Report from the Texas Democratic Party Convention
June 8th, 2008
By PAUL SILVER
Here are a few notes on my participation in the Texas Democratic Party Convention with 14,000 folks this weekend.
Thursday was a 6 hour meeting of the Platform advisory Committee which updates the 2006 version. I was gratified to see my finger prints on a variety of items: Same day voter registration, access to voting equipment by the disabled, redistricting reform, Mail in voting, Publicly financed elections, human trafficking, Energy net metering. It is amazing to realize how much impact each of us can have on important cultural institutions just by showing up and demonstrating a mature sense of understanding, communication and cooperation.
Friday was elections of delegates to various positions: national delegates, Elector college representative, party leadership, Committees on Rules, Platform Resolutions… Presentations from scores of speakers including Chelsea Clinton, Governor Kaine of Virgina and almost all the Democratic State Representatives and Candidates. Day ends at 4 am.
Saturday starts at 8am with all day meetings of the newly elected 30+ member resolution and platform committees. It was a fascinating experience of nuts and bolts democracy such as a one hour discussion about whether the Party should recommend the abolition of the Death Penalty. It did. Also was a debate about recommending criminal charges against Bush and Cheney. It didn’t. In essence it was a process of reconciling each member’s personal sense of balance between political realism and moral ideals. I also came to appreciate the awesome value of Roberts Rules of Order in managing group dynamics. At almost every moment the meetings could disintegrate and splinter if not for strong leadership and established rules of conduct. My respect for the talents and skills of Political leaders grew today.
In the end we voted around 60% of the Delegates to the national convention for Obama and 40% for Clinton.
I was disappointed in only a few ways, when after dozens of speeches about unifying the party the Clinton delegates promoted the idea that representatives to the various committees be allocated in proportion to Obama and Clinton supporters. Demonstrating to me that they were unclear on the concept of party unity. It was voted down.
Also in the heat of party enthusiasm the speakers frame many issues as that the Democrats are right and the GOP is wrong. I imagine this is reverse at GOP meetings. This may be fine for party regulars but it can undermine the courting of moderates and independents who vibrate between the values and point of of view of both parties. As with most elements of human nature we are all dualities of contrasting characteristics that ebb and flow with our changing circumstances. Sometimes we are each liberal and sometimes conservative. Crafting policy that reflects this truth requires particularly wise representatives who are relatively light on ideological purity and heavy on pragmatism.
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