Actually I'm not going to discuss that thread at all. The Race, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, or Gender of the next Chairman is of no concern to me. It's the ideas and the vision that matter.

After the candidates made their initial pitch to the caucus there was a question and answer period, questions were submitted by voting members and the moderator (NH State Chair, can't remember and didn't write the name down, sorry), posed a question to one of the candidates, who got two minutes to respond and then let a second candidate also answer the question. So here are the questions that were asked and the answers to the best of my steno abilities...

That's what I said when the question about which Fowler Ammendments the DNC Chair Candidate were opposed to was asked. So here is a quick run down on what those ammendments are for those of you who are wonkily inclined........

I trust many of you have seen this article from today's NYT, but in case you're wrapped up in holiday madness and haven't looked at a paper I paste it here for your perusal.

I think it's important to take note of how much emphasis the Radical Right puts on winning local and state elections.

The Dems made some good gains in State Legislatures and we need to continue that work. Seeing Democratic Mayors, City Council Members, County Execs and the rest do good work and solve problems on a statewide level is how we convince people to vote for Dems on the National Level.

I hope the next DNC Chair will do more to support these kinds of efforts.

IT'S A LONGISH ARTICLE, BUT WORTH THE READ

 

I think it's time to put the Election Post Mortem discussion aside for a moment and get busy framing the debate on taxes.

GWB is set on revamping the tax code and adopting a more regressive system (national sales tax anyone?). In an August rally GWB stated that, "the really rich people figure out how to dodge taxes anyway." And his answer to that is to throw up his hands and put the tax burden and the middle and working classes. And let's not forget the corporate tax giveaway that happened just before the election.

Framing this debate is crucial to painting the Conservatives as fiscally irresponsible, unfair and beholden to corporate interests and for setting the terms for the 2006 mid-terms.

Strategy anyone?

Maybe you do, and that is fine - but check out his record before you just let this decision get made. If you think there's a better option, well then start phoning and writing and tell your friends & neighbors to do the same

We, the members of the Democratic Party, need to speak up now, if we want to influence the direction the party chooses to go at this crucial juncture.

Here are some interest group ratings from www.vote-smart.org. Check out the site for a fuller picture on voting records and public statements (all figures from 2003, unless otherwise indicated):