Get off your "both parties are the same" high horse already

Are the two parties REALLY the same? Are both parties REALLY equally to blame for Issue X or Problem Y? When voting, is it REALLY more virtuous to split your ticket than vote straight ticket?

Come on.

Just last week, Scott Walker compared protestors to ISIS. A Nevada lawmaker likened to a fungus that can simply be washed out. An Idaho lawmaker suggested that women need to swallow cameras before having an abortion. A Kansas lawmaker said she wants to criminalize ‘harmful’ books.

All in one week.

All Republicans.

And odds are, none of them will pay any sort of price within their party. If anything, they might get rewarded. Rewarded!

In today's Republican Party, decent people are being pushed out* while the far-right are being elevated.** Heck, Ronald Reagan would be considered much too liberal for many Republicans today.

Gerald Ford? Dwight Eisenhower? Don't even think about it.

Are Democrats perfect? Hell no! I get that, as do most Democrats. We're human beings, we make mistakes, etc. But I'll take the imperfections of our Party, our candidates, and our elected officials any day of the week - especially if that day is a Tuesday in early November.

*See: Lugar, Dick; see also: Schwarz, Joe.**See: Agema, Dave; see also: Glenn, Gary.

How many 2016 DNC delegates will Michigan get?

(This is part 2 of a series on Michigan's role in the 2016 Democratic presidential nominating process and the 47th Democratic National Convention.)

How does a political party decide who will carry its torch into a presidential election? In the Democratic Party, the process for selecting presidential nominees is quite complex. It needs to be in order to ensure that the process is fair and inclusive to all Democrats.

While the nomination will be settled long before the convention - and maybe even sooner, if Hillary runs - there's still a lot of thought and planning that each state must undertake as part of this process. With fewer than 18 months to go until the Democratic National Convention convenes in July 2016 - and with just three more months before each state Party decides how its delegates are selected - now's a good time to consider how many delegates Michigan will have at the convention.

Number of Delegates

Michigan will have between 150 and 190 delegates. The exact number depends on three factors: the timing of our primary or caucus; whether we hold our primary or caucus on the same date as neighboring states; and the exact number of superdelegates, who are automatically delegates based on offices they hold.

As I said recently, holding a May caucus does come with its advantages - including the right to send more delegates - but in the event of a contested nomination battle, we may opt for a March primary or caucus in order to gain some influence on the nominating process.

Types of Delegates

Delegates are divided into four categories:

• Superdelegates - They are automatically delegates based on positions they hold in the Party or in elected office. They include:
• Distinguished Party Leaders (such as current and former Presidents, Vice Presidents, House and Senate Democratic Leaders, and DNC Chairs);
• Members of the Democratic National Committee;
• Democratic governors; and
• Democratic US Senators and Representatives.
• Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO) Delegates - The term "elected officials" seems more or less clear-cut, but the DNC doesn't really define what constitutes a "party leader." Regardless, these seats are awarded to candidates based on how well they did in the statewide caucus or primary vote.
• At-Large Delegates, whose seats are are awarded to candidates based on how well they did in the statewide caucus or primary vote (though in a separate calculation from PLEO delegates).
• Congressional District Delegates, whose seats are awarded to candidates based on their performance within that congressional district.

How Many Pledged Delegates Does Each State Get?

To apportion delegates to the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the DNC uses a formula that equally weighs two factors:

1. 1. The number of electoral votes the state (or DC) has, divided by 538;  and


2. 2. The total number of votes cast in the state for Obama in 2012, Obama in 2008, and Kerry in 2004 compared to the number of votes cast for those candidates nationwide.

The resulting number is a state’s “allocation factor,” which is then multiplied by 3,200 to get a “base” delegate total. 25% of a state's base delegates are at-large, while the other 75% are allocated to congressional districts in a formula that varies from state to state but which generally measures Democratic strength in that district. In addition, 15% of the base delegate number is added on in the form of PLEO delegates.

Michigan’s allocation factor is .03618; multiply that by 3,200 and you get 116 “base” delegate votes. That gives us 29 at-large delegates and 87 district delegates to be divvied up among 14 congressional districts. We then add 17 PLEO delegates to give us 133 pledged delegates which will be allocated to presidential candidates according to the results of the primaries and caucuses.

When you add on the 17 superdelegates, that gives a total delegation of 150 delegates (which must be evenly divided between men and women; more on that in another post).

Bonus Delegates?

Ah, but Michigan might have more delegates than that.

In the past, states used to try to rush to be among the first to have primaries or caucuses. To alleviate this, starting in 2012 the DNC is offering states “bonus” delegates if they hold their primaries and caucuses later in the cycle.

For any state that holds its primary or caucus in April will get a 10% bonus in its "base" delegate total. A state which holds its primary or caucus in May or June gets a 20% bonus. Those bonus delegates and the base delegates are then allocated either at-large or district-level delegates. (PLEO delegates are not added.)

