[statecom-discuss] [candidate-development] CDLC Telecon meeting

Tue Apr 8 18:23:50 EDT 2008

Merelice - I was not taking sides or blaming - I was not talking about my 
being contacted by you - please help me create understanding even given all of 
our short-comings.

I was not talking about victims - I did recognize that people are getting 
work done.   I was asking things be posted in earlier stages - so more of us can 
participate.   

don't you want that too?   Grace
In a message dated 4/8/08 6:18:46 PM, merelice at gmail.com writes:

> Dear Grace,
> 
> You are well aware that both I and Jill have been in touch with both
> you and Gary regarding ways in which help is needed and ways in which
> your participation would be most welcome. And right after the last
> StateCom meeting, I sent Mike an email suggesting he focus on the
> success of having passed the ballot proposal and work on this exciting
> effort.
> 
> There is little cause for anyone to feel so victimized or to be so
> lacking in appreciation and compassion toward volunteers who manage to
> fit their considerable party work in with very full lives and other
> responsibilities.
> 
> There is more work being accomplished, more vibrant StateCom meetings
> taking place with many more active Statecom reps from more parts of
> the state, more working committees being re-activated, and more
> openness than has been the case in a long time. But the bulk of emails
> on party lists don't reveal this.
> 
> So I hereby put it on record and suggest that folks start singing!
> 
> Merelice
> 
> 
> 
> On 4/8/08, Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com <Gracegrnrnbw at aol.com> wrote:
> > Hi, I know everyone is frustrated and stretched thin -
> >
> >  While I don't recommend the accusatory tone some of Mike's or Gary's 
> emails
> >  have taken - I think they are both saying tht they volunteered and agreed 
> to
> >  help with these processes.   I think they are not complaining about work 
> getting
> >  done. I think they are complaining that because they have not been 
> contacted
> >  and conversations have not been taking place on our public listservs, 
> they
> >  have been thwarted in their commitment to help in these processes.
> >
> >  I totally understand people feeling over-stretched.   the problem is that 
> if
> >  people are over-stretched but don't prioritize engaging those who have 
> agreed
> >  to help - there is no way for those who have gone a record as ready to 
> help,
> >  to give that help.   they don't even know that someone is trying to 
> implement
> >  the projects they agreed to help with.
> >
> >  Please, everyone, post the result of initial conversations and even baby
> >  steps so that others who are prepared to help know you are out there 
> trying to
> >  move things along.   then we can help...
> >
> >  Thanks, grace
> >
> > In a message dated 4/8/08 2:56:01 PM, jandrews166 at gmail.com writes:
> >
> >
> >  > Mike,
> >  >
> >  > Over the past few months I have noted that you have ceaselessly 
> harassed
> >  > anyone who dares to actually do work for our Party.  You demand that 
> they
> >  > report their actions fully to you, respond to your ideas for how they 
> should
> >  > behave, obey your interpretations of process and rules,  and redo their 
> work
> >  > to please  you.  If they do not, you demand that they tell you how they
> >  > intend to satisfy you.  At times you have been responsible for almost 
> half
> >  > the email load on our listserves.  Imagine what it would be like if all 
> our
> >  > two dozen StateComm members behaved like this.  Several persons 
> subjected to
> >  > this harassment have dropped out of our discussion lists or have 
> threatened
> >  > to resign from the Party.  Many valuable hours have been consumed 
> trying to
> >  > respond to criticisms, emails, and negative postings. This is not
> >  > contributing to the health of our party.
> >  >
> >  > Many of the disputes involve legalistic arguments involving process or
> >  > interpretation of by-laws.  While I appreciate the need to try as best 
> we
> >  > can to adhere to published process and bylaws,  I think what has been
> >  > happening is that recently these provisions have been used 
> inappropriately
> >  > to further personal ambitions, settle grudges, and advance partisan
> >  > objectives.  I think this has to wind down.   We are in the process of
> >  > building a stronger and more effective party.  People are actually 
> doing
> >  > work between committee meetings.  That is wonderful.  We need that.  We 
> need
> >  > to shake off the old habit of having people show up for a meeting 
> without
> >  > having done any work, give directions to the few workers present, and 
> then
> >  > disappear for a month.
> >  >
> >  > We are all stretched thin.  Often things are done late or at the last
> >  > minute.  That's probably not going to change anytime soon.  But we are 
> on
> >  > the verge of getting some really exciting things going.  We've got much
> >  > better things to do than argue with each other over who best followed 
> some
> >  > vision of the process.
> >  >
> >  > Please think about how your actions are going to help or hurt the 
> Party.
> >  > For my part, I think the process debates are hurting the Party, and I 
> don't
> >  > want to spend our precious meeting time embroiled in such arguments.
> >  >
> >  > - John
> >  >
> >  > P.S.
> >  >
> >  > Regarding your repetition of Gary's complaint that he is "co-chair" of 
> the
> >  > Advisory Ballot Working Group, be aware that the minutes of the CDLC 
> state
> >  > that " As a result of a proposal passed at the last StateComm meeting, 
> the
> >  > CDLC is asked to appoint a representative to a working group focused on
> >  > advisory questions placed on district ballots.  Jill Stein and Gary 
> Hicks
> >  > volunteered to serve on this group.  "  Thus Gary and Jill are jointly 
> CDLC
> >  > reps to the Advisory Ballot Working Group.  This group will presumably 
> elect
> >  > its own chairs, if that is how they want to organize.  The Platform
> >  > Committee is convening this group. Everything done up to now has been
> >  > informal and exploratory.  But it has been important in getting things
> >  > rolling.
> >  >
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> 

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