A NEW AND BETTER DAY

It has been a while since I last put my observations on this site. But this is a new and better day. We have had the most momentous presidential election in our history with the election of Barack Obama as our 44Th President. The reasons for the absence were necessary and intentional. Dedication to the local party's activities consumed most of my time during the past two years. I like to think that the absence was worth it. Washington County Democrats returned a a plurality to all Democratic Party candidates contested in each partisan election within the county. Even though Democrats did not win throughout the state in the Presidential, Senatorial and Public Service Commission contests, the overall outcome placed the Democratic Party in the best position it has enjoyed during past few election cycles. The Republican stranglehold on Georgia is losing its grip.

The continuing emergence of the Democratic Party locally, statewide, and nationally is the focus of the present dialogue. Locally, the party needs to be infused with younger people with fresher ideas for moving the party forward. The younger people have the energy and the numbers necessary to carry this out. The election results show that they voted in unprecedented numbers during the election of 2008. What has been missing from them is a cohesiveness of effort and participation in the formal setting of the electoral process.

This is an invitation to all of them to join the Washington County Democratic Committee and to provide whatever effort and participation they can afford from their busy schedules and responsibilities. Whatever they can add to the endeavor is a greater plus for party activities at every level. A number of additional people placing their impetus to the overall effort will surely move the whole further along the way. By participating locally, they will be more informed and can inform others of their acquaintance to the party's goals. These goals, after all, should be the goals they envision for themselves and for their families.

Some of the party's current concerns are: qualifying candidates to run for elective offices, identifying possible candidates to run for those offices, providing delegates to party conventions and activities throughout the state, creating committees to interact with similar committees with surrounding counties with the same objectives, providing publicity for party activities, raising funds to support Democratic Party nominees, registering citizens to vote, helping to provide transportation to the polls, explaining issues to constituents, preparing to to control party activities for now and in the future, and recruiting interested parties to support our causes.

As always, all are invited to add their comments to the general discussion or to raise other issues for discussion. This is your forum. Feel free to use it as you best see fit politically.

Why Democrats?

Why Democrats? When I began this effort to help reinvigorate the Democratic Party in Washington County, Georgia, I had several questions on my mind. Why are we citizens of this county and nationwide not more politically active? Why do so many, but not all, of our citizens favor the Bush 43 policies in face of all the domestic difficulties that we and the rest of the country face? Why is it that the majority of our federally elected officials obediently and blindly follow a president who is lacking in ability, foresight, and an interest in the history of this great nation and its traditions? Why are we unwilling to view this post 911 world with discipline and understanding? The answer to those and other questions rest, I believe, in the suddenness and degree of destruction of the attacks on September 11, 2001.

As I reflect back on that fateful morning, I remember watching the second plane crash into the second tower with the first tower all in flame and smoke silhouetted against a bright and glorious clear blue sky. I wondered who would want to do such a thing to a country and people who have sacrificed so much to make this a better world. My first reaction was that it was Saddam Hussein because he, above all, would have the motive for such action because he had been humiliated by our military during Desert Storm and did not have the resources to mount a military attack on the United States. I told my students as we watched that this country will never be the same. I was mistaken in my belief that this country would never be the same.

The United States will return to the same situation and also move forward to better things in spite of 911. It took nearly three years for me to come to that realization. The reason that I was so slow in reaching that point has to do with the lack of actual knowledge of what the circumstances were. I, like many of my fellow citizens, were too busy and too incurious about particular details affecting the function of our government. We register and go to the polls to support the candidates of our choice without really giving enough thought to the choices we make.

I am a Democrat and have been most of my life because of the principles the party had lived by through the years that promoted the betterment of life for all of its citizens. Until the advent of Ronald Reagan’s presidency, the country had moved steadily forward with more and more of its citizens gaining ground for their families and themselves. Since that time, there has been a steady decline in the ability of ordinary Americans to realize their dreams and promote the well-being of their families. The absolute nadir of inertia for the progress of the American family rests with Bush 43 and the unthinking and uncritical republican congresses since 1994. Even today, republicans are reluctant to admit that a terrible mistake has been made relative to the United States’ involvement in Iraq.

