I hopped over to MyDD.com just now checking in on what was up and I saw this post by Chris Bowers announcing that he may run for Committeeperson in his ward out in West Philly. I've been reading his words for the better part of a year now and I can't think of a better person to get involved on the other side of the fence as an elected official. His net/grassroots activism is inspiring and I've been following along as he's guided me/us through many different forms of participation. An excerpt:
My desire to run for local party office stems from several factors. For starters, the Philadelphia Democratic Party is one of the most extreme examples of Unreformed Democrats I have ever encountered. Secondly, I think being a local precinct captain, if it is done well, is perhaps the best example of pure democracy anywhere in the world. Talking to your neighbors about politics, helping them register to vote, and doing GOTV work in your own 'hood is really about as good as representative government can get. Third, I just straight up love that sort of work, which is one of the reasons why I liked being a union organizer. Fourth, I really don't think any party should be in the business of bossing primaries by having the central committee structure endorse a candidate without letting the party members decide for themselves. This sort of stuff happens all the time here in Philadelphia nad Pennsylvania, and I would like to help put an end to it.
All of these reasons aside, the number one reason why I have been thinking about running for commiteeperson is that even though I have lived and been registered to vote in Philadelphia's 27th ward for five consecutive years now (and a sixth year from 1997-1998), never once has a local commiteeperson come to talk with me. ACORN has stopped by. MoveOn contacted me several times during the 2004 campaign, twice coming to my door. I have voted in this ward six times now, and not a single time was someone from the Democratic PArty standing outside my precinct distributing information. I did meet a Republican doing it once.
Please read on here, especially if you're teetering on doing something similar where you live.
How fitting for this democratic renaissance to be happening here. I can't wait to go to a "Drinking Liberally" meet - they seem to remind me of Franklin's "juntas".
Posted by: rzklkng | July 25, 2005 at 09:24 AM