Why be a delegate?
I know Charley likes bullet points, so maybe that’ll score me a recommend or two.
- Civic Engagement: We at BMG and elsewhere talk about civic engagement a lot. This would take our level of engagement to the next level.
- Issue Awareness:Delegates participate in developing the national Democratic platform. Say you feel that your voice isn’t being heard in the Democratic party — as a delegate, you can send a message to those in power that you want Democrats to focus on your issue.
For instance, I know some people who have pointed out their dissatisfaction that only Kucinich and Gravel support full marriage equality. Why not go to Colorado and tell Democrats how much equality matters?
- Networking and training: It’s important not to be in our own little MA bubble and meet Democrats and progressives from across the country. The convention will help us meet people from across the country, share strategies and tactics, potentially expand readership, and generally help us learn how to become better activists.
- Identity and Unity: There’s few better ways to get to know fellow bloggers and connect with them than going on a trip and connecting in a new place. Having a blogger contingent may help those members who go create an even stronger network.
- They came here: In 2004, Boston was crowded with Democrats of every stripe. Bloggers from all across the country, if I recall correctly, came to Boston. It’d be nice if we returned the favor.
- Fun: It’ll be really fun! Think of it as a carnival of political geekiness.
So, Why should the MA-blogosphere organize now?
Because the process takes a long time, and unlike many establishment folk, we don’t make our living doing this sort of thing.
Cool, so I’m thinking about going. What do I have to do?
Here’s how to become a delegate. We should check the state rules, talk with our local Democratic Town Committees and so on.
Recently, Tom Hughes of Democracy for America sent out an e-mail urging people to become a delegate to the convention. Here’s what he said:
We have been reshaping the party for over four years. Thousands of us joined the local party and ran for leadership roles. Hundreds of us ran for office in districts that hadn’t seen a Democratic challenger in years, sometimes decades. Together, we elected our founder, Governor Dean, to Chair of the Democratic
Party.
We’ve worked to reenergize the party from the bottom up and the top down at the same time. Thanks to our boots on the ground and Governor Dean’s 50 State Strategy, progressives made incredible gains in 2006, but we still have a long way to go.
Delegates participate in developing the national platform, and help chart a new direction for America and the Democratic Party. Let’s make sure our progressive voices are heard.
This is just right on the money. I say, it’s time to strengthen the netroots and send people to the DNC.
I don’t really know whether this idea is just out-of-the-blue or if there’s interest. I guess that depends on all of you. Is this a project you’re interested in? I can’t think of a time, off of the top of my head, when the entire MA blogosphere has worked on a specific project other than general election grassroots campaigning.
What do you all think?
If you’ve never run before, you should know it’s pretty difficult to get elected to the national convention. You’ll need a large contingent of supporters to win, because the other delegate candidates will be longtime Democratic activists, a lot of them elected officials.
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are there add-on delegates, or whatever they’re called, to the national as there are at the MA convention? that may be an avenue to try.
I think so, yes, but national delegates are also much more likely to show up than state delegates. Better parties. đŸ™‚
page 10 of the MA rules for selecting delegates to the nat’l convention says that 2 add-on delegates will be chosen.
First of all, having the benefit of some perspective now, I would say that being a delegate can be what you make out of it. I managed to get myself to the convention (technically, I was an at-large alternate delegate), but then my experience there was a bit disillusioning. For the full story, read my personal essay (one of my first blogging experiments, ready by about 3 people maybe) at
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http://colorlesspara…
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I would not invest the time again just to get elected a delegate. The game is long over by the time the convention rolls around. But it would be a lot of fun if you just treated it as a big networking party. I lacked those social skills in 1992…
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I think a better project would be to start organizing a campaign to elect a replacement for my current Congressman, Steven Lynch.
It was really interesting to read what you went through to become a delegate. It did look like a lot of fun back in 2004, but frankly just being in Boston (and knowing a couple delegates) was all that was necessary to get into the good parties and all. Someone once told me that for the work and trials to become a delegate, you may as well go a bit further and aim for state rep.
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I went to a meeting on becoming a delegate from the Mass 5th back in 2004. Basically, the winning campaign has to sign off on you representing them. Which tells me that you have to have good relations with whomever wins the majority of votes in Massachusetts. So if you’re not a high-profile volunteer or endorser of the eventual winner or strong finisher in the Mass. primary, one need not apply…
Thanks for reading my story. I was lucky to be in a state that still used the caucus system. It was possible for me to start with 10 friends at a precinct meeting and “work my way up.”
I would agree with you that the game is long over by the time the convention rolls around. But, as you noted, that’s really not why one should go. And if you noticed, I didn’t include having an effect on the race as part of my reasons for going. Instead, it’s about having an effect on the party itself. Networking with other Democrats, pushing for your agenda, learning new skills, will — in the long run — help change the party.
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That, and it’s one hell of a party.
See?