NC County Democrats Don't Give a Damn

Read through this little letter exchange and tell me: am I overreacting or is this the sign of a local Democratic Party organization that needs a swift kick in the ass?

The day after Obama's huge victory in North Carolina, I wrote this little love letter to the lazy asses of the New Hanover County Democratic Party. You can glean the backstory, such as it is, from my first letter. Here's the tidbit in their last e-mailing (a week before the primaries) that set me off. No mention of the presidential or governor's race in this last e-mail before the primary vote.

Congratulations to Dale Smith, Dorothy DeShields, and Jan Brewington. These three candidates for New Hanover County Board of Education have just been endorsed by the WRAR (Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors)!

This was their Big News!!!

Here's my letter. Mrs. Max says I was a bit belligerent.

While you're busy patting one another on the back and schmoozing with the local movers and shakers, let me ask you folks one thing: where the hell were you in the last month? I have seen maybe 2 or 3 Obama yard signs throughout Wilmington. I have seen even less Clinton yard signs. No one came knocking on doors in my neighborhood to get out the vote. I asked election workers at my local polls if they had seen any involvement by the NHC Dems to get voters to the
polls, get signs up, etc, and the answer was, "Not really." This is the first time in a generation that our primary has been of any real importance, and you people were AWOL. You got a realtors' organization to endorse your board of education candidates. All very nice, but I expected to see a tremendous push for turnout regarding the presidential and gubernatorial primaries. We didn't see that from you. No voter guides that I saw, no local Dem TV ads that I saw, no
outreach of any kind that I saw. And that last e-mail just nailed it down. From what I saw, you didn't give a damn. NC Dems turned out in droves, but the NHC Dems deserve no credit for the turnout.

Sometimes I wonder why I'm not more involved in this organization. Now I know why. The NHC Dems appear fossilized and moribund. Whatever we are going to achieve in November, we are going to have to do without you.

Thanks for nothing.
Max Black

Just for the record, there was one Obama sign and one Clinton sign at my polling place. The place was drowning in Republican candidates' signs. I can't say if NHC Dem volunteers were at the polls during the day, but they sure weren't there when I came to vote.

Here's their response, full and complete.

It was only your house we did not go to.

And my final response:

You're kidding me. THIS little smartass remark is your response? You can most certainly go to hell. Never ask me for a dime in donations. My money will go directly to the candidates of my choice, or to MoveOn, or to whomever, but the New Hanover Dems will never see a thin penny of my money from now on. Goodbye, and good luck.

If we are to retake the White House and strengthen our hold on Congress against the depredations of the Republican slime machine, we have to have not only a 50-state strategy, but a county-by-county strategy. We can't afford to be complacent, lazy, and focused strictly on a few local races that our buddies and neighbors are in. That's the impression I'm getting from these guys. Now, tell me I'm wrong.

Oh, if you'd like to tell them what you think (good, bad, or just offer them some pie), write to them at:

nhcdemocratic at bellsouth.net

•  Maybe I am wrong,

  but not paying any mind to the Obama-Clinton race or the Perdue-Moore race, while swooning over the local realtors' endorsement of their BOE candidates, seems a bit insular.

  by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:31:14 PM PDT

  •  Max I think you need some more fire in your belly

    as Kos might say

    Crash the gate

    don't get more active with them

    take them over and show them your fire

    good luck

    by jhpdb on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:45:18 PM PDT

    •  It's not a matter of having the fire

      it's a matter of where I direct it. I just am not interested in being heavily involved in local politics.

      by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:51:22 PM PDT

      •  In that case,

        why complain?  Just send your money and spend your time on the races you care about.

        by Dragon5616 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:07:07 PM PDT

      •  It's all do it yourself.

        If you don't want to do it, then you can't change the local environment.

        by doinaheckuvanutjob on Sat May 10, 2008 at 05:08:58 PM PDT

  •  Black Max

    You did good.  Kudos

    by Kitty on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:58:51 PM PDT

    •  Yeah, dammit

      :)

      by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:59:50 PM PDT

•  Eh. I think you might have overreacted

  the county party can't take any sides at all in primaries between Democrats, so I don't know what they could have said about the primary that wouldn't be biased towards one candidate.

  However, their response to your email was completely inappropriate and unprofessional.

  by smash artist on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:32:49 PM PDT

  •  Good point.

    However, I didn't expect them to take sides. I did expect them to do some outreach, get people to the polls, etc.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:34:09 PM PDT

    •  The candidates are responsible for GOTV

      during a primary, not the local Democratic Party. It's too easy for there to be the perception, if not the reality, that local party GOTV favors one candidate over the other.

      by peraspera on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:51:19 PM PDT

•  You're not wrong, but...

  resources are finite, and the party does no best where to marshal them and where not to waste them.

  by David Kroning on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:33:25 PM PDT

  •  Hah, I doubt this bunch knows

    anything about where their resources can be best used. They have a reputation for being backslapping suckups. Also, I don't think they've yet gotten over the dog days of being trashed by Jesse Helms's organization in every single election.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:35:29 PM PDT

•  The beauty of local politics is control is in

  your hands.  I would guess that the office is supported by only a handful of regular workers(maybe less-ha).  If you took an afternoon and walked around your neighborhood, compiled a short list of a dozen people of like minds, you would be able to show up and take over the office.  you would help the party, help Obama, and satisfy yourself too

  by realwischeese on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:39:04 PM PDT

  •  Yeah, I know.

