I commented at PeskyFly's blog regarding the unity breakfast, which was followed with this response:
Otherwise? Otherwise? On the contested point let the record show that Coalition members re still seething over the way their generalized Kerry-campaign contributions last fall got diverted into local office-holders' reelection campaigns. Yes,Yes, I know all the good reasons for that, but don't imagine Pesky's point is irrelevant.
Is the rub that money was spent unwisely for Kerry-related activities (the debate party was brought up as an expense that was unnecessary; as I thought Ford paid for that, I can see why they're upset), or are they upset that money went to aid campaigns other than Kerry's?
If it's the former, I can understand; if it's the latter, we gonna fight. If these folks had sent their money directly to Kerry (like I did) then it never would have gotten here, because KERRY WROTE OFF TENNESSEE. Anything Kerry got in Shelby County he got because of the hard work of the volunteers and the fundraising ability of the now-indicted Kathryn Bowers.
Now, I hope we're clear on that.
I support the Coalition because I believe we need more than just winning elections, and I'll have a post coming about that later. However, if there are Coalition members upset because their money went to assist Beverly Marrero or Mike Kernell or Barbara Cooper, that's what you DO in a coordinated campaign.
On the other hand, any ExecCom members out there should vote for Brad Watkins for 1st Vice chair tomorrow night, and David Holt for 3rd Vice chair. We need these folks in key positions. No more business as usual.
4 comments:
I can't speak for anyone in the coalition but myself, but I have no problem whatsoever with money spent on coordinated campaigns. That is how we best pool our resources in order to win.
David Holt
I agree, I suspect it was out of the Women for Kerry, but that's water under the bridge.
The key now is to fight for reform within the party, such as keeping the HQ, fighting for clean money elections and the like.
Can somebody explain why keeping the HQ--at least as it's understood now-- is such a big deal if the money might be better spent elsewhere?
It seems to me that tech has made offices--to some degree--more symbolic than necessary.
Why not make MEMPHIS the HQ and take advantage of its many public meeting spaces. Use the library, use CHURCHES, use the facilities of progressive organizations that are Donkey-friendly. Stay connected and BE SEEN EVERYWHERE!
I'm not taking a side on this, I just haven't heard anybody give a good reason for not demolishing the temple--and rebuilding.
I understand. Interestingly enough, the thought was to use the HQ as a progressive community center where those organizations would meet and plan, have them come to the Party.
Here's what the problem is going to be with regards to the money. The people who have supported Chism in the past tend to be more concerned about the County offices than anything else. Why? Because that is where the jobs are and what little patronage left is located.
We spent so much money in 2002 trying to elect a slate (yes, I know, I voted for this, my bad) that we had nothing left for November, and it left some of the legislators to fight for their lives.
We are too large a city or county to NOT have a central location for the Democratic Party. Hell, they have one in my birthplace of Dixon, IL. It's only 15,000 population and heavily Republican as well.
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