NC Progressive Dems Meeting

January 20, 2007

I arrived shortly after the meeting started, and there was standing room only, with about 50 people there. They discussed starting a speaker’s bureau, developing a newsletter, and working on developing chapters in the state. They also discussed developing forums and improving communications internally and externally.

They discussed the resolutions and amendments that they planned to present to the NC Democratic Party State Executive Committee meeting that follows this meeting. Here is a list of those resolutions:

1. Legislative Advocacy
2. Appointment of State Board of Elections Members
3. Election Reform
4. Resolution in Support of “Same Day Registration” in NC
5. Independent Redistricting Commission
6. Ending the Winner-Take-All System of Awarding Presidential Electors
7. Progressive Taxation
8. Collective Bargaining for State Employees
9. Education Lottery Funding
10. High Quality, Well Funded, Diverse Schools for All Children
11. Clean Energy Future
12. Right to Health Care
13. Death Penalty Moratorium
14. Out of Iraq
15. No Preemptive War Against Iran

The last two resolutions were submitted directly to the resolutions committee of the NC Democratic Party, and the “Out of Iraq” resolution is part of the upcoming agenda for the State Executive Committee meeting. The resolution on Iran was not accepted by the resolutions committee.

There was a discussion the same day registration and other aspects of voting. It was pointed out that we have seen some success in this area. In 2004, voting in North Carolina was a fiasco. Over 4,000 votes went missing, throwing a couple of state races into question. Today, we have paper trail verified voting through out the state. We managed to run Diebold out of the state. There was discussion and concerns about same day registration during early voting (not on Election Day itself). Someone stated that there is no evidence of fraud with same day registration.

There was a discussion of the upcoming proposed amendment #3 to the Plan of Organization of the State Legislative Policy Committee. This proposed amendment makes one of the NC Democratic Party Chair’s duties to: “Formulate and promote a legislative policy agenda, based upon the Platform and upon resolutions adopted by the State Convention, the State Executive Committee, and the State Executive Council.”

There was discussion of NCPD holding a forum in April or May of this year to discuss Lt. Governor – and after that, to endorse a candidate. It was suggested that we do this after they file, but others felt that we should offer grass roots support earlier.

There was discussion and a vote of support for the upcoming Historic March on “J” Street in Raleigh on February 10, 2007. This march is organized by the NAACP and it’s purpose is to promote a more progressive legislative agenda in the NC House and Senate. They will hold a rally and then march to the State House on “J” Street. A resolution was passed to show support for this Historic March. All were urged to attend.

I gave a short update on PDA. They are supportive of ending the occupation of Iraq. They are supportive of Woolsey’s bill to end the funding of more war while allowing funding to bring them home (HR 508). PDA supports impeachment, since we feel that the only way to stop Bush is impeachment. I urged everyone to go to DC on January 27, 2007 to be a part of United for Peace and Justice March. I also told them about Walter Jones’s resolution (HJR 14) forbidding an attack on Iran without congressional approval. I told them a little bit about NC Stop Torture Now and the work they are doing – which is not a PDA project. Everyone was encouraged to visit the website of PDA and sign the petition there to cut war funding. Also, PDA stickers were handed out at this meeting. This meeting was adjourned to go to the State Executive Meeting.