Minutes from PDNC Phone Conference Call Executive Committee Meeting 1/9/07
Minutes from PDNC Phone Conference Call Executive
Committee Meeting 1/9/07
The conference call number was no
longer valid and the automated service referred us to 2 different call numbers
so it took a while for everyone to come together on the same line. We finally
ended up on: 605-772-3870 with access code
784116#. We'll use this number on our next call.
Present on the call: David Mills,
Susan Reed, Matilda Phillips, Delmas Parker, Isaac Coleman, Pete MacDowell, and
Helen Clark.
The NAACP “HK on J” event plans are
going very well. Various religious and environmental groups are uniting with
other progressives and people of color to push a 14 point proposal for the State
Legislature. Pete is encouraging everyone to
attend the Feb 10 Event in Raleigh. Details are here: http://naacp.ubernc.com/
Legislative
agenda tweaking will be done by email and we need active email participation in
order to avoid another phone conference. Chris and Pete will have final sign-off
before the resolutions are sent out.
There was discussion about whether
or not to support a candidate for First Vice Chair of the NCDP. Danny
Montgomery, a woman who ran Larry Kissel's campaign is being endorsed by Jerry
Meek. Stella Adams is thought to be favored by African American Caucus, but this
is not known for sure. It was decided that we
would not try to endorse a First Vice Chair Candidate, but would positively
endorse Delmas in his second bid for 2nd Vice Chair!
In regard to the Lt
Governor's race, Pete said he hoped we would endorse a progressive candidate to
run in the next election. Matilda offered that it may be too early to know who
all the contenders would be. Currently Dan Besse looks like the most/best
Progressive candidate. Pete made a
suggestion to call a membership meeting in April or May with endorsement of Lt
Governor being a MAJOR item on the agenda. The conclusion of the meeting would
result in the Progressives choosing a candidate to publicly endorse for the Lt
Gov race. Anyone involved in the process would be required to be a member.
Everyone approved of the proposal.
SEC meeting agenda.
Pete: We need to
encourage people to go formal with their chapters.
Matilda mentioned
Eugene is trying to get equitable health care on the agenda. Susan said she
thought health care was being addressed through the Verla Insko’s Bill which we
are asking folks to support.
Mention was made about
organizing NCPD chapters around the state.
Susan and Mike are
still working on member communication and the newsletter. They have been having
trouble connecting but Susan will
continue to persevere.
Jerry Meek's proposed
amendment 4.05 to the Plan of Organization is a topic of concern. The amendment
would undercut what we are trying to accomplish right now in terms of getting
the SEC to adopt a legislative agenda democratically and have the state chair
and state officers go lobby for it.
Delmas said Jerry
would let him appoint a committee to look at revising the plan of organization
and this would be one of the main items to work on...ie: getting the grassroots
initiative of the party and turn it into some sort of action plan. Delmas thinks
Jerry's intentions are well meaning and he is not looking to increase his power.
Pete advocates that Delmas contact Jerry to find out where he is coming from on
this issue. He suggests that we ask to table this amendment or that Jerry
withdraws the amendment and appoints a committee to address how to implement the
platform and resolutions in the State Legislature and how to get them passed.
The general attitude is that this proposal could be dangerous in the hands of
certain people. However there is general acknowledgement that there is a problem
with getting resolutions passed which the legislation ignores or electing people
who are not in tune with democratic principles and yet Jerry's proposal does not
look like the bridge which is needed to bring about positive change/action. Any
grassroots initiative falls flat once it is passed by the SEC because there is
no proper channel it can move though to become a solid action plan. Decisions
are made by people with power that no one sees or knows about.
Pete proposes
that Delmas contacts Jerry to have a conversation about our concern over his
proposal and ask him to withdraw it or for us to ask that it be tabled and
appoint a commission for the Plan of Organization
to accomplish the goals. The point to bring up
is: we trust our current Chair but he won't be around forever. Everyone is in
agreement.
Rodney Ellis with DNC
works with the 50 States and is a grassroots kind of guy who could be contacted
to learn how other states are dealing with this issue. Delmas will
contact.
Pete also suggests
that we introduce a resolution dealing with the Iraq War. Everyone is in
agreement.
Everyone is
encouraged to attend the SEC Meeting in Raleigh on Jan 20 at Elon College in
Burlington. Our meeting that day will be at 10:00 AM
Delmas comments that
the Democratic Candidates who come out strong against the War will come out
ahead in the elections.
Susan mentions Dennis
Kucinich has a 12 point plan for troop withdrawal that is not being reported in
the news and she will forward the info to the rest of us.
Looks like the new
Speaker of the House will be introduced in the next couple of days and Hackney
is in the lead. He seems to be progressive enough and has a reputation of being
honest. He doesn't appear to be a “reformer.”
The next phone
conference is set for Wednesday, January 24 at 8:15 PM.
It is also
proposed that we meet for dinner or drinks after the SEC meeting on Jan 20 to
review.
