Two months ago, I sat in a small restaurant with a few Missouri elected officials and others. I was following up with them in regards to the work on right-to-work, union-busting legislation that was coming up in the state house when my phone rang. After finishing with the legislator, I returned the call and received a pitch I had not heard before. I knew that our national committeeman, a significant position within the state party, had chosen to leave his position, but I had never really considered the role myself. When I was asked if I would consider doing this, I thought, whoa, okay, I need time to think about it.
For the next two weeks, I did exactly that. I checked in with our state executive director, and I asked him if there was any movement, if anyone else had signaled interest. After two weeks, the pitch that I had heard a few weeks before sunk in.
If I was interested in working for change in leadership at the state and national level, would I be willing to put in the work to do it? After struggling for two weeks to find good reasons to say no, I kept circling back to the argument I heard on the phone, not only why not, but also a call to actually work for the kind of changes I believe in.
On Saturday afternoon, in a well-attended state meeting, I was elected to the Democratic National Committee on first ballot, and appointed to the Democratic National Convention Rules Committee. While those may only be “personal” accomplishments, a title is only worth what you make of it, and the effort you are willing to put into is what makes it mean something.
I had avoided writing this, but after some thought, I realized now is the time to at least say a few words of thanks and offer a look to the future.
Crashing The Gates
It is easy in American politics to say “no” and be the naysayer. It is an important role, to point out things that are wrong, and to say, “we can’t do things this way again.” It is much harder, however, to say, okay, let’s work to fix this and make it actually work again.
Many who run for office think that, in many ways, this is a contest to increase their popularity, fame, and power. It is an effort focused on the self. I meet people like this in the two state houses I follow every week. What I know for certain, though, is that if this is the reason why you run or serve for any office, it will leave you hollow, unhappy, and constantly searching for something else. The reason to run is more complex; you run because you believe, in some arrogant part of yourself, that you can do something good for someone else, and, if you are gutsy enough to believe it strongly enough, you can accomplish your goal. Maybe that will bring you some fame and popularity, but that is a sideshow to the real event that you have done something good for someone else or a cause. Because no matter what happens to you from then on, that one thing, is something that really establishes who you are.
The role of National Committee Member is a job that is only as significant as you make it. But, in my personal belief, if you make it about yourself, you are probably going to be disappointed pretty quickly. Outside of a small number of people, most people really do not care about the title. It can be, as I said on Saturday in my speech, an “honorarium” a title conferred to those who have worked within the party for a very long time, and not much else.
I had crashed the gates that afternoon. I was not an outsider, I am now one of the ultimate ‘insiders’, but that is not an accomplishment. Only what happens next is the accomplishment that matters.
You Make Your Own Fate
12 years ago, when I started writing on Daily Kos, saying you blogged on Daily Kos did not mean much. “Wait, is that like Live Journal?” Only other members understood. But the title, again, is what you make of it. Over the years, I put a lot of work into trying to build up what I write for Daily Kos into something that actually does matter. I tried hard to be accurate, fair, and unique. When stories popped up anywhere in Missouri or Kansas, I drove myself there. From Ferguson to Dodge City; Parma, Missouri to Syracuse, Kansas (Google map those), I tried to go and find out.
I attended Netroots Nation, Daily Kos gatherings in San Francisco, Colorado, Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, state gatherings in Florida, Louisiana and a blur of other states. I tried to trace the roots of legislation that began here to elsewhere; and the extent that Kris Kobach and others had spread concepts, first tested in Kansas.
Over the years, I tried to make the work done here matter, and I like to think it did. Things I wrote were republished in Salon, NY Times, Kansas City Star, the Wichita Eagle, and MSNBC. I was sourced by The Hill, New Republic, Washington Post, and appeared on NPR and Progressive Radio.
What was important to me was not another gig, money, or fame. I did not do this to “get rich” or get famous. Like all of you, I’m not paid to write for Daily Kos, I am not paid by the state party, or others, to sit in the state house, and I am not compensated for my drives throughout Kansas and Missouri. When I was not working for a candidate, those drives came out of my pocket, and I was glad to give the gas money, tires and time. I did so because I believe in the cause.
More than 175,000 miles on two vehicles later, I would do all it again. I did it because no one else was doing it, and I felt it needed to be done.
I am sharing this because, frankly, there is not a lot super special about “Chris Reeves, some dude from Kansas.” I like to think I am a nice enough guy, I am not a complete troll, and I can be funny at times, but there is not much I have done that could not be done by others, and probably done better.
