All posts by I voted for Kodos

Uncategorized

Obama: Life on the Streets

3 Comments

I just finished my stint standing in front of the Powell Street BART station in San Francisco holding up an Obama sign.  This post is really just some stray observations about that experience.

1) Obama supporters were more frequent and more vocal than Clinton supporters.  Even the guy with the Clinton sign admitted it.  Other than youth being for Obama, the only demographic trend I could discern was that just about every little old Chinese lady that went by (and voiced an opinion) was a big Clinton supporter.

2) Obama also seemed to have the edge among crazy homeless veterans, one of whom cited Obama’s “clean spirit” as the deciding factor in his vote.

3) But back to the guy with the Hillary sign…he was really committed to the idea that either candidate would be fine, we’re all on the same team, etc.  I know San Franciscans are supposed to just relax and love everybody, but I sure don’t feel that ambivalently.

4) One of the signs they gave me at Obama HQ (all of which seemed home-made, btw) said “Obama 4 Change” on it.  I have to admit, I never thought I would be the one standing around on street corners in Union Square asking for change.

5) European tourists apparently see a dude standing around with an Obama sign as a great opportunity to get a free lecture on American civics.

That is all.

Uncategorized

Vote Builder in California

I was just reading an article in this month’s issue of Campaigns & Elections Magazine on a new Democratic voter database the DNC is introducing called Vote Builder (see page 54).  The database is designed to compete with the formidable Republican voter targeting database that was so integral to Bush’s successful targeting effort in 2004.  It uses a web interface that gets a  great review from the author of the article. 

The trick will be populating the database with information about voters.  That’s where the various state parties are supposed to come in: they’re the ones who will do the canvassing and the voter ID.  But the DNC, by providing this platform, is effectively doing something extremely helpful for almost every race in the country, especially those downballot races it otherwise wouldn’t have the resources or inclination to support.

But a couple of states aren’t participating, and one of them is California.  (more)

The only information I can find on why California isn’t participating comes from a blurb on Hotline:

California is one state that says it’s sticking to its own system for now and not using Vote Builder, says their spokesperson Bob Mulholland. He said the state party has no plans to switch over because they’re already using “iPod of voter files in America.”

“We know where the Jewish disabled woman lives with the Irish husband,” said Mulholland. “And if they have a magazine subscription.”

I don’t know what the “iPod of voter files” is supposed to mean, but when I hear that it makes me think “the one that everybody’s using but that isn’t really the best you can get”.  Mr. Mulholland probably intended to say that the California system is superior to the national system.  But it seems to me that Democrats would benefit greatly from a 50 state voter file, and parochial concerns would be better left aside on this issue.  California should join Vote Builder.

California

Rescue the California Democratic Party

7 Comments

(Good piece to start a discussion with. – promoted by bolson)

The California Democratic Party is in trouble.  Whereas on the national level grassroots Democrats have done a good job of wresting the DNC out of the hands of the corrupt (and corrupting) corporate donor types, on the state level we haven’t been able to do the same yet.  The two examples I have of the problems with the state party are the money laundering for Fabian Nunez and the failure of the wealthy elites who run the party to stand behind Angelides.  See below the fold for more.

First, the money laundering.  According to the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, Fabian Nunez took several million dollars from AT&T in exchange for pushing this year’s bill to deregulate cable and internet video services.  Not only did he do it, but he did it through the CDP.  The press release is here

Next, the wealthy elites.  In August we were treated to a disturbing quote from the co-chair of DiFei’s reelection campaign.  Keep in mind that Phil Angelides’ tax plan was to increase the burden on the extremely wealthy but not on anyone else.  From the San Francisco Chronicle:

“A number of my Democratic friends, who have raised lots of money for Democrats, have said they cannot support Phil,” said Angela Bradstreet, a well known San Francisco attorney and co-chair of Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s re-election campaign. “This is the first time I can remember it being so pronounced.”

Bradstreet, a Democrat who said she is voting for Schwarzenegger, argued that the governor has re-established himself as a moderate who has shown strong leadership on economic issues.

“Quite frankly, I’m also sick and tired of paying taxes,” she said. “And that’s Angelides’ solution — raising taxes.”

Between these two examples, it is clear to me that the CDP is not being run in the best interests of most California Democrats.  It reminds me of the way the DNC used to be run for the national donor elite, except we were able to recapture the DNC with a fairly simple formula: the DNC chair is apparently elected by the various state parties, and running on a platform of giving more money to the state parties and less to the high-priced media consultants favored by the donor elite, Howard Dean cruised to victory.  This obviously infuriated the donor elite, but the party’s grassroots saved the day with a lot of small donations to keep the party going. 

I’m not sure how the leadership of the California state party is determined, so maybe someone could tell me: what would be the equivalent way to seize power for the people within California?  What would be the structual opportunities and limitations?  And what would be the risks?  As a native Californian, I’m embarassed that so many other states elected Democratic governors this cycle while Democratic juggernaut California couldn’t keep pace.

Cross-posted at DailyKos and MyDD.  I am affiliated with the University of Chicago Democrats.