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Chris Koster, Claire McCaskill, Gov. Jay Nixon, Lacy Clay, Missouri Progressive Democrats, Russ Carnahan
On Saturday, a group of us met in Clayton to discuss ways to get the attention of state Democratic Party leaders in order to make them fix the problems in the party infrastructure. We concluded that we need a paid, dedicated state party director, a talented communications director who will proactively get the message out that we are the better choice if voters want to keep America from sinking to third world status, and someone who actually makes the township and county central committee members work to build the local networks critical for winning elections.
If we don’t see some improvement in the way the state party functions, we’re withholding our campaign contributions and volunteer time. The word is already out that we’re doing this and many Dems are calling saying they want to join us.
Claire McCaskill is already sending out donation requests to be part of “Claire’s Crew.” No thanks. Not until we see some backbone on the part of our elected Dems. It’s not enough to say the alternative is worse. We have to have a reason to shout from the rooftops why we love our candidates.
This is the letter going to Gov. Nixon this week:
November 21, 2010
The Honorable Governor Jay Nixon
Missouri Capitol Building
Room 216
Jefferson, City,Mo.65101Dear Governor Nixon:
I am sure you are aware that progressive Democrats around the country are regrouping in response to the disappointing results of the recent midterm elections.
Today a core group of active Democrats in St. Louis County met to discuss how to we can make the Missouri Democratic Party more effective.
We concluded that we Democrats have much to be proud of and our values clearly reflect the best interest of the majority of citizens. The Republicans have purposely degraded a lot of what progressives hold dear.
Our Democratic priorities which include equal educational opportunities, a fair tax structure, civil rights, security, protection of the environment, basic health care and decent paying jobs need to be spelled out clearly and persuasively. We need someone to generate talking points that we can all use so our message will sink in and motivate voters to side with us.If false information is generated by the media we need it to be quickly addressed and the true facts given out.
Therefore we’re asking you, our Governor and head of the Missouri Democratic Party, to meet with us to discuss how to improve the effectiveness of the State Party.
We would like to talk to you about hiring a full-time paid Director, a publicist/message developer,and an outreach co-ordinator to reach all of our state’s townships with our democratic objectives.
There is so much that can be done with the internet, with direct mailers, and other media opportunities.
Today we pledged, as a group, that we will not get involved in campaigns for State and National candidates until we meet with you and we feel a more effective party is established. I will be sending a copy of this letter to Craig Hosmer,Clint Zweifel and Chris Koster.. Copies of a similar letter have been sent to Sen.Claire McCaskill, Representative Russ Carnahan and Representative Lacy Clay.
We hope you can find time in your busy schedule when you are in the St. Louis area to meet with us. If you have no trips planned in the near future, we will come to your office.
Thank you for your attention to our serious concerns. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Yeah, I saw Claire’s email. Meh. It’s exactly what’s wrong with the Democratic Party in Missouri: every candidate is essentially for his or herself and everything associated with it is stovepiped from any other candidate.
Everything else you said is dead on. That total lack of statewide party dedication that goes on outside of personal organizations like McCaskill’s or Nixon’s is why we have no bench, and a lot of demoralized rurl Dems.
Claire will lose in ’12, mark my words.
Is there anyway that the various Democratic clubs, precinct organizations (are there any?) can organize around these issues? Who would start doing the outreach and trying to build some organizational clout?
I don’t know about your part of the state, but the St. Louis County Central Comm is totally worthless. They hardly meet at all – only if the chair feels like it. They take the summer off – even in election years. One of the members told me that last time they all went thinking there was going to be a meeting, the chair didn’t even show and no one else had the key to the bldg. Egad. All they do is sponsor one big party a year. But if someone else tries to run for those seats you’d think the world was coming to an end. Why do they want those seats if they don’t do anything? I guess they feel some kind of prestige or they like being part of the in crowd or something.
I visit Greene County often because of family there. I’ve been very impressed with them. They have a full time office every year, year round, not just for campaign season. The full time executive director is smart, friendly and knows his politics. If they can do that is what is supposedly the reddest part of the state, why can’t St. Louis County do it?
That’s why some of the St. Louis area Dems are disgusted and setting up our own mechanisms for developing a message and influencing the voters.
Willy,
The problem seems to be that township clubs are supposed to be organized by the central committee members from those townships and they don’t. There are a few active Dem clubs such as Jefferson Township (Webster Groves and Glendale) but most of them don’t do much.
When an outsider tries to get something going, the “official” leaders protest. We need to elect committee members seriously interested in building the party rather than their own egos.
Hey
It looks like the Zeitgeist is full of pissed off Progressives organically exploring options to realize our agenda w/o an extinct party structure that consistently misreads voters.
Democrats Without Borders
Meeting & Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Jefferson Grill
127 West Jefferson Ave
Kirkwood, MO 63122
6:30 – 7:30 PM – Club Meeting
Please bring your ideas on how to build the DWB Club in 2011.
(ajshrive@artsci.wustl.edu ) planned seminar.
Its content may not be new to some DWB folks but I feel it may be one of those ‘more the merrier’ situations during which some can share their expertise & experience and ‘newbies’ like me can figure out what’s going on.
‘Details still being worked out, but here’s an approximation of what it will be about:
Start with a basic overview of the current state of Missouri politics (~1 hour). Then spend some time talking about the current state of the media,… and why we need people to get more involved in creating their own content (~1 hour). Then discussions of a new project that will help promote quality content in the progressive community.
Then breakout sessions covering (1) basics of blogging, (2) covering friendly events, (3) covering unfriendly events + tracking (4) videography, (5) highlighting extremism on the Right, (5) building community