Dave Pollak: "Ladies and Gentlemen...the blogs."

I am optimistic (4.00 / 1)

It's a good start. Let's see where it goes from here.


We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 16:23:30 PM UTC

more than I... (4.00 / 3)

I also hope that the party powerful start to give activists the same respect as the money interests, but it's still a bit discouraging that the folks who got the "private party" were those who paid $2500 for the privilege.

No matter where we go, money is still driving access (Hillary's $1 million leadership circle, reported in the NYT, comes to mind).  And too few of the big time donors and fundraisers seem willing to rub shoulders with the rest of us in the political world -- while they exude entitlement to access to politicians (like the article about the hedge fund donors, also in the NYT recently).

Sigh.  But here's to Dave; and I know we'll REALLY have made it when you and Lipris and Audrey, eg, are COMPED to those VIP parties!!

Best,

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by: Silverleaf @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 17:01:55 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It is still about money.... (4.00 / 3)

...and that is the current reality.

I think it's time to talk about why that is so important.

A candidate needs to raise money...as much and as quickly as possible, because the amount of money raised is the metric that everyone uses to measure success, as awful as that is.

So, a candidate only has x number of minutes in a day, so he/she maximizes their time by focusing on the people who can donate lots of cash in short period of time. It's a dollar per minute ratio, actually. As a result, those people who can write an $8500 check after a ten minute conversation or an hour's meeting will get much more attention and ear time than people who are believers and give, say, $50. Awful system, but you can't blame the candidate, because (and I know from experience), if you get the money raising time out of the way, then you're free to do what I liked and thought was important...knock on doors, go to meetings and listen to what people had to say.

So, for example, let's say I made three calls and found three people to max out at $8500 each, then I could call it a good day and go out and do the stuff that is meaningful...but that so rarely happens.

Okay, the candidate is lucky enough to get elected...but the cycle doesn't stop, because it's a constant re-election campaign.

I don't blame people for not running and for the public to get discouraged...BUT, that said, this is a step in the right direction, because we are going to be pushing for Clean Money, Clean Elections.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 17:21:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I know what you mean (0.00 / 0)

BUT, it's the sense of entitlement among the moneyed that's so destructive; their assumption that their viewpoint gets the priority, regardless of what candidates (like you!) may actually believe, leads to an us-vs-themness even within the party.  That's why I say there should be more recognition of sweat equity, too--

Case in point: Johnson needs $ for sure, to up the name recognition, keep his face in front of the public etc.  BUT it's especially the GOTV that will ensure turnout here, as we know!  Acknowledging that balance is important.

best,

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by: Silverleaf @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 17:49:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes... (4.00 / 2)

and that's why I"m headed out to Long Island...GOTV.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 18:08:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A real sign of change? (0.00 / 0)

Its important to remember that the Democratic Party has worked very hard to reduce participation, virtually eliminated citizen participation in its party structure, (an Assembly District to be filled by the local Democratic Committee in Manhattan has just 30 members out of more than 200 seats) allowed wide scale corruption of judges and other positions to be the norm and the list goes on and on.

David needs some push for a seat. Will David give a similar push to get rid of anti-reform incumbents?  No. Will he oppose cross endorsements between Republican's and Democratic for Judges or other elected officials. No. Will he support getting rid the corrupting influence of "supper pork". No. Will he support opening up the party structure to grassroots activists? No.

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by: milesblack @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 17:26:57 PM UTC

Jury is out, MB (4.00 / 1)

David needs some push for a seat. Will David give a similar push to get rid of anti-reform incumbents?  No. Will he oppose cross endorsements between Republican's and Democratic for Judges or other elected officials. No. Will he support getting rid the corrupting influence of "supper pork". No. Will he support opening up the party structure to grassroots activists? No.

Let's not be too hasty.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 18:10:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's some good video... (4.00 / 1)

... did you cross-post it nationally? It would be good for people in other states to hear the message of the Democratic Party Leadership reaching out to and recognizing the importance of the grass/netroots and "the blogging world."

It is a process that is happening slowly in a few states. For New York to get up front with that is leadership. New York is always in a position to lead simply by virtue of being New York. The question is whether New York will actually lead or not.

Pollack's words showed leadership. Let's show them to the nation and let's make them as public as possible so that he and the rest of the party leadership can't back down from them if they find themselves tempted.

Peace,

Andrew

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by: Andrew C. White @ Sat Feb 03, 2007 at 19:40:48 PM UTC