Holding a caucus in April will give us a base delegate total of 116 x 1.1 base delegates, which rounds to 128. A May or June caucus will give us 116 x 1.2 base delegates, or about 139. So the actual number of pledged delegate votes Michigan gets will be:

Date	District	At-Large	PLEO	Total Pledged	+17 Unpledged
March	87	29	17	133	150
April	96	32	17	145	162
May	104	35	17	156	173

There's another chance for bonus delegates as well. If a "cluster" of 3 contiguous states holds its primaries and/or caucuses on the same day - and if that day is March 24 or later - those states get an additional 15% bonus in base delegates. (That 15% is calculated separately from the other bonus delegates.) So holding a late March primary or caucus as part of a cluster will result in Michigan getting 133 base delegates. For an April contest, that goes up to 145; for May, 156.

How many delegates would we get if we took part in a regional cluster?

Date	District	At-Large	PLEO	Total Pledged	+17 Unpledged
March	100	33	17	150	167
April	109	36	17	162	179
May	117	39	17	173	190

A Word about Superdelegates

As you see, Michigan has 17 unpledged delegates, or "superdelegates."

• 5 members of Congress who are not DNC members;
• 10 members of the DNC who are not in Congress; and
• 2 who serve in both Congress and the DNC (Debbie Stabenow and Debbie Dingell). (While they hold two positions that would give them a superdelegate vote, they each only have one vote.)

The fact that superdelegates still have a vote comes despite a lot of questions about the role of superdelegates in the presidential nominating process during and after the 2008 primary campaign. 19% of the more than 4,400 delegates at the 2008 Convention were unpledged; this included more than 700 "Unpledged PLEO" delegates (the party leaders, members of congress, governors, and DNC members I mentioned above), plus 80 "add-on" delegates. There were talks about removing the "super delegate" status of DNC members, but those didn't come to fruition.

What ended up happening is that the 80 add-on delegate spots were removed, and the "base" number of delegate spots allocated to states increased from 3,000 to 3,700 in 2012. (That base number is going back down to 3,200 for the 2016 convention.) There are 733 superdelegates for the 2016 convention, or about 16% of the 4,502 total delegates. That 4,502 does not include bonus delegates for states that cluster or hold later primaries or caucuses; as base delegates are added to those states, the total number of delegates will go up, while the share of superdelegates to total delegates will go down.

The Party of Women (And Sensible Men) endorses its candidates

While I was bartending here in greater GR, other Democrats from across the state were gathered at Cobo Hall to endorse a slate of candidates for various offices in this year's election. The endorsees are:

• Supreme Court (technically nonpartisan): Bridget Mary McCormack, Shelia Johnson, Connie Kelley
• State Board of Education: Lupe Ramos-Montigny, Michelle Fecteau
• U-M Regents: Mark Bernstein, Shauna Ryder-Diggs
• MSU Trustees: Joel Ferguson, Brian Mosallam
• WSU Governors: Sandra Hughes O'Brien, Kim Trent

They are set to be formally nominated at a separate convention in late August (state law provides a certain window during which they may actually be nominated). I don't yet know a whole lot about all of these candidates, but a few observations:

1. McCormack has been campaigning for this for quite some time now, going around and meeting with grassroots Democratic activists around the state. It's a strategy I call "the Jocelyn Benson," since Jocelyn did that for more than a year before she was nominated for Secretary of State.

2. Johnson also campaigned across the state in 2010, appearing at many Democratic gatherings. However, she ended up not being nominated in 2010. I'm glad she got a nod this time.

3. Lupe was one of our nominees in 2010, as you may recall. She was a teacher in Grand Rapids Public Schools for 36 years. Don't you think the Board of Ed could stand to use an educator's perspective?

4. Bernstein should win on name recognition alone. Let's face it: If you're a candidate for one of these offices, most of the votes you get will be from people who (a) recognized your name or (b) vote straight ticket or close to straight ticket. If he does win, Bernstein will be the second in his family to be elected to a statewide education board; his brother, Richard, was elected in 2002.

5. Ferguson is the only incumbent Democrat seeking re-election to any of these boards.

6. If our Supreme Court candidates all win this year, the Michigan Supreme Court will have five women. Five out of seven. And of the 11 candidates endorsed this weekend, eight are women.

Of course, I don't think that merely having women in public office is the end-all, be-all for equality. I'm glad we have Vice President Biden instead of Vice President Palin. But at a time like this, it highlights a difference between the two parties.

