[Peace-discuss] Re: Election Commission

[John Wason]

At 08:38 AM 10/28/04 -0500, Claudia Lennhoff wrote:

>Molly Ivins is right -- we should "rejoice in all the oddities that 
>freedom can produce."
>
>And the discussion on these lists has been pretty odd.
>
>In fact, I am ready to take myself off these lists.  I find the 
>current discussion unproductive, and in some instances, 
>condescending, insulting, hyper-theoretical, and flat out wrong. 
>
>The only reason that I am inserting myself at all into this 
>discussion is because some things have been said that I think reveal 
>some misconceptions about LOCAL politics and the role of political 
>parties at the local level, and also because I think some of the 
>comments made have been disrespectful of fellow community members 
>(including some running for office for County Board on the Democratic 
>ticket) who have dedicated themselves to community-based work to 
>improve the lives of people in Champaign County, and to engage 
>Champaign County residents in the democratic process.
>
>In addition, I very much believe that what happens in these elections 
>at the local level does matter and does impact the lives of community 
>members -- it's not just theoretical or a matter of rhetoric. For the 
>issues on which I have organized, there is no doubt that there IS a 
>difference between a Republican and Democrat dominated County Board, 
>and the difference translates into real and meaningful impact on the 
>day-to-day lives of people who live and work in Champaign County, and 
>in particular, on the lives of low-income Champaign County residents. 
>I don't want Champaign County to return to the "Bud Barker" days of 
>the County Board.
>
>Many who have spent time working on county-level issues in this 
>community (actually working on the issues, not just running for 
>office or party-building), to try to influence county-level policy, 
>know that our two-party system at the community level is not a 
>"duopoly/monopoly."  Furthermore, locally, the two parties are not 
>just pursuing "corporate" agendas -- at the County Board level there 
>are real community issues to be dealt with (many quite tedious and 
>boring) and many of these fall outside any semblance of a "corporate 
>agenda."  
>
>Many of the progressives who are working with and for the Democratic 
>party locally, and in particular by serving on the County Board, have 
>gotten there as a result of - not political or party-building 
>aspirations, but - actually working on progressive issues in order to 
>make some positive change in this community.  For example, County 
>Board members (Democrats) like Jan Anderson and Nancy Greenwalt 
>became County Board members AS A RESULT of their experiences working 
>on real issues determined at the county level -- issues like public 
>health, where real concrete improvements have been made in people's 
>lives.  These women activists and organizers were not engaged in the 
>issues through the Democratic Party, but through their 
>community-based work. It impacts the day-to-day lives of Champaign 
>County residents. Now these folks are part of the Democratic party as 
>a result of the Democrats' response to those issues, and now have 
>some influence on the agenda of the local Democratic party -- and 
>this has not made them "the man" and they are not "dupes," and I am 
>also not a "dupe" for recognizing and supporting their contributions 
>to our community.
>
>Tony Fabri, who has a long involvement with the Democratic party, has 
>also been involved in real community-based work and has worked for 
>many progressive causes while serving on the County Board -- that 
>work is real, and it is not simply party-building work. 
>
>I think some of the work that we, as progressives, need to do, is to 
>engage people to participate in the democratic process.  And there is 
>far more to the democratic process than just voting or running for 
>office, and there is more to being progressive than just preaching a 
>"pure" line on some issue.  Progressives should be careful not to 
>alienate people or condescend to them.  For example, my support of a 
>Democrat for County Board who has a proven track record of work for, 
>and commitment to issues that are important for the health and lives 
>of our community members does not make me a "dupe" and does not mean 
>that I am "working for 'the man'."  I have my own critiques of the 
>two-party system, but I am not going vote Green just because I have 
>critiques, and especially not when I have an opportunity to help 
>elect someone who has worked for our community and has been 
>accountable to people on the issues. The parties, at the local level, 
>are not monolithic unresponsive institutions; but it does take work 
>to engage in the democratic process and work for change and 
>accountability.
>
>John Wason suggests:  "one of the Democratic candidates, in each of 
>the County Board districts where Greens are running, could graciously 
>step aside in the spirit of progressive harmony and let one Democrat 
>and one Green run for the office."  This is ridiculous.  Candidates 
>have to earn the people's votes and their positions. Why suggest that 
>a true progressive like Jan Anderson, with decades of demonstrated 
>work and commitment to Champaign County residents step aside for some 
>theoretical "progressive harmony"?  I hear and read some of what the 
>Greens are saying, but frankly, at the level of the County and on the 
>issues involving County Board governance, I have not seen much work 
>or involvement by the Greens, beyond running for office. 
>
>Personally, when I decide to give my vote or support to a particular 
>candidate, I look at someone's work and track record and not just 
>their rhetoric or their party affiliation.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Claudia Lennhoff

Very well said, Claudia.  I do think there's an important distinction
between local politics and national politics, and you make the distinction
eloquently.

For the record, since before 9/11 I've been active, with several other
Greens and a small coalition of other progressive C-U citizens, in trying
to bring about citizen police review boards in our communities.  It's a
thankless job - and an unpaid one - but someone has to do it.  I was also a
founding editor of the IMC's newspaper the public i, am extremely active at
community radio station WEFT, and .... need I go on?

What I was suggesting is that progressive political coalitions could be
built among people of genuine good will and sincere motivations without the
Greens having to go slink off somewhere and be "seen but not heard".  Sorry
if I seem silly to you.

John Wason