Topic: 2008 California Democratic Party Platform - aka Judge's week

[TheJudge]

So, if you've been wondering what I've been up to, this weekend is the 2008 CDP convention.  This is California only, but I'm on the Platform Committee and well, here's a link to what we've done this year:

http://www.cadem.org/site/c.jrLZK2PyHmF/b.3949385/

You can download the platform from that link...I'll leave out all the griping about the horrible formatting that I had to redo...

Oh, and there was a push to get put a plank in opposing the death penalty and a push for the right to die plank, but both were talbed as there is no consensus...whew.

[Dracho]

There's just some sort of ironic comedy in trying to get both of those issues on the same platform.  LOL

[TheJudge]

I got some frowns when I made a similar remark, but guys...the chair of the committee is: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XAjThwvBTY

[Just plain old Punisher]

No orgies?

Sheesh, you aren't doing your part to bring down western civilization!

[Soreyes]

Ahhh another comedy platform.  I have the Republican platform and it was some entertaining reading. I find that the Republicans are  out of touch with reality. As for The Dem's. I sometimes find that they make there own reality.

Then again I think all politicans in CALIFORNIA should be put up against a wall and shot, for screwing up this state over the last 20 years.

[TheJudge]

One of my favorite lines:

No Torture. No Exceptions.

[Dracho]

One of my favorite lines:

No Torture. No Exceptions.

Would forcing a voter to read a 90 zillion page political platform be covered under that? 

[TheJudge]

Yes, it would.  We're quite proud of the fact that we got the platform down from 48 pages to less than half that number.  If we'd incorporated even a third of the commentary and amendments people offered, it WOULD be 90 zillion pages.  I've got a binder that has about four hundred pages of stuff people submitted in it, versus the 23 page final version. 

[Dracho]

LOL...So basically, you're like the torture surogate for everyone else then?  Thanks!

[marstone]

Actually, I believe neither party really wants you to read the political platform and just listen to what they say, thus it doesn't have to match.

[TheJudge]

Close, Marstone.  The PARTY wants you to read it and hold the candidates to the Platform, but the candidates like to hem and haw depending on their district.  A LOT of the discussioni in meetings centered around what different electeds would and would not accept in the platform (since having candidates run against the platform is actually bad).  So, as an example, all Democratic members of Congress were contacted (kind of helped because Nancy's daughter is the chair of the committee), and both Boxer and Feinstein's  offices were regularly contacted, updated and provided advice.  Several state legislatures even showed up at various committee hearings to provide their own testimony.  Believe it or not, many of them were pushing the more controversial topics that the committee ended up letting fall to the wayside because they were too controversial.  The bottom line of the platform is that it is a consensus document which 90% of the democrats in California can look at and agree on for most of the issues.  Not everyone will agree 100% on every issue, but most will find many things they like in the platform. 

An example is the Equality of Opportunity section.  The California Democratic Party, in that section, affirms its support for Gay Marriage to be enacted through legislation or a vote of the people.  At the same time, it ALSO supports the right of clergy to only perform religious marriages that conform to their belief system.  An evangelical preacher WILL NOT be forced to sanctify a gay marriage.  There's also support for FULL sex education including the featuring of abstinence as the only 100% guaranteed way of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy. 

The anti-war faction were quite happy with the calls for retraction of the AUMF and grudgingly accepted the language ensuring that any withdrawal does NOT put our troops in additional danger.  It also leaves the door open for redeployment to Afghanistan or other places, something those folks didn't like either.  Now back to work.  I've got to fix up the Energy and Environment section

[marstone]

True, I should have stated it more to the fact Candidates don't want people to read it.  Since it usually is say whatever is needed and locally wanted to hear.  Truth doesn't always play much of a factor in it. (from what I have been hearing so far this year, and the last many)

Kurt
/|\

[Bonk]

Voting only encourages them, and validates a fatally flawed system.

I suggest the thread be moved, unless this is intentional sanctuary from the hounds in H&S.

[Sirgod]

Voting only encourages them, and validates a fatally flawed system.

I suggest the thread be moved, unless this is intentional sanctuary from the hounds in H&S.