The Party of Palin has been declaring war on Palin's gender in the name of "religious freedom" or "conscience" - and now they are paying the price in the polls. Their nominees for various offices will likely include Mitt "What Will He Believe Next Month?" Romney, Stephen Markman, Brian Zahra, Pete "Cultural Sensitivity" Hoekstra, and probably several men (and a couple women) for education boards. (There will likely be a lot of pressure from Republicans to have their party nominate a woman for the other Supreme Court slot, and given their plummeting standing among women, don't be surprised if Romney picks a woman for VP.)

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party's nominees for various offices will include our first African-American President, the author of the Violence Against Women Act, Michigan's first female Senator, and the aforementioned women (and men).

Bits of Tid: February 19, 2011

More Power Edition

• You know how Republicans are supposed to be against tax hikes? Well, not anymore. At least not on seniors and poor people.
• On Daily Kos they're talking recalls in Wisconsin. Perhaps we should consider a recall or two in Michigan - or at least organaize a campaign to recall someone, even if it comes nowhere near getting on the ballot. One benefit of the low turnout in 2010 is that the threshold for recalls is lower. It would only take 19,895 signatures to force Dave Hildenbrand to face a recall. Recall drives must start at least six months after a lawmaker's term begins, so we could start gathering signatures on or after July 1. If we campaign to get a recall on the ballot, we can at least use it as anm opportunity to educate voters.
• Be sure to follow the the Michigan, My Michigan group on Daily Kos! Let me know if you'd like to be added as a member of the group.
• Sad news: West Michigan Rising is closing.
• Happy news: I have been elected to three things in the past ten days! Earlier this month I was elected to the Kent County Democratic Executive Committee, filling one of a few vacancies. Last weekend at Cobo Hall, I was also elected as a member of the Michigan 3rd District Democratic Executive Committee. Then on Thursday, Dad and I were elected as Council 4362's two delegates to the Michigan Knights of Columbus State Convention in May. Delegates from our council are usually the current Grand Knight (currently myself) and a past Grand Knight (Dad was Grand Knight in 1999-2000). Dad was previously a delegate to the 2000 and 2003 conventions.
• What a difference 17 days makes. On February 2, nearly every school in West Michigan was closed, as were most businesses, due to one of the biggest blizzards to hit the area in many decades. Now, there's almost no snow on our deck and very little on the ground. I hear Mother Nature is going to do something about that tomorrow.

DOs and DON'Ts for Progressives in 2010

Happy New Year! That is, if you think the year is still new. Which, in some respects, it is; the Super Bowl hasn't been played yet!

At any rate, what will 2010 be like for Democrats? What will 2010 be like for our communities, Michigan, America, and our world?

Of course, none of us knows for sure. What I do know is that each of us has a part to play in how this year (and the future) turns out. Nothing will happen if all you do is sit back and criticize/praise/comment on Obama, Congress, state or local officials, businesses, the media, etc. Rather, change will happen because people make it happen.

So here are some thoughts on things we as Progressives should and shouldn't do this year. I'm sure you have your own ideas, as well!

DO get involved in your local Democratic Party group or club, if you aren't already. Believe me - our Party needs our progressive voices! Not being involved because of the weakness of the healthcare bill or lack of focus on this issue or that? Big mistake. If you get involved with the Party and progressive Democratic campaigns, you will have a great opportunity to speak out in favor of progressive values. Plus, you will have a good shot at a leadership role within the Party in the future.

DO get involved in your community. You'll do a big favor for yourself - and for those you help! You'll meet new people, make great memories, and make a good name for yourself. All of that will be very important if you ever want to run for office! Serve.gov is a good place to get started. Oh, and speaking of running for office...

DO think about running for office - if not this year, then next year or beyond. Yes, that's right; if you have a chance, maybe it's time for you to consider trying to make a change from inside the system. Keep in mind, running for office is not something you simply decide to do just like that; it's a commitment. You still have four months to decide if you want to run for Congress or state or local office; the filing deadline is May 12. If you don't run for one of those offices, you might want to run for Precinct Delegate; more on that in a few weeks.

DON'T be silent or sit on the sidelines. What happens when someone isn't involved or doesn't speak their mind? No one listens to them. Decisions are made with out their input. In effect, that person is assenting to the status quo.

DON'T become cynical or give up. Change takes a while! As Paul Wellstone said, "I think the future also will not belong to those who are cynical or those who stand on the sidelines." If that young band of colonists had given up on liberating themselves from tyranny, the USA wouldn't even exist. Thank goodness they didn't give in to cynical attitudes; may you have the same resilience!

We are all human beings - just like Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, the Founding Fathers, the Abolitionists, the Suffragettes, and those who have fought for equality for all human beings. If they can do big things, so can each and every one of us!

So that's my challenge to each of you for 2010 - to make this the most productive, fulfilling year you've ever had. This year can be an amazing year - or it can be a year you'd rather forget. It's up to you and me to make it great!

How do you know if your lawmaker is a Democrat?

I'll give you a hint: Whether or not someone calls themself a Democrat is not the greatest indicator of whether someone really is one. (You probably knew that, right?)