Why republicans take the stance that they do, of course, rests with them. I have my reasons for their actions too. The reason, I believe, is rather simple. To admit the wrongness of their actions will result in the virtual destruction of the party. They would have to admit that Reagan and Bush were both wrong for the continued progress of America. They would not have a hero that could compete with the likes of Roosevelt, Kennedy and Clinton who were all charismatic figures and generally beloved by the people. The truth of the matter is that media creation of particularized persona and charisma does not remake an individual. Reagan, the Bushes, Clinton, Nixon, Eisenhower, Johnson, Carter, Kennedy, Roosevelt, and Hoover were who they were with all of their assets and liabilities. Votes on the congressional floors do not make a president. It takes vision and an appreciation of history as well as a realistic eye on the present. George W. Bush has neither. He has made a mistake either inadvertently or purposefully and is unwilling to change and congressional republicans refuse to tell him so. Their continued dogged support for him feeds his wrongful vicissitude. If republicans continue their current posture, their party will indeed collapse to the detriment of us all. Remember that when Nixon went astray, it was republicans who came forward and guided the country and Nixon. That action provided a legacy for republicans to do the right thing. They should do the same now. They were rewarded for their actions in the election of Reagan and Bush 41. Americans, democrats and republicans, will never forgive those who do what they can to elevate a lie into American policy. Republicans are looking for a charismatic hero and have yet to find one. That is why Democrats.

Off and Running

The Washington County Democratic Committee is up and functioning. On Tuesday, February 13, 2007, the Committee met and completed all requirements to receive its official charter. The Committee adopted bylaws, elected Bobby G. Anderson as its representative to the Democratic Party of Georgia State Committee, and elected Susie Francis as Treasurer to replace Ed Jordan. In addition, the Committee presented a plaque to George B. Williams, Jr. (in absentia) for his many years of service to the party.

The attendance at the meeting was good despite the inclement weather. During new business, the Committee adopted an existing website to become the official website of the party of which this blog is a part. Discussions were held on the way forward to increase membership, raise funds, and promotion of publicity. It was also revealed that Dem Congressional representative John Barrow will be at his local office in the Sandersville City Hall on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM.

Let your voice be heard from this forum or any other of your choosing. The Democratic Party of Georgia (DPG), the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Guide to Federally Elected Officials all have forums (blogs) where citizens may express their views on the issues of today.

A NEW BEGINNING

The Democratic Party of Washington County, Georgia met for the second time since the end of the 2004 Election Cycle. There were approximately thirty citizens present at the 7:00 P.M. meeting in the Elder Community Center. There was a fair mixture of the County's citizenry represented.

Discussions were had about the following:

1. The future of the party

2. The organization of the party

3. Adopting local bylaws

4. Adopting an Executive Committee

5. Creating an Ad Hoc Nominating Committee

6. Appointing or electing eight (8) Precinct Captains for each voting district

7. Getting out the vote for the Tuesday, December 5, 2006 runoff election for Public Service Commissioner

8. Nominating and electing officers (County Chair, two Vice Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer)

9. Ensuring participation by every segment of the County

The only official act by the party was the appointment of a nominating committe to provide names to fill the offices listed in point 8 above.

Political Money 101

There is strength in the control of the numbers of people and dollars. Which are you a part of? That is the basic question that faces the future of the United States of America. In the current political season those who control the numbers of dollars are driving the ship. Where they are driving it is uncertain at its best and at its worst it is toward a social and economic calamity for everyone.

The overwhelming numbers of people can and must control the course of the ship. A few families and a few number of people control the political landscape of Washington County and I dare say the same condition exists in way too many counties across this great country of ours. If you doubt this, visit http://www.opensecrets.org/ and click on Georgia and your local zip code (particularly 31082 and 31089). I do not fault anyone for whatever political affiliation they choose to support. I do urge every citizen of this county and surrounding ones to let it be known what political affiliation they prefer by registering and voting at the polls on election days. I make no secret of the fact that I support the Democratic party because it more closely relates to my philosophy of politics.

