work its way from the top down. It grows from the grassroots up. And yes, it grows everywhere, not just in the areas that have traditionally supported you.

"Whether it is one of your parties or the Democratic Party, we should never cede a single region, never cede a single state or city. Nor should we ever cede a single voter. Not a single one. It is a mark of respect for the voters that we ask each one for their vote-regardless of the likelihood of getting it. This is what we call the 50-state strategy.

[ekwhite]

20. I hope Dean's replacement will continue his campaign

Of course we have to get more, better Democrats in Congress first. I am one of those small donors who has told the DNC and DCC to get stuffed. I will contribute to individual candidates who are progressive, but I do not want any of my money to go to regressive candidates.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. K&R for a 4th vote... do I hear 5?...

I wish there was "a place waiting" for him in the White House.

[Mabus]

4. I can give #8

and I agree.

[MiniMe]

3. Obama has sure proved that small doners work

[luckyleftyme2]

5. I am one that stopped giving

I am one who will not give again until the newly elected act on the promises they were elected or re-elected on. that was change, that was to take charge. that was to limit the executive branch from ignoring law.
Believe me when I say I was for Dean, I thought the media cost us a great president. I felt
that he could create change, much needed change.
I have answered every call from the party with I will not give another Penney until they stand up to "BUSHCO". AND YES I THINK IMPEACHMENT should be on the table.
We elected them to act, to unify and act. I think they may on the energy bill. that would help to make me and I'm sure others loosen our purse strings.

[madfloridian]

10. Are you aware congressional leaders don' t listen to Dean?

See, that's the problem. If you blame him for what they do it then it is defeating the chance for changing the party.

Congressional leaders LIKE having the say, would prefer we did not.

[susankh4]

6. Yes. They work for him.

But I think the concern is that they won't be as workable for candidates running for lower office.

Obama's campaign has been run sorta like American Idol... and not all state reps are that glamourous.

I hope the party can sustain itself in the absence of larger doners, I really do. Cuz we are in the process of killing our cash cow. And we may live to regret it.

[madfloridian]

11. Of course small donors work for down ticket offices. Read this about piggy banks.

Dean got the huge money when he was running for president, but now that he is chair he is lumped in with Congress's failure to get meaningful legislation through.

If you have one million giving to the party infrastructure monthly...20 dollars... you would have a hell of an infrastructure.

That is corporate speak in your post...fear of the little folks getting too much into the party.

Moving the piggy bank....a DNC power shift to outside DC.

It is interesting, because it reveals a dream that would have benefitted all Democrats. But the people did not understand, and they were not ready to give monthly to overcome the establishment sway.

He did get it started, though, and he has empowered the state level to continue if they want to stand up for themselves.

[MH1]

7. Why should Dean step down?

He's doing a good job - why wouldn't he stay on?

I guess I'm missing something here.

(I get that if Clinton wins, Howard goes....but that's not looking like what will happen)

[madfloridian]

9. He has indicated he would not stay.

He was asked by the body of DNC members at the last meeting, but he indicated not. They said four more years.

[Thurston Howell III]

16. I love Dean. But with the crap they have been giving him

and the way they backstabbed him in 2004 no wonder he's leaving. James Carville can't stop bashing the guy either.

[madfloridian]

17. He can be more outspoken outside of the party structure.

That is my opinion, anyway.

[Thurston Howell III]

18. True. But I sometimes I think back to the days when the party

was jumping on him. That was scary!

[madfloridian]

19. He did not fit the mold. That is an inexcusable sin.

Not fitting the mold, not speaking correctly, being too blunt. Not good as far as DC is concerned.

[EFerrari]

8. I admire Howard Dean more than just about anyone in the Democratic Party.

Whatever he decides to do, I will support him.

[cachukis]

12. Must say you are on it

Will write

[madfloridian]

13. Thanks. You have been here a long time for so few posts.

I post too much. Why can't you receive private messages yet? I clicked it instead of profile and saw that you can't receive them yet. You need to aske the mods because you have been here over a year.

[defendandprotect]

14. This would be the basis of some great questions for Clinton/Obama ---

[defendandprotect]

15. Dean's is an important agenda for getting the Democratic Party back into

the hands and lives of the public ---
They disconnected all of that long ago ---
neighborhood meetings --- people who knew what was going on in neighborhoods ---
who the people were ---
Talking and meeting --- 360 days a year --- every year!!!

It's really a great deal about education --- educating the public as to what the party
stands for --- and that can't be phony s*** --

[DinahMoeHum]

21. Re last sentence: Howard's brother Jim runs the DFA. . .

and I contribute to its "DFA-Trust" program on a monthly basis, as well as to the DNC's "Democracy Bond" program.

http://www.democrats.org/democracybonds.html

https://contribute.democracyforamerica.com/

So I'm one of those million people contributing 20 bucks a month that Howard Dean envisioned.

:kick::kick:

[madfloridian]

23. We are monthly to DFA and DNC as well.

Obama got the one million to donate...but because of Congressional behavior Dean never got the one million monthly.

Beyond his control really, but it affected it.

[JNelson6563]

22. I'm with Howard, whatever he does.

I think he's the greatest. :toast: :patriot:

Julie

[tnlefty]

24. Is it possible for him to be encouraged to not step down as

chairman? I really despise thinking of going back to the ways of Terry McCauliffe and the big money donors...makes me shudder actually.

[rucognizant]

25. He came onto the scene with a comprehensive overview of what needed to change & how!

He went to Yale at the same time period as Bush & Kerry..........which gives him insider knowledge that most of us don't have.
I heard Hillary Clinton say "We need to take back America." at a rally recently...That was Dean's line!
Unfortunately many of the small donors are on the floor financially thanks to Bush's narrow focus. Inflation, unemployment, and the heavy winter, with Bush's holdup of the LIHEAP funds,have taken a heavy toll in my rural area. It's a shame that the 50 state initiative didn't reach us in time to support the Democratic candidacy of Jean Hay Bright for Senate in 2006. That would have gone a long way to solve the gridlock in the Senate,but maybe Dean calculated the odds, that a relatively unknown, female, organic farmer wouldn't be able to unseat the popular ( and party line voting,) mostly Sen, Snowe! Her win was announced exactly 5 minutes after the polling place in my town closed, so it must have been a sweep!
WHile the media is so INTENSLY focused on Clinton & Obama; what really NEEDS to happen is local education and voting to rid us of the OBSTRUCTIONISTS in COngress.
I spent some time making a list from the House Directory yesterday and realized that until the balance of power changes, our food products and farm bill will not change much,no matter who is in the WH, as long as Ok & NE Congressmen are ALL Republicans! Working for the bottom line advantage of their corn growers who should be planting more wheat!
My oilman is miffed that he gets .07c per gal less from LIHEAP cusotmers, on EVERY delivery, even if paid for by us. He blames it on all those lazy young welfare Mothers that are raising broods of kids on his tax dollars. ( Reagan reaches out from the grave!)
Maybe if we had entertainment other than violence, and a Govt. that focused on diplomacy, and less incarceration, & male dominance role modeling, and more training on nogotiating within relationships,those Mothers would actually prefer to be part of a non-violent, loving Family unit instead of going it alone?
Thank you Howard for all you've done!

[madfloridian]

26. Very thoughtul post.

Thanks...lots to think about there. Our country because of the media, I guess...tends to focus on minor things, trivia.