Frustrating email from my local club -

[TBF]

Brazoria County Democratic Party - down here south of Houston - just sent an email soliciting support for Hillary. Specifically. They have created a facebook page for her and everything. I know these people and gave them a ton of stuff for their last local rummage sale. At any rate, I unsubscribed and wrote in the comments section that I am supporting Bernie Sanders.

Just annoyed that they've already decided who they are supporting and won't even give Bernie a chance. Will continue to give through his website and hope it is going better for the rest of you in your local groups.

Editing to share the link I received this afternoon: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5fb323248c287abb871624ab6&id=036116f64b&e=2c16086b78

[DebJ]

1. Hm. Our local party here in York Pa said it is expressly forbidden

to support a particular candidate before the primary.

You might want to check that out...........

[TBF]

4. This is the email I got -

it can be viewed from browser:

http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=5fb323248c287abb871624ab6&id=036116f64b&e=2c16086b78

Forbidden by whom - the national party? DNC? Perhaps I should send them the link?

[merrily]

6. You many want to, at a minimum, question why they are supporting one 1 of the Dems this early,

whether the bylaws allow it and express your objection.

I don't know if sending the national will help. The DNC's seems to have been ready for Hillary all along.

[TBF]

9. I found a contact button on their website

and sent them a message asking why they are only supporting Hillary. We'll see if they respond.

[merrily]

10. Cool. Let us know.

[DebJ]

19. I'm not sure whose rules these are, but here is what happened in 2008 here:

I was working for the Obama campaign, and it was discovered that the Hillary supporters were actually using the Democratic Party Office in town, and its phones, etc., to campaign for Hillary. A complaint was filed, and that was shut down. The Hillary supporters here were really very uncharacteristically nasty to Obama supporters. I was quite shocked, though the nastiness that I observed was restricted mostly to nasty glares from across the street.

Our town didn't even have an office for the Dems when I moved here in 2003. Apparently there had been serious corruption in the party here in prior years, and eventually, it shriveled up and died. The atrocities of W began to reawaken people. We met through Meet Up and the former Mayor (not involved in the corruption) and a friend of her's started another set of regular meetings among like-minded people, where we exchanged info and started to organize. I was with those supporting Dean at the time. By the time the Kerry campaign came around, we had a Dem office open again and hundreds of people working the streets. (I think the Dem office was paid for, at least in part, by contributions from our new/current Gov Wolfe). Everyone was very united. It was great.

Until it became an Obama/Hillary run-off situation............. very strange, and sad. As Obama supporters, we had no gripe with Hillary. We just worked for our guy, but we supported all Dems and would have supported Hillary if she had won.

[TBF]

22. It was a little better here in '08 -

but I am in the most liberal part of our county. We had good Obama support & initially met in downtown Houston so we didn't feel displaced or anything like that. We really didn't come into contact with Hillary supporters but Hillary has a pretty strong hold down here among dems & beat us anyway in the primary.

One interesting anecdote was an older woman who liked Hillary but said she had never been able to get anyone local to give her the time of day (party officials) so she went door to door with us for Obama. I don't know who she voted for when she actually went to the booth, but it was interesting that the Obama campaign made her feel welcome when local pols had not. If that is happening in other places Bernie may be able to find a lot of support from people who have felt left out in the past.

[eridani]

35. Maybe Clinton has learned something about caucus states since 2008

Her campaign outreach back then was calling chairs of all the county and LD organizations and telling them to get behind the inevitable winner or else. Obama's outreach people contacted PCOs and members and asked what issues were most important to them, and directed them to the Obama for America site.

[Cleita]

2. I think most of them are backing Hillary. Mine too.

But I talk to a lot of people who want Bernie so I'm hoping we get in one place to support Bernie.

[merrily]

11. ...

http://www.bernie2016.tv/1235269713.html

[merrily]

3. Clearly, the party has been pushing Hillary all along.

Yet, when I started posting that months ago, I got all kinds of pushback.

But that was a good suggestion: check the bylaws to see it it's legal or not.

[think]

5. That's unfortunate. Hopefully this won't be a trend.

Glad you made your choice clear to them.

[-Bernie-]

7. Start a Brazoria County for Bernie group

Establishment Democratic groups won't acknowledge Bernie until it is clear that Bernie will be the victor, and we'll know after the debates and after Labor Day when people start paying attention to politics again.

[TBF]

8. It sure has a better ring to it -

I'm not the type to organize something but I'll be watching the Bernie website to see what is happening here. Hoping he at least speaks in Austin - that's not too far away.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

23. Here's an idea.

I hope I'm not presumptuous here. Some people's circumstances are not good for doing "groundwork." Anyway, here's my idea:

Ask around to your Bernie-backing friends and see if some of them would be willing to organize a Bernie group. Then you can go to the meetings with your friends and still not have to organize it. Participating in the revolution is a helluva lot of fun!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

24. Also there is national help available, if you find willing friends. PM me if interested. n/t

[BrotherIvan]

12. If party leaders do not wish to listen to the membership

that's how Independents are made.

[TBF]

13. I had to declare as a dem to caucus for Obama -

but now I'm hearing locally that we're not going to have the caucus anymore. So, it's full steam ahead for Hillary apparently.

