[LD22exec] thoughts on our Feb. 24 meeting

[Zach Smith]

Could be a good thing for us to get together before the March 3-4 Chairs Strategy Conference.  Thurston County Dems have a history of successes and would be valuable contribution to the Strategy Conference.  We might also come up with some new ideas on PCO recruitment that we could share at the Chairs Strategy Conference.  

On the other hand, if there is consensus to free up Saturday the 24th, I would not be opposed.
Zach


>>> Debby Pattin <nomadpattin at comcast.net> 2/6/2007 9:53 AM >>>

Dear All; I am wondering if we should postpone our PCO recruitment 
planning session until after the March 3-4 Chairs Strategy Conference?
 From the draft agenda I received from the pres. of the chairs' org, it 
seems that much of what will be discussed pertains to what we, the 22nd 
LD EC, plan to discuss at our meeting. Would we be better off waiting 
until after the March 3-4 Chairs Strategy Conference?
Both Jim and I have registered to attend, as well as Elizabeth Shepard 
(1st VC TCD). John Cusick will be in New Zealand but is sending a 
proxy, I believe State Committeeman Roger Erskine.

Let me know what you think,

Thanks
Debby


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Jaxon Ravens" <jaxon at wa-democrats.org>
> Date: Mon Feb 5, 2007  5:55:32  PM US/Pacific
> To: <Jaxon at wa-democrats.org>
> Subject: Message from the Chair
>
> Message from the Chair
>
>  
>
> 2006 was a great year for Democrats inWashingtonState. Now it is time 
> to lay the groundwork in 2007 for a tremendously successful 2008.
>
>  
>
> We know 2008 will be huge. AcrossAmerica, Democrats know that in 2006 
> we only got half of the job done -- we took back Congress. Now we must 
> hold Congress and take back the White House, if we want to 
> restoreAmericaas a democracy.
>
>  
>
> As they did in 2004, hundreds of thousands of citizens 
> inWashingtonStatewill flock to our Party in 2008, ready to do their 
> part to hold Congress and win the White House.
>
>  
>
> My Question to this Party is, "Will we be ready for them?"
>
>  
>
> My challenge to the 87 local democratic organizations in the 
> Washington State Democratic Party is to be ready for these hundreds of 
> thousands of eager Democrats, to greet them into our party, to put 
> them to work in 2008, and to keep them in the Party in 2009.
>
>  
>
> My challenge to the 87 county and legislative district (LD) democratic 
> parties inWashingtonis that we raise the bar in 2008 over the work we 
> did in 2004.
>
>  
>
> I encourage each local party to set a two year strategy for 2008 which 
> begins today, builds towards the Presidential Caucuses next February, 
> and ends with victory in November, 2008. My staff and I are ready to 
> sit down with you to design those strategies and to set those plans. 
>
>  
>
> 2008 Presidential Caucuses
>
>  
>
> Washingtonis a Presidential Caucus state. The Washington State 
> Democratic Party has always chosen to elect our Presidential delegates 
> by caucus, rather than by Primary Election. It has been our belief 
> that a Primary is a beauty contest dominated by paid advertising, 
> while the caucuses emphasizegrassrootsorganizing and face-to-face 
> communication.
>
>  
>
> It has also been our belief that the caucuses have the ability to 
> build our party, but the reality is that we have not fully utilized 
> the Caucuses to build our Party.
>
>  
>
> Every four years thousands of new Democrats attend the caucuses. Then 
> hundreds of them work on that year's campaign for President, Governor, 
> Congress, Legislature, and down the ticket. After the election dozens 
> of these new recruits come around to our monthly meetings. By February 
> or March or April a handful of new recruits are active in their local 
> Democratic party.
>
>  
>
> Thousands become hundreds; hundreds become dozens; dozens become a 
> handful. We are missing a huge opportunity here. 
>
>  
>
> Our goal must be to use the Caucuses as a tool to recruit volunteers, 
> put them to work in the 2008 campaigns, then retain them as activists. 
>   People will get involved in our Party if they are asked to do 
> specific tasks that are productive and build towards important goals. 
>
>  
>
> They want to get work done. They do not want to attend meetings for 
> the sake of attending meetings. They want to feel that the people who 
> meet them at the door or call them on the phone know what they are 
> doing. For the most part they want to start out with concrete, well 
> defined tasks. 
>
>  
>
> They want to have confidence in the Party. They want to know that 
> their participation will make a difference. 
>
>  
>
> We can meet many of the challenges if we conduct highly organized, 
> competent, calm, and friendly Caucuses, and if we ask participants at 
> those caucuses to volunteer to perform concrete tasks that are part of 
> a larger strategy.
>
>  
>
> Our Caucuses in 2008 should have adequate space, trained moderators, 
> concise handouts, a clear, specific agenda, which times for each 
> topic, clear volunteer tasks for new recruits, and they should be 
> shorter rather than longer. 
>
>  
>
> There is much work to be done in 2007 to insure successful caucuses in 
> 2008: fundraising, to pay the costs of caucuses; recruiting and 