Actually this has been Pretty harmless Bonk. This is more About Dan's career, and his goals then the actual politics Involved. Besides, He left H&S because of the debates held there. Of Course, If he wants back in, I wouldn't be opposed. I've always felt the choice should be left to him. Once again, Just my Opinion on moving the thread.

Stephen

[TheJudge]

Move it or not, as needed.  I wasn't trying to get a political debate started (I DID leave H&S and still have resisted temptations to get back in there). 

[Bonk]

Move it or not, as needed.  I wasn't trying to get a political debate started

Cool... I don't really have a say in the matter anyway. (Nor do I want one - see below)

I DID leave H&S and still have resisted temptations to get back in there. 

Good man yerself. Congratulations! It feels really good when you stop banging your head against that wall doesn't it?

[TheJudge]

The purpose of political discussion should include attempting to find compromise positions (hell, the founders of our country established that with the constitution where they dealt with slavery as a national issue in representation).  Unfortunately, too often these days all of us have become too entrenched in our positions. 

Yikes, okay, time to move on, nothing to see here folks. Judge is NOT going to ask for H&S access. 

[Sirgod]

The purpose of political discussion should include attempting to find compromise positions (hell, the founders of our country established that with the constitution where they dealt with slavery as a national issue in representation).  Unfortunately, too often these days all of us have become too entrenched in our positions. 

Yikes, okay, time to move on, nothing to see here folks. Judge is NOT going to ask for H&S access. 

Coward...






Just kidding man. Hey anytime you change your mind, I'm all for it. Hell we done made Capt. Stumpy a mod, times change. Hey, I always supported you, even though we disagreed on Politics. Hell the best part of Hot and Spicy is the Bewbies thread... oh hell, that won't convince you, Ok, My amazing wit ... Nope that won't work either... Ok how about this, Once a month, I try and post a good news story that the Media passes on. All media, not just left or right.

Hell I already made Bonk a Glorious Bastard, what else can I do to get people talking?

hehe, Take care Kirk.

Stephen

[Bonk]

Don't you have some cows to feed or something?   

(edit: strictly a good natured ribbing there Stephen, I hope you weren't offended... as I notice you logged right off...)

[Dracho]

Better hope they don't eat hula grass.. that's all I have to say..

God what a sight that would be..

[Sirgod]

Don't you have some cows to feed or something?   

(edit: strictly a good natured ribbing there Stephen, I hope you weren't offended... as I notice you logged right off...)

 Oh no man,not at all, I'm going between the Dyna, and that Damn auction house on WoW. It's all in good fun.

Stephen

[TheJudge]

The purpose of political discussion should include attempting to find compromise positions (hell, the founders of our country established that with the constitution where they dealt with slavery as a national issue in representation).  Unfortunately, too often these days all of us have become too entrenched in our positions. 

Yikes, okay, time to move on, nothing to see here folks. Judge is NOT going to ask for H&S access. 

Coward...






Just kidding man. Hey anytime you change your mind, I'm all for it. Hell we done made Capt. Stumpy a mod, times change. Hey, I always supported you, even though we disagreed on Politics. Hell the best part of Hot and Spicy is the Bewbies thread... oh hell, that won't convince you, Ok, My amazing wit ... Nope that won't work either... Ok how about this, Once a month, I try and post a good news story that the Media passes on. All media, not just left or right.

Hell I already made Bonk a Glorious Bastard, what else can I do to get people talking?

hehe, Take care Kirk.

Stephen

Ah, Stephen my friend, how you try to seduce me!!!

It won't work though, ya know.  I'm quite happy not getting into long discussions that don't really go anywhere.    It'd be like talking to an Obama supporter who really is rabid about their candidate.  Although, watch the news on delegates in California over the next 2-3 days.  There's something really brewing where Obama's campaign has made a VERY big mistake that might just come back to haunt them.  (If you don't know - delegate elections are this weekend and over 2,500 people applied for the 243 spots that are open.  The elections take place on Sunday and Democrats are eligible to vote for the delegates of their choice.  The campaigns have the right to trim the lists and usually do it if someone on the list is a donor/volunteer for their opponent.  Clinton's campaign cut 47 people statewide for similar reasons.  Obama?  Well you might just read about it and the resulting Clinton endorsements soon.