    The whole office seems to be staffed by a few Ladies who Lunch. But I work 70 hours a week and do 40+ hours a week on the History Commons. I can't do it. No excuses, just facts.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:40:34 PM PDT

    •  Can you recruit some people to put

      in time with the local Dems? That's what it takes to crash the gates.

      by peraspera on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:44:06 PM PDT

      •  Um, heh...

        Forgive me if this is disparaging.

        Some of the local left-wingers are in this little cult-y organization that I fondly call the People's Front of Judea (I won't mention their official name). Their mission statement has them singlehandedly bringing peace, justice, and food to the entire world, apparently by doing lots of drum circles and meetings where they watch videos. I don't know much about any other organizations outside of the good-old-boy NHCDP.

        by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:48:39 PM PDT

        •  Think through your social, not political,

          contacts who happen to be Dems. See if you can nudge any of them who have general leadership and/or technical skills to put in some time with the local Dems.  You also might want to contact the local Obama campaign to see if anyone might be able to reach out to strengthen your local Dem Party organization to make it more effective.

          by peraspera on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:57:59 PM PDT

•  Judging from the signs around town

  90% of the electorate is solidly behind Ron Paul. Mrs. Max and I suspect that there are about three obsessive-compulsive Ron Paul supporters running around town festooning everything that doesn't move with signs and stickers.

  by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:42:24 PM PDT

•  It's a primary

  It is up to the candidates to GOTV in a primary.  The local party should not be involved in it.  In our county, many of us were involved in one of the campaigns, so there was GOTV locally.  But done by separate campaigns.  If there were no signs at your polling place, that is the fault of the campaign, not the local party.

  Secondly, if you don't like how the local party runs, attend meetings and take over the place. It may be easier than you think  ;-)    Pecking away here won't change anything.

  by wph on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:43:00 PM PDT

  •  Interesting.

    I don't know details about how county organizations work. I assumed that they would be involved. You're saying that they are not. And honestly, running (or being an active part of) such an organization isn't where my strengths are. Again, not an excuse, it just isn't what I do well. Take it as weaseling if you like, I can certainly see why you might.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:45:23 PM PDT

    •  Can't!

      The local party Can't be involved.  We, as party officials, are not allowed to take sides.  So, how can we be involved in GOTV as a party.  We worked on registering voters but once early voting started, the party backs off.  I and several other Obama supporters are precinct chairs.  it is a fine line working for the campaign and being an official.  To be honest, if anyone questioned what I was doing canvassing for Obama, I would have resigned my chair immediately.  it's not like anyone would have taken it while I was busy.   Most every precinct chair we have would gladly give it up if someone even asked for it.  Except one person and he seems to think it earns him clout in Raleigh.  Needless to say, he is the one we have targeted to toss, unsuccessfully.

      Just go to a meeting once in a while and put in your 2 cents, Encourage others to do the same.  The state party(Jerry Meek) has done a lot to support our local parties since he took over and some counties have taken the ball and run with it while others like the way they have been doing things for years.  They don't reach out because they don't want to share the power.  

      by wph on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:32:59 PM PDT

•  You could have handled it better

  By not coming off so angry in your letter.  Or you can use this as an opportunity to get involved with your local party apparatus

  by unertl on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:44:00 PM PDT

•  Ah, NC.

  I've been here 11 years and continue to be amazed how brutal our politicians are (in both parties).

  The name of the game is cronyism & the "good ol' boy" system.  (See Mike Easley's endorsement of HRC).

  It sickens me.

  by jkddude on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:44:22 PM PDT

•  Realtwhores in politics

  Over the last few years, watching the realtors boost their industry with incredibly unethical behavior, has lowered the reputation of these leeches LOWER than used car salesmen in my eyes, and I'm not alone. The NAR has helped push millions of families into the jaws of debt these families would never be able to pay back, and are already losing their homes.

  http://lawrenceyunwatch.blogspot.com/

  http://davidlereahwatch.blogspot.com/

  Nothing personal against any realtors here - I know there are a few honest ones everywhere, but the vast majority of them are repulsive to me in their professional behavior. Guess the practically nonexistent bar to entry attracts some of the worst hustlers. And then these six percenters take over the local politics and destroy the open spaces and wilderness by manipulating zoning.