See, real Democrats are the ones who stand up for ordinary people. They show - by their actions, not just by their words - that they want excellent healthcare, a clean environment, and did I mention a quality education for all young people?

Take these highlights from the 2008 Michigan Democratic Party platform:

Provide unprecedented educational funding. Under Governor Granholm’s leadership, per-student public school funding has been increased to record level of over $7,300 per student.

Make higher education available for all. Higher education is vital to success in the new economy. Under the leadership of Lt. Governor John Cherry, the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth devised a comprehensive plan to double the number of Michigan residents with a college degree or other valuable educational credential. Michigan Democrats vigorously support the plan and applaud the progress toward implementation.

Democrats want to make sure higher education and technical training in high-growth fields is accessible and affordable to all. Governor Granholm’s $4,000 Michigan Promise Scholarship, available to all high school graduates, helps ensure that they can go to college or receive post-secondary training.

Kinda makes you wonder about people like George Cushingberry, one of three people with a D by their name who were part of a panel that cut the Michigan Promise scholarship.

Or those Blue Dog 'Democrats' in Congress who choose profits instead of people's lives.

The fruits of our campaign labor

Want to know why I'm a Democrat? Want to know why I made hundreds of calls and entered goodness-knows-how-much data into VoteBuilder in addition to coordinating our presence in the July 4 Parade? Maybe this will give you an idea.

Barack Obama today signed the first bill of his presidency, a piece of legislation known as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act that makes it easier for workers to sue after discovering what they believe to be pay discrimination. 

In signing the bill, Mr. Obama said that it sends the message "that there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it’s not just unfair and illegal, it's bad for business to pay someone less because of their gender or their age or their race or their ethnicity, religion or disability."

Such is the crux of my support for the Party of Jefferson and Jackson. For as long as I can remember, the Democratic Party has stood for fairness and equality for everyone, regardless of race, gender, physical or mental handicap, etc. We are all human beings, and it's the Democrats who have led the efforts to truly bring about 'liberty and justice for all' in this country. It means so much to see that our new Democratic President and Congress are doing their part to advance the cause of equality for all Americans.

We all know that this does not mean women will automatically get paid the same wage as men for doing the same thing as men. True equality amongst all people has not been achieved and will not be achieved for a long time, if it ever is.

HOWEVER, the inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President - and today's signing of the Ledbetter Act - are both great milestones in the right direction, and we can be proud of both. So, let us commit to keeping that momentum going!

Building Our Party: Smarter voters = More and better Democrats

"The biggest argument against democracy is a five minute discussion with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

"As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing." - Karl Rove

"When people think, Democrats win." - Bill Clinton

Okay, enough quotes. :-)

In America, the people rule - or so we're told. Yet we are constantly reminded of the gripping power of big-moneyed corporations and special interests on American government.

You know what? The voters themselves do have the final say. Every member of the US House, and almost every member of the US Senate, is where they are because the people of their state/district - a plurality, at least - chose him or her to represent them. Those corrupt politicians whose pockets are laden with lobbyist money would not be in office except for the simple fact that they received more votes in the last election than their opponent.

Now, I assume that most people are of good intent. Does anyone believe that many of the more than 130 million Americans who voted a couple months ago did so knowing that the candidates they supported backed dangerous, anti-freedom, pro-big-money, anti-education policies? I doubt it.

So why do people vote for those kinds of politicians? To me it boils down to one thing: They don't know better!

It seems like the average American voter doesn't know enough to make an informed decision at the ballot box. Many voters - those who don't skip down-ticket races - will vote for a candidate because "I've heard of her" or "he seems like a good guy." And as long as voters keep re-electing politicians by overwhelming margins, the pols will think, "it's okay, the people will still vote for me, so I'll just worry about me, me, me."

I firmly believe that if people knew what Republicans (and, yes, some who call themselves Democrats) really stood for, progressive Democrats would be doing a lot better at the polls. I argue that the more educated the electorate is, the more likely they will be to support progressives in Democratic primaries and Democrats in general elections. In other words, the smarter people are when it comes to politics and government, the more Democrats we'd have in office, and the better those Democrats would be.

That's why progressive Democrats need to do a better job of informing voters so they make well-informed decisions. And when I say well-informed decisions, I don't just mean in the voting booth. (More on citizenship in the next week or so.)

Educating voters will be critical in not only fending off right-wing attacks in big-ticket races - making voters less susceptible to buying said attacks - but also in helping people understand the candidates and issues at stake in local and other down-ticket races, which provide a farm system of sorts for higher offices.

So what can we do to inform voters? Well, I won't pretend to know the complete answer to that. But here are some thoughts.