If you don't contact your representatives and let your thoughts be known, they won;t or can't act on your behalf. Our Federal representatives for this county are Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isaakson and Representative Jim Marshall. I have written to all three and the only responses I have had have been from Representative Marshall.

The point here is that the primary and majority donors have almost exclusively given to the party in power. The end result with Republicans in power has been corruption, malfeasance, and failed policies. Today, the administration and their supporters are touting the success of the economic picture to the exclusion of all the other shortcomings in infrastructure, job security, education, energy, healthcare, fair administration of justice and other things essential to the well being of the citizens of the United States. The well-heeled in this country are doing very well, while the rest of America struggles to overcome the erosion of their economic stability and security.

Political Mathematics 101

There is strength in the control of the numbers of people and dollars. Which are you a part of? That is the basic question that faces the future of the United States of America. In the current political season those who control the numbers of dollars are driving the ship. Where they are driving it is uncertain at its best and at its worst it is toward a social and economic calamity for everyone.

The overwhelming numbers of people can and must control the course of the ship. A few families and a few number of people control the political landscape of Washington County and I dare say the same condition exists in way too many counties across this great country of ours. If you doubt this, visit http://www.opensecrets.org/ and click on Georgia and your local zip code (particularly 31082 and 31089). I do not fault anyone for whatever political affiliation they choose to support. I do urge every citizen of this county and surrounding ones to let it be known what political affiliation they prefer by registering and voting at the polls on election days. I make no secret of the fact that I support the Democratic party because it more closely relates to my philosophy of politics.

If you don't contact your representatives and let your thoughts be known, they won;t or can't act on your behalf. Our Federal representatives for this county are Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isaakson and Representative Jim Marshall. I have written to all three and the only responses I have had have been from Representative Marshall.

The point here is that the primary and majority donors have almost exclusively given to the party in power. The end result with Republicans in power has been corruption, malfeasance, and failed policies. Today, the administration and their supporters are touting the success of the economic picture to the exclusion of all the other shortcomings in infrastructure, job security, education, energy, healthcare, fair administration of justice and other things essential to the well being of the citizens of the United States. The well-heeled in this country are doing very well, while the rest of America struggles to overcome the erosion of their economic stability and security. The money donated here has been a boon to the donors, but have not translated in the betterment of this community's life. Just look at your property taxes which have just about doubled in the past two years. Have local costs of government actually increased that much? I think not. In fact, if you look at the county's largest utililizer of tax funds (The Board of Education) you will see that staff has decreased due to decrease in federal and state support to meet budgetary requirements and that has adversely affected our children and their education.

The citizens of this county need to organize in concert with citizens from surrounding counties and force a change in direction. That change in direction is best aschieved by supporting Democrats with the political fabric. Get active. You don't need lots of dollars, just interaction among yourselves. Money should not dominate the political landscape. Right should dominate and all the right is on your side.

Regionalism and the Democratic Party

After the 2004 elections, the cry went forward that the Democratic Party as a majority party was dead. This echoed Zell Miller’s book, A Majority Party No More. This sentiment was somewhat furthered in an article,
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewPrint&articleId=8954, by Michael Lind. Mr. Lind’s article is a brief history of political parties in the United States during the past two centuries. It offered, among other the things, that the Democratic Party needs to find a Midwestern candidate who has a connection to New England, the Pacific Northwest, and the south. He also noted that New Englanders who ran as Democrats after Kennedy have failed in their presidential bids and that Clinton and Carter, both southerners, were successful only because of Ross Perot and the fallout from Watergate respectively. He further states that Democrats should embrace a particular stand on social and economic issues that appeal to the center majority. He feels that blacks, Latinos, and gays are the heart of the democratic party in metropolitan areas joined with New England liberal types. All of his observations may be true, but I believe there is something else afoot. This post will offer a few observations in that regard.

