Your Texas delegation to the Democratic National Committee spent this weekend in Washington, DC for the 2011 Winter Meeting. Every DNC meeting has its own particular rhythm and flow. This report contains a number of details that may be of interest to only a few people, however I have attempted to relate the mood as best as possible.
As always, it is an exceptional honor to represent young Texans on the DNC. The job pays nothing, requires a great deal of time and personal expense, but allows young people to have their voice heard at the highest levels of our party.
Thank you for allowing me to serve.
Wisconsin
The hot topic of conversation among members was the situation in Wisconsin. Recent Republican attacks in the Badger State and in several other states on working families' right to negotiate for improved work conditions and compensation have galvanized the labor movement and the Democratic Party. Texas' own Linda Chavez-Thompson (DNC Vice Chair) led the Labor breakfast on Friday morning and the energy in the room was palpable. The Democratic Party will not stand idly by while the rights of regular Americans are under attack from right-wing extremists.
DNC Investments in Texas and the Future of Organizing for America
Beginning in 2009, as the President-Elect was transitioning into the White House, his 2008 campaign morphed into Organizing for America, a 50 state grassroots operation.
Generation Forty Four is an initiative of the Democratic National Committee to engage successful young professional leaders in supporting President Obama, the Democratic Party and the election of Democrats up and down the ballot. Gen44 involves young leaders in supporting our party and President, including fundraising, outreach, networking and leadership.
The first ever Gen44 Summit will be in Washington, DC from Thursday, September 30th through October 2nd with President Obama headlining a private kick-off concert on 9/30. The event is a national gathering for the next generation of Democratic leaders. After the concert comes two days of panels, discussions, networking and strategy sessions for the 2010 and 2012 campaigns.
What: Gen44 Summit & Concert with President Obama
When: September 30-October 2
Where: Washington, D.C.
More Information: http://www.GenFortyFour.com
If you'd like to get involved in Gen44 or if you're interested in attending the Gen44 Summit, please contact Rick Cofer or visit this link: http://bit.ly/dpPnYe
Democratically Yours,
Katie Naranjo
Former President, College Democrats of America
This past weekend, as your Democratic National Committee Member representing Young Texans, I went to Saint Louis, Missouri for the Democratic Party's summer meeting. Here's an update about what happened and what it means for Texas.
Delegate Selection Rules and 2012 National Convention
Millions of Americans have expressed concerns about the 2008 schedule of Presidential primaries and the manner in which delegates were awarded. In response to those concerns, the DNC adopted new rules for the 2012 Presidential Primary:
Changes in Scheduling Elections
(1) The new schedule allows four states (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina) to hold their nominating contests in February 2012. No other state is allowed to hold a Presidential primary until the first Tuesday in March (which is when the Texas primary has been held in recent times).
(2) There is a new and elaborate system of bonus delegates which will grant a state more delegates if the state moves its Presidential nominating election into later months or keeps its late-scheduled election in the same late month (ie, after March).
(3) States that establish "regional primaries" in which three contiguous states hold their Presidential primary on the same day will also get bonus delegates.
These changes should have a huge effect in Texas because the Republican National Committee has met and adopted the identical calendar that we adopted last weekend. That means states can move their elections in an orderly fashion and be eligible for bonus delegates. Long story short, there are now strong incentives to push back the Texas primary to late March or into April to increase the strength of our state in the presidential nominee selection process.
Changes to Super Delegates
(1) The changes also are intended to reduce the role and significance of super delegates (DNC members, Members of Congress, Governors).
(2) The DNC voted to add an additional 700 pledged delegates to the national convention, which reduces the percentage of super delegates to 15%, as compared to 20% in 2008.
(3) Super delegates will now be required to pledge a presidential preference no later than 10 days following the conclusion of the state's delegate selection process (in Texas that would be 10 days after the State Convention).
Youth Inclusion
I am incredibly proud to announce that for the first time in the history of the Democratic Party, young Americans are now a specifically identified group for inclusion in the presidential nomination process.
Do to the leadership of DNC Youth Council Co-Chair Jason Rae (WI), DNC Youth Council Co-Chair Amber Goodwin (TX), outgoing College Democrats of America President Katie Naranjo (TX) and too many others to thank, the DNC unanimously approved changing Rule 7, concerning inclusion programs to achieve fuller participation of traditionally underrepresented groups at the National Convention.
