Democracy for New Mexico

Continued Sound Off: More on DLC Delusions

More pointed commentary on the dreary DLC meeting in Ohio this week. For a sampling, take your pick of Digby, Sirota or Kos in response to Will Marshall's piece, Hillary's capitulation to DLC mongering and other highlights of the recent meeting of anti-progressives. Today, the Washington Post weighs in on the battles and Arianna Huffington challenges the DLC to a rumble.

Why are we losing elections? The DLC seems to believe it's because we aren't more behind the "patriotic war" in Iraq and militarism as a solution to our problems! Oh, we're so caught up in the 60s that we can't see the merits of supporting wars backed by lies against enemies that weren't involved in 9-11! But wait, didn't the majority of prominent Dems vote FOR the Iraq War? Didn't our presidential candidate, deemed Mr. Electability because of his military credentials, vote FOR the Iraq War as well?  Didn't Kerry even show up at the convention with a Reporting for Duty salute and an array of his fellow Viet Nam vets? All we needed was a medley of Sousa marches for added emphasis.

The DLC argues we must adopt a more "authentic" patriotism than the Repubs. Marshall dubs it "progressive patriotism" of all things. Hey these folks seem alot like Rovian Repubs in their penchant for hijacking the terminology of their opposition and distorting it, don't they? As far as I can tell, the DLC isn't progressive in anything except kowtowing to big donors and falling over one another trying to show how willing they are to use military power. Shame on those decrepit peace activists and elitist liberals who gave millions of dollars in small donations and millions of hours of volunteer help on behalf of Kerry, even if they had to hold their noses while doing so. Any minute now I expect to read that DLC bigwigs like Al From and Bruce Reed have instructed the Democratic Wing of the Party to do the right thing about America -- Love It Or Leave It.

Marshall says:

The left's unease with patriotism is rooted in a 1960s narrative of American arrogance and abuse of power. For many liberals who came of age during the protests against the Vietnam War, writes leftish commentator Todd Gitlin, "the most powerful public emotion of our lives was rejecting patriotism." As he and other honest liberals have acknowledged, the excesses of protest politics still haunt liberalism today and complicate Democratic efforts to develop a coherent stance toward American power and the use of force.

Well I was there and it wasn't about "rejecting patriotism" any more than the civil rights movement was about hating America. It was about using the unique tools of American democracy to try and pull the country's leaders back from military madness -- a madness very similar to the one we are seeing today.

Love my country? Yes. Spend time and money and energy participating actively in the American democracy I love within the Party and without? Yes. Blindly support military solutions to nonmilitary problems and an invasion of a sovereign nation based on lies and distortions at the highest levels? Sorry, no. If that makes me unpatriotic in the eyes of DLC Dems who seem to believe they own the Democratic Party, so be it. How about you?  --Barb

DPBC Update

From the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County:

Voter Registration Workshop: We will have another voter registration training on Monday, August 15th, at the Law School Room 2401 at 6:30 PM.  It is crucial that as many of you attend as possible, things have changed and you must register in Santa Fe at the Secretary of State's Office as a registration agent to be eligible to assist people in filling out their form.  Please call the HQ if you have any questions: 256-1855.

What We Inherited, Where We Are, & Where We Go From Here: We hope you will attend for a conversation about our County Party.  Marvin Moss and Terri Holland will be there to give an overview and to answer your questions and  hear your thoughts on what you want the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County to be in 2008. Tuesday, July 26, at 6:00 PM at Plumbers Hall, 510 San Pedro SE.

Visit the DPBC Website at https://www.bernalillodems.org/.

Sound Off: DLC-DC Axis Drags Dems Down

David Sirota lays out the disturbing facts about the Democratic Party's DLC wing -- you know, the spineless wing that encourages Democrats to pretend they're Republicans and support many anti-worker and anti-middle class initiatives, like unrestrained, unregulated "free" trade. Check out Sirotablog. All hail the Dems-In-Name Only (DINOs).

It's depressing to learn that many of those who believe they can be the next Dem candidate for president are streaming like lemmings to Ohio for an upcoming DLC conference. As reported by Daily Kos, "Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton, and Tom Vilsack are all dutifully trecking to Ohio to worship at the altar of the "vital center" -- that elusive moving target that has conspired to rob Democrats of all conviction."

