January 2003 Newsletter

Contents

• President's Report by Steve Lafferty
• December Holiday Party
• January Meeting: Vince Gardina
• Volunteers Needed
• Words of Campaign Wisdom
• Where do Democrats Go From Here?
• Why I Am a Democrat
• Where Do Democrats Go From Here? (2)
• Women's Campaign Research Fund (WCRF)
• Maryland Democratic Party Elects Officers
• Membership
• Upcoming Club Events
• What Do You Think?

President's Report by Steve Lafferty

I hope that you and your family have a peace-filled, happy and safe New Year.

Now that the election is over, it is time to turn attention to governing. County Executive Jim Smith and Governor Robert Ehrlich are assembling teams to help realize the visions they have set for the County and State. In each case, there are many challenges. We eagerly await the new Governor's plan for Maryland. Can he balance a budget while funding education, public safety and mental health without cutting state employees or raising taxes? Will services to the elderly and poor, housing, mass transit, environmental protection and land preservation be cut? We will all watch. We want to see a stronger State and to see whether the new administration makes a difference in governance and service delivery to citizens.

The Board met in early December, looking to the new year. We realize that, as a club, we were not as prominent as we should have been in the election. So, we want to look at working with the community and building upon our strengths and leadership. At the suggestion of Margie Brassil, we will host a town meeting style meeting in January where Councilman Vince Gardina can hear from and talk with Towson area residents and activists. Please urge your friends and colleagues to attend.

We also propose that, over the coming year, we look at and try to be more involved in community issues. Noel Levy has agreed to take the lead on an environmental clean up effort in April. We also want to look at the County's future, the Green Party's impact and issues and the legislature's work. Andrea Vernot has also offered to help us develop training for Democratic Party workers so that we can encourage and stimulate greater involvement. Judy Katz also had a great suggestion - let us reach out to issue oriented folks and bring them to us! Great way to expand our base.

The Board will continue to lay out suggestions for moving the Club forward. If you have other ideas or want to weigh in on any of these ideas, please let me know. We should reflect your concerns.

Again, best wishes for the New Year. I look forward to seeing you at our January 14 meeting.

Steve

December Holiday Party

The Club held its annual Holiday Party on Wednesday, December 11 from 7 until 9 pm at the home of Herb and Fran Lodder, in Lutherville. About 30 people joined to celebrate the season and the strengths and values of the Democratic Party. Senator-elect Jim Brochin and Councilman Vince Gardina attended.

January Meeting: Vince Gardina

Our club will be hosting a Town-Hall style meeting with Councilman Vince Gardina to discuss Towson-area interests on Tuesday January 14 at 7:30. The meeting will be open to all residents and businesses who would like to discuss their concerns with Towson's new council representative. Organizations such as the Towson Business Association, Historic Towson, Greater Towson Council of Community Associations and the Towson Development Corporation have been invited to attend. Please invite anyone you know living in Towson who would like to discuss local issues with Councilman Gardina. For more information, contact Margie Brassil.

Volunteers Needed

HELP!! Can you work with us to make sure our volunteer driven efforts are successful?? We need volunteers for the Legislative Reception, Towsontown Festival, to help track the votes of the Republican legislators, for the Fall Fund Raiser, and many other events and activities. If you can help with any of these or have another idea about how you can help us, please contact Steve Lafferty.

Words of Campaign Wisdom

A week after the November 5 election, at the CBCDC's regular monthly meeting on November 12, Councilman Vince Gardina and newly elected Senator Jim Brochin spoke about their experiences campaigning, what worked and what did not work, and what Democrats need to focus on during the next four years. Dr. Matthew Crenson, a political scientist at Johns Hopkins University, also provided some perspective on the election. In general, the candidates agreed that knocking on doors and meeting voters face to face continues to be an important part of campaigning.

Jim Brochin began knocking on doors a year before the election, and then twelve days before the election, he called many of the people he had met over the previous year, reminding them who he was and what his positions were. When meeting people, he also pointed out the poor record of his opponent (Del. Martha Klima). Sen. Brochin pointed out that polls were useful, but they must be strategically planned close to the election. They were helpful for learning about what voters think of the opponent, and what an opponent's weaknesses might be.

Councilman Vince Gardina's district was 60 percent new after redistricting, so he said he had to get out to meet people. His literature began with basic information about himself-his past accomplishments as councilman. According to Gardina, he passed out over 20,000 door-hangers by going door-to-door in the district.

Dr. Matthew Crenson agreed that the personal contact for local races was much more important than TV ads. While the Democrats need to get better at fund raising-and some campaigns such as Jim Smith's for County Executive were helped by TV ads, personal contact makes the biggest difference to voters at the local level. Dr. Crenson believes that one reason for Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's loss was her loss of grassroots support.

A number of factors hurt local candidates in this election, only one of which was weakness at the top of the ticket. Most important in the 42nd District, according to Dr. Crenson, was the campaign of Green party candidate Rick Kunkel, who received 5,283 votes. Many of those voters were "single shooters" (voting for only one candidate instead of three), which hurt even the strongest environmental Democrats. But, from Congress down to local races, a big problem was that the Democrats did not present voters with a consistent clear image, while from top to bottom, Republicans were very clear on their issues.

