archived: 21 - 27 Aug, 2005         Back                 Next

UPDATED:  August 25, 2005 

                        PROUD TO BE A DEMOCRAT 

TPJ supported enactment of an education lottery in North Carolina.  Democrats were within one vote; but came up short.   

TPJ readers may not realize that Democrats momentarily HAD THE VOTES in the State Senate to pass the lottery.  A unique set of circumstances developed Tuesday night that gave Democrat proponents of the lottery the advantage they needed.  One Republican Senator, an opponent of the lottery, was not in attendance on Tuesday evening.  Another Republican Senator took ill and was subsequently hospitalized. 

With two Republican opponents, Democrat proponents could have brought the lottery bill to the floor and the vote would have been tied.  Lt. Governor Perdue would have cast the tie breaking vote to pass the lottery.  

Marc Basnight, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the leaders of the Democratic Party Senate Caucus and a lottery proponent, could have simply ordered the bill to the Senate floor.  Despite the urging of some Democrats, Senator Basnight refused to let the lottery come to a vote under these circumstances.   Basnight stated: 

But they declined to take advantage of a procedural loophole that would have given them the single vote needed to pass the bill, citing respect for an absent senator and for legislative tradition.

"There were some opportunities to use some trickery, but we decided not to do that," Basnight said. "That would have been unethical." – News & Observer (emphasis added) 

Respect for an opponent, honoring legislative tradition, upholding ethics.  Democrats simply need to compare Senator Basnight’s priorities compared to the respect, honor of legislative tradition and ethics that US Senate Republicans exercised in launching the “nuclear option” to break 200 years of the right of the minority to filibuster.  It is a stark contrast indeed. 

TPJ will continue to work towards enactment of a lottery.  But, even in not gaining success on the issue of the lottery in this Session of the General Assembly, Senator Basnight has given Democrats on both sides of the issue reason to be proud to be a Democrat. 

                        A PLATFORM 

Wayne Goodwin continues to lead the Democratic Party Platform and Resolutions Committee toward presenting a Platform to the State Executive Committee this Saturday in Greensboro. 

Goodwin’s committee has been holding a number of public hearings across the State.  Here are the highlights: 

Seven public hearings have been held with some 200 people appearing.   

Some 30 individuals have provided input by email. 

Goodwin’s goal for a more democratic, grassroots-oriented process has been a success. Goodwin’s committee was given a short time frame in which to formulate a Platform during the non-traditional Summer season.  Goodwin is however, laying a solid construct for developing platforms in the future and is laying the foundation for future success. 

Goodwin tells TPJ that the “on-going theme is that folks want a streamlined yet principled platform that we may use as a sword in the election battles ahead, as well as a beacon of enlightenment both for Democrats around the state and those persons who seek progress for North Carolina.”  

TPJ kudos to Goodwin and his committee.

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                        ORGANIZING DEMOCRATS
                        [Authored by Katy Munger] 

Junkie:  If you are a true political junkie, your email boxes overflow each day with emails with the latest news and a plethora of views.  All of it is enjoyable to read. 

Occasionally, an email is really good.  On rarer occasions, an email encapsulates an entire topic with brilliance.  Katy Munger recently circulated an email to a Democratic Party group that is, indeed, brilliant.  TPJ is reprinting her email with minor editing and format changes. 

While Munger is writing in relation to the Durham County Democratic Party, her analysis and questions are applicable to Democrats across the State. 

It is a must read for every Democrat.

_______ 

Over the past few months, in the process of trying to create a volunteer committee whose  priorities reflect the desires of the [Durham] [C]ounty [P]arty as a whole (so more people would get involved), it has become increasingly obvious that: 

1)       We don't know what our overall priorities as a county party are and have not discussed them recently -- and so we do not agree on what we want to spend our time and money on.

2)       We can not expect to come to a consensus on what we want at Executive Committee meetings where precinct leaders are faced with making decisions that come at them out of context, fast and furiously, and with little or no preparations, explanations or communications before and after.
 

3)       As a result, the confusion and information overload is paralyzing -- we're getting bogged down in minutiae and no one is getting anywhere.
 

4)       It's not fair to expect Ex[ecutive] Com[mittee] [“ExCom”] members to make intelligent decisions under these circumstances and it's not fair to the people presenting ideas who may have put considerable effort into them. We're all just wasting our time and getting more and more frustrated.    

[W]e're experiencing growing pains and I think we need to find a better way to make decisions right now or we will start losing really good, committed people out of frustration  — as we already are.  

I think we need to put together a strategic plan for the county party that is very INTERNALLY focused and answers at least some of the questions that follow. This has nothing to do with what voters [want] or what the people of Durham want. It has to do with what the people who currently make up the county party want. And if the ExCom has the power to approve or disapprove virtually all activity and budget decisions, than this plan can *not* be written without their full and complete participation (as in mandatory input  from all precinct leaders as part of doing their job).  

