The Indiana Democratic Club and Drinking Liberally: Indianapolis [View All]

[descolada99]

(note, the two organizations mentioned in the subject are not linked, just two things I happen to be involved with. the IDC doesn't sponsor Drinking Liberally)

Hoosiers,
I am a former Dean Meetup co-organizer (Indianapolis-Downtown. My name is Jason Borneman for those who may have attended). After the Dean campaign wound down and things didn't go the way we'd hoped, I wanted to look for "what to do next."

Instead of working with the new Democracy for America (a great group) I decided to "get local" and look for local groups and actions I could do, considering the poor state of the Indiana Democratic Party outside of a few counties.

One of the things I have done is join the Indiana Democratic Club. It's the "oldest continuous democratic club in the nation", since 1901. I've recently been named the club's Webmaster (link further down) and to the Board of Directors as well, which is a great if nerve wracking step for a 27 year old only a few years into political interest.

Anyway, for those not familiar, what is the IDC?

It's a club for Democrats all over the state (but largeley attended by metro-Indy Democrats) that meets once a month. Most meetings have basic discussion, a guest speaker (ranging in topics from Black History Month to an expert on the Internation Criminal Court). Many members are elected officials, including a number of Marion County Judges who kept us up to date on HB1703 that attempted to take away Marion County voters' right to vote for judges (thankfully defeated).

It's also a way to network and make social connections to other Democrats who have been working in the "nitty gritty" for many years. It's a great contact for finding out how to become a precinct captain (which I have also recently done), find out about little known bills that need support or need vocal opposition, and meet people ranging from township board members to Congresswoman Julia Carson (also a member). And if you want to run for office, these are the people you want on your side.

But the club needs new members. We need new, young energy in the club to hopefully help it become (in addition to a social and learning club) a club that can tie together all the new groups that have been springing up in Indiana the past 4+ years.

One of the biggest problems I see with all the new web-energized Democrats is that they don't know about the existing clubs out there. If we can coordinate them, find out what each other are doing, we can be more effective.

So if you'd like to come here are the details:
4th Tuesday of Every Month at 7:30pm (this month it's the 22nd)
Julia Carson Government Center
300 E. Fall Creek Parkway, 2nd Floor

Also our new website is up and running at www.indianademclub.org (although we have yet to send out the link to IDC members so you'll be there before most of them are). It's blog format, although still in need of more content (which is why I'm going to try to watch the DU Indiana forum more for links from around the state). Right now I'm posting action alerts from the Indiana AFL-CIO, as well as a few news stories I find and updates abotu the IDC. WOuld love to do more linking to news stories (although trying to keep commentary from me personally down. can leave that to the comments on a given story link) There's also a forum at the site too.

I'd like to make the site a good, central place for a Hoosier Democrats blog. But to make that happen I need help from people like you in finding links and op-eds from around the state that would be of interest. So I'll keep an eye open here, or if you want to email me you can send links to [e-mail] or use the Contact Form on the site.

Also,if you are a member of a Democratic Club for a township, county or city in Indiana, let me know via the same way.

Who knows how it will really turn out, but it's worth a shot.

Also, to plug something else I'm involved with, I'm the organizer for the Indianapolis chapter of Drinking Liberally. We meet every Thursday (tonight!) at 7pm at the Union Jack Pub in Broadripple (924 Broad Ripple Avenue). we have a small group of regulars, but would love to meet more people.

We like to treat Drinking Liberally as a place to vent, bitch and moan about the current state of things so that way when we go to our other meetings we are involved with (IDC, DFA, MoveOn, etc) we don't feel the need to bitch as much as get things done - we get our bitching done over beers! Also it's a great way to network and find people that share ideas with you for things you'd like to accomplish - three of us became precinct captains here in Marion County after meeting at Drinking Liberally.

Thanks for putting up with my verbosity. Stop by the site, leave me a message, or run me out on a rail for never shutting up. ;)