[statecom-discuss] Re: [candidate-development] Re: [IPPN]
CounterPunch 7/24/07:
BillCunningham
etwee at earthlink.net
Thu Jul 26 13:28:29 EDT 2007
The question I raise is not whether past campaigns were a "waste of time" or whether our local office holders have changed the world very much. My ONLY question is how we strengthen our party and its capacity to change the world in the future.
I do not believe that people need us to tell them them that the world needs to be changed. We are the people; we already know this. What we all need to figure out is how to change the world.
-----Original Message-----
>From: Mike Heichman <mikeheichman at verizon.net>
>Sent: Jul 26, 2007 11:09 AM
>To: BillCunningham <etwee at earthlink.net>, Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>
>Subject: Re: [statecom-discuss] Re: [candidate-development] Re: [IPPN] CounterPunch 7/24/07:
>
>Hi Bill and others:
>
> From time to time I think of what Bill has been saying that we should
>focus our attention on campaigns that we can "win" (get elected) and
>that focusing on the higher offices was a waste of time, energy and
>precious resources and won't work because we really, at this stage of
>our development, have a chance to be elected and therefore to run in
>these kinds of campaigns is an illusion (for the public and to
>ourselves). Bill, is this a fair summary? Please correct any misconceptions.
>
>Not counting the time that I carried a sign for my state rep back in the
>1960's (My father had asked him and he had gotten me a 6 week job during
>the summer time when I was in high school.), I have been involved in
>electoral campaigns since 1970. Most of the time I felt very good about
>the campaigns that we lost (David Nelson, an African-American, running
>for Congress in Boston in 1970, McGovern in '72, etc.) and usually felt
>badly when we "won" (I was very active in CPPAX in the 1970's-Dukakis
>first election for Governor, the election of Tsongas for US Senate in
>'78, etc.)
>
>Sometimes victories are really very sweet-the election of Marta Rosa to
>the Cheslea School Committee-my union for once got very involved that
>year, Marta was a former student of mine, and she was the first Latina/o
>elected in Chelsea. Yes local victories can be sweet and meaningful.
>
>The most meaningful victory for me was the election of Chuck Turner to
>the City Council 8 years ago. Mel asked him to run as a Rainbow
>Coalition Party candidate. Chuck for me is the best example of the
>wonderful things that can happen in an election, I am grateful that I
>played an active role in that campaign and along with a few other GRP
>members have worked with Chuck since that date.
>
>I am now actively involved in his re-election campaign. And something is
>very interesting about this campaign which has never happened to me
>before. While part of the message of his campaign is his
>accomplishments, he is attempting to engaging the district in a "unique"
>(?) discussion. He is saying that during his 8 years in office, life in
>many important ways is worse for the people of his district has become
>worse. He has done some research and is sharing it with the
>community-the homicide rate is up, and the # of restraining orders are
>up and the drop-out rate is up. And if you think that just re-electing
>Chuck and sending him downtown is going to make things better, you are
>wrong!
>
>WOW! Have any of you ever participated in a campaign when the candidate
>said that?
>
>So, Bill-I believe that "winning" local elections can also be an
>illusion? Has Luc's election led to better and more equitable education
>in Cambridge? How has the election of any Green candidate in the US led
>to a better life for the people of their district-no matter how local or
>how big?
>
>So, why should we be a political party that is involved in electoral
>campaigns?
>
>I believe that in order to bring about the "revolution" we have to do 3
>inter-related things:
>
> a. We have to change ourselves.
>
> b. We have to change ideas.
>
> c. We have to change public policies.
>
>Yes, I do not believe that the Green Party will elect our candidate in
>2008. However, it can be a major location to raise our banner around the
>nation--to come together and wage a campaign of ideas. And if we receive
>5% of the national vote, there will be some material benefits for the
>party. And if we don't, our party and the progressive "movement" can
>grow "stronger" and wiser, etc.
>
>Similarly a campaign for US Senate, Congress or state legislature.
>
>All are arenas where there is a potential to move forward or to become
>wasteful and harmful.
>
>I also agree with you that we have to develop a more reflective practice
>so we can learn both positive and negative lessons, so the next time we
>can potentially be better prepared to move forward.
