Shields: Dean Revives the Democratic Party Juggernaut

On a Thursday morning in July -- before heading to meet undecided voters in Keokuk County, Oskaloosa and Ottumwa -- Howard Dean joined his volunteers filling bags of groceries at the Johnson County Food Bank.

Nothing new here, you could say: Politician proves he's caring and compassionate by spending 10 minutes helping out in front of cameras and microphones at orphanage or soup kitchen before leaving for very private, no-press-allowed fund-raiser with distinguished citizens who seek only a minor change in the tax code that would exclude "those corporations founded in Delaware before January 31, 1975," or something similar.

What potentially makes this scene quite different is that the campaign volunteers, dubbed the Dean Corps, encouraged and inspired by Ross Wilburn, have made a commitment to return each and every week to the food bank.

Dean legitimately boasted that his local volunteers had brought 320 pounds of groceries, this week alone, to the food bank. The governor gives credit for the Dean Corps idea to "the young people." He sees it as a way to show that "campaigns are not just about votes, but, more importantly, are about people."

http://edition.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/07/28/column.shields.opinion.dean/

Back in the early/mid decades of the 20th Century -- a time when the Democractic Party was all but invincible in many of America's most populous urban areas -- working families, poor families, recent immigrant families, even middle-class families (especially those familiar with hard times, as so many were then,) knew what to do when the wolf showed up at the door:

Trot down to the neighborhood Democratic Party headquarters and tell your troubles to a local ward-heeler over a cup of coffee (or maybe something stronger.)

Within days, maybe hours, someone would stop by with the warm winter coats the children desperately needed, a box of food would show up on the doorstep, and maybe someone would phone up to let you know they were hiring down at the meat packing plant, and if you mentioned Mr. So-and-so's name, they'd see you got a few days' work, at least.

This was known as "machine politics" by the Goo-Goo GOPpies, and with hard work and plenty of bribes to the right media connections, this kind of political organizing tactic became inextricably linked with genuinely corrupt practices that undeniably occurred in many Democratic Machine cities. (Although the genuinely corrupt practices such as cronyism, bribery, nepotism, etc., weren't by any means limited to Democratic politicians and their handlers.)

This kind of practical, neighborly, give-a-friend-a-hand political organizing got a bad name and fell out of favor with a Democratic leadership eager to purge itself of real corruption and advance an agenda of openness, transparency, public access, fairness, etc.

Too bad, because it was the glue that held the Democratic juggernaut together. It was the real reason why the Democratic Party was "the Party of the people." The people knew damn' well what they needed, and it wasn't policy analysts making $100,000 a year developing economic strategies for Wall Street.

I haven't made up my mind yet about which of the current candidates would make the best President in '04. But I can tell you this--- if Howard Dean succeeds in reinventing the great Democratic Machine by putting Democratic Party politics back on the streets, back in the church basements, back in the free clinics, etc., it's going to be a tidal pull of massive power.

I think it might surprise hell out of some of the establishment pundits and the policy wonks.

It'll be fascinating to see if the Dean campaign recognizes this and pursues it as a real, conscious strategy. And if they do, what results.

prognosticatorially,
Bright

Dean will do better than expected because he is taking people back into politics and giving the Democratic party a well-needed shot in the arm. My guess is that even if Dean is running in the polls 5-points behind Bush on October 31, 2004 that he will still win becuz the polls underestimate his strength and the intensity of his supporters to actually turn out and vote and organize to get out the vote.

We can never forget that. All this theorizing about voting blocs, interest groups, energized voting bases, etc., is just that: theorizing.
The only thing that really matters is making sure the votes are sacred and protected.

we will just have to overwhelm the voting machines with a larger than high turnout, won't we. Even if the machines go for the repubs, that fishy smell we have now, will turn into a major stench after November, because then EVERYBODY would know something is up...then we'll see election riggers, and their repub benificiaries in jail...PERMANENTLY!

Not saying that this is going to happen, but to think otherwise would be defeatist, and we all might as well just stay home. The doom and gloom caveats and "what ifs" do very little to inspire the people. It's good that we know about them, and can keep a watch on them, BUT there is a solution to everything.

We EARN them. :-)

and are doing what they can to encourage it.

If you read the blog, there's tremendous encouragement to get out there and get Dean's name out to people. This IS grassroots democracy, but this time it's not from the top down, it's more collaborative and bottom meeting the top.

There was a wonderful quote from Joe Trippi some time ago -- and if I remembered where it was I'd try to find the link. Basically, he pointed out that MeetUp wasn't something the campaign did, but they certainly seized on it. The Official Blog, which is quite popular, was an idea from another blogger that they took and ran with, to great success (it's a way to keep supporters as involved -- as INTIMATELY involved -- with the campaign as they'd like to be). The quote by Trippi said that he had to let go of central control and allow these MeetUp groups to self-organize. And that's exactly what they're doing. In effect, he has "campaign staff" (all volunteers, all not terribly directed if directed at all from HQ) in all 50 states, without spending anything much on them. He does have professional staff in a few states, and will no doubt have them in more as time goes on.

THIS IS UNHEARD OF! It's a real revitalization of the electorate, esp. since Dean is pulling so many "new" voters, "new" activists, etc. And also unheard of is this collaborative organizing instead of hierarchical organizing. It's quite a phenomenon.

Unfortunately, it makes Dean the most dangerous man in America because there's NOBODY in power who wants the electorate really awake, paying attention, holding people accountable, and making their voices fuly heard. Least of all the Repugs and George Bush.

Too, some of us are going to expect to be able to continue being involved with our government, making our preferences known, submitting ideas, etc., after he's elected. We might even expect the same thing of other elected officials. Imagine that.

Eloriel

P.S. If you haven't read his June 23 Announcement speech, please do. I found it wonderfully inspiring. I think his Restoration of American Community is THE perfect antidote to decades of Repug celebration of selfishness and greed.

Party. What Gives. :-)

The polls showing Dean in the lead or tied for first in certain states don't account for the huge numbers of new people that he's bringing into the process. It could be anywhere from half to a third of his support. If he all of a sudden raises turnout by just 10%, and if nearly all of that 10% goes directly into his column, his chances of winning are sky-high. Mark my words; he's doing really well in them, but the polls still aren't doing him justice.

cronyism, nepotism and bribery, then they claim they have cleaned things up in Washington.