(a perspective we didn’t focus nearly enough on, thanks, Erik – promoted by Todd Beeton)

From The Courage Campaign

For me, a member of UAW Local 2865, one of the highlights of the convention was the strong presence of the labor movement in San Diego.  The only caucus bigger than the vibrant and exciting Progressive caucus was the Labor Caucus, and I'm proud to count myself as part of both caucuses.

It's almost cliché by now to blog about the importance of organized labor in the progressive movement.  Every progressive who's walked a precinct or worked a phone bank has done this important grassroots organizing alongside union members.  In fact, every time I've worked a phone bank for progressive issue campaigns or for progressive candidates, I've done it using telephones at the offices of a local union.  There are very few organizations that have the ability to bring together American suburbanites, urbanites, and rural voters into a place where they hear about and work hard on issues like education, health care, stopping the war, and all the other progressive priorities that define us.  Labor unions do this, and they do it well. 

The Labor Caucus at the 2007 California Democratic Party Convention was an exciting place to be.  Teachers (like me), store clerks, auto parts manufacturers – people from all over the state working in all kinds of jobs were in the room to hear detailed speeches about universal health care, the looming grocery strike, teacher layoffs, the need to protect workers at enormously profitable casinos, and the need to end the war.

My favorite moment came when the chair, Jim Gordon, recognized State Senator Jenny Oropeza, who was sitting on the right side of the room.  Oroteza waved to the crowd as we applauded her (just like we had for many, many other electeds who were in the room).  Then Jim Gordon suddenly intoned, "And with recognition comes accountability!  Senator Oroteza is one of the Senators who voted against worker protections in the compact."  Oroteza's smile turned into a frown as the crowd jeered and hissed.  She left a short time later.

Labor's strengths in the Democratic party were on full display in San Diego.  Not only did the California Teachers Association serve as the official host of the convention, but union members used their collective muscle to help get important resolutions passed.  I'm looking forward to the 2008 convention, where hopefully there will be even more people who attend both the progressive and labor caucus meetings.  We've got a lot in common, and we need one another if we want to succeed.

Hi, everyone! Well, I’m on my way to San Diego now. We just crossed the city limit into Encinitas, and it’s looking sunny and great outside. It’s been a lovely drive from Newport Beach to Dana Point on Pacific Coast Highway, and then along San Diego’s Coast Highway from Oceanside to here.

So when are you planning to reach San Diego? And how do you plan to get here? Are you driving? Flying? Riding the train?

So go ahead. Make my day. Talk away, and talk about what you hope to see and do at the convention. And yes, always remember to enjoy the ride. : )

Let’s face it. California is not as strongly Democratic as we think it is, or as we’d like it to be. Right now our state is a “blue state”, but it is fast turning RED. In 1992, Bill Clinton won 36 California counties when he first ran for President. In 2004, John Kerry only won 22 California counties. In the past six years, Democrats have only picked up ONE CONGRESSIONAL SEAT from the Republicans… And Democrats have actually LOST SEATS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE during that same period!

So what can we do about it? Well, if you’re a delegate to the State Democratic Convention in San Diego this weekend, then you can find out what to do after the flip…

Leon Thompson, the Executive Board representative from the 77th Assembly District, has written a resolution to be voted on at the convention. Now we’ve heard all this talk about a “58 county strategy” to make Democrats more competitive throughout the state, but what will it actually do? Leon’s resolution actually has some teeth in it, as it requires the state party to give some seed money to EVERY PARTY-ENDORSED LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE in the general election. This resolution will actually direct the party to refocus resources to grassroots campaigns in “red districts”. This resolution actually gives a boost to those Democratic candidates in “red districts” who fight hard for our Democratic values, but who may not have enough funds to really get the message out throughout the district. This resolution actually does something to make our party more competitive statewide, and more importantly it offers more than just pretty language and empty rhetoric…
It offers real action.

This may not be the ultimate solution, but it is a good start. And it’s something we really need to start doing a better job at. After all, if the Democratic candidates can’t depend on their own party for at least some support, then what’s the point of having a Democratic Party?

The full text of the resolution is directly below, and can be found here.

All District Strategy for Funding California Legislative Races

Whereas the recent Democratic takeover of Congress has proven the effectiveness of Howard Dean’s 50 state strategy for funding the Democratic Party in every state regardless of the voter registration advantage to the other side or the history of Republican voting patterns and resulted in election victories and Democratic Party advances and

Whereas the California Democratic Party’s recent election funding decisions resulted in only modest advances and victories not on the scale of results nationally, and

Whereas providing resources for candidates in each legislative district will build the Party’s identity in every geographical area, develop a deep reserve of competitive Democratic candidates and encourage volunteer loyalty,

Be it resolved that the California Democratic Party shall adopt at its 2007 Convention to allocate at least $4 million to be spent in all Assembly and State Senate districts that are open seats or in which there is a Democratic challenger to a Republican incumbent, to assure that every endorsed Democratic candidate for the state legislature gets at least some funding for the general election, enabling candidates to mount a viable campaign, then

Be it resolved that for the general election, each party-endorsed Democratic challenger or party-endorsed Democratic candidate for an open legislative seat shall receive at least $50,000 in seed money, and that candidates who raise $50,000, produce a field plan, and sign up 50 volunteers or more shall received at least $50,000 in additional matching funds. The money shall be spent to implement a grassroots organizing and GOTV effort by the candidate. Evidence of volunteer sincerity will be a five dollar check to the candidate.

This policy will spread the Democratic message to voters in every part of California, thus helping to grow the Party and get out the vote even in conservative regions. This strategy will improve the chances of victory not only for those legislative seats funded, but for all Democratic candidates in California – including “down-ticket” candidates for local offices as well as candidates running for statewide and national offices.

Submitted by Leon Thompson

77th Assembly District E-board Representative