Tag Archives: DFA

California

DFA for CDP Reform

2 Comments

An email from Democracy for America:

Your Election in January
Democracy demands participation. You only get a “D” for voting these days; to get an “A” you must run for office! Guess what? There are elections in January and DFA wants you to run.

On the weekend of January 13 and 14, 2007 Democrats all over California will meet to elect delegates for the party. You should run. In 2004, many DFA members ran to fill Assembly District seats and our involvement in these important elections was instrumental in the Party’s support of key candidates who helped take back the Congress and California’s Constitutional Offices last month. With your help, this January we can build on our progressive momentum and continue to shape the Democratic Party’s future.

This is not a small ask, but the rewards of leadership make the difference. Sign up to run for delegate here:

http://www.cadem.org/ApplicationforDelegate

This is what you need to know about the position and your commitment. You must be a registered Democrat in the Assembly District by the close of registration for the November 2006 election. Delegates to the California Democratic Party hold a two-year position. Each Assembly District is entitled to elect 12 delegates to represent each district, evenly balanced between men and women to the extent possible. Delegates are expected to attend the California Democratic Party Convention in San Diego on April 27-29, 2007, and the 2008 Convention in Northern California. Dues are about $150/year, plus travel expenses for the conventions.

It’s time to stand up, show up and speak up. DFA representation in the CDP played a key role in the Party’s nomination of Jerry McNerney, as well as the Party’s support of Debra Bowen and other successful progressive candidates. It is up to you to decide your role in the next elections now. We can work together to make this happen.

I hope you decide to run. We will be with you every step of the way.

Please post your links to CDP reform in the comments.

Uncategorized

Last chance to support CA’s McNerney over MI’s Skinner

(I hate to interrupt Brian’s roll, but ONE hour left — go vote for McNerney. – promoted by jsw)

Democracy for America‘s Grassroots All-Star competition is coming to a close in just 2 and a half hours, at 2 PM PST. The top spot has been flipping between Jerry McNerney and Nancy Skinner, both deserving candidates possessed of unquestionable true-blue credentials. The endorsement, however, can only go to one. Of course, my natural tendency is to support McNerney as the home team competitor, but even failing that McNerney would be the best national candidate to receive the endorsement, for two big reasons explained below the fold.

1. The Incumbent Nancy Skinner is running in the MI-9 against, as Skinner champion and Kos diarist GOTV put it yesterday, “Mr. Inertia” Joe Knollenberg. Joe Knollenberg doesn’t do anything. Ever. When was the last time you were outraged over “the Knollenberg Bill”? I can’t think of one. He’s also 72. So basically, while we want to get rid of him, he’s more or less harmless, and close to retirement besides. Rick Pombo in the CA-11, on the other hand, undoubtedly has a place among the congressional pantheon of villains. He’s ambitious, conniving, corrupt as a bastard, and universally acclaimed as the most environmentally rapacious member of the United States Congress (which of course explains why he’s chairman of the house Natural Resources Committee. On top of all that, he’s young (just 45) and already broke his term limits pledge. He’ll be there for a long time, and is already slated to take over the Agriculture Committee in 2008. If we have a choice between hastening the departure of a doddering fool by a few years or nipping the arsenic-tainted bud of a “conservative” mastermind, doesn’t the latter seem the wiser course of action?

2. Positioning The CA-11 is 53/47 Republican, but Jerry McNerney is up by 4 points in the latest poll, despite still lacking name recognition. He’s fighting from a position of strength. Pombo, however, has the corporate backing to launch a counterattack that would overawe Marshal Pétain. Fleets of sewage-laden bombers will soon be plastering Stockton and Pleasanton with every sort of libelous charge you can imagine. When this happens, one of two things will happen. Either McNerney will have the resources to beat back Pombo’s bull charge, or he won’t. Skinner, on the other hand, despite coming from a somewhat more Democratic district (50/50), has not yet seen fit to release any of her internal polling, which suggests to me she hasn’t yet seen any numbers she likes. Skinner is fighting an uphill battle. She may be able to parley additional support into concrete results – or she may not. Name recognition isn’t her problem – she’s a radio host in the district, for Pete’s sake! With McNerney, we know exactly how the money’s going to help him. With Skinner, the race may never get close enough for the money to do anything.

No matter what kind of netroots Dem you are, McNerney’s your man. If all you want is to take back Congress, he’s better positioned to take your support and do just that. If you want to take out one of the most odious men ever to hold a Congressional seat in the bargain, electing Jerry McNerney is a twofer. I wish Nancy Skinner all the best, but not at the expense of Jerry McNerney. Come on, he’s our man!

As the A-1 Commercials say, “It’s just that important.” Vote now. You can’t hear them, but the spotted owls are thanking you.