If you're fed up with the Democratic Party, GET OFF YOUR ASS.

[derby378]

This exhortation may seem harsh, but my challenge to you as disaffected Democrats is actually not that hard to do.

I believe the only way to retake the party from the forces of compromise is from the ground up. We started in 2003-2004, but the effort got bogged down when the party establishment stepped in and started dictating terms. But now we need to start up this process again.

I want every disaffected Democrat who is thinking of leaving the party to instead run for precinct chair in your own precinct. Stack your county party organizations with progressive grassroots activists.

In short, I'm calling upon you to DU the Democratic Party itself.

It's not that hard to do. I promise. Check your county party HQ and learn what forms you need to officially file to run as precinct chair. If the filing deadline has passed, you can still run as a write-in candidate - but you have to tell all the Democrats in the precinct that you are running for precinct chair so that they'll know which name to write in.

There are plenty of precinct chairs who are members of DU. If all goes well, I will soon be joining their ranks.

And all because I got off my ass.

Who's with me? Together, we can send shockwaves through the Democratic Party establishment. We can become the party itself.

[AtomicKitten]

1. I'm with you. (nt)

[derby378]

2. Thank you!

When's your primary election? Mine (Texas) is in early March.

[AtomicKitten]

5. June - California (nt)

[mdmc]

3. been there, done that... Really need to become a CEO

I am so sorry for being down. I appreciate your ambition! Carry on! Check out Progressive Democrats for America...

[helderheid]

4. fine bunch, them

www.pdamerica.org

[derby378]

6. I'll give you a pass...

...but you might want to keep a copy of Robert's Rules of Order handy should you change your mind.

[mdmc]

11. Thanks for the pass!

I guess I may actually be the choir on this one. I'm a 1996/2000 Nader voter that sits on my county dem committee. I carried petitions, ran in a primary, got elected. I live in a red area where only conservative dems get elected. It is very frustrating.

Please check out that pda link in the post above. It is worth checking out.

[Atman]

7. I just joined the Ned Lamont campaign, to stop Joe Mentum

My ass is off. Or something like that.

[derby378]

13. Great! Now run for PC, too.

This way, you stay involved with the party even after the votes are counted and the new crop is sworn in.

[Atman]

19. PC?

Forgive me...what's that? I'm sure it will be a "duh" moment once you tell me, but...

Anyway, I'm already an Assistant Registrar of Voters in my town. I don't know how well my affiliation with Lamont will go over, but hey...I'm totally non-partisan and unbiased when I'm at the polls, so there shouldn't be a problem.

So...what's a PC? A _______ Commissioner?

[derby378]

34. PC = Precinct Chair

Sorry about the delay, but definitely look into it. I'm psyched!

[ChickMagic]

8. I'm there dude.

One handed and all.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. Heaven forbid a complainer actually DO SOMETHING!!!

:wow: :wow: :wow:

What a mind blowing concept!

But wait... isn't it much easier to sit back and bitch? :sarcasm:

[MellowOne]

10. "We can become the party itself"

Sounds great to me.

[deutsey]

12. You mean political power doesn't come from sitting in front of a computer

screen?

:evilgrin:

[derby378]

15. Well, I filled out my campaign form on a screen...

...but I needed a notary public to stamp the form in the real world.

Now get over to your county HQ and register! :evilgrin:

[King Coal]

14. It won't do any good.

[derby378]

17. Correction...

It won't do any good if you don't get up, get down to your county party HQ, and run for precinct chair!

We can do this! If you think the party is in shambles, you may be the reconstruction kit they so desperately need.

[VelmaD]

16. Will Pitt said it best...

"go down to the local party headquarters and take the joint over".

It ain't hard to do. Go to your precinct convention after your local primary. Get yourself elected as a delegate to the County convention. Go and get yourself elected as a delegate to the State convention. Run for a committee. Raise hell. Make noise. Scare the hell out of the establishment.

Heck. I did it back in 2004 and if I can do it a trained babboon can.

Something like 70% of the delegates at the 2004 Texas State Democratic Convention were first-timers. We passed resolutions that you wouldn't believe passed in Texas - made them the official party line. We scared the hell outta the powers that be and we're gonna do it again this summer. :)

[derby378]

20. Very good suggestions, too

And I'll see you in Fort Worth this summer as one of the rabble-rousers!

[VelmaD]

23. Damn Skippy

I'm gonna run for credentials committee again I think. I had a blast last time sticking it to John Wiley Price. :evilgrin:

[MadHound]

18. Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it

Worked everything from the street to convention delegate. For over thirty years. And in the larger scope of things, it didn't make a damn bit of difference.

[derby378]

21. But now you've got a bunch of hardasses on DU who've got your back

Isn't the Internet wonderful?

Whaddaya say, MadHound? "Once more unto the breach?"

[MadHound]

26. We'll see.

I'm walking that fine line between anger and despair right now. Very very tempting to say fuck it and go Green, but we'll see. Get back to me after planting season this spring. For me, that is the most important thing upcoming. Cheers.

[Dr.Phool]

22. That's how the wing-nuts took over the Republican Party.

In Florida, there's a 3 day window to file in July, but, I think it's only in presidential election years. But, if you attend 3 meetings, you can be APPOINTED for the remainder of the term. If you're elected or appointed you have a vote on everything.

On primary election day, take the day off work, and hand everyone walking in to your precinct a card with your name on it, and tell them what you're running for. A friend of mine did this and beat another guy who was also on the ballot for Congress.