  My simple rule of thumb to reduce half the corruption in the local politics is to keep away anyone who's a realtor.

  by MAORCA on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:45:31 PM PDT

  •  The other half

    would forbid anyone involved in marketing to be part of the process. H.R. Haldeman was a marketer. Every other former and current Bush official, including our old friend Andrew Card, is a marketer.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:49:50 PM PDT

•  It is time.

  You need to figure out how to take back your county Democratic party. You are the person you have been waiting for. If you can't do it then organize a little Dem party through the Obama website and grab some people that are interested in your area and take it away from their asses.

  It is not only time for a 50 state GOTV, it is time for a county by county GOTV. If you feel this way, then others do too.

  We Are The People We Have Been Waiting For.

  by COwoman on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:50:34 PM PDT

•  Hmmm, reading over this diary and the

  responses, I seem to be coming off as a sniveling little whiner who doesn't like what his local organization is doing but isn't willing to do anything about changing it. I've got some rethinking to do.

  by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:52:58 PM PDT

  •  It's not easy

    But that's really ground zero for change.

    Identify allies before you go in loaded for bear, though.

    These folks sound like they are pretty resistant to changing, so you need to work the problem smart.

    by boadicea on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:46:36 PM PDT

•  The Democratic Party in NC is VERY....

  ..."insiderish". I lived in Greensboro from 1995-20001 and I NEVER met or heard from a precinct chair, or canvasser, or had my door knocked on by a candidate or worker in 6 years. (I did get a phone call from a mayoral candidate once but that was a non-partisan race). Any involvement I had was done by my initiative and that was like pulling teeth. I always felt that the party at the state and local level did a piss poor job of trying to build the party (I guess looking back that was par for the course nationwide in the DLC-led Clinton years).

  Tear those "party" officials a new one!!!!

  by lams712 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 02:58:18 PM PDT

  •  This has been my experience as well

    and not just in New Hanover.

    by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:02:00 PM PDT

  •  Well

    The NC Democratic Party has been pretty successful. While most of the south has turned Republican, with the exception of the state's two Senate seats, they have held most of the statewide offices. They still control the state legislature. So, even though they may not be as active with volunteers as you think they should be, it's not like they aren't winning elections either.

    by oceanstar17 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:02:46 PM PDT

    •  Credit where credit is due

      the NC Dems have usually done well in state and local elections, especially in the central part of the state.

      by Black Max on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:04:38 PM PDT

    •  TRUE and maybe things...

      ....have improved since I left, but my experience was not generally positive (John Edwards winning in 1998 being an exception).

      by lams712 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:52:38 PM PDT

      •  They have to be doing something right, given

        that they have won most of the statewide offices. But I do think they need to engage their volunteers better.

        by oceanstar17 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 04:26:22 PM PDT

  •  No, no, no. Crash those gates!

    The local party is the easiest place to do this. Volunteer and/or see what it takes to become a local party official.

    by peraspera on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:06:26 PM PDT

•  It is YOUR Fault !!! (that you don't have time

  and money to fix everything yourself!!!)

  I wrote a diary back in October - I soooooo fucking sick of these affluent Dem activists telling me to fix the world, as if my for-pay-job is just something I do to keep the trustees impressed with my industriousness ...

  IF I don't have my job to pay my rent cuz I'm busy saving the world, who will pay my rent?

  ugh.

  good luck from Seattle,

  bob
  PCO 36-1392

  http://www.dailykos.com/...

  Your 3 Jobs In The Community
  by seabos84 [Subscribe] [Edit Diary]
  Sat Oct 20, 2007 at 10:41:57 AM PDT

  JOB #1.
  Take care of your personal community first.  Your personal community for we the peee-ons is - stay employed so you ain't living in the streets. While taking care of your personal community first, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

  For those of you with stories about mother thersea fixing the world living on 3 peas a day - go for it, have fun.

  I was a teenager on welfare in the 70's, and I was seriously dependent on federal financial aid programs for college - lacking money really really really sucks for that majority of us lacking the Blanche Dubois talent for relying on the kindness of strangers, or, the mother thersea gene.  

  JOB #2.
  IMPROVE 1 OF YOUR EXTERNAL COMMUNITIES - such as your community of the people down the hall in the apartment building, or your community of us in the apartment, or your community of your close family in 1 apartment building, or your community of family scattered across the u.s.a. or globe, or your community of soccer moms, or your community of vets ...

  What happens when some external community is such a mess that your time and your money isn't making things better, it is really just fixing messes made by crappy 'leaders'?

  JOB #2.
  FIRE A COMMUNITY LEADER

  by seabos84 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 03:38:39 PM PDT

•  Who won the county? Did any of the LWL endorse

  anyone and then not work for that candidate?  Does the county usually go Repub? Does the county org. have any money for outreach in a primary - Can't spend what you don't have and signs and the labor of those who post them cost money. Did they have any volunteers? Other than your anger, there is not enough information in the post to figure out what happened in NH County.

  by Christy1947 on Sat May 10, 2008 at 05:23:38 PM PDT