1) Democratic Education and Outreach
West Virginia has one of the lowest approval ratings for President Obama in the country. It is simply not acceptable and those leading the State Party need to be held accountable. Populism sells in West Virginia and Obama's policies are mostly populist. Health care, tax cuts for middle class but not the rich, unemployment benefits...the list goes on and on but who in WV hears about it. Does race play a factor? Sadly, yes. It is lazy to say it is the only factor though.
The State Party has been ineffective to negligent in defending the President and did nothing when candidates have thrown the President and his Democratic policies under the bus. I have seen more discipline in the buffet line than I do in our Party. And let's be honest. How long do we think we can keep the WV Dems insulated from the national party. With more money being thrown into elections, the link will continue to be made with the President so even if you are a cowardly politico, it is in your self interest to go out and do some ground work to get the President's numbers up in the Mountain State.
Beyond that, the Party MUST educate citizens about the policies we stand for. It is easy to lose to a bumper sticker campaign when no one knows what your position really is. Again, the State Party must play a crucial role in coordinating these efforts, but it is not just the State Party. Groups like the West Virginia Young Democrats must be on the front line educating the next generation of Dems or the coming years will be witness to substantial decline in our ranks. As a member of the WVYD, I do not think we are currently engaged as we should be, and I place a lot of that blame on my own shoulders. I have failed to make the case as to its importance and failed to come up with a strategy to improve the situation. I want to share in the solution, but we need a strategy and some resolve to make it happen.
2) Puccio Must Go
I do not want folks to think I am yelling from some insufferable soap box, but is it too much to ask that the Chairman of the Democratic Party not be the subject of so many damn news reports about criminal investigations for fraud? These investigations made him a liability during the campaign and he stayed under the radar. Nick Casey would have been in every WV county selling core Democratic values until his voice was gone and then he would have held up signs.
Democratic Executive Committeewoman Margaret Kerr Beckwith took some heat for saying this during the campaign and while she should have waited until the day after the election, she was spot on in her assessment. I do not know if Puccio is guilty of anything. If he is then I hope he goes to jail and if he is not then he should go do something else until this all blows over. I said the same thing about Charlie Rangel. The appearance of impropriety poisons the public's perception of the Party and undercuts our ability to win elections and push for better public policies. Puccio should do us all a favor and resign.
3) Don't Destroy the Party to be Governor
I think we have a lot of great Democratic candidates that have a chance to win the election for Governor in 2012. It is exciting and I look forward to the campaign to hear everyone's ideas for the State. That being said, don't tear one another down and let the GOP take over. I am willing to fight like hell for public policies that I believe in and I probably create headaches for some of my fellow Dems in the process, but I sure as hell do not see the point in having good candidates going scorched earth against one another when no policies are even being discussed.
I have already posted about my respect for Tomblin and the reasons why I think he should remain Governor until 2012. I think it is the best move for the State for fiscal and governance reasons but there is also a political consideration- that being losing the Mansion to Republicans. Some folks disagree with that and while I look forward to continuing that conversation I hope that whatever happens with the succession issues, it happens in a manner that does not create civil war for Democrats.
Conclusion
I don't want to sound like a Dem downer. This election was not all bad. The moderate and progressive wings of the WV Democratic Party flexed some muscle in the Senate race, pushing Manchin to a major victory in the Senate once he stopped running against core Democratic positions and started defending them. We also beat back the insanity in the Third Congressional district by whooping ol dirty Spike Maynard. In addition, we picked up two seats in the state Senate. Considering the national wave, I thought the State weathered the storm okay. That being said, we have a lot of soul searching and even more work to do. No time to be tired now- politics are perpetual.
Let's roll up our sleeves, have some courage to do what is right, and get to work. Thanks for reading this long post. |
