|
A Blueprint
for Taking Back the Democratic Party
May
2001
by TygrBright
Part
Seven: Laying Foundations
Remember, the only "easy" way to get anything done
in politics is to buy it. And that is the root of our current
problem. We let money substitute for hard work, and behold,
now our Party belongs to money. It will require twice and
three times the hard work to take it back.
Step One:
Start attending your local Party committee meetings. They
are in the phone book; if not, you can locate them through
your State Party organization. Bring your friends. Spend the
first few meetings listening rather than talking, it's very
important to get to know what you're dealing with.
Local Party groups are almost always appreciative of more
participation, especially when it comes to pitching in and
doing the work—manning the phone tree to schedule meetings,
getting out mailings, arranging and volunteering at local
events and fundraisers for your elected pols and wannabes.
If you offer willing hands and precious time, you will pile
up some valuable points and pay some important dues.
Step Two:
Paying dues is the name of the game at this point. Most of
the people who are already involved with your local Party
organization have paid theirs. They have attended hour upon
hour of dreary meeting, they have done their share of scutwork,
they have been treated like peons by the State Party organization
(this always happens—they tell you how valuable you
are from one side of the mouth and gripe at you for something
from the other side. Don't take it personally, it's the nature
of the beast. You can pledge to do better someday.)
In other words, they'll welcome your work but you can't walk
right in as the "savior of the Democratic Party"
and expect them to hand over the reins of control. In some
places, they may even have corporate-style GOP-lookalike agendas—remember,
the Party's become a very friendly place for those folks over
the past fifteen years. If that is the case, pushing your
agenda right off the bat will be counterproductive.
Pay your dues. Work. Keep any opposition you have to the
prevailing local leadership's agenda on the mild side. Find
some particular area when you can be valuable to the Party
organization. Donate money if you have it, donate a useful
skill, above all donate time. Remember the part about
the Party being run by those who show up? Try never to miss
a meeting no matter how boring and/or counterproductive they
seem.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Invite your friends to Party
meetings and events. Start building your own coalition of
populists.
Step Three: Knowledge is Power
Study the state Party platform. What does it say about how
your state Party's agenda conforms with the pro-Big Business
national agenda? What are the best elements of the platform?
Where are the traditional Democratic strengths? How well do
your state and local pols represent the platform? Are there
any obvious inconsistencies? (A Democratic governor who is
anti-choice, for instance, in a state that has a pro-choice
plank in its platform.) Familiarize yourself with the problems
and the strengths revealed.
Study the Party Constitution in your state. This is
critical. You must know how the Party works. How is
the platform compiled? How is it adopted? How are candidates
endorsed? How are Party decisions about financial support
made? How is local Party leadership chosen? How is state Party
leadership chosen? You can learn all this from the Party Constitution
in your state. Have a study group, you and your progressive,
populist friends. Get to know your local and state Party leadership—who
are they? How did they get where they are? Who and what do
they support?
I strongly, strongly recommend that you more or less
"sit out" at least one local or state election cycle
as hard-working Party drones before actively pushing your
agenda. It's the best way to get a handle on "how things
work," and it's essential to know that before you begin
the actual work of re-taking the Party. There is so much to
learn. Volunteer to be on a convention committee, especially
the ones that deal with how the convention is conducted (rules,
parliamentary procedure, etc.) and how the platform is created
and adopted.
And all this time, stay in touch with the avant-garde, continue
marketing the Party to our traditional constituencies, recruit
friends and fellow-travelers, build your coalition.
ON
TO PART EIGHT »
Making
It Happen
|