In the 2008 Delegate Selection Rules, the only two groups listed in Rule 7 were LGBT Americans and people with disabilities. I was proud to support this important change which will ensure that young people across America will be fully included in the 2012 National Convention and Presidential nominee selection system.
Preparing for 2010 and Beyond
In addition to the action required for the 2012 Convention, we also had the great privilege of being joined by Vice President Joe Biden. The Vice President delivered a moving speech. If you only do one thing patriotic or political today, please click the link below and go to the 34 minute mark of the Vice President's speech.
The Vice President said that people are hurting in America and it's frightening to see so much suffering in the wealthiest and strongest nation in the world. Please hold on to hope and please remember that we're going in the right direction and that we're going to be ok. But we can't turn back now to the failed policies of the past. We always knew that change would be hard and that many times it would not be popular. We have a long way to go, but remember that we have to be focused on the welfare of the next generation, not the next election.
Sincerely,
Rick Cofer
DNC Member from Texas
PS: Please feel free to call or email me if you'd like to talk more about the meeting or anything else.
PPS: I've requested that the DNC political department prepare an analysis of the various delegate bonuses that Texas would be eligible for based on the changes approved under the new bonus delegate rules.
Yesterday, February 14, was the lunar new year, celebrated by Asian countries and communities throughout the world. Thanks to the wonderful diversity we enjoy here in Texas and the United States, we can celebrate traditions such as the lunar new year alongside Cinco de Mayo, Christmas, and Mardi Gras. This year, the Capital Area Asian American Democrats and Judge Ramey Ko have joined others across the state and the Chinese language Epoch Times newspaper to wish Texans peace, prosperity, and good health and welcome the Chinese Year of the Tiger. See the message here: http://e-paper.epochtimes.com/...
President Obama is also getting into the spirit; having grown up among Asian Americans in Hawaii, lunar new year was a part of his childhood. Obama recorded a lunar new year greeting from the White House last week: http://www.whitehouse.gov/phot...
And if you're in the Austin area on Thursday, February 18th, come join the Capital Area Asian American Democrats for our 2nd Democratic Awards and Lunar New Year Celebration! Celebrate the Year of the Tiger by honoring some of our great local Democrats and enjoying free Asian food.
WHAT: 2nd Annual CAAAD Democratic Awards and Lunar New Year Celebration
WHEN: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
WHERE: AFL-CIO, 1106 Lavaca St, Austin, TX
To sponsor the event, please contact Rick Cofer at 512-771-6266 or rick@rickcofer.com.
Your hardworking Texas DNC delegation was snowed under this weekend in the nation's Capitol. Approximately two feet of snow is on the ground and there's more coming on Tuesday. With that in mind, here's a brief summary of what we've been up to.
On Friday morning, President Obama gave a rousing speech focused on the Administration's accomplishments and the challenges of 2010. The President reminded us that the economy was even worse than he'd expected when he took office and that it's natural for folks to be impatient for change. Americans are obviously frustrated and they're looking to the party in power to fix things. The President noted that as Americans we've been through more difficult periods, but now isn't the time to talk about how hard things are, now is the time for action. President Obama received his best applause when stating that he will not walk away from health insurance reform.
I was reminded again that Barack Obama is truly the best campaigner in America; I've never seen someone own a room like him, not even Bill Clinton. While the President's poll numbers are down a bit, he remains personally popular and I have no doubt that Democrats will fare better than expected in November in part due to the President's ability to campaign and motivate the base.
DNC Chair Tim Kaine had the tough task, of speaking immediately after President Obama, but Gov. Kaine delivered a solid speech assessing the current landscape and laying out the party's blueprint for the mid-term election.
Gov. Kaine compared losing Ted Kennedy's seat to the Ghost of Christmas Future from A Christmas Carol. Scrooge gets a glimpse of his future, realizes it's awful and asks the ghost if the future is preordained or if Scrooge can change what happens. It's Scrooge's wake up moment. Well, for Democrats, we've seen what the future could be and fortunately we have time to change course.
That being said, Gov. Kaine noted that in the last 17 mid-term elections, the President's party has lost an average of 28 House seats and 4 Senate Seats. The party's goal is to beat the average. The good news is that Democrats are playing strong offense in a number of states, especially in Governor's races, and the GOP remains a divided party.
