Hat-tip to Muse for pointing out this story. The Dallas Morning News really strikes the right tone in their reporting.
There's no way to sugarcoat it. Texas Democrats got stiffed when the party's convention planners issued hotel assignments Tuesday.
The convention is at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver. Texas' delegates will be staying in ... Aurora.
Yup, because of Texas's past inability to qualify as a swing state (which is as much the presidential campaign's fault as our own), we get screwed once more in hotel site selection. Back in Boston in 2004, I got to chill with the Texas crew at the Airport Hilton- not bad but across the river where it's a bit of a trick transportation wise. But that doesn't really compare to getting stuck 10 miles away in Aurora.
"We had three choices. It was the second choice on our list. We're happy with our choice," said state party spokesman Hector Nieto. "It could have been worse."
I don't want to think what the 3rd choice was exactly. Then again, we will get to spend some quality time with the lovely delegation from... American Samoa.
On the bright side, the Texans will get to hang with delegates from American Samoa. They'll have lots to talk about with the territory's representative in Congress, Eni F.H. Faleomavaega. He got his law degree from the University of Houston in 1972.
"We usually get fairly good assignments. But 10 miles is pretty far," said Fagafaga "Danny" Langkilde, chairman of American Samoa's Democrats, reached by phone in Pago Pago. "Naturally we would like to be placed in as convenient a place as possible."
Hopefully next year we'll be able to earn a bit more respect when we take back a certain John Cornyn's U.S. Senate seat.
Five years ago marked one of the roughest days ever for Texas Democrats. On November 5, 2002, Governor Rick Perry defeated Democrat Tony Sanchez by almost 20 points, gaining 57.8% of the vote. Republicans won control of the Texas House, which led to Rep. Tom Craddick becoming the first Republican Speaker of the Texas House in over 100 years. Republican John Cornyn defeated Democrat Ron Kirk to earn a seat in the United States Senate. Michael Sullivan of the Texas Public Policy Foundation wrote, in a column in the Dallas Morning News, that:
The fact remains that the margins were so great, the majorities were so decisive, only a fool could presume conservatives don't have a mandate to govern as conservatives.
Texas Democrats were doomed. Or so it seemed.
Many Democrats abandoned the Party, and began advocating a cynical attitude that seemed like it would hold on for years. Consultants bemoaned the Party structure for the statewide losses -- a critique that continues to this day, in some circles. The media narrative was so overwhelmed by Republican dominance at the polls that Democratic viewpoints became an afterthought on page B14 of the metro section. There were even some Democrats in the Texas House that gave up, becoming members of the Speaker's leadership team and willingly working to slash CHIP, deregulate tuition, and champion every conservative talking point as if they'd found a new religion.
Some folks, however, held out. Some fought. Some Democrats never stopped being a Democrat. They never stopped fighting for what we, as Democrats, believe in our hearts: that government can be an instrument of good, can help the less fortunate, and can be an agent of hope and compassion for its people.
Over the next few days and weeks, we will hear from many of those Democrats who never stopped fighting. Members of our staff will reflect about the work they've done over the past years. Several elected officials will also share their views, along with a few consultants who never stopped working to build a Democratic majority.
As part of this extended look at how far, we've come, we're going to ask you -- our online community -- to continue pushing for new change and a better direction. As you read our stories, we want you to contribute to the TexBlog PAC -- as we try and retake the House and really cement the turnaround of the past five years. We'll talk more about that later, but for now, we encourage all of our readers to think about where they were five years ago, and reflect on their experiences working to rebuild a Democratic majority.
When you look at the gains in the Texas House, when you look at Governor Perry's 39%, and when you look at someone like Lieutenant Colonel Rick Noriega challenging Junior Senator Cornyn, you have to admit -- we've come a long way in just five years. We're going to talk about how that happened, and what the next five years has in store for our state, our party, and the people of Texas.
First, thanks to the TDP and DSCC for purchasing ads. On top of that, a big thanks has to be sent to the Texas Democratic Party for building a community style website.
The TDP has joined up with Blue State Digital to create a site that allows you to build the party around your interest much like the DNC's partybuilder, the TDP has also added an Texas Party builder set up called, My TDP.
This is the first of many steps of moving online communication to offline actions.
From building interests groups, starting or finding events, or writing letters to the editor the new TDP site finally empowers Texans to get involved. YearlyKos is a convention focused on empowering coalitions of like minded people, and the TDP has taken that first step with this site. We are all democrats and we all want change in Texas, this TDP website is another tool for us to do organize and coordinate.
The TDP's user-friendly website will make it easy to learn more about our Party and connect with other Texas Democrats who share your interests.
Here are just a few of the added features on the brand new TDP website:
Issue-specific information pages on what it means to be a Texas Democrat
An expanded list of Democratic elected officials in your area -- from your U.S. Representative to your local Justice of the Peace; An enhanced Letters to the Editor feature so you can spread the Democratic message in your community
And the exciting new Action Center section, where you can create a personal profile page and use it to interact with other Texas Democrats
The Young Democrats of America Convention in Dallas this past weekend was an interesting event. It wasn’t confined by the same press choreography that plagues the large Democratic and Republican national conventions.
It was free flowing and at times spontaneous.
The two largest events were any training on how to become a national delegate to the Democratic Convention in Denver and the massive Democrats Work community service project.
