To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw: "Principles without programs are
platitudes."
I would like to thank Michelle Mensing, Bert Black, Andy Driscoll,
and the others whose posts have raised the level of debate about the role of
the City DFL Party's endorsements. Several other posts in the past few days
(and I am not labeling them or singling them out, just stating my perception
in general terms) have offered little better than a conclusory assumption
that the process is not working, without saying why or how it isn't working,
or how or why it ought to change. Those posts have seemed to me like
generalized dissatisfaction with the DFL Party's dominance--for which the
electorate is as much to blame as the Party--or like sour grapes about some
particular result (and here I am *not* referring to Jonathan Palmer's post
yesterday, which was frank, gracious, and well said).
A concrete idea like multiple endorsements deserves serious
consideration. Any political party, in order to successfully represent any
community, must be open to constructive criticism, open-minded
self-assessment and reassessment, and internal reform. The City DFL Party's
leadership has tried to build a culture within the Party that welcomes those
processes and does not get stuck in the rut of doing business in a certain
way just because we have always done it that way. For example, the Brauer
amendment that last year's City Convention adopted, requiring off -year
caucuses for City Council elections, succeeded partly because the Party
leadership was open to the idea even though it challenged a familiar and
time-honored process (and will entail some new expenses).
I am interested in hearing ideas about how the City DFL Party can
improve its endorsement process, or open it up so that it attracts more
diverse candidates. (Without going into too much detail, I will say that
various public officers and Party officers, including Catherine Shreves and
Al Gallmon, worked for more than a year on recruiting candidates of color
for the school board. We each pursued numerous leads that, for whatever
reason, did not result in a candidacy. One candidate whom that process did
help attract was Jonathan Palmer, whose campaign may have gotten tangled up
in collateral issues, as Jim Graham and Jonathan himself have already
noted.) Without regard to any particular election or campaign, there may be
institutional issues that can be addressed in terms of policy or process. If
there are worthwhile principles that are not being served, then let's figure
out a programmatic solution that will better serve those principles.
Bert Black correctly points out that the City DFL Party's
endorsement process is constrained by rules that apply statewide, and which
the City Party cannot unilaterally change. But there may also be issues that
the City DFL Party can address by itself and, where an issue arises that
requires involvement from a higher level within the organization, the City
Party can perhaps get the ball rolling on taking the change up to the
necessary level.
If anyone has an idea that you are interested in pursuing, I offer
whatever help I can in framing a proposal and navigating the process. I
suggest as a model the way that David Brauer pursued his off-year-caucus
amendment last year: David first floated the concept, in general terms, on
the Minneapolis Issues list; various issues were raised and addressed, on
and off the list, until the concept boiled down to a specific proposal; and
then a formal proposed amendment was drafted, and ultimately debated and
ratified at the City Convention. I am not offering to play advocate for any
particular proposal, so the proponent must be willing to stand behind it
throughout the process. But I will gladly give whatever advice I can in
order to frame the issue clearly with respect to the existing rules,
identify the likely arguments that will need to be addressed, and prepare
the idea for consideration at the next convention. The City DFL Party's
constitution and bylaws are available online at www.mpls.dfl.org, and the
State Party's constitution and bylaws are at
http://www.dflpartyservices.org/paper.html.
So, any ideas?
BRM
Brian Melendez, Chair,
Minneapolis DFL Party
St. Anthony West (Ward 3)
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