While posting articles on websites and issuing press releases may motivate the party faithful to support the cause, what good will it be in winning over those who aren't as dedicated to the progressive Democratic cause? To that end, I call upon Democratic Party and progressive organizations to do more to reach out to those who don't vote Democratic as much and to educate them on the issues that matter.

I realize that most progressive and Democratic groups have little extra money to spend. Even so, I argue that a cost-conscious, year-round persuasion effort may be a wise investment in the long-term electoral success of the Democratic Party.

Some of that money can be used to publicize Democrats' positions on key issues, through mailings, television, and so forth. During the campaign, candidates, staffers, and volunteers do their part to persuade voters to vote a certain way. When campaigns are not going on, there is still plenty of opportunity to keep voters in the loop about the important issues of the day and to solidify in their minds that it is the Democrats who stand for what's best for all of us.

Again, I won't pretend to know what tactics would work best in terms of helping voters become more informed. But I believe changing the way left-leaning groups educate voters is important to ensuring that those voters vote Democratic - and pick progressive Dems over corporatists.

(PS: You could look at this post as my argument for keeping the 50 state strategy.)

Building Our Party: Our Vision for the Democratic Party

People need a lot right now:

• The Democratic Party needs to be more cohesive, better organized, and responsive to the needs and desires of its members.
• Elected officials need to know the views of their constituents - and why they hold these views.
• Citizens need to realize that merely voting every couple of years is not enough to be an active citizen.
• President Obama will need our help in making progressive policy, because...
• The people of this country - indeed, of the world - need food, clothing, shelter, a top-notch education, superb health care, a clean environment, the opportunity to work for a decent wage, and so much more.

Over the next several days I will be sharing a lot of what I believe we as grassroots progressive Democrats and as bloggers can do to build better communities, a better Party, and a better society. Today I explore my thoughts on where our Democratic Party is, why we need it to be strong, and what we can do to make it stronger.

Ensuring that the Democratic Party is strong and effective is critical because government policies affect so many aspects of our lives - what our children are taught, whether they can afford to go on to college, whether we have good-paying jobs and clean air, and so forth. And as we have seen, with few exceptions, Democrats are far better suited to lead our nation than most Republicans.

And yet, most of us will agree that the Democratic Party is nowhere near where it should be. Don’t get me wrong; progress has been made in many areas of our Party. Governor Dean’s 50-State Strategy comes to mind, as do programs like Democrats Work and the Blue Tiger Democrats.

But we can all see that there is plenty of improvement to be made. If I had a dollar for every time a Democrat in Congress voted to cave in to the boneheaded demands of the unpopular Bush, I'd be able to pay off the national debt. (Okay, maybe not, but I would be better off financially!) A year later, I’m still not happy that I as a Michigan resident didn’t get a say in determining who my Party would nominate for President of the United States. (Don't get me started on that.)

Yet it is precisely because I am such a darn proud Democrat that I want to make this Party stronger and more effective. For all the faults of some Democratic leaders, most of the Democratic activists I know are hard workers who expect the best from government and our Party. We want our rights protected. We want good jobs that pay well. We want everyone to be able to live the American Dream.

We want a better life for all, so that each person can live out his or her full potential as a human being, making our world a better place for it.

So how can the Democratic Party most effectively achieve these ends? I don't think I can answer that completely. But I do have some ideas. Among many other things, I believe it’s critical for the party of Jackson, FDR, and Obama to:

• Stand for truly progressive ideals and policies not just during campaign season, but always.
• Contest every race on the ballot.
• Reach out to all potential Democratic voters, including those who don’t vote.
• Understand the views of all of its members, including those who do not have much to give.
• Promote community service and civic engagement amongst both Party activists and others.
• Encourage collaboration and networking amongst progressive people and groups from all walks of life.
• Above all, show - not just by its words, but by its actions - that it truly is the Party of the People and that it deserves to govern this great country which many of my friends and relatives have so bravely served in uniform.

"There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America," said Bill Clinton in his First Inaugural Address. The solution to the many challenges we as human civilization face can be found in the people themselves. So it is with the Party of FDR. The Democratic Party is a human institution and is thus inherently imperfect. Even so, we as grassroots progressive Democrats are the ones who need to take charge and do what it takes to mold the Party in the way we see fit.

If you're not involved in your local and state Party, get in the game. Find out when your county or district Party meets, and see if you can attend a state Party convention, where you can interact with prominent Democrats and share your views with them in a face-to-face way. (Usually you don't have to be a Delegate to attend a convention.)

Perhaps you already are involved with the Party at some level, or maybe you're part of a progressive or Democratic club, such as the College Democrats or DFA. If so, let me give you that gentle nudge to run for a leadership post in one of those groups. The months following a general election are the time when many Democratic groups elect new leadership to carry the Party's mantle for the next couple of years. Last year I ran for President of the Michigan Federation of College Democrats. While I did not win that particular election, I did end up on the National Council of the College Democrats of America, and now I serve as Deputy National Communications Director of CDA!