[AcePylut]

You don't sound much like an Obama supporter there TJ.

Did the Soapbox ever get re-opened over at GA?

[TheJudge]

Yup, I forced Myr to open it up again with a slight redesign.  There's a left forum, a right forum and then the soapbox for both.  Tends to keep the lefties and righties from getting too heated in their conversations, and the middle forum usually has issues where people actually try to find common ground. 

Oh, and Jackie Speier won the special election to replace Tom Lantos.  I find it a nice symmetry that as we lost the only Holocaust survivor in Congress, his replacement is a woman who has her own experience with extremists...(for those that don't know, Jackie Speier was a congressional aide to Congressman Leo Ryan.  Congressman Ryan led an investigation team into Guyana to look at the Jonestown situation.  Jones ordered a hit squad to take them out and the delegation was assaulted on the tarmac.  Jackie Speier was shot five times and survived 22 hours until rescue arrived.  Jones then led his followers in drinking the cyanide-laced kool-aid). 

Surviving on the tarmac for 22 hours with five bullets in you isn't quite like surviving the holocaust, but it's close enough and more than most of us have had to go through. 

[AcePylut]

I didn't know that about Jackie Speier.  5 bullets and 22 hours on a tarmac, well might not be holocaust, but that's enough trauma for anyone for a lifetime. 

[AcePylut]

Stopped by GA... and ok, THIS is funny.... here's the first thing I saw in the forums... (I'll log in later and say "hi")

What's wrong with this picture  

[TheJudge]

No wonder our ad revenue has been decreasing from Google!!!


For those that don't know, GA stands for Gay Authors, a site I have been a hosted author at since 2004.  For the last year or so I've been an Administrator there (there are five us in total running the site now).  It's gone from being donor-funded to funded by ad revenue and now we are creating some new avenues for further increasing the revenues and maybe paying our Authors some money for their stories. 

[AcePylut]

At first I was like, "hmm link seems messed up".  Then I thought, "this must be there to 'keep tabs on the enemy'".  Then I saw it was one of those "auto-ad" generator things, and had a good laugh at it.  Ah well, what would life be without the little moments.

[TheJudge]

BIG news brewing here in California:

Sunday is the day for election of the actual delegates from California to the convention in Denver.  Basic rundown how it works:

242 pledged delegate slots are divided between Obama and Clinton based on their primary vote counts by congressional district.  Each district is given a range of 3+ delegates based on their democratic turnout in last major election.  Pelosi's district gets like 7 delegates, a republican district might get three.  Clinton gets a big win in that congressional district, she gets 2 out of the three spots while Obama gets one.  Depending on the ratio, clinton's two might be one man and one female while Obama's is a male.  In Pelosi's district, Obama won and gets four (two men, two women) and Clinton gets three (one man and two women) as an example.  Democrats wanting to be a delegate declare their support to run either as an Obama or a Clinton delegate.  Then Democrats show up on next Sunday to vote for the delegates.  Top vote-getting male gets the spot, top female gets the spot, etc and etc. 

Nearly 2,500 people applied to be a delegate (yep, for the 242 open spots).  Now here's the rub:  The campaigns can 'vet' the list and remove anyone they don't like.  If you're a big Clinton supporter, the Obama folks can drop you.  If you're a whacko and they don't want you, they can cut you from the list.  The state party has no control over it at all. 

Clinton's campaign cut 50 people from their list (most of them LaRouchies which follows under the whacko heading).  Obama's people cut around 980 people.  Some of the people they cut include:

President of the California Young Democrats (who traveled to New Hampshire on HIS OWN MONEY to campaign for Obama as a volunteer)
A main blogger in California who traveled to Texas to campaign for Obama, again at his OWN personal expense.
My partner (who works for the CDP!!!!)

Me, I filed for Clinton and I wasn't cut!

[Dracho]

So Judge, do you think after this primary that the Democrats may go back to a winner-take-all sort of primary?

