| Fellow Democrats,
I journeyed to Austin this past Saturday, April 28, 2007, to see what I could see and hear at the quarterly meeting of the Democratic State Democratic Executive Committee--the SDEC. I did see a spark or two of Democracy fly up here and there. A few individuals gathered up their courage and got to their feet to speak out. They got little encouragement from the podium. Few SDEC members seem to see standing up and speaking out as a basic part of their role.
I attended the meetings of the Grassroots Committee at 10 a.m. and the Rules Committee at 11 a.m. Most of the time in the Grassroots committee was spent in forming subcommittees and discussing goals for those committees. As I recall the committees established were the Precinct Chair and County Chair Support Committee, the Outreach Committee, the New Democrat Welcome Committee, and the Grassroots Handbook Updating Committee. There was considerable discussion, and the Chair, Marvin Sutton, seemed to be trying to do a good job of conducting the meeting. I can't comment on the content of the discussion as it was very difficult to hear what was said. There was no sound amplification system. I believe it was decided that only SDEC members could serve on the subcommittees. That would seem to eliminate much help and possible expertise. Members also agreed that they could communicate in any way possible in carrying out their tasks since Committee decisions would constitute recommendations to the SDEC. My overall impression was that the Grassroots Committee was in sore need of direction from the SDEC. One quarter of 2007 is behind us and this committee is still getting organized. By this late date, it should have teams out in the field helping the county parties organize Grassroots Democrats. Representatives of these teams should have been reporting their progress to the Grassroots Committee in this meeting.. The members of this committee represent a wealth of talent and experience. The CEC should have put all of this expertise to work months ago. One Committee member stated emphatically that "The bottom line is to win. It don't matter if we don't win." He didn't suggest the best way to do that.
I attended the Rules Committee meeting at 11:00 a.m. This committee meeting was a horse of another color. I knew something was afoot when I tried to get in the room. It was already packed. It appeared to me that all the officers and staff were there. State Chair Boyd Richie and DNC member Bob Slagle were practically arm-in-arm. Dennis Speight, Ken Bailey, and Jim Boyington were there. It looked more like a full-blown SDEC meeting rather that a subcommittee meeting. I heard someone say there was disagreement on the question of delegate apportionment. Many people had a copy of the 2007 Delegate Selection Plan in their hand. It appeared that Black Democrats were unhappy with the number of delegates they had been apportioned for 2008. I can't be sure of that because the room was packed and noisy and there was no sound system. At one point, State Chair Richie accused a Black member of threatening to sue the Texas Democratic Party. This member protested that he had not threatened to sue, that he merely stated that he would pursue his options. Bob Slagle then lectured the complaining member about the legal aspects of the situation. I could hear little of it, but I was sure I had heard it all before. The upshot of it was that the Blacks lost in the Committee. Since so many people had spoken out, I asked to speak too. I wanted to ask if this debate would be repeated in the SDEC meeting. I was not granted the floor.
State Chair Boyd Richie called The SDEC meeting--the main event?-- to order sometime after 1 p.m. Many people were late getting back from lunch because the Rules Committee ran overtime and the room was not quite ready. At that point, there were about twelve persons on the podium looking down on all. The second item on the Agenda called for invocations and the Pledge of Allegiance. I don't recall an invocation being given but the Pledge of Allegiance along with the Pledge to the Texas flag were recited. Since these are exercises which not all Texas Democrats can take part in because of their religious nature, their propriety at SDEC meetings should be discussed by the SDEC. The role was then called. I couldn't hear well as the responders had no mikes and there was much commotion in the room. Several responded with "Sustaining Member." I was surprised to hear Bob Slagle's name called. DNC members are listed as members of the SDEC in the Texas Democratic Party Handbook, but I thought that was just another of many errors in that document. DNC members are not listed as SDEC members in The Election Code or The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. But Bob Slagle was certainly present. I don't believe he ever sat down. He appeared to have much to do with running the meeting. The DNC was certainly well represented. After the role was called the meeting was called to order. Richie declared a quorum, but there appeared to be many vacant seats. I estimate that there were 30 or 40 visitors. Technically speaking, if calling the roll is the method by which the presence of a quorum is determined, that should come first, followed immediately by the Chair's calling the meeting to order. The Chair does not exercise his or her authority as presiding officer until the assembly has been called to order.