[BrotherIvan]

14. I would guess that to be a part of the party leadership

one is A-OK with establishment politicians. This doesn't surprise me. What is horrible is that the party leadership all the way up to the national level is willing to be completely biased and doesn't care who knows it. If they don't care about a good chunk of the membership, the most reliable section of "the base", then they should quit whining and pointing fingers when they lose. Which they usually do.

[TBF]

18. I guess so -

that happens with the unions too. Mostly good folks but the authoritarian types will rise up to leadership roles. Sad.

[Le Taz Hot]

15. Yeah, I just came back from a Bernie Steering Committee

meeting at our local Democratic Party Headquarters and it was OBVIOUS that the local party machine is featuring Hillary and no one else. Come to find out money that was raised for the Democratic Party and was going to be distributed to all Democratic candidates was used SOLELY to purchase Hillary stuff.

No mention of Bernie on the website. They are actively quashing anything other than Hillary. I'm guessing that this is being repeated all over the country.

[SoapBox]

16. Wow...

That is just, well, slimy.

Sheesh...are we going to need our own version of a Tea Party? But it's much more practical and NOT crazy!

This IS very concerning.

However, these establishment types could be in for one big surprise from the Bernie supporters and voters.

[TBF]

17. And you're in California correct?

So this is a national push. No wonder Bernie's people started the "Bernie TV". My health isn't the best so I'm going to keep giving donations (gave $500 so far). I figure if I can give a little extra, and others can put in time, it evens out.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. Yes, Central.

I think we can waste time worrying about what the other guys are doing or we can use that time to focus on our own campaign. Locally, they have WAY more money but we've got the Activists. Seriously, it was a good, productive meeting and we're ready for a lot of hard work.

[BrotherIvan]

26. Perfect attitude

That's how it's done.

[TBF]

28. I agree as well

was just annoyed last night when I saw that. But I guess it's to be expected and this is what happens when you support folks out of the mainstream. We just work outside the framework & work harder.

[jwirr]

32. I see one big problem with this betrayal of all of us who are Democrats for Bernie. The ones who

are locking us out are the ones who will elect the delegates to the convention and they can rig the show that way.

I do not know what can be done about this but ask your local party about delegate selection and how the money donated by all of us is used.

At least find out what is happening and let Bernie know what that is.

[Le Taz Hot]

33. I will ask.

I worked with the local Democratic Party about 11-12 years ago and, at the time, a good portion of the delegates come from unions, a good portion comes from elected officials and I'm not sure who makes up the rest. The next Steering Committee meeting is on the 28th of this month so I'll check.

[Enthusiast]

20. That sucks!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

25. May I link to your OP for my own OP? n/t

[TBF]

27. Sure - no problem. nt

[susanr516]

29. Don't unsubscribe just yet

I was Executive Director of Nueces County Democratic Party. I would contact the County Chair directly and ask for her assurance that the Brazoria County DP is not endorsing any candidate in the Primary Election. Since the County parties (both D and R) are considered to be the statutory authorities conducting the Primary Election, any candidate endorsement by the official Party prior to the Primary/Runoff elections is extremely foolish.

Technically, the BCDP has not crossed that line. The group looks like it's named Brazoria County for Hillary Grassroots, and the person who seems to be in charge is someone other than the County Chair. However, the BCDP has now set a precedent of allowing Democratic candidates to have announcements of meetings and events forwarded by the County Party to its subscribers. Our county party did this for all of our candidates.

I suggest that Bernie supporters in your county do the same thing. If you don't feel comfortable setting this up yourself, contact other supporters in the area. Surely, there's a group in Houston that can help you out. Find someone in Brazoria County who is willing to be the local contact, set up a meeting place/time, and send the info to the BCDP with a request to have it distributed to the County email list. If BCDP refuses to do that for Bernie supporters, it could be considered unethical behavior.

If you have further questions, send me a PM. I'm only on DU a few times each week, so it may take a couple of days for me to see it. Good luck.

[TBF]

30. I already contacted the group and no response -

but it's nice of you to follow up and explain that "technically" they haven't crossed the line. I'm sure that's very important to Hillary's folks.

"Surely, there's a group in Houston that can help you out"

Sorry if I'm not overwhelmed with gratitude by your post. Frankly I find it a little condescending.

[susanr516]

31. I'm sorry

I did not mean to sound condescending. I apologize.

[eridani]

34. Informally, hihger levels of WA State Dems are supporting Hillary

They have no intention of making that official, though. They have committed to posting events for fall candidates to the state party website.

[marym625]

36. It's the fault of the DNC IMHO

Good for you!

[floyd1]

37. Bernie Meeting on July 29th! "BRAZORIA FOR BERNIE"

Last edited Mon Jul 13, 2015, 07:13 PM - Edit history (1)

Don't fret! Let's just do what we can. Bernie's campaign is not about corporate power and will only succeed if people like you and I work to get others on-board. We have organized in Brazoria County a TRUE grassroots campaign (no corporate money behind us!) and will be meeting at La Madeleine Cafe on July 29th @ 7:00 p.m. This is an Official Bernie Sanders Grassroots Meeting!

Pass the message along! This is how revolutions start!

Clink the link for more information and to RSVP:

http://www.peopleforbernie.com/82058/brazoria_county_for_bernie

[TBF]

39. ...

[ibegurpard]

38. my county party bylaws expressly forbid this

We are to remain neutral in contested primaries. Look into that.