>
>Mike Heichman
>
>
>
>
>
>
>BillCunningham wrote:
>
>>Do we have a candidate who can win a seat in the State legislature? We do have candidates who can win City council and school committee seats. Let's think about supporting them.
>>
>>If someone comes along who wants to run as GRP for higher office, she better bring along a campaign organization with her as far as I'm concerned.
>>
>>STOP STOP STOP tilting at windmills and chasing the will o the wisp. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS on strategic thinking and the world outside our door.
>>Otherwise GRP can go to hell—and it will.
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>
>>
>>>From: Ron Francis <ronwf777 at yahoo.com>
>>>Sent: Jul 25, 2007 11:32 PM
>>>To: statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>>>Subject: [statecom-discuss] Re: [candidate-development] Re: [IPPN] CounterPunch 7/24/07: "Why I'm challenging Pelosi" by Cindy Sheehan
>>>
>>>I agree with Jamie, but would say do it at an even lower level.
>>>
>>>Try school committee or city council or zoning board if there is one.
>>>
>>>Best to establish some kind of base in your own local community before taking on people that usually already have some base.
>>>
>>>Even better is to establish yourself on some issue, for a couple of years, and also get yourself known in the community as "a player" and then use that status to make a move. Some of the "progressive" democrats have done that and have been effective.
>>>
>>>We need to put our laps in before jumping into the pool against serious contenders or else risk having a negative experience rather than a building experience.,...we also build trust among residents when you are a known quantity rather than just running out of the blue.
>>>
>>>Cyndi Sheehan is a good example of someone who has a passionate issue, and thus a passionate following behind her. She is in a good position to run at the lowest possible level on federal issues (Congressperson); She is a great model; her people will be with her as she runs. She has an easily identifiable reason why people should vote for her and not Pelosi.
>>>
>>>And also, there is no upsurge for running for the State legislature because there is no surge in issue activism among party members at the staterep level. I am working on encouraging that by organizing people (Local Organizing Initiative) in their own Staterep districts / cities with a bias toward ballot questions. We'll see what happens; it would be great if we had 5 or 6 ballot questions and some common ones too ....
>>>
>>>If anyone is interested in starting up a local using the LOI technique, then let me know.
>>>
>>>Ron
>>>
>>>Mike Heichman <mikeheichman at verizon.net> wrote: Hi Jamie,
>>>
>>>Maybe 13 candidates for the state legislature would be better than one
>>>candidate for Congress.
>>>
>>>The problem that I see is that right now it might be a lot easier to
>>>"find" one person to run for Congress than 3/5/7 people to run for the
>>>state legislature. Who knows what's really going on out there with the
>>>members of our party? As of now, I don't detect an upsurge of candidates
>>>for the state legislature. There is some talk for the national
>>>presidential election, the US Senate race, and John W talking about
>>>Congress. However, I haven't heard anything relating the state
>>>legislature. Hopefully there is an upsurge that my radar hasn't picked up.
>>>
>>>As for me, I want to encourage everyone to run.
>>>
>>>So, I say this to John Walsh: "RUN! JOHN! RUN! And now, you have an
>>>additional incentive to be nice to everyone-you just announced your
>>>potential candidacy.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>
>>>
>>>Jamie O'Keefe wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>On 7/25/07, John Walsh wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Draft Chuck Turner to run against "Cappie" in the 8th CD.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>Chuck has a lot to do on the Boston City Council. Better to run more
>>>>candidates in Boston.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>In fact I may take another stab against Jimmy McGovern in '08.
>>>>>With Grace's support in an all out assault on Jimmy from her City
>>>>>Council perch, I bet I could beat the Prince of Pork in '08.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>I said this in 2003 and I will say it again in 2007, running for US
>>>>Congress gains us nothing, but takes a huge effort. For the effort it
>>>>takes to get one US Congress person on the ballot, we could get 13
>>>>State Rep. candidates on. Plus if half fail to get on, we still have
>>>>6-7 who did get on. With US Congress it is all or nothing.
>>>>
>>>>Jamie
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>candidate-development mailing list
>>>candidate-development at green-rainbow.org
>>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/candidate-development
>>>
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>Bill Cunningham
>>_______________________________________________
>>statecom-discuss mailing list
>>statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
>>http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/statecom-discuss
>>
>>
>>
>
Bill Cunningham
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