If you don't make your voice heard, you cannot expect our Party to stand up for progressive values. So, stand up. Make it known that you are a proud Democrat, but you will not rest until the entire Democratic Party stands up for truly progressive, Democratic ideals.

I will delve more deeply into this topic more in the next few days. In the meantime, what ideas do all of you have for making our Party stronger? What would you like to see out of the Democratic Party?

Values

(This is a repost of a diary I wrote a few months ago on Daily Kos. It is also, in a way, Part 1 of a series about where I believe our Party should go in the near future.)

Why are you a Democrat?

What makes you vote for the Democratic ticket on Election Day? What made you decide that just voting for progressive Democrats is not enough - that you also need to volunteer for the Obama campaign or for other progressives running in your area?

To me, being a Democrat is not only about supporting this policy or opposing this action. Yes, I do hold most of the same stances as most Democrats when it comes to important issues of the day. I opposed the Iraq War before it started. I support healthcare for all. I believe in regulations for corporations. Dependence on foreign oil? Bad. Corruption? Bad. Regressive tax policy? Bad. Higher pay for teachers? Good. Diplomacy? Good. The right to form and join unions? Good.

But having these opinions hardly has anything to do with my being a progressive Democrat. It's why I hold these positions that has led me in my young life to call myself a liberal Democrat.

Each of us has our own unique set of values, molded by our own unique set of experiences. Our values are formed by the lessons we learn from parents, teachers, managers, coaches, clergy and so on. They come from our interactions with our friends, co-workers, and distant relatives we may only meet at family reunions or weddings. They also come from events of the world around us, such as a neighbor dying suddenly, a local factory closing, or September 11.

But every time I stop to think about the values that guide me, they all lead back to one word.

Respect.

What, then, are those values of which I speak - values which lead back to respect? Here is a look at the tip of the iceberg.

Why do I support access to health coverage for all citizens? Because I value compassion.

I also value responsibility. I believe that all of us - humans, corporations, the like - must act in a responsible manner to one another. Thus, I support regulating carbon emissions, making our country energy independent, and using diplomacy over militarism.

I value truth, and I understand that the best society is one where people understand the truth and seek it out when necessary. It is also why I believe in the importance of educating everyone, and that education is not merely about being able to determine the number of degrees in the corners of a polygon or the atomic number of each element on the Periodic Table, but in the ability to think for oneself. For those reasons I support strengthening our public education system, and I oppose deception and lies in all their forms.

Compassion, responsibility, truth... they all lead back to respect. As do the many other values I cherish.

I take the words "All men are created equal" to heart. Well, somewhat. All men and women are created equal.

This is especially true when you consider how fortunate you and I are. I was not born into wealth or privilege. Yet, nor was I born into poverty in Africa. I'm not in a high-rise condo, but nor do I find myself in Darfur or South Ossetia. As I said on Thanksgiving, I am not the most privileged person on the planet, but I am luckier than many.

To value respect is to understand the importance of every human being on this planet - that each human being can make our own life richer, if only we let them.

And when people deny this very respect to others, they are in effect denying it to themselves. A person is less able to show respect when they themselves are not shown respect.

Obviously there are those whom we hold closer to our hearts than most anyone else. Yet at the same time, there are countless different ways of showing our love to other people - volunteering at the local food pantry, helping out with Special Olympics, setting up care packages to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Respect. It's amazing how that one word sums up not only my personal values, but also why I am a Democrat.

With Democrats not being seen my some as a party of values, I would like to see more Democrats emphasize the importance of values. By discussing our shared values, Democrats can connect with voters in a way Republicans have been for years.

More importantly, I would like to see all of us Democrats - Party leaders, elected officials, and rank-and-file Democrats - commit or re-commit ourselves to these values.

More to come.

Another fascinating day at the DNC

Obama officially nominated for President of the United States


Joe Biden accepting the nomination to be Vice President of the United States


Bill Clinton


John Kerry


DailyKos's nyceve on pride

DNC Day 2 recap

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer


Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm


Keynote Address by Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner


Senator Hillary Clinton


Today is the day Obama and Biden will officially be nominated by the Democratic Party for the offices of President and Vice President of the United States. Biden will accept his nomination tonight. More here.

Democratic National Convention Day 1 Roundup

Ted and Caroline Kennedy


Michelle Obama, part 1


Michelle Obama, part 2


Here are just a few of the blogs that have bloggers in Denver for the Convention:

• Daily Kos
• Democratic Underground
• Blogging for Michigan
• Michigan Liberal

Love for dogs key in Precinct Delegate race

Precinct Delegate's bowling average, pastor's remarks called into question by opponents

KENTWOOD, MI (Don't-Want-To-Be-Associated-With-McCain Press) - Democratic Precinct Delegate Scott Urbanowski (D-Smartypants) told reporters that his experience - and love for man's best friend - will be key to saving Kentwood's Third Precinct from Complete and Utter Annihilation.