> training moderatorsto run successful caucuses;and turnout beginning 
> this Fall to boost participation in the February caucus. 
>
>  
>
> Chair's Strategy Conference
>
>  
>
> On March 3 and 4 I will convene a two day Chair's Strategy Conference
>
> inEllensburg for the Chair's and Vice Chairs of our 87 local 
> Democratic Parties. The goal of this conference will be to share 
> strategies for 2007 and 2008, to plan for stronger Presidential 
> Caucuses, and to prepare for the 2008 elections. 
>
>  
>
> I will ask our experienced chairs to share their work with new 
> chairs. And again my staff and I will work with the local 
> organizations to design organizing strategies.
>
>  
>
> Counties
>
>  
>
> The Washington State Democratic Party recruits candidates for the 
> State House and the State Senate, but standing behind us are the very 
> well organized and funded House Democratic Campaign Committee and 
> Senate Democratic Campaign Committee * our Caucus organizations 
> inOlympia.
>
>  
>
> The Washington State Democratic Party recruits candidates for Congress 
> and for the United States Senate, but standing behind us are the very 
> well organized and well funded D Triple C * the Democratic 
> Congressional Campaign Committee; and the DSCC * the Democratic Senate 
> Campaign Committee * our Caucus organizations in Washington DC.
>
>  
>
> The Washington State Democratic Party recruits candidates 
> forCountyCommissionsand County Councils across this state, but there 
> is no funded organization standing behind us. 
>
>  
>
> In 2006 three of the most important elections we won in this state 
> were Bonnie Mager in Spokane County, Steven Stuart in Clark County, 
> and Josh Brown in Kitsap County. 
>
>  
>
> The counties are the political building blocks of this state. If I can 
> continue to grow the fiscal resources of this party, I will establish 
> a fund of $100,000 to support county candidates in 2008.
>
>  
>
> Fundraising
>
>  
>
> In order to fund new initiatives such as a County Political Program, 
> the Latino Vote Project, and local party organizations across the 
> state we must continue to expand the donor base that supports this 
> party. We do a good job of raising funds from thousands of Democrats 
> across the state, from allies in labor and business, and from our 
> annual fundraisers. 
>
>  
>
> But we must work harder to raise funds from Major Donors * those 
> individuals who can step up and support the Party. In 2006 we launched 
> the DemocraticVictory Circle * a group of Democrats who can donate 
> $1,000 or more per year to the Party. Members of the DVC receive 
> additional communications from the Chair and other elected Democrats, 
> and opportunities to attend briefings with national speakers, 
> Presidential candidates, and members of Congress.
>
>  
>
> Our Goal is to raise an additional $200,000 this year through this 
> program. I ask all Democrats inWashingtonStateto recruit new members 
> to the DVC, and to join if you are able. 
>
>  
>
> Eastern Washington
>
>  
>
> In 2006 we made strides in our work inEastern Washington. Maria 
> Cantwell wonSpokaneCounty, and only lost the 5th CD by 500 
> votes. Peter Goldmarktook 45%. Dollar for Dollar spent, Richard 
> Wright's showing of 41% in the 4th CD may have been the most 
> impressive. We increased our number of Democratic legislators from 4 
> to 6 with the election ofChris Marrand Don Barlow in the 6th 
> Legislative District. Bonnie Mager was elected to the County Council 
> inSpokane. 
>
>  
>
> We know we have much work to do inEastern Washington. 
>
>  
>
> Eastern Washingtonis part of the Great American West. Western 
> Washingtonis part of the Great American West Coast. Democrats have 
> been making great strides throughout the Great American West * 
> inMontana,Wyoming,Colorado,Nevada,New Mexico, andArizona. 
>
>  
>
> Our Eastern Washington Organizing Conference this year will look to 
> the successes by Democrats in the West, such as inMontana, to guide us 
> in our our organizing and our candidate recruitment inEastern 
> Washingtonin the years ahead. 
>
>  
>
> Chris Gregoire
>
>  
>
> Once again this year it was an honor and a thrill for the State Party 
> to be greeted at the Governor's mansion by Chris and Mike 
> Gregoire. But this is an opportunity we do not take lightly and we do 
> not take for granted.
>
>  
>
> Let me close by saying that our Number One goal over the next two 
> years will be the re-election of Governor Chris Gregoire. We started 
> six months ago working on the Gregoire Campaign. We are currently 
> raising funds and assigning staff to this effort. In the end we will 
> work for 28 months, hire dozens of organizers, and spend millions of 
> dollars to insure that Chris Gregoire remains as our Governor for 
> another four years!
>
>  
>
> Thank you again for the honor of choosing me to serve as your State 
> Party Chair for the next two years. Now let's role up our sleeves. We 
> have work to do!
>
>  
>
> Dwight Pelz
>
> Chair
>
> WashingtonStateDemocrats
>
>  
>
>  
>
> Jaxon Ravens
>
>  
>
> Executive Director
>
> WashingtonStateDemocrats
>
> P.O. Box4027
>
> Seattle,WA98194
>
>  
>
> Phone (206) 583-0664
>
> Fax (206) 583-0301
>
> http://www.wa-democrats.org 
>
>  
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>