What is wrong with these people? I guess the lure of big buck donors in the megamedia and megacorporate world is just too seductive for these presidential-candidate wannabes. The only energy within the Party, whether locally or nationally, is obviously coming from the grassroots Democratic Wing of the Party, not the kiss-corporate-butt segment in DC. I guess they believe they can get along without us in 2008, or they believe we'll support any candidate, Republican-lite or not. They have it wrong of course. I hope they wake up in time. For the good of the Party and the nation.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say they will absolutely abandon the Democratic Party for good if it continues to follow the DLC line of least resistance. You know all those millions of dollars in small donations and millions of hours of volunteer time the Dem Party and its candidates got from the base and beyond in the 2004 election? They're history if the Party insists on continuing to listen to DC conventional wisdom insiders like the venal Bruce Reed and Al From, James Carville and Bob Shrum and any number of staffers and consultants at the DCCC and DSCC who have incredibly dismal track records. No matter, they keep on getting heeded and hired in some quarters. They've become "the usual suspects" in the minds of many more forward-looking Dems, and they've lost any semblance of respect outside the Beltway.

Worth a read on how this situation came to be: "Fire the Consultants," an article in the Washington Monthly by Amy Sullivan. Excerpt:

Over his 30-year career, (Bob) Shrum has worked on the campaigns of seven losing presidential candidates—from George McGovern to Bob Kerrey—capping his record with a leading role in the disaster that was the Gore campaign. Yet, instead of abiding by the "seven strikes and you're out" rule, Democrats have continued to pay top dollar for his services (sums that are supplemented by the percentage Shrum's firm, Shrum, Devine & Donilon, gets for purchasing air time for commercials). Although Shrum has never put anyone in the White House, in the bizarro world of Democratic politics, he's seen as a kingmaker—merely hiring the media strategist gives a candidate such instant credibility with big-ticket liberal funders that John Kerry and John Edwards fought a fierce battle heading into the 2004 primaries to lure Shrum to their camps. Ultimately, Shrum chose Kerry, and on Nov. 3, he extended his perfect losing record.

So what do you think about all this?

--Barbara Wold

All Dems Welcome at DPBC Events

The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County has scheduled the following events and all Democrats are welcome:

Monday, July 18
Voter Registration Workshop
UNM Law School Room 2401
6:30 PM

Thursday, July 21
Third Thursday Meeting
UNM Law School Room 2401
6:00 PM

Tuesday, July 26
What We Inherited, Where We Are,
& Where We Go From Here
Plumbers Hall, 510 San Pedro SE
6:00 PM

Saturday, July 30
Voter Registration at Summerfest
Civic Plaza
Meet in front of the County Clerk’s Office
5th & Marquette
5:30-8:30 PM

Saturday, August 6
Grassroots Campaign Training
Plumbers Hall, 510 San Pedro SE
Registration 9:00 AM
9:30 AM-1:00 PM

For the lastest news, check out the DPBC website . For more information, please contact Terri Holland at 505-256-1855 or info@BernalilloDems.org.

Must Hear: Dean in Denver

Must Hear Audio: The complete remarks of DNC Chair Howard Dean at a Party fundraiser in Denver yesterday!

Click for accounts of the appearance by the Denver Post .

(Photo above courtesy M.E. Broderick: Dean speaking at DemocracyFest in Austin last month. Click on photo for larger image.)

Tonight On We The People TV: Can the Democratic Party Be Saved?

WE THE PEOPLE

JULY 14, 2005 - Albuquerque Channel 27, 7-8 PM. CALL-IN:  346-1633. Please, TAPE the program if you cannot be present.

GUEST:    Matt Farrauto, Communications Director, Democratic Party of New Mexico
TOPIC:    Can the Democratic Party Be Saved?
HOST:    Mickey Bock

WE THE PEOPLE is an innovative call-in television show looking for TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY in local, state and federal governments. We hope to remind viewers of their legacy and heritage coming from the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. It is our country's government--based on law and not tyranny--that grants us FREEDOM.

Watch us every Thursday 7-8 PM, Community Cable Channel 27, Albuquerque, NM

Call-in (the number will be flashed on the TV Screen) or e-mail us and we will try to answer your questions and concerns. Kindly forward to Albuquerque area friends.

www.1776wethepeople.com
mickbo@earthlink.com

THANKS FOR WATCHING
Mickey Bock/Judith Binder
******************************

Editor's Note: A recent article by Ollie Reed, Jr. in the Albuquerque Tribune profiles Public Access Channel 27 and some of its participants, including Mickey and Judith. Excerpt:

People whose shows are coming up later in the evening begin filing in. Mickey Bock arrives with his wife, Judith, the producer of "We the People."
[. . .]
Bock, 76, and his wife are disappointed supporters of Howard Dean's presidential campaign. They started "We the People" to carry forth Dean's philosophy of "take back your country" and to drive home Bock's concerns about enforcing separation of church and state.