There was also much discussion about why the top of the ticket was so weak, and why Townsend lost. Robert Ehrlich's margin of victory was about 59,000 votes. Many people voted against Townsend because of Governor Parris Glendening, believing he went too far in redistricting. Polls showed that voters didn't believe Townsend's message that Ehrlich was too conservative for Maryland, but they believed his message that she was responsible for the deficit - and she never succeeded in getting attention to her message on that issue. She also waited too long to appeal to one part of her base-African American voters - who the Republicans had been wooing all along. Dr. Crenson pointed out that this bloc of voters cannot be taken for granted, especially in Baltimore County, where they make up 20 percent of the electorate.

By Margie Brassil

Where do Democrats Go From Here?

Herb Lodder asked whether Democrats now have to turn further to the right to appeal to voters, as some political commentators have said. The consensus among the speakers seemed to be "no," except on spending issues. Brochin believes that Democrats need to moderate their stance on fiscal issues, especially with the current budget shortfall. However, he said we should be strong on the issues that have always been important to us: open space, the environment, abortion and women's rights, and campaign finance reform. He pointed to support for a "living wage" as an issue that Democrats could use to differentiate themselves from Republicans.

Gardina advised that we keep track of the records of Republican officials and keep the message in front of voters that Democrats are different. He suggested trying to appeal to voters who are disenchanted with a too-conservative Republican party.

Dr. Crenson agreed that Democrats had to be fiscally more conservative, yet differentiate themselves on other issues that are important. He pointed out that the Green party hurt Democrats because voters do not see enough visible difference between Democrats and Republicans.

By Margie Brassil

Why I Am a Democrat

I recently came across an article written by Jack Shifrel, a delegate to the 1996 Democratic Convention, which discussed the reasons many of us are Democrats. I think Jack will be happy if some of us find meaning in his words. Here are some excerpts for our education:

"It is all too often said there is little difference between Democrats and Republicans. This myth is perpetuated by those who show their lack of understanding of the distinction between the parties by saying they "vote for the candidate, not the Party," or "I'm socially liberal but fiscally conservative."

"Well, I vote for the candidate based on party affiliation because there is a difference. Sure, some Democrats who run for office do not embrace the principles and philosophy of our Party; These people are the exceptions, however, who prove the rule. The fact of the matter is that when someone files to run for elected office, they swear a loyalty oath to their Party. We should demand they take that oath seriously and uphold it, before and after they are elected. Not to do so ignores the legacy left to us by Jefferson, Jackson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Truman, John and Robert Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and so many others."

"We must always remember how our system of public education that has afforded every child in this great country the opportunity to learn; the New Deal that brought us Social Security and helped overcome the Great Depression; the GI Bill that helped educate a generation of veterans; Civil Rights laws; minimum wage legislation; Medicare and a woman's right to choose; were all fought for by Democrats over strong objections of Republicans. This isn't ancient history to be forgotten or ignored. This is who we are. These are still the differences today."

"The fundamental differences between the two parties can be summed up in the late Lawton Chiles' call for us to be a "community, not a crowd" in his first inaugural address. The term "them against us" attitude prevalent in the Republican Party offended Walkin' Lawton, as it should offend us all. They believe it's every man for himself. "I've got mine, now you try to get yours" seems to be their philosophy."

"Democrats believe we are all in this together and that we have a responsibility to each other as a society. In other words, we are our brother's keeper. All of us have some responsibility to the child left home alone, the elderly person struggling on a fixed income, the homeless man who feels as though he has lost everything, the family with no medical insurance, and every other American; rich or poor, Black, White, Hispanic, Native American, recent immigrant, 3rd generation, Christian, Jew, Muslim or Atheist."

"The price of liberty is more than just eternal vigilance. It is whatever it takes to defend and protect our fundamental rights and keep our nation free, not only from attack by outside terrorists and dictators, but from poverty, disease, ignorance and intolerance within. Unfortunately, too many Republican extremists would have us compromise those rights, demean those who live in poverty, refuse to fund the research necessary to fight disease, would take funding away from our public schools and have no tolerance for dissent."

"I am a Democrat because our Party is still the last best hope for those of us who believe we are all in this together. Until our party unites behind and stresses the issues that distinguish us and reclaims the title "Party of The People", we will continue to fall victim to the lie that says there is no difference."

I would add that voters should think about their core values when they vote. In Maryland's recent gubernatorial election, Democrats who voted for Ehrlich meant a loss for the Democratic candidate. They may have thought it was "time for a change" but they incorrectly did not perceive that the Democratic candidate was the agent of the change they sought. What happened?