[derby378]

24. Absolutely!!

Last I heard, you're actually running for the US Senate, so I'll give you a pass on the whole precinct chair bit, too. :toast:

[lastknowngood]

25. I tried that the local Dem's just want to praise the spineless wonders

we have and preach compromise. I got beat down for over two years and I'm done, these people as so stupid they will be thanking the repugs as they walk into the oven.

[derby378]

27. Any Dems in your area who are just as fed up as you?

I feel for you. But maybe if you guys put your heads together, you can figure out a way to unleash Hell at the county level.

[AbbyR]

28. A couple of questions...

like - how do you get ON your Democratic Committee? I really want to get involved, but I have no idea how to do so. I've never even heard of a meeting for the local committee.

Suggestions???

[derby378]

29. In the case of Dallas County's party structure...

...if you're a precinct chair, you're automatically a memeber of the Executive Committee, which means you get to vote on all sorts of issues affecting the party. Check to see if your local party has on ongoing e-mail list of events, and get on that list. It should tell you about any and all upcoming party meetings.

[VelmaD]

30. google your county name and Democratic Party...

or look and see if they have a number in the phone book. Get a contact number...call and talk to someone.

That's how I ended up a precinct chair. I looked online to find my precinct chair to volunteer to help. Found out I didn't have one. Called county party headquarters...volunteered. Now I'm a precinct chair.

If nothing else, most places have precinct conventions after the polls close on their primaries. If your area does that it should be posted what time and the location at your polling site.

[The Witch]

31. What does a precinct chair do?

And is a 27-year old woman who's not a registered Dem (but always votes Dem) eligible?

[derby378]

33. Typically...

Precinct chairs organize and mobilize Democratic voters to learn about their candidates and to get out to the polls and vote. They are also entitled to attend local Democratic Party meetings and cast their votes for party leaders, initiatives, etc. In addition, they convene (and usually run) the precinct convention every two years to coordinate the selection of delegates to the county/senatorial party convention.

Some might argue that the local Democratic party HQ use precinct chairs to promote their own goals. That's only partly true. Although a good precinct chair communicates Democratic initiatives to his or her constituents, a good precinct chair also shapes the focus of the local party structure by showing up at the county party meetings, voting, and actually proposing a few new motions in the process.

As VelmaD said earlier, Google your county name and the words "Democratic Party" to learn more. Good luck!

[OnionPatch]

32. It occurs to me

after reading these posts and having all the same questions, that a lot of us need some education on exactly how the whole Democratic Party works. I don't really know what a precinct chair is or what sort of duties are required. Is there a book out there or something? :)

A lot of us have kids and jobs and are hesitant to take on more responsibility than we can handle. If we understood the process better, we might be able to identify ways in which each of us can help that would fit with our talents and ability. I was the newsletter editor at our local Democratic club for two years but finally had to stop because it literally took over my whole life and I have a small child to raise. I still want to be involved in some way though, more than just writing LTTE, etc.

[derby378]

35. Here's a primer from Houston-area Democrats

http://www.hcdp.org/gerry_message/gerry_message_20040210.html

[OnionPatch]

37. Thanks!

I'll check it out. Maybe I can find something similar for California.

[wildeyed]

36. Absolutely.

I am my precinct chair. My precinct was previously unorganized. I cold called a list of dems in my precinct, changed my husband's registration from unaffiliated to dem, filled out the paperwork, got required signatures, and now I am chair. Easy. Getting people from my precinct to participate on a regular basis, not so easy. But I am working on it. I *will* take this party back from the ground up, or at least be part of the group that does.

Here is something I learned at the last Executive Committee meeting. Our local dem organizations get no money from the national organization. My county dem party really suffers from a lack of funding. We have no paid organizers, only volunteers and no regular place to meet. So needles to say, things get disorganized.

An idea for those of you who are massively pissed about the Alito vote, but unwilling to completely write off the dem party, consider contributing $$$ to your local dem organization instead of the DNC. They likely need the money, and most of the folks I meet at mine are more liberal than the state and national folks. Just an idea.

[samhsarah]

38. You know what, I think I am with you. Great post!

[derby378]

39. Hey, you're welcome

Let's do this thing!

[WCGreen]

40. I've been harping on this since 2003 when I came on site...

I was the teasurer for the county party for eight years...

I am running for PCM this year....

That is the only way to take back the party....

Become the party....

[Bounce]

41. The dailyKOS would...

ban you as a troll for this freeper blasphemy...

I know because they did it to me! lol

:yourock:

[derby378]

42. Huh?

That sounds strange. Where will the Democratic Party get its new crop of party loyalists if not from the grass roots? Country clubs?

By the way, welcome to DU!

[IA_Seth]

46. Lol...or maybe...

It could be that you spell Sen Clinton's name as Hillery while you have her photo as your avatar...

Or maybe not.

[midnight]

43. I'm with you!

I will call my county party HQ and see how to start this process.

[derby378]

44. Welcome to DU!

And thank you! Go for it!

[newyawker99]

48. Hi midnight!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[derby378]

45. Kick for the morning crew

[texastoast]

47. Election Judge for the Democratic Primary

in Montgomery County (77% Puke/20% Dem/3% Other).

Secretary for a PAC to support Texas Democratic candidates.

Sending money to Bob Gammage for Governor of Texas and David Van Os for Texas Attorney General.

We must make our presence known in even the most hostile of theatres.

I'm not going away.