I know almost everyone is currently focused on getting the war stopped, but it's almost past time for the Democratic Party to develop and document it's values. In a very short time, about one year from now, the 2008 presidential primaries will begin and people will ask, not only what each candidate's platform planks are, but, what does the Democratic party stand for?
I propose that these values be developed and documented from the grass roots up, rather then from the top down, if they are to be of maximum validity. The party's values can best be thought of as it's goals and it's campaign platform planks as it's objectives.
The party's values or goals should be developed at the grass roots level by the party members in the party's precinct organization and then should be forwarded to the party's legislative district organization for transmittal to the state organization and from there to the DNC where they should be collated and documented for publication. In this way, everyone will know what the party stands for and candidates for office can tailor their campaign objectives [planks] to further those values.
This method of developing the party's values will demonstrate that talk of the "old left" and the "new left" is meaningless because we will all be united in our values and dedicated to furthering them. The DLC has no place in this process, as an organization, because it has been in the business of developing campaign planks to get candidates elected regardless of any values of the party.
I propose that these values be developed and documented from the grass roots up, rather then from the top down, if they are to be of maximum validity. The party's values can best be thought of as it's goals and it's campaign platform planks as it's objectives.
The party's values or goals should be developed at the grass roots level by the party members in the party's precinct organization and then should be forwarded to the party's legislative district organization for transmittal to the state organization and from there to the DNC where they should be collated and documented for publication. In this way, everyone will know what the party stands for and candidates for office can tailor their campaign objectives [planks] to further those values.
This method of developing the party's values will demonstrate that talk of the "old left" and the "new left" is meaningless because we will all be united in our values and dedicated to furthering them. The DLC has no place in this process, as an organization, because it has been in the business of developing campaign planks to get candidates elected regardless of any values of the party.
