So, as a lefty, reform, supported Dean with my eyes wide open, card carrying Michigan Dem, I went to the monthly county Dem meeting to participate in the voting for the local executive committee. I'll admit, I was naively thinking that we'd have open nominations and an open vote- its not like there are that many Greens in Michigan that they'd flood the meeting. (Ok, maybe Lauruchites, but that's for another day).
And I'm happy to report that the machine is functioning better than ever.
Just before we were to provide our rubber stamp, the "endorsed slate" of candidates was passed out. And just after the election agenda item was announced, a motion for unanimous approval was seconded.
Somewhere in the fuzz of my brain, I heard something about having the power, but my wattage was a little too low to take on this put up job.
What made it all the more hilarious was that the state senator who is next on the ballot (did I mention that Kerry won our county, but no other Dem did...), suggested 10 minutes before this sham that he was grateful for all the Deaniacs and volunteers and did someone get a list of all of us. Deaniacs and volunteers represented by whom on the endorsed list...haha.
Hilarious moment number two. Some one had to mention that you can't have a vote on the slate until you close verbal nominations. Whoops. Then they got 5 additional nominations.
Hysterical moment number three. In Michigan this has to be an open vote, but are you really going through 21 names and count fans at 8:30pm? No way. So instead, we had to use the endorsed slate and cross out 1-5 names if we wanted one or more of the verbally nominated candidates. To add the extra measure of democracy, you didn't need to write in any of the verbal nominations because someone would just know which person you wanted.And really did it matter because what are the chances the "party faithful" are going to hand in a signed piece of paper crossing out endorsed candidates?
This is the second election I've seen run this way by the Dems in District 7. HoHo is really going to have to work the mojo if this is how the DNC operates (except with more cash).
NO surprise, but its pretty interesting that as a precinct delegate and someone that actually worked for candidates, I didn't come close to a discussion about this committee. But maybe it'll serve as an organizing cry to other Deaniacs in Michigan and elsewhere whose local Dem parties are going throught this process