What I offer is that there is a degree of intolerance in America’s electorate that is devoid of reason where it concerns individual choices or differences. Democrats have had the misfortune of not providing the essential message of their beliefs. Democrats believe in the rights of every individual whoever or whatever they are. They don’t pick and choose worthy people because of their region, their religion, or their beliefs about social and economic issues. If you are a human being, you belong in the Democratic Party - period. Democrats have been able to vote for Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter, and Clinton who won and for Stevenson, Humphrey, McGovern, Dukakis, Carter, Gore, and Kerry who lost. On the Republican side, the Republicans who won are Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II. The losers were Dewey, Nixon, Goldwater, Ford, and Bush I. Bush II would have been a loser were it not for the Supreme Court’s interdiction. The New Englanders were Roosevelt, Dewey, Kennedy, Dukakis, Kerry and Bush I. The southerners were Johnson, Carter, Clinton, Gore, and Bush II. The Midwesterners were Truman, Eisenhower, Stevenson, Ford, and Reagan. Goldwater and Nixon were from the West.

Candidates from all parts of the country have run either to win or lose the presidency. Thus it is that it is not the candidate’s regionalism, but rather the mood of the regionalists who vote that determines the outcome of an election. I was born a southerner and a member of the minority racially, but was educated and reached my maturity as a Midwesterner while, during my last thirty plus years, I have lived as a southerner. I believe in the principles of the Democratic Party and always will.
I chose to live in the south because of its aura and weather, not because of its politics. Southerners tend to adhere to their past and are loath to get rid of it. Southern Democrats felt betrayed by the Democratic Party because of the Civil Rights Movement and betrayed by the Republican Party because of the Civil War and its aftermath, thus they have vacillated between the two. In the end they will always go the way which they feel with best serve their traditions. Their current refuge is in the religious tradition. Simplicity with elegance is what attracts them most. The present Republican Party has crafted a party that is different from the party of Lincoln and also different from the party of Roosevelt. A political party cannot survive as a party of religion because the two simply don’t belong together. A person’s religion is with them from birth, while a political party affiliation deals with the rhetoric of the day.
Republicans of the present decry Hollywood, the mainstream media, unions, lack of family values and the host of other ideas that are not rooted in religious tradition. They espouse morally acceptable programs in the media, schools, and the general public, but in reality, Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, Desperate Housewives, and Hollywood movies are more popular in the south than anything else. Southerners know that Roosevelt’s New Deal was good for them as well as was the influx of Eastern (New England) economic ideas. That economic success allowed them to return to ideas of simplicity and elegance that existed during the ante-bellum period. They justify their nostalgia through religious dogma because it allows them their heritage of traditional values. They know that their current political ideas don’t really jibe with what is actually written in the Bible.

What the Democratic Party needs to do is to engage Southerners where they are ad where they want to be and, in that process, show them that Democrat principles allows for change where essential while maintaining a tradition which allows freedom of religion as well as social and economic success.

Organization is Key

Though it may not seem so, the democratic party in Washington County is at a crossroad. The State Committee of the Democratic Party of Georgia met on May 21, 2005 in Atlanta. The outcome of the meeting and whether or not Washington County was represented is not known. The party organization here is inert. There are enough people here who are interested in democratic party principles to move forward.

Washington County only has enough registered voters to have one county delegation in the state party structure according to the Democratic Party of Georgia By-Laws. If we Washington County Democrats don't demand appropriate representation at the state level, we are going to be left out and our voices will not be heard at any level. I urge every registered Democrat in Washington County to visit

http://www.webspawner.com/users/localpol.html

and sign the guest book to begin an effective base for Democratic Party principles in Washington County. I believe that we can work with the current hierarchy to move forward. We can't just sit here and be inactive as voters lose interest in our party.

The webpage shown above is not in anyway sanctioned by any official party organization, but rather is just the genesis of a site that could provide information and direction. It, of course, can be removed and another created in its stead. We can do this if we have the will.