Progressive Populist Caucus 11/20 San Antonio

[PDittie]

This will be a gathering of progressives and populists to provide feedback on "WHERE WE GO FROM HERE" to the Steering Committee of the PPC and the leadership of other progressive and populists groups in Texas with whom we are in collaboration. A ranging discussion on strategy for the future, not a lamentation on "ain't it awfuls".
A positive, on-topic discussion to result in action-steps for the PPC and other like-minded Texas groups to continue our successful but yet to be completed movement to transform the Texas Democratic Party and our County Parties into relevant and appealing vehicles to install a progressive and populist new order in Texas government and public policy.

YOU MUST RSVP by replying to [email protected] to assure we have space for you and all of us. RSVP REQUIRED!

So those flying can get 14 day advance fares, the PPC meeting on Saturday, November 20, will be held in SAN ANTONIO, not Austin, for a change of pace. Plan on a time frame from around 11:30 to 3:30 or so. The place has not been selected as yet but likely a restaurant, to be announced. Stay tuned for the location announcement. Stan Merriman, Chair, Progressive Populist Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party.

[sonias]

1. I'm going.

Some of here from Austin should car pool. VelmaD are you up for this? How about you NoPasaran or GOPisEvil?

We need to keep working these alliances across the state. See you there on the 20th PDittie and Ms. PDittie.

Sonia

[pmbryant]

2. Never heard of this group, but it sounds like it might be worthwhile

Especially since it'll be right here in San Antonio.

Anyone have any info on this group?

Thanks,
Peter

[sonias]

3. Here you go Peter

This group was started during the Texas State Democratic Convention in El Paso in 2002 I believe. It was founded due to frustrations with how the state Democratic party was being led by Molly Beth Malcolm, who was then State Party Chair. Zero wins in state races under her term.

Here's the web site http://www.texaspopulists.com The web site isn't really very current but the membership is very active. There's a Yahoo group list that has more current discussion, you can join.

David Van Os was one of the founders and is a very active member. One of the things that we did as PPC (progressive populist caucus) is support PPC candidates for the SDEC (State Democratic Executive Committee) to get progressives in these spots in order to change the party from within. I can report that for SD25 we did just that. Both candidates that won those spots at the State Dem. convention in Houston this year were PPC backed candidates.

Come on out and give us a try. We're a friendly group. We don't bite. No dues right now, but periodically a call for contributions goes out for special causes.

Hope to see you there on the 20th. We'll post the location as soon as we get the word.

Sonia

[pmbryant]

4. Thanks

What is so frustrating about the state party for me is the lack of any candidates at all in so many races.

:shrug:

Peter

[sonias]

5. Here's the final details on location

We will meet in San Antonio on November 20 for our Strategy Planning Feedback session:
11:30 till about 2:30
Picante Grill
3810 Broadway at Pershing, across from Museum
San Antonio, Texas

Please plan on ordering lunch as this is the arrangement with the owner.
WE HAVE ONLY ABOUT 20 MORE PLACES LEFT SO IF YOU HAVE NOT RSVP'd TO ME BY REPLY, DO SO NOW. RESERVATIONS WILL BE TAKEN ON A FIRST COME BASIS. SEE YOU THERE.

[email protected]
Stan Merriman-Chair, Progressive Populist Caucus
----------------

Sonia

[pmbryant]

6. Limited attendance?

That strikes me as odd. Perhaps next time this group can find a place where we don't have to limit the number of attendees?

Anyway, I still hope to make it along with my partner, but don't know for sure yet. I'm torn between hoping it will fill up quickly (i.e., lots of interest) and between hoping there will still be spots open later this week when I'll know for sure.

:shrug:

--Peter

[sonias]

9. PPC is open to any good progressive

They don't want to limit attendance, but since we're meeting in a restaurant they do have physical limitations. The couple of times I've been to the ones in Austin, we met at Threadgills and we probably had 60 people at one meeting and 40 at the next. There aren't hundreds of us that can make it every time. Having food available makes it nice for these day long meetings, so it's easier to meet at a restaurant that serves food.

If you can't make this one, there are at least semi-annual meetings.