The Delegate made those remarks Friday after filing to run for a second term as Precinct Delegate. He had announced his intention to run for re-election last year.

"Just recently I endured quite a heavy round of sniper fire," the Central Michigan University student said in a press conference, adding, "Okay so that wasn't sniper fire, just Finals Week. But still, it felt painful."

Urbanowski touted his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty for his couple hundred or so Democratic constituents.

"I'm willing to ask the tough questions," Urbanowski said. "Like, 'Who's a good dog?'"

"That's one of my favorite questions because those individuals to whom I ask that question are usually speechless. Typical Washington politicians: Speechless when asked the tough questions."



The Delegate also touted his leadership abilities.

"When I tell my dogs to sit, they sit. When I tell them it's time for them to go for a walk, we're out the door within 45 seconds."

"Sometimes it can be ruff spending time with two dogs with very different personalities. But you know what? I can handle it."

Urbanowski also said that he stays up well past 3 AM, so residents would have nothing to worry about when it comes to their Delegate answering the emergency phone.

"Heck, I'm usually up until at least 4!"

Urbanowski was sharply criticized, however, for comments his pastor made on Sunday.

"Scott Urbanowski's pastor suggested that Jesus may still be with us, even after all these years," said precinct delegate challenger Seymour Butts in a press conference. "I know I can't see him around here anywhere."

"The kid doesn't walk his dogs every day," said challenger Ima Nidiot. "I've seen Swifty and Lucy, maybe, twice in the last two weeks. So when he says he walks his dogs everyday, he's lying!"

"I walk my dogs every day I'm home and the weather's nice enough for it," Urbanowski responded. "Oftentimes I'm at school ninety miles away. When I'm home, it occasionally rains."

Nidiot also pointed out that Urbanowski's bowling average is even less than Barack Obama's.

"Well, Ms. Nidiot and I obviously don't see eye to eye," said Urbanowski. "But we're at least focusing on issues of grave concern to the Third Precinct."

In December, former President Franklin D. Roosevelt endorsed Urbanowski for a seecond term, citing the 20-year-old's "track record of fighting for the values our Party holds dear - or at least should hold dear."


-------------------------------------

Just a reminder: Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 4PM is the deadline to file to run for Precinct Delegate. I became a Precinct Delegate in 2006 at the urging of my friend Rob.

Here's the form you'll need. Print it out, fill it out, sign it, have it notarized, and file it with your county clerk.

For more on being a Precinct Delegate and why Precinct Delegates are important, see this post on Michigan Liberal.

I am running for President of the Michigan Federation of College Democrats

I am pleased to inform you that I am running for President of the Michigan Federation of College Democrats.

Among other things, a group like MFCD ought to serve as a medium for collaboration amongst chapters and as a forum for ideas from College Democrats across the state.

MFCD must also support College Democrats chapters across the state in their efforts to engage students on their campuses, as well as provide information on internships, events, and other opportunities for interested students.

Unfortunately, MFCD has simply not been effective in recent years. I have heard people say that communication amongst MFCD officers, much less between the MFCD board and chapters, has been mediocre at best. Because of this, MFCD is in a rut; it is not helping chapters or connecting College Democrats with opportunities to get involved.

We cannot accept this status quo, especially with a critical election coming this November.

MFCD desperately needs leadership dedicated to not only solving its problems, but making sure College Democrats across the state are armed with the tools to do the hard work that needs to be done if our classmates, roommates, and friends are to support Democratic candidates and policies.

Which is why I am running for President of MFCD. We cannot simply wait for the right leadership to come along and do what needs to be done to make MFCD effective. We need to act now if we want MFCD to become a functioning organization that will help to shape the future of our communities, state, and country.

I am ready to take MFCD in a new direction. I am ready for MFCD to have an impact on our Party and our campuses. Join me, and let’s make MFCD effective.

Bits of Tid: November 23, 2007

• Well, here we are, the day after Thanksgiving, and we just lit our Christmas tree for the first time this season. We'll probably add some lights and ornaments before I go back to CMU this Sunday - and I may just post a few photos..........
  
• Let me repost here a comment that I first posted on this Daily Kos bit:
  
  

  If Dems want to win the center...
  ...then they need only appeal to the base. I think most people who consider themselves moderate or centrist would find a progressive platform quite attractive (for lack of better words).

  If a guy like me can become a progressive Democrat, then so can others.

• Two items of note for those concerned about the transgendered: First, Governor Granholm has added gender identity to a non-discrimination policy for state employees. Second, next week at CMU is Transgender Awareness Week.
  