What has been done, however, is that we brought attention to issues in Kansas. And it is something I am dedicated to continue going forward.
For people who supported Bernie or Hillary, I hope this at least gives you some incentive, that if an average Joe in Kansas, someone who is not built of money or packed with resources, can work to accomplish something, you can too.
Fate, my friends, is what you make of it. In America, there are numerous positions within the Democratic Party that are unfilled. Whether it is precinct committee or county chair, these are roles you can get. If you are unhappy with the party, I urge you, nearly beg of you, get out there. Pay the filing fee, get on the ballot and become a precinct man or woman. Unhappy with county or other organization? Recruit enough of your friends and win enough precinct races in your county and change things.
It may be hard, but if you truly believe in Bernie’s Revolution or Hillary’s Outreach, it is something we need.
What Happens Next
For those who will be attending Netroots Nation, I look forward to meeting with a lot of you again, not as a party officer, but as just a guy who wears Tori Amos shirts when I am on break, and hangs out in hallways talking about what is happening in America. Let us grab a beer and some food. I rarely drink, but at Netroots? I will share one or two with you.
A title is only as good as the work you are willing to put into it. I left the state meeting to sit in the state house until two am, to return the next day and stay until four am, when our budget closed. Today, I rested. Tomorrow, I will be in Andover, Kansas, Wichita, Kansas, and Salina. On Thursday, I will be in Johnson County for a Democratic Women’s function. This month brings us candidate recruitment in Garden City, Kansas on May 10th and All Schools Day in McPherson on May 13. Whether it is Leavenworth or Pittsburg, if I am asked, I will go. I ran on the campaign that we needed people to show up, and I remain thoroughly committed to it — it is not talk, it is effort. What we can do to help more Democrats have a shot--that is what we do!
The title means one thing, but a commitment to put work behind it, can make it actually matter. As a young man, my father told me, if you work your ass off, whether you succeed or fail, you will always know you put in the most effort you had to give and feel okay about it. I believed it then, and I believe it now.
Toward the Convention
If I do not see you at Netroots, I hope to see you at the convention. I am not a delegate; I passed on my opportunity as a PLEO in order to provide good friends, good Democratic members, their opportunity, but I am honored to serve on the rules committee. And before anyone who works for DK comments, YES, I am driving, but only because I am taking along passengers who need to get there cheaply.
If you see me at the convention, come over. I promise I am pretty friendly, most of the time.
The Future on Daily Kos
If you follow what I write here on Daily Kos, well, good news. I’m not going anywhere. In fact, I maintain my belief that in order to do this well, continued commitment to providing information is important. I am proud of the work we are doing for Crowdsourcing the 50 State Strategy, and our efforts to help candidates everywhere. On Saturdays, I write Nuts & Bolts, a guide to Democratic campaigns. I do not write it because I know “everything” about campaigns, I write because so many other great campaigners have taught me a great deal over the years, and I want to save it somewhere, so everyone else learns. I write AARGH at the end of the month because I think of all of the mistakes I have made, sometimes-bad ones that I hope others avoid.
But mostly I write on Daily Kos because, despite the primary fight that happens, I believe in the goal of electing more officials at every level who will stand up for the rights of all of us. I also believe that we need a more individuals who will do this far better than I, who will tell us the real story of their state. I come, every day, waiting to hear about the inner workings of where you live — and how things might get better.
At best, Daily Kos brings us together on causes we universally believe in, and inspires us to do better. I have cried when friends passed away, and cheered when we, as a community, caused real change. That is the power of people who are dedicated to change.
Now, I am asking the same of you. Running for a position on the national committee is often too much to ask of someone not willing to devote a LOT of time to it. But try a run for your local precinct committee. Most of them are empty. It takes you, a few dollars (in some states as low as $1) and a few phone calls to help a campaign. It takes a few hours. To donate small money to the campaign of others, I urge you: if you’ve been giving to the presidential, adopt someone in any state near you, and fight for change.
A person who is born with a disability cannot choose the state in which they are born. A person of color cannot choose to relocate, with family, to somewhere friendlier. An individual born gay in America is subject to the rules and laws of states, no matter where they live.
I believe we fight for justice, hope, and the future of all, no matter where.
Thank you,
Chris Reeves
Daily Kos Kansas-Missouri State Leader, DNC Committeeman, Disabilities Advocate, and trying every day to be a good dad.
If you have got a question, tonight, ask it of me in the comments. I will try to respond.