I don't think we have to call a halt to anything to do this plan. I just think we need to do it as soon as possible. I don't know if the answer is a big, messy forum like convention day where we go through, debate and agree on priorities and procedures area by area then circulate a written plan for comments... or if it's devoting two ExCom meetings in a row to coming up with a plan... or if it's assembling officers and committee heads to come up with a preliminary plan that includes options under each area, then requiring precinct leaders to vote for what they see as the greatest priorities... or maybe we need to split off priorities from procedures and deal with them separately?...  I don't know. I just think we need an internal [C]ounty [P]arty plan now, preferably one that addresses the following questions (none of which are adequately covered in the Plan of Organization on the county level). These are also questions that we have a right to decide for ourselves as a county party and as the volunteers who make up that party: 

WHAT IS OUR MAIN PURPOSE AS A COUNTY PARTY? 

1)       Are we here mostly to get out the vote on Election Day? 

2)       Are we here to register new voters or educate citizens on how to speak up for themselves? 

3)       Are we here mainly to grow and support Democratic Party candidates? 

4)       Do we exist mainly to support the state and national parties? 

5)       If more than one of these reasons is really important, what's the most important reason and what comes after that? 

WHAT ARE OUR SECONDARY GOALS/PURPOSES
IF WE CAN FIND THE VOLUNTEERS AND MONEY? 

1)       Do we want to concentrate on growing a stronger Democratic Party presence outside of  Durham and take the lead statewide in doing this? 

2)       Do we want to sponsor community service projects to build partnerships for future election days? 

3)       Do we want to train good candidates for future elections? 

4)       Do we want to reach out to young people as future voters? 

5)       Do we want to recruit a lot more new volunteers into the party? 

6)       What else? This list could go on and on -- but it's an important one. 

WHAT DO WE WANT TO SPEND OUR BUDGET ON? 

1)       Should it be saved for elections? 

2)       Should we use it to educate voters? 

3)       Should we spending money to raise the visibility of the Democratic Party as a whole? 

4)       Should we use it on activities that unite local party members? 

5)       Should we use it to back party candidates? 

6)       Should we be using it to support precincts and their activities? 

7)       Should we be spending it on better communications within our county party?  

WHY ARE WE FORMING A FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE, I.E.,
WHAT ARE OUR FUTURE GOALS? 

1)       Is finding a permanent home a priority? 

2)       Should we be fundraising as a party to aid individual precincts? 

3)       Should we be amassing a war chest for future election cycles? 

4)       What are our major spending projects and how much do we want to raise for each? 

5)       Do we want more money for social activities and community service partnerships? 

WHAT ARE OUR COMMITTEES RESPONSIBLE
FOR AND HOW MUCH POWER DO THEY HAVE? 

1)       What is the purpose and function of each committee?  

2)       Where are there gaps and overlaps in what needs to be done? 

3)       Does each committee have a sane amount of responsibility? Do we need to break some up? 

4)       What are our duties to the state party and are we fulfilling them? 

5)       What do committees have the power to decide on now without the ExCom's involvement?

6)       What do we want to change in this regard to create a more efficient organization and more productive ExCom meetings? 

7)       What obligations do committees have for reporting their activities to the ExCom as a whole? 

8)       Do we want to allow committees to mount their own fundraising efforts or not? 

WHAT KIND OF COMMUNICATIONS/REPORTING
PROCESS DO WE WANT TO SET UP? 

1)       Do we need a precinct/voter member database and a separate volunteer database, or is this a single database? 

2)       What kind of process do we need to set up to contact ALL precinct leaders on important matters, not just ones with email? Who's going to give the time and money to do this? 

3)       How can we make sure precinct leaders pass on the information they are supposed to pass on? How can we help them do this? 

4)       How much county money are we willing to commit to building and maintaining a strong internal communications process?  

5)       What do we want the website to do? 

6)       How much notification does the ExCom want on agenda items and committee reports and 

7)       What form should this reporting take? 

8)       How should minutes be reported for the ExCom as a whole and by committees? 

SUMMARY 

Yes, it's horrifying to look at all these questions and realize we need to come up with a consensus on them. But I just don't see how we will get anywhere if we don't take the time  to do it. 

This isn't a new idea. County parties everywhere come up with internal plans. I think 

Orange County did it a few months ago. Businesses are required to do them. Non-profits that know what's good for them do it as well.  . . .  

I don't want to quit or walk away from the Democratic Party because I love it, warts and all, but I am not big on wasted effort or wasted time and the truth is that I am so frustrated right now I could implode. I know I can't be the only one!           

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Junkie:  TPJ invites Democrats from across the State to provide solutions to Munger’s questions.  TPJ will be providing those solutions over the next few weeks.