[TheJudge]

Not really.  It'll probably be close to what's there now...but Obama's campaign has made a major mistake today.  Some of their biggest supporters in California got cut, people that have given money, that have volunteered and spent THOUSANDS of dollars on supporting Obama, etc.  Today the campaign sent out an e-mail asking for people to volunteer to fly to Pennsylvania and volunteer for the elections there.  Hundreds of Californias usually do that, and you know what...now they may not go because Obama's campaign cut them from the delegate list. 

If they weren't cut, most of them wouldn't have won, but they could have competed in the election fairly.  However, Obama's people have denied them that opportunity to compete.

[Dracho]

I wonder if new politicians had to go through some sort of management training, like new corporate managers do, if we might see fewer blantant mistakes?

[TheJudge]

Obama himself wasn't involved in this..it was campaign staffers so maybe the campaign staffers should be required to go through some training?

[Dracho]

Obama himself wasn't involved in this..it was campaign staffers so maybe the campaign staffers should be required to go through some training?

Well, if you think about it, typically, except for the top 1%, a campaign is managed by zealots who support a candidate for ideological reasons instead as part of earning their living (some do get compendated, however).

So... the campaign staff is often long on enthusiasm, and short of management skills...

I'd wager you that if a consulting company came up with a mini-certification program for "Political Campaign Staffer, Manager, etc", that company would make some decent bucks, and the campaigns would improve as organizational entities.


Once someone was a "certified" campaign staffer, their demand would go up as well.  Someone is always running for something.

[TheJudge]

Well, it's starting:

http://www.calitics.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=7819A64920BF8424BF003B1E813CEDBE?diaryId=5578

Nice big thread with lots of comments on one of the leading california political left blogs.  Sacramento Bee has picked up the story and is running with it, the Huffington Post is starting to run with it, and it's less than 24 hours since the story hit.  Some of the quotes coming from the campaign are classic fumbles. 



Yes, I'm a Clinton supporter...

[AcePylut]

Looks like it just ended there TJ, when Obama reinstated them all. 

[TheJudge]

Good move politically and word is that it came from the top (Obama himself).  Now the Obama Chicago office is blaming the California office and California is pointing fingers back at Chicago.  My partner was up at the CDP office (he's the Deputy Director there) working until well after 9 p.m. trying to redo the ballots for the Sunday Caucus.

Politically a good move by Obama, but the damage is done.  Fortunately they'll be able to recover a bit...

[Soreyes]

I think Obama has hurt himself in the eyes of some of his supporters. Talking with some people here at work who are Die Hard Democrats and Obama supporters. It seems that they are starting to back away. Not because they don't believe in his message. To put it as my boss said. "He seems to be a little to immature to be Pres" Or in other words he needs more seasoning.  I would have to agree with that. I say look out for Obama in 2012 if he does not get the Nomination this time.

[TheJudge]

The problem with Rock Star Charisma like Obama has is that it fades kind of quickly.  If there isn't enough substance behind it to keep things going, the campaign falters rather quickly. 

Hillary may not have a lot of charisma and may have some negatives with hard-core Republicans, but she can win against McCain because there's more than enough substance there.

[AcePylut]

She can win because she has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to win, this democratic primary is proof of that.  Just look at the crap she's throwing at Obama, really, I mean, come on, pulling out a kindergarten essay to attack someone with???  Now the Obama supporters understand why Bill was hated so much, will always be hated, and so will Hill. 

[Soreyes]

There is scuttlebutt going on here at work that says that Hilary has some very damning stuff on Obama. Something about a woman or two that he is keeping on the side. Myself I just don't see it from Obama. It may be possable but I doubt it. This could be another of Hilary's "shot across the bow" things. Like back when Buba was up against Bush senior. She put out a rummer that Bush Senior was making time with another woman besides Barbara. Now that was kind of funny..... a bunch of us had bets on how long it would take Barbara to beat the crap out of Hilary.

[AcePylut]

I'm sorry, what did you say Soreyes?  I was distracted by your sig

[Soreyes]

Mesmerizing ain't it