"The rock of this country is separation of church and state," says Bock. "Believe what you want, just keep it out of government."

New Santa Fe Dems Website

From Robert Adams:

The Democratic Party of Santa Fe County now has a website:

www.santafedemocrats.org

A Great big THANK YOU to Tom Chepucavage and the Democratic Party of Santa Fe County Communications and Technology Committee for making this site a reality!!

The site is built around the state of the art .NET framework, which will allow us all of the functionality we will need to be truly effective at virtual organizing.  Plans are already in motion to provide Ward Chairs, Precinct Captains and Block Captains with a way to open their "online Headquarters".

Make sure and register once you visit the site - this will enable us to give you the permissions to view pages that are created specifically for our Executive and Central Committee.  It will also enable us to communicate more efficiently and effectively.

Also, we encourage your feedback!!

Cheers, Robert Adams
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SANTA FE COUNTY
PO Box 22183 l Santa Fe, NM l 87502
HQ: 907 W. Alameda l Santa Fe, NM l 87501 l 
505.982.5727 l sfdparty@qwest.net

Reform Democrat? Sign Here

From Frontier PAC:
It is time to show the Democratic leadership in Washington what it really means to be a Reform Democrat.

The reports that "Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean is trying to get voters to hold the Republican Party responsible for the 'culture of corruption' he sees in Washington, but Dean is getting virtually no help from fellow Democrats in the House of Representatives."

Frontier PAC believes that grassroots Democrats everywhere would rather fight the Culture of Corruption head-on than lose out to the fears of cozy old-guard politicians. We can take back Congress if we give voters a slate of honest reformers. Help prove us right!

Please sign the petition!

The Republican Culture of Corruption now defines Washington politics. Key Republicans from Tom DeLay to Karl Rove to Randy "Duke" Cunningham face serious ethics charges, and American voters strongly disapprove of their lack of leadership in Congress. This presents an opportunity to draw a true contrast between the values of the two parties: Democrats stand for American families, while Republicans stand for multinational corporations.

2006 can be the key to a lasting Democratic majority, but not if we can't be bold and clear about what makes Democrats different. Please join Frontier PAC and grassroots Democrats from across the country in calling for the Democratic leadership to draw a strong distinction on ethics and corruption. Ask our Washington leadership to join Chairman Dean in asserting the values of Reform Democrats.

Dean says that our party's 2006 message will be worked out by the end of this summer, so we're giving ourselves until the beginning of August to gather 10,000 signatures. Thanks to all the Frontier Democrats who make that happen!

Sincerely,
Patton Lee Price, Executive Director
Frontier PAC

INVITATION: Breakfast with State Democratic Party Chairman

Following up on the DNC Assessment meeting some of us attended on 6/29, Meredith Dixon and the State Democratic Party is inviting progressive activists from around the state to a breakfast meeting in Santa Fe with State Party Chair, John Wertheim, to discuss issues we’ve raised and/or other topics of interest. I understand these meetings will be scheduled regularly in different parts of the state. All are encouraged to participate. If you know anyone else you believe would be interested in attending, please pass this along:

Breakfast with
State Democratic Party Chairman John Wertheim
Saturday, July 23rd
10 AM to 11:30 AM
At the NEA Building, 2007 Butolph Rd, Santa Fe, 87505.

If there are particular agenda items that you feel should be addressed, please send them to me or Marci by close of business on Wednesday, July 20th. 

Please RSVP to either meredith@nmdemocrats.org or marci@nmdemocrats.org

Thanks!

Meredith A. Dixon
Regional Organizer
New Mexico Democratic Party
O: 505-830-3650, C: 505-401-8339
meredith@nmdemocrats.org
www.nmdemocrats.org

Reins

Barbara Grothus turned us on to a website called Bag News Notes that features alot of creative political graphics and cartoons, as well as posts. Click for their Independence Day post called Howard's Rein, pictured below:

Either spit that apple out, Howard, or take the bit and run with it!

(Note: TypePad, where both this site and Bag News Notes reside, is in the midst of an overhaul so things might not be working entirely right at these and other TypePad sites.)