Watching high school and college aged YD’s learning the process was by far one of the more entertaining things to watch. It was fun to sit there and watch them learn the nuance that surrounded our complex party rules, and see them energized to be a part of the party process.
As the second youngest delegate from Texas in 2004, the presidential convention is one of the most exciting events I have been to in my brief political career.
As Parag Mehta outlined in his presentation, Denver was selected because of the increasing growth in democratic support in the Mountain West. With impressive democratic gains in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, and Arizona, the Democratic Convention can serve as a launching pad for further growth in 2008.
Not only will the convention set up the opportunity for us to organize the 3,300 counties across the country or even the 203,000 precincts, it will also be the catalyst for organizational growth. The best example we heard was Denver will see a growth of labor unions in the hotel industry go from 1 union to 13 by the end of the convention because of the bargaining chip that is the Democratic Convention. Of course, every YD there wanted to be a part of that sort of growth. Of course it is always fun to be there with over 4,382 like-minded, passionate democrats too.
Enthusiasm was not reserved for just the convention. Both the Mikal Watts and Rick Noriega campaigns were out meeting democrats from across the country. Emil Reichstadt was even there as a volunteer.
The incredible thing was the interest the Texas Senate race is generating.
From now until Sunday, thousands of young democrats will flock to Dallas to learn campaign 101 and train on the latest technology. They will be briefed by insiders and issue advocacy groups and they will hear presidential candidates and elected officials talk about their vision for the future.
We will sit in the back corner while all of the rest of these engaged under 35 year olds from over 40 countries prepare to take back the White House and solidify our 2006 gains.
It should be a fun couple of days in the big D and we look forward to giving you the best of whats around.
The Young Democrats of America (YDA) National Convention kicks off in just 28 days in Dallas Texas.
We will be there July 18-21 to see what's going on and talk to young democrats from across the country.
A recent e-mail sent out highlight some of the speakers at this years convention-- Senator John Edwards, former Texas Agriculture Secretary Jim Hightower, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope, John Stolz from VoteVets, and others.
The YDA Convention will also have training sessions, a community service project with Democrats Work, and our national officer elections. Feel free to register or learn more at their website.
(First Texas, then the world, via DC? - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
The following is the YDA presidential campaign announcement message from David Hardt, the former president of the Dallas County Young Democrats and present YDA National Committeeman from Texas:
Over the past few months, I've spoken to countless Young Democrats about the future of our organization. Recent years have been good ones for the Young Democrats of America. Young progressives have become part of the foundation of the Democratic coalition, and YDA has proven its ability to organize, mobilize and turn out young voters.
As National Committeeman from Texas, it's been an honor to have been a part of aiding YDA in its important work. However, when I look to the future, I recognize that there are still challenges ahead. We've come so far, but YDA's full potential still lies before us.
Because I believe in the values that define our party.... Because my experiences within YDA have given me the knowledge and tools needed to lead us forward.... Because I know there is no greater resource available to the progressive cause than an active and engaged young electorate.... I am declaring myself a candidate for President of the Young Democrats of America.
(For community discussion. - promoted by Burnt Orange Report)
The following is a letter from David Van Os to one of his core supporters following last week's SDEC meeting, where the existence of a campaign/GOTV budget of $400,000 for the 2006 cycle was discussed by finance chair Dennis Speight, prompting questions from several SDEC members.
I asked DVO for permission to reprint it here. I removed only the name of the party to whom it was addressed in order to preserve that person's confidentiality.
I would be interested in BORers' thoughts regarding the ideas advanced here.
One of my secret passions has always been third-party and fringe candidacies. I love the Democratic Party for a whole host of reasons and I've cast only one vote against a Democrat in a partisan election--I voted for Green Party candidate Manny Molera Ruben Reyes for Comptroller in 2002 as a protest to the pathetic Marty Akins candidacy. But Independent, third party and otherwise non-R and D political movements fascinate and excite me. From the People's Party to Eugene Debs to John Anderson and Vermont's Progressives, you have to love spirited challenges to the status quo.
That's why I view with great interest a recent dispatch from Politics1 regarding a major shakeup in America's most significant third party, the Libertarian Party. It seems that the Libertarian Reform Caucus took over the party's apparatus at the convention this year in overwheling fashion, LRC candidates winning the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship with over 60% of the vote each. They also radically altered the platform it seems, toning down the rhetoric of the party to focus on more achievable short-term Libertarian goals rather than the rather utopian vision of a government-free future that has been the party's calling card to this point. The change promises an abrupt and dramatic change in the future of the party, and possible implications for the near future of American politics.
While I'm not sure how our Lieberman delegate and blogging friend Greg Wythe is taking it, it's a dismal day for Joe Lieberman as the former 'next vice-president of the United States' looks to be running away from the Democratic primary in Connecticut.
Washington Post: Facing a stronger-than-expected Democratic primary challenge and sagging poll numbers because of his support of the Iraq war, Sen. Joe Lieberman said Monday he'll collect signatures for an independent campaign if he loses next month's primary.
"While I believe that I will win the Aug. 8 primary, I know there are no guarantees in elections," Lieberman told reporters on the steps of Connecticut's statehouse. "No one really knows how many Democrats will come out to vote on what may be a hot day in August."
It's only July and it seems that someone is feeling the heat a bit early.
I never thought that Joe Lieberman in Connecticut and Carole Keeton Strayhorn in Texas would have something in common. I guess when you can't win a primary, run as an independent!
