PDNC 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The conference call number was no longer valid and the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.