• Congressional Democrats want to include a requirement in the war funding bill that most US troops leave Iraq by a little over a year from now. They are backed by one Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez (ret.), who himself was a commander in Iraq.
  
• Would an uptick in violence result if US troops left Iraq? Well, Basra has seen a 90% drop in attacks since British troops left the region, so decide for yourself.
  
• Shh, let's try to keep this on the 'down-low' from the Republicans (I like to surprise them): Indiana just might be a swing state next year. So what? you might ask. Well, not only does the Hoosier State have 11 electoral votes, but Lyndon Johnson was the last Democrat to carry Indiana. (If you didn't know, outside of the Southeast, LBJ won every state not named Arizona.)
  
• Just a few weeks remain until Lake Superior State University releases its 2008 Banished Words List! Here's my latest entry:

  War on Christmas - Does this mean we can expect Santa Claus to ride in on a Bradley fighting vehicle and deliver cluster bombs to all the little girls and boys?

• Just a reminder about Blogging for Michigan's Troop Care program - it ends Sunday!
  
• And don't forget Michigan Liberal's daily feature, Coffee Talk. Remember that I am in charge of Coffee Talk most Sundays.

A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

Here's something I found in an email. It's a reminder of what we Democrats stand for.

Joe gets up at 6:00am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of drinking water, which is good and clean because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure their safety and work as advertised.

All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe’s bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

He walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medicals benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe’s employer pays these standards because Joe’s employer doesn’t want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he’ll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn’t think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It's noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe’s deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe’s money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten Mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time.

Joe is home from work. he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn’t want to make rural loans. The house didn’t have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn’t belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his dad, who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn’t have to.

After his visit with Dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. He turns on a radio talk show. The host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn’t mention that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.)

Joe agrees, “We don’t need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I’m a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have”.

So the next time you hear conservatives bashing the left, Remember Joe Republican, and how we Americans owe our high standard of living to Democrats.

NY Times: Early '08 Fund-raising Has A Clear Blue Tint

Given the GOP's historic success in fundraising compared to Democrats, this was great to hear:

With the $25 million reported by Senator Barack Obama’s campaign, closing in on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s $26 million, the Democratic presidential candidates collectively outperformed the Republicans, and by a substantial amount: Democrats raised a total of about $78 million, compared with just over $51 million by their rivals, according to preliminary first-quarter figures provided by the campaigns.

That is remarkable because Republicans have historically proved better at collecting contributions. In every presidential primary season since 1976, the top fund-raiser was a Republican.

The new numbers offered what even Republicans described as measurable evidence that Democrats today are more confident about their prospects of winning back the White House, and — not typically for their party — satisfied with their candidates. That enthusiasm gap is emerging as one of the early dynamics of the 2008 campaign.

“The Democrats seem to have a lot more hunger for the White House right now than we do,” said Scott Reed, who managed the presidential campaign of Bob Dole, a Kansas Republican, in 1996. “Part of it on the Republican side may be Bush fatigue. But clearly, the Republicans are going to need to get it together on finances if we are going to compete with the likes of Obama or Hillary Clinton. It’s a concern.”

"It's a concern." Words I like hearing from Republicans about their electoral prospects.

Black History Month

We are halfway through Black History Month, and admittedly I haven’t been updating you on tributes to African-Americans as much as I should.

The Democratic National Committee has a section on its website dedicated to this month, featuring bios of prominent African-Americans, among other things.

The future of this country, like the inextricable threads of history, is linked to the condition of its entire people. As we commemorate and celebrate and look to the contributions of African-Americans, Democrats will continue to work to fulfill the unfinished promise and ensure that the rights and privileges and opportunities of our nation are accessible to all Americans. We honor the accomplishments of our great African-American innovators and challenge the world to remember, daily, that black history is American history.

Here's a blurb from Mark Brewer and the Michigan Democratic Party:

“It is vitally important to remember the struggles of the past to thrive in the future. While the United States has made great strides since Black History Month was first celebrated, we must not go backwards,” said MDP Chair Mark Brewer. “Unfortunately, Michigan took a step backwards last November by passing Proposal 2. This month is the perfect time to reflect on civil rights accomplishments and on a strategy to overcome Michigan’s current challenges.”

Michigan has had many civil rights pioneers and prominent African American leaders throughout its history. From civil rights icon Rosa Parks to the first African American in Michigan to hold statewide office, Secretary of State Richard Austin, to current leaders such as Congressman John Conyers, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick, Congressional Black Caucus Chair, and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

The importance of black history has been recognized annually since 1926 when "Negro History Week" was instituted. Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard scholar, is recognized as a primary reason “Negro History Week” came into existence. Woodson was a man who devoted his life to furthering the knowledge of Black people as a participant in history as opposed “to a lay figure.” He chose the month of February because it contained the birthdays of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. “Negro History Week” later evolved into “Black History Month.”