Next on the Agenda was the Agenda's approval which was done unanimously without discussion. This was followed by the approval of the minutes of the January meeting. The minutes were also approved unanimously without discussion. Next came recognition of special guests. Four interns were recognized for their service. There was a young man named Rodriguez and four young women. I did not hear the names of the women mentioned.
The Treasurer gave his report next. Again, I could not hear the figures quoted. The report was adopted by the assembly though this is normally not necessary or proper.
Ken Molberg gave the Nominations Committee Report. I could hear little of what he said except that I believe he introduced Shannon Bailey as replacement member for SD16, Molberg's old SD precinct. I did not hear a vote to approve Bailey in this position or a vote approving Molberg as SDEC member from SD23.
Rose Salas gave the Rules Committee Report. There was a mini version of the discussion regarding the selection of delegates, which took place in the Rules Committee meeting earlier. It was not nearly as spirited, but was much more interesting than any committee report I have heard before in an SDEC meeting. Several persons spoke pro and con. A woman in the visitor's section spoke at length in favor of reconsidering the Rules Committee Report. Another woman in the visitor's section asked to speak, but Chair Richie told her that he had been advised that he could not recognize non-SDEC members. He got bad information. Party Rules permit any Democrat to participate fully in Party meetings except where prohibited by law or Party Rules. Non-SDEC members could not, of course, vote on questions before the assembly. Field Director Brian Pendleton contributed to the discussion by circulating a cordless mike around to many of those who spoke. That did help, but the room was fairly large, and he couldn't get around to every speaker. The major debate on this matter took place in the Rules Committee. It should have taken place in the SDEC General Meeting. The Committee's report was accepted without all SDEC members having heard all of the discussion of the matter. Not all who wished to speak on the matter were able to speak. Such discrepancies do not contribute to the health of the Texas Democratic Party.
Other committee reports were swiftly made and approved with little or no discussion. There was no "Old" Business. There was no New Business. No new
business? This meeting marked the end of the first quarter of 2007. We are looking at a Primary Election early next year with an enormous amount of work to be done to prepare for. There was no new business? We face a State Convention and a National Convention early in 2008 and a Presidential Election in the fall--and there was no new business.
Toward the end of the meeting, Boyd Richie put out a call for volunteers saying "Staff and I can't do this all alone." The Staff and Boyd Richie aren't supposed to do the work of the Party all alone. They most certainly are not supposed to decide what is to be done. That is the responsibility of the SDEC. This call for volunteers brings up an area in which Democrats are weak. Volunteers must do most of our work, but we don't have a plan covering the recruitment and employment of volunteers. Such plans exist. We should choose one. But the SDEC has abdicated its authority and turned its responsibilities over to the Chair, the staff, and the subcommittees and gone home for four months. It has left no instructions in the form of new business. What should the SDEC have done in this critically important meeting? It should have determined what is left to be done to prepare for the Primary Election, the coming 2008 conventions and the general election, and it should have delegated tasks and necessary authority for their completion to the proper subcommittees and the Chair. It should have instructed the Chair to monitor subcommittees to be sure they are on task and on schedule. It should have instructed the Chair to call a special or emergency meeting of the SDEC if serious problems arise. We are in a battle, folks. We can't allow our generals to turn everything over to the colonels and the sergeants and head for the golf course. If we do, we may be in for the disaster of our lives--and we would deserve it.
John McConnell, Democratic Precinct Chair
Precinct 3047
Bexar County, Texas |