Sonia

[VelmaD]

7. Unfortunately I don't think I can go...

I'm moving in a couple of weeks and I really really have to pack this coming weekend. :(

[sonias]

8. Sorry to see you won't be able to make it VelmaD

:-(

Sonia

[PDittie]

10. kickin' it

sonia, you will have to hold up our end, too. We're going to go to the Harris County Democratic Party's strategy session the same day:

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

While the election is fresh on everybody’s mind, the Harris County Democratic Party is convening a strategy session, and we want your input!

In order to hear everyone, there will be a general session, after which attendees will be divided into small groups with a moderator for each. Each group will develop specific ideas and proposals.

Please bring a written list of your own ideas, including all areas of local party organization – message, recruiting, use of volunteers, voter registration, get-out-the-vote, election procedures, and any other categories you consider vital.

Also bring a statement or a list of what worked for you and your group. Please confine your ideas to what can be done right here in Harris County!

When: Saturday, Nov. 20 – 1:30 to 4:30 PM
Where: CWA Bldg., 1730 Jefferson Street (between Chenevert and Jackson) Houston TX 77003

http://www.hcdp.org

[sonias]

11. That's OK PDittie that's important work too

I'll keep you posted with a report on what was discussed in S.A.

Sonia

[pmbryant]

12. They are apparently full

Tried to reserve two spots today and was too late.

I don't know, but this doesn't strike me as the way to build a movement.

:shrug:

Peter

[PDittie]

13. Try again, Pete

I just sent Stan Merriman an e-mail this morning indicating we wouldn't be attending (which released two slots).

There may be people ahead of you on the waiting list, of course...

[pmbryant]

14. I suspect there is a waiting list

He said there were local chapters of this group and would get me information on them.

EDIT: Apparently there was an "overwhelming response", which I am glad to hear. (Also this will probably result in a bigger capacity meeting place next time!) I'm looking forward to sonias' report and hopefully attending future meetings.

Peter

[sonias]

15. I'll post a longer report tomorrow night

Here's a brief recap. We had a very nice turnout 49 people from all over Texas. One as far as Albuquerque, NM. We had some people from Dallas, Stephenville, Houston, Corpus Christi, Austin and San Antonio of course. Very well run idea and strategy planning section.

The number one priority was make sure the State Democratic party makes fair elections their number one priority. The number two priority that no republican run unopposed for any office, either local or state level. We also passed a resolution that the PPC endorses Howard Dean for DNC chair should he decide to seek that postiion.

More later.

Sonia

[Lithos]

16. All good...

Thanks for the update!

L-

[sonias]

17. The full long and dirty report

There will be some officially published minutes by the PPC sometime later this month. This summary in just from my notes.

Unfortunately we got to San Antonio a little late so we missed the early socializing. We got there just in time for the meeting to officially start business at noon. There were a lot of friendly faces and no one was depressed. This was not a we’re a sorry bunch of losers meeting, but rather let’s work on our successes meeting. Small as they were throughout the state, we had victories in Travis, El Paso and the Valley and the trends look very promising in Dallas County, Harris, and Bexar. Stan started out the meeting talking about the PPC victories at the State Democratic Party Convention. I think he said we had 50% of our PPC candidates win SDEC, Rules and Platform positions so where PPC supported candidates we did very well considering the few resources we had. We had one of the largest caucus meetings at the state convention and our membership is growing. On Saturday we officially voted to welcome a new Regional Vice-Chair in Corpus Christi. This person then serves on the PPC steering committee. I forgot to write the person’s name down but he was a great activist. Stan then recognized other Regional Vice-chairs in attendance. Since this was a restaurant with tables we were seated in about 13 tables with about 4 people to a table. The next thing we did is choose a spokesperson for our table and we had 15 minutes to work on coming up with 3-5 priorities we wanted to see the PPC accomplish in the next 12 months and 3-5 priorities we wanted the State Democratic Party to accomplish in the next 12 months. Then each table sent their spokesperson to read their points and ideas and they were added on a running list. If a table that presented its report later, saw that their item had previously mentioned by another table they were asked to simply add their support or add some clarity to the priority. Great minds do think alike. We of course had a lot of unity on the fairness of elections.

