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Wednesday, April 13, 2005
NM Democratic Progressive Caucus Plans & More
From Charlotte Roybal:
Dear Fellow Dems:
By now members of the State Central Committee should have received a packet from DPNM about the April 23, 2004 meeting in Socorro. Many of you expressed an interest in a Progressive Caucus. We will have a break out session on the afternoon of April 23, 2005. This session is an opportunity to meet other progressives from around the state to discuss whether we want to become a Progressive Caucus and perhaps a structure for a Progressive Caucus. Hopefully we can identify some leadership and a steering committee to work on this. Nothing has been decided. All State Central Committee members are invited as well all Democrats who are interested across the state. We want to be as inclusive as possible.
Please, if you know of anyone in your community who is interested in a progressive voice in the party ask them to come. If they cannot come please sign them up on our sign up sheet at the State Central Committee session on April 23, 2005.
This is a totally inclusive process for all. I do not have email addressees for everyone but included as many as I had. Feel free to pass on to anyone you think might be interested.
Thank you and any questions you may have please call me at 930-0563, Charlotte Roybal
ADDITIONAL ITEMS:
These are some items taken from the party rules that will happen at the State Central Committee
District Vice-Chairs:
Two Vice-Chairs of opposite sex from each congressional district shall be elected by the respective members of the State Central Committee. Each District Vice-Chair shall be elected separately by majority vote (state rule 5-1). District Vice-Chairs serve on the Judicial Council. The Judicial Council may be called upon to review challenges concerning the election of State Central Committee members or interpret state rules.
State Rules Committee:
Eleven members are appointed to the State Rules Committee by the State Chair. These eleven members are announced at the first meeting after the election of state officers (state rule 15-2).
State Platform and Resolution Committee:
Seven members shall be elected by the State Central Committee after the election of officers (state rule 16-2.B). Each Congressional District shall elect two members. Equal division of man and women is not required (state rule 16.2). Voting must follow appendix A of the state rules. One additional at-large member shall be elected. Seven additional members are appointed by the State Chair.
I do know that Steve Fettig who is County Chair in Los Alamos is running for a seat on Resolutions Committee. He can be reached at osprey@cybermesa.com
I also know that in CD3 Conny Maki is running to retain her seat as District Vice Chair. She will be having a Hospitality Room at the Holiday Inn Express in Socorro on Friday night at 9 PM if you are interested in meeting with her.
Jason Bousliman is running for District Vice Chair in CD 1 (Albuquerque).
Connie Salazar from Santa Fe County and Barbara Wold from Bernalillo County have been appointed to the State Resolutions Committee. I do not know at this time who is running for other positions. I encourage all of you to consider running or asking to be appointed to fill a seat.
Editor's Note: Also see information on the State Resolutions Committee meeting this Saturday, April 16, in an earlier post on the DFNM website.
If any of our Albuquerque DFNM members are interested in attending the State Central Committee meeting and/or the planning meeting for the progressive caucus in Socorro on April 23rd or in running for any of the elective offices noted above, please contact me at dfnm_albq@comcast.net. You do not need to be a ward or precinct chair or a member of the State Central Committee to run for these positions. Any Democrat can attend the State Central Committee meeting as a nonvoting participant or be a part of the progressive caucus meeting.
April 13, 2005 at 03:11 PM in Democratic Party, Local Politics | Permalink
Comments
Would I be unduly cynical to note that the powers that be have scheduled the 'progressive caucus' meeting at a time when it's to late for such a caucus to affect the outcome of the elections for State Officers?
Seriously - that wasn't a complete list of the positions up for election. Were I a SCC member, I'd think seriously about even organizing an opposition candidate for State Chair, just so people could express their opinion about the current operation.
RAemember, the afternoon of 4/23 is too late. The time to meet and organize and conspire is now.
Posted by: Mike Schneider | Apr 13, 2005 3:39:21 PM
I think we are lucky to be included by the DPNM since we are only in the organizing stages. We are meeting the same time other caucus are meeting. Most of the progressives are newt o this process and should not come the first time expecting to be in charge.
Posted by: Charlotte | Apr 13, 2005 3:51:16 PM
Lucky?? I don't think so. It's not like John Wertheim opened a fortune cookie that said 'create a progressive caucus' and he did. Progressives shouldn't expect to be handed anything important, either. In politics, it's always wise to wonder what's concealed inside a gift horse.
People do things for reasons or their own. In politics, that usually means doing things to get or hold power.
Let's just imagine a hypothetical. Pretend I'm the Democratic governor of a small State, and I have presidential ambitions. I'm faced with a bunch of Democrats who are well and truly pissed at the way the party handled the recent campaign. What can I do to defuse this potential revolt and keep it from getting any power or attention? Here are a few traditional moves:
1. Schedule the SCC meeting on a day when you have a good excuse to keep it very short, limiting the possibility of an organized public floor rebellion;
2. Appoint key figures in the rebellion to time consuming, but ultimately pointless, official positions (such as the Resolutions Committee);
3. Schedule organizing meetings just after the key votes have been taken, after any chance of organizing anything revolting at a public meeting.
Now I'm sure there are other, less cynical interpretations of these move. But that's what I see. I infer that these things were done for a reason, and the obvious reason is to defuse opposition.
Anyone want to join me in supporting Pigasus for State Party Chair?
Posted by: mike schneider | Apr 13, 2005 5:52:38 PM