Gov. Kaine laid out a three point plan for the November election.
1. Focus on surge voters, the approximately 15 million first time, young or non-traditional voters who turned out for Barack Obama in 2008.
Gov. Kaine used Colorado (where I worked for Obama) as an example. The DNC's Colorado voter file has 456,000 Democratic surge voters. Normally about 40% of those people would vote in the mid-term. With extra attention, communication and targeting, it's possible to increase turnout among these voters to 48% or even 50%. That would mean about 40,000 votes...or enough to win a close election statewide.
2. Increase voter registration and set up a national voter registration website. We all know that Democrats do better when more people vote, so the party will work hard to make sure every eligible voter is registered.
3. Invest resources in building up energy and excitement among base voters. That's where the President will be most important. He's hugely popular and the biggest draw in American politics.
After President Obama and Governor Kaine spoke, you could feel a sense of greater optimism among the assembled party brass. Yes, there are some handwringers in DC who are worried that Democrats will get wiped out in November. But even those doubters acknowledge the capabilities of President Obama, the DNC, and Democratic candidates throughout America. The party in power may not be as well-liked as it was 12 months ago, but when it comes time for the election to heat up our side will have the best campaigner in America stumping throughout the nation. Remember, the valleys are never that low and the mountains are never that high.
Every four years the Democratic National Committee makes its appointments for 75 at-large members. The individuals selected for these positions are some of the best and brightest in our party. As your Texas DNC Member representing young people, my goal is to ensure that young Texans are represented on the DNC including as at-large members.
If you are interested in applying for these DNC at-large positions please review the information below. Numerous people apply for at-large appointments and it is extremely competitive.
Interested individuals under the age of 36 should send a resume that includes their name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and a short statement of interest to YouthCouncil@dnc.org. The DNC Youth Council will compile these resumes and submit them to the DNC's Office of Party Affairs to be included as people to be considered for at-large positions.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at rick@rickcofer.com.
(1) I've itemized every contribution and expenditure, regardless of size, and I will continue to itemize every single contribution and expenditure over the course of this campaign.
(2) I've reported occupation and employer for every contribution, regardless of size, and I will continue to do so.
Both of these policies reflect the openness and transparency with which I run this campaign, and the openness and transparency I want to bring to City Hall.
(3) We need a change of policy in terms of campaign finance reporting. Right now, the only way the citizens of Austin can look at who is funding Council campaigns is to go onto the City's website and scroll through individual PDF documents. It's better than nothing, but we need greater transparency. That's why I'm advocating an online searchable database for all candidate and office holder contributions and expenditures. The State of Texas and other major cities already do this, and it's absolutely something we need here in Austin.
Here are the totals from our report. I thank every donor for their early support. If you have any questions about the report, the campaign or me, you can always reach me at 512-771-6266 or rick@rickcofer.com.
(It's good to see friend of the Report Rick Cofer throwing his hat into the ring for City Council. We don't know which place yet but I bet you can guess... The one that isn't technically open yet. - promoted by Karl-Thomas Musselman)
Last Friday, I filed paperwork at City Hall officially launching my campaign for Austin City Council.
Now more than ever, we need to think big to translate our good intentions into great policy. You know me, my record, and my values. You know that I don't shy away from a fight; I believe challenges present opportunities, and I'm not afraid to ask the tough questions or try creative solutions.
I hope you'll consider joining our effort. If you're interested, please visit http://www.RickCofer.com for more information about me, our campaign, or to join a list of supporters.
I'm running to bring reform to City Hall. I will reaffirm our Austin values by opening up city government, creating new 21st Century jobs, safeguarding our environment, and protecting our most vulnerable.
In the next five months, I will lay out a bold agenda. Our campaign will be focused on the four Es:
- Ethics & Open Government
- Economy & Jobs
- Environment & Energy
- Equity & Social Justice
Next May, we will likely elect five members to the City Council; we can - and must - use this opportunity to challenge the conventional wisdom about what we can and can't do as a city. We have a long way to go until Election Day, but I hope you'll consider joining our campaign for change today. I want to hear from you; you can always reach me at 512-771-6266. Together, we can put the keys to our city's future back in the hands of the people of Austin.
PS: You can check out http://www.RickCofer.com for more information or to join the supporter list.