Here are some of the major points I remember specific to each.

On PPC
*Identify and recruit candidates for the 2006 election and start planning these campaigns now.
*No republican will run unchallenged. Every race will have a Democrat candidate running.
*Have PPC endorse candidates running in any local or state election where we have a candidate running and get that information out to our membership to help with fundraising and grassroots volunteering for these campaigns.
*Follow through on our commitment and resolution that we passed at State Democratic Party convention to get verifiable paper ballots on our e-voting machines state wide. This means continue to lobby the SDEC, Party Chairman, State Legislature and our local county election officials until we get what we want.
*PPC endorses an audit of the vote in all counties across the state to insure that we had a fair election everywhere and identify the problems, county by county. Also we demand an audit of the HAVA monies which we understand were not even spent in every county by the SOS.
*Open and transparent budget reporting of county party funds to party membership.
*Make sure that the PPC gets State Democratic Party recognition so that it can meet at the State caucus level and work with other recognized caucuses when they have meetings annually besides the Democratic Party convention.
*Create and maintain a database of membership with their skill set and interests so that we can match jobs and volunteer opportunities in regions. Survey the membership for this.
*Create web discussion boards and calendars on PPC site where the regional groups can work on-line and cross communicate their related groups relationship/ideas. A forum to work out the “frame debate” issue and allow the communications group and media members to help get our message out.
*Publicize and promote the PPC to other local Democratic groups in counties and at meet-ups etc to bring in more membership to PPC. Be more active in our regional groups.
*Work on outreach and better coordination with other progressive groups to expand our goals and ideals and to canvass our counties to identify our voters. Continued outreach on social services in our minority communities. Work in those communities year round not just on election cycles, build real bridges.
*Support making and identifying contributions/dues to both the local county party and to the state democratic party with PPC. i.e. make sure that you put PPC on your checks or when you sign up to show them that the PPC is a strong financial support of the party.


State Party Level
*Make sure Charles Soechting and the State Democratic Party knows that our main focus for the party is to insure fair elections across the state and at the national level. We need to make sure that we work year round to make voting, registration, election and education our number one priority. We’re the party that counts all the votes and makes sure no one is disenfranchised. We make sure that everyone knows when elections are held, educated on how and where they can vote and our focus is to make sure voting is made easy for everyone. No horrible lines, broken equipment or unsafe voting methods. Restore confidence to the election process.
*Make sure that no republicans run unchallenged. Every state race has a Democrat running. Start recruitment for 2006 now.
*Demand an audit of the votes in all counties state wide.
*Demand verifiable paper ballots for e-voting state wide.
*Support that the SDEC have an agenda committee, elected by the SDEC to set the agenda for SDEC meetings and that the agenda not be set by the Party Chairman.
*More grassroots training state wide. Put money in re-building the party state wide. Let’s hit the road across the state, year round.
*Make sure the Party Chairman works with the DNC more closely to make sure “No State Gets Left Behind” We want presidential election campaigning in all 50 states.

Finally, when our table put out our priority of supporting Howard Dean to be DNC chair, we had wild applause and an official motion was made and unanimously passed by the voting membership that the PPC endorses Howard Dean for DNC should he decide to seek that position.

That endorsement was to be delivered in writing to the State Party Chair, the SDEC membership and the DNC membership. David Van Os gave a nice comment in support of Howard Dean saying that Howard was a good man, and one who sees the correct future vision of the party which is in the grassroots. Also you never just write off the south. Fran Vincent who is from Austin and in the leadership of Democracy for Texas and Democracy for America said she had spoken with Howard recently and she wanted to correct one misconception which opposition is already putting out there. If Howard does accept the position to be DNC chair this does not prevent him for running for President in 2008. She also said he hadn’t make up his mind on the position. She encouraged all of us who wanted to encourage or discourage, either way to e-mail him.

We then had some open discussion, adjourned and socialized.

Sonia

[pmbryant]

18. Thanks for the report

:thumbsup:

Peter