Rather than having four years of a good governor to look forward to, Maryland is looking at four years of God knows what. This tragedy would not have occurred had all of the Democratic voters remembered why they are Democrats.

by Jim Kehl

Where Do Democrats Go From Here? (2)

There is an interesting essay on this subject in the Arts and Society section of the Sunday SUN for December 29, 2002 . It is by Theo Lippman, Jr., long time editorial writer for the SUN. The essay briefly reviews the contrasting view mentioned by Jack Shifrel in the article above, as contained in recent books. Lippman comes down on the side of returning to the root philosophy of the Democratic Party in the 20th century , which I would describe as that which created the great laws for labor, for redistribution through the Social Security Act as amended over and oven again to help the aged, the poor children, the disabled, the unemployed, and really progressive tax structures that existed before the Reagan/Bush drive that shifted much of the tax burden downward.

While many Democrats seem to think that siding with the Republican agenda, slightly moderated, is the way to go, the new leader in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is an unrepentant New Deal "liberal". Now what?

Lippman ends his article with a long quote from the late Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill which he suggests Mrs. Pelosi frame and hang on her office wall:

"I'm a bread-and-butter liberal who believes every family deserves the opportunity to earn an income, own a home, educate their children, and afford medical care. That is the American dream, and it's still worth fighting for. In my view, the federal government has an obligation to help you along the line until you achieve that dream. And when you do, you have an obligation to help out the next group that comes along. In recent years, this idea has fallen out of favor. This new morality claims that the young should forget about the old, that the healthy should ignore the sick, and that the wealthy should abandon the poor. This is an alien philosophy on our country."

Ironically, the philosophy of the Democratic Party in the 20th century was that of the Republican party at its mid-19th century beginnings. But starting with President McKinley, their attention shifted to the support of the wealthy and exploitation of labor. The Democrats, a party which came from southern slave-holders Jefferson and Jackson, by late 19th century had begun to turn to the newly-arrived immigrants whose demands for a fair chance led to the great reforms and redistribution systems of the New Deal. Lyndon Johnson and Strom Thurmond became the personalities who exemplified the modern polarization whereby the southern Democrats sided with and shifted to the Republican Party. The GOP henceforth used various code words against impoverished people of color to gain the votes of the white blue collar workers as these workers faced increasing pressures from black and Hispanic workers seeking equal access to better jobs, better housing, and more political influence.

Will the election losses finally bring Democratic leaders to realize that they must abandon their spoiled and "skunky" brew of "Republican Lite" in the face of (1) taxes being shifted downward, (2) labor becoming expendable and unemployment an advantage for management, (3) environmental setbacks, (4) the exploitation of patriotism into a breakdown of elements of the Bill of Rights, and (5) a hapless international policy that divides our allies and unites our enemies, possibly leading to a wasteful war? And will the middle class workers, the small business owners, and the families struggling to keep their farms also come back to the Democratic root concepts for their own interests?

by Ron Bowers

Women's Campaign Research Fund (WCRF)

The WCRF will play a vital role in helping women candidates gain leadership roles by doing what we do best -- training women to run successful campaigns for public office. Our "Making It To the Top" training program for federal, state, and local candidates, will be offered in conjunction with George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management at GWU in Washington, DC, February 7-9, 2003 beginning at 1:00 PM on Friday and ending at noon on Sunday.

For agenda and reply form please contact Development Associate Director Grace Schulz at 1-800-446-8170.

Maryland Democratic Party Elects Officers

Eager to expand its statewide political dominance, the Maryland Democratic Party Central Committee met tonight and elected a team of officers. State Party Vice-Chair and recently retired Montgomery County council member Isaiah "Ike" Leggett will take the reigns as Chair. The leadership team assembled from across the state includes Frederick County Delegate Sue Hecht as the Party's First Vice-Chair. Baltimore City Council Member Keiffer Mitchell becomes the party's Second Vice-Chair. Prince George's County lawyer and long-time party activist Karren Pope-Onwukwe (Own-ook-way) will serve as secretary and former Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Gary Gensler of Baltimore County, will serve as treasurer. For more information, please visit the Maryland Democratic Party website.

Membership

Regular membership in the Club is open to any person who is registered as a Democratic voter in Maryland. The current annual dues are only $20.00 per person You may be receiving this newsletter even though not a member. This is one of our ways to reach out to concerned citizens and Democrats. We encourage you to be a part the Club in our effort to build a stronger base in the central part of the County.

The label shows your status, including the last year for which you are paid up if a member. If your dues are current, we thank you. If not, or if you want to join our club, please send the coupon and your $20.00 dues to: Herb Lodder, 120 W. Seminary Ave., Lutherville, MD 21093.

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Upcoming Club Events

Regular Meetings begin at 7:30 PM and are open to all

Meetings are held at the East Towson Community Center, Lennox and Jefferson (left onto Jefferson from Towsontown Blvd East of York Rd.)

What Do You Think?

Members of the CBCDC are invited to send their own articles and letters of about 300 words or less. Send yours to the editor as the text of an e-mail message (not as attachment!).

We reserve the right to edit for grammar and space and to exclude anything we judge to be inappropriate for this publication. The opinions expressed are always those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Club.

	CBCDC News
	Editor
	404 Kilree Rd. #301
	Timonium, MD 21093

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