Originally posted at TexasKaos.com
Each week TexasKaos.com polls it's readers and last week our poll asked "Are you confident in the Leadership of the Texas Democratic Party?"
Considering our readers are some of the most active Democrats and Progressives in Texas, it's usually a good read into the party's most active members. We've got precinct chairs, SDEC members, candidates for office, and then good ole peons like myself.
Last week's poll should truly shock you & the Texas Democratic Leadership.
We at TexasKaos have a goal to make Texas competitive by 2008. It was embarrassing to see the Blue Wave wash over much of America but leave Texas mostly dry.
That's gotta change and I'm betting many of you in other states that are thirsty for change feel the same way.
May I suggest that we hold our State Reps accountable? Each of us need to organize at a state level and try to understand the best ways to make our Party better.
Last week's poll was about as clear a message to the Texas Democratic Party leadership as any.
If more than 40% of your party's most active members think you need to go, then you got a problem. Another 20% don't know what you do and more than a third of them are looking to the national Democratic Party to create a change in Texas.
Only FIVE PERCENT of your Party's most active members believe we have the right leadership in place.
Boyd Richie and the TDP leadership: If that don't wake y'all up, then you ain't alive!
Join me on the flip for a good ole public family squabble cuz we really gotta have a Come to Jesus meeting.
Accountability: We can all do more.
First off, before we go pointing the finger at Boyd Richie (& not that one, Anna! We got kids in the audience!), I'd like to point out that almost 20% of us admitted we don't know enough about the TDP leadership and the party structure.
I've always believed that before you go pointing the finger at others, you gotta be honest and see what you can do better.
Let's be honest. Many of us could do more.
Now, don't get defensive or start feeling guilty, but if you're gonna go pointing fingers, expect to see some pointed back at ya (like the 3 on your pointing hand).
I'm not saying we gotta forsake our families and our bills (SBC would mind) and hell, our happiness. But in many ways we probably could do more.
So, let's just throw that out there. Ok? TDP Leadership, we're not saying that this is just "yer fault".
And honestly, this isn't about blaming people or faults. I mean, what good will that do (well, maybe make us feel better)?
This thing's about accountability. What are we doing right, what do we need to work on, and how do we go about doing "it" better.
Education: Building Better Activists
But how the hell can we do more if we don't know what to do? Who are our leadership? What are they supposed to be doing for us? How do we hold them accountable from a Party structure stand point?
And how do we get progressives elected to positions the Party?
I know many of you have been incredibly frustrated with the state of the Party and it's infrastructure. Several of you have tried to volunteer only to get discouraged by what ya had to deal with. Voter's list that's 30 years old, "dead wood" who are more interested in keeping power, and an overall indifference and expecation of losing.
What are you gonna do? Leave? Yeah, that's gonna makes things better. But wouldn't it help if you knew where to best focus your energies to accomplish change? Wouldn't it help if you knew the rules so that you could force party officials to respond?
In other words, we have to educate ourselves on the Party structure, rules, leadership, roles, and just the process
To that end, Texas Kaos will launch a Voter/Activist Education series and toolset so that you can be more informed about the Party Structure.
More on that later, but please volunteer info, links, and YOURSELF (hint, hint) - cuz one of the best ways to build a better Party is to build better, more informed Democratic activists.
Building on a solid foundation, clearing "dead wood", Joining the Blue Wave.
Many of us are angry and impatient for change. We saw the Blue Wave sweep over America and damnit we want in!
But let's face reality. It takes time for change. Will it happen in one year? Two? Five? I don't know, but in our anger and fervor, we can't let our disappointment and desire for change make us impatient and burn the house down.
I know many of us believe that there's alot of dead wood in the Party. And frankly, there is some. But how much of it is rotted and how much was just thirsting for a Blue Wave?
There are thousands of volutneers and Party people who have done a great deal of work preserving a decaying Party. For us to not appreciate that is to not only be ungrateful but also arrogant.
Would you have done as well or just left if you kept fighting against the wind? Or would you have also joined it?
So I don't want people to think this is an "Us vs. Them" or "Insiders vs. Outsiders" thing. Hell, some of us are Insiders.
And we will need these "Insiders" because they have so much of the knowledge and practical experience - and frankly, the same passion we have - to make the Party effective.
In other words, we're stuck with each other and we gotta figure out how to work together. That does not mean that things can stay the same however.
All together now: Learn To Win!
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Chris Bell had a great message as he went into East Texas. Texas Democrats, he said, need to learn to win again.
And it's true. How are we gonna win if we don't know how to win & if we don't believe that we can?
I think one of the most troubling thing for us activists is that many people in the Party seem to have accepted losing as an acceptable outcome.
That attitude is one reason why we see so many Texas races without a single Democrat running. How the hell are we gonna win if we don't even have a candidate?? |
That's simply not acceptable. I really think this was one of the biggest negatives against Chris. People didn't believe a Democrat could win the governor's race.
We had an unpopular Governor who was in the THIRTIES and Democrats STILL didn't believe that we were going to win. It cost Chris crucial endorsements (such as big Democratic donors and possibly the teacher's union) and it made it difficult for Chris to get his message out.
When George Bush ran against Ann Richards her approval rating was SEVENTY PERCENT - and he still won!! Yeah, he played dirty, but damn the GOP never doubted they could win. Chris was a good candidate with good ideas as he displayed in the debate. He wasn't perfect, but we didn't lose because of him or even Kinky or Strayhorne.
We lost because we didn't believe we could win.
Texas Democrats cannot accept anything but a win. And to do that we've got alot of work to do.
Become the Party
Howard Dean really nailed it. If you the Party to change the Party then become the Party.
There are precint chairs and leadership positions (SDEC) that often go vacant because no one expresses interest. Get involved. Volunteer and make the Party address issues important to you.
You will have a better chance of making Boyd & the TDP leadership listen to ya if you can vote them in - OR OUT.
Boyd Richie, SDEC, and TDP Leadership
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Ok, now finally back to the poll and Boyd Richie and the TDP.
Again, only FIVE PERCENT of the most active progressives believe Boyd Richie and the current TDP leadership are right for the job.
Fair or not, that's pathetic. And if that doesn't wake people up, then somedoby better check Boyd's pulse.
And yes, I'm naming names. In fact, we at TK will take a much deeper look at the TDP's leadership and hold them accountable for their actions.
We've seen what happens to a party (both state & national) when the people stop paying attention to its leadership and direction. That's our fault and we can't let that happen again. |
If putting a spotlight on the TDP and specific members of the leadership makes it more accountable, then so be it.
Boyd, fairly or unfairly, as the head of the Texas Democratic Party, the Buck stops with you. If we go through another sorry couple years and can't make the Party competitive for 2008, then it's your butt and rep that's on the line.
Boyd, you didn't become the chair because you're idiot or by being weak. Enough people thought you had the leadership qualities, the backbone, the smarts, and the connections to make it happen for Texas Democrats.
So let's see it happen.
In two years, we need to have a Texas Democratic Party that's competitive for the 2008 elections - or we need a new Texas Democratic Party.
Please see lightseeker's great idea also.