It should all be easier, shouldn't it. Unfortunately, we can't rely on Dean or whoever winds up as chair to push for more transparency or accountability. It's up to us to do this. Let's start by sharing the information we gather and how we get it. It should be easier to access this information, you're absolutely right. Fortunately, it's not secret information. We just need to publicize the fuck out of it.
In California, we (DFAers and MMOBsters) are lucky because many people here were already local Dem Party activists. I think, because Dean gave his famous "What I Want to Know" speech at our 2003 convention, he captured the hearts of many Party regulars that already wanted what Howard had the guts to demand. So they helped teach the rest of us how the local Dem structure works.
Our Western caucus in Sacramento had an open "Listening" breakfast as well as audience seats for grassrooters because grassrooters were already part of the host California State Party system. We had an ace woman who's a county chair up there that made it happen.
I have learned that understanding the Party structure isn't hard, just hard work. Show Up, as Dr. Dean says. Many times it is: show up at local gyms or union halls for long and really boring meetings ;-)
Because of the DFA network, we all got the info and Showed Up at our Assembly District Committee re-org meetings last month. (That's the entry level.) And we got tons of progressive DFAers elected as delegates to our next CA State convention. Like any volunteer org, it is the delegates that work the hardest and make an impression, that will get elected to the next level. Like high school, you have to show up to decorate the gym, if you want to run for student council.
I do think that if Dean wins (cross fingers), there will be more communication around Party structure. Each state is its own fiefdom, though, so everyone's milage will vary.
Also I did stay for the Vice Chair Session. I was interested in see who these people were, especially since one of the chairs is responsible for Voter Registration and Participation.
It may also be of interest to some to know that there are five vice chair positions - 3 of which will be reserved for women and two for men (gender parity when you count the Chair). It was a diverse group of candidates and it was noted by the moderator that such diversity would have been nice to see at the Chair level. The Eastern Regional Caucus was the only one at which the Vice Chairs were given an opportunity to speak.
Candidates for Vice Chair are as follows: Mike Honda - A Congressman from CA, I believe Alvaro Cifuentes Nelson Diaz Marjorie Harris - Done lots of Voter Registration work, Sharpton speech writer Linda Chavez-Thomspon - Exec. VP of the AFL-CIO, current Vice Chair. Denise Wilkinson - State Sen. from MA (I liked her a lot) Nancy Jane Woodside - Grassroots Organizer from Utah, opened 1st Party Headquarters in UT (red stater, a big blue heart from what I could tell) Susie Turnbull - Former (or current?) Head of the of the Democratic Leardership Forum
Does anyone know what the heck the VCs do?
