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I Want Your Advice, and I Need your Help

by: John Wisniewski

Mon Feb 01, 2010 at 02:16:26 PM EST



Promoted from the diaries by Rosi. Blue Jersey, please weigh in on this.

Principles- then a plan.

As you know, I was recently elected Chair of the NJDSC.  I want to make sure that the BlueJersey community knows where I stand and accepts my invitation to be a vital part of the New New Jersey Democratic State Party.

A stronger party from the bottom up.  A commitment to new ideas, new media and new voices.  An unwavering dedication to the Democratic values of inclusion, fairness and justice.  And working to elect Democrats in every corner of our state and at every level of government.  These are my guiding principles.

One of the first items I read when I decided to pursue becoming Democratic State Chair, was Rosi Efthim's excellent diary entry, An Open Letter to the next Democratic State Chair.  I urge every Democrat to read this, as it has been very useful in helping shape and support my plan for building our party from the grassroots level up.  In fact, I've been talking about many of Rosi's very practical, on-point recommendations almost everywhere I go.
John Wisniewski :: I Want Your Advice, and I Need your Help
Chairman Cryan has done an exemplary job in his role - my hope is to build upon his progress.  The suggestions from Democratic activists like Rosi will be a foundation for how we will direct more campaign training, candidate recruitment, and web resources to the local level in our State.  I am committed to making sure our new Democratic State Party will seek and act on more local input from our County Committeemen and Women and other Democratic activists.

Clearly, as a party, we need to focus on delivering a message on the grassroots level that too often has been overlooked. We need to do better. There is a need to further extend the welcome mat of inclusion, both to the new voters that the Obama campaign energized and activated, as well as the independents that voted for change on the national level.

I want to hear from you what it will take for New Jersey's Democrats to re-engage and re-capture the suburbs, while we strengthen our urban base and re-build our state party. This includes making the most of the redistricting process and preparing to elect Democrats on the local level, in Congress, the legislature in 2011 and up to the statewide re-election of United States Senator Bob Menendez in 2012.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas on how we can craft a powerful plan to move our Party forward together. Thank you.

Sincerely,

John Wisniewski  
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I Want Your Advice, and I Need your Help | 43 comments
In my opinion (4.00 / 4)
I think there is nothing more discouraging to ordindary voters and activists alike than the continous scandals of corruption and abuses--both legal and illegal-- by Democratic officials. That Republicans are just as bad is no excuse.  The party has to become serious about reform--pay to play, overpaid Boards, pensions, bribes, conflicts of interest etc etc

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch
Municipal chairs (4.00 / 1)
The Municipal Democratic chairmen/women should NOT be an elected official as is the case here in Cherry Hill.

Partisan politics is about winning elections.  Governing is about..... governing.  It's hard to do both all the time w/out one or the being subverted.

Personally I'd rather my politicians be more focused on ME than on their election priorities.

activist for hire.Follow jay_lass on Twitter

[ Parent ]
hard to make that a statewide rule (4.00 / 1)
Cherry Hill happens to be a town where there are more than enough Democrats to create a firewall between the activists and the electeds, but it is the exception rather than the rule.

I think that more towns are like mine, Dunellen, where I became Municipal Chair simply by virtue of the fact that I was the only person to run for County Committee.  I ran for Council the following year, because I was the only person who was willing to do it.  If I had won, it would have been counterproductive for me to resign from the CC as there would not have been anybody to take my place.

That said, if you have not done so already, I think that you should run for CC in your district, get others in your town to do the same, and eventually become Municipal Chair.  Once you do, one of the first things you could do is change your local CC bylaws as the rule you propose is a good idea, but it should be implemented on a municipality-by-municipality basis.

[ Parent ]
It's more the rule than the exception (0.00 / 0)
I believe every municipal chair in Hudson County is also elected...and the county chair is the town drunk of Jersey City.
[ Parent ]
In Hudson County, maybe, but... (0.00 / 0)
...there are over 600 municipalities in NJ.  I am going to guess that less than 100 of them (maybe even less than 50 of them) have the critical mass of Democratic activists and prospective candidates for elected office needed to be able to completely bifurcate the two worlds.

I think that it is unreasonable to expect the NJDSC to declare war on its most powerful municipal and county organizations by passing a rule like this when progressives in these communities could do it themselves by taking control over their local CCs.

Considering how protective many of the CCs in blue counties are of the status quo, it would be a miracle if we could get the NJDSC to publish lists of CC members on their website.  Asking them to interfere in how CCs and MCs operate, as great as it would be if they would, would really be pushing our luck.

[ Parent ]
population density makes you talk past each other. (0.00 / 0)
Most people live in places where what Jay said is at least worth strongly considering. Most municipalities are a Bertin describes.
[ Parent ]
not sure if that is entirely true (0.00 / 0)
I don't know what the breakdown is with regards to the total number of people living in the 50 most populous municipalities versus the total number of people living in the 550+ least populous municipalities, but that is really besides the point.

Jay's idea is a good one, but I don't think that it is realistic to expect the NJDSC to impose it on these very powerful Democratic municipal organizations, especially when progressives could and should do it themselves by taking them over.

[ Parent ]
I did a diary on it a few weeks ago (4.00 / 1)
I listed ten points that can be accomplished at the state level and ten at the county level.  You can read them here
http://www.bluejersey.com/diar...

Another thing you have to realize is that a good chunk of the base of your party is under 30.  Work with colleges throughout the state to build Democratic clubs on campuses (we have an active one that will die in May as all are graduating).  I'll be doing a diary on young voter outreach soon.

Glad to see you posting here Chairman, and stop by again and keep us updated.  

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...

Ethics, ethics, ethics, ethics, ethics, ethics, ethics (4.00 / 4)
This past July, thirty political operatives were arrested in a single FBI sting.  All but maybe three were Democrats.  Nearly two-thirds of them were from Hudson County and HALF of them were from Jersey City.  What actions were taken by the DSC to investigate what is very obviously an organized crime operation in their midst?  The SITTING CHAIR of the HCDO is on tape giving his verbal consent for the illegal campaign contributions to move forward.  What is being done by the party to police the party?  

From media reports, the only concern is that Hudson County hasn't been cranking out the votes like it used to.  To that, the Party has a solution...Menendez will apparently back Brian Stack to become chair of the HCDO.  Can Stack possibly build the patronage machine and fight corruption?  No one with enough brain cells to speak of in the plural things so.  

It speaks volumes that there is a plan in the works to boost voter turnout, but nothing to deal with accountability.  It isn't as if the HCDO is the only county organization with problems.  Recent media reports have shown a spotlight on Atlantic City, and Joe Ferriero and his buddy Oury raped and pillaged their way through every municipal contract they could find in Bergen.  Does anyone think Camden is a clean county?  Do I have to go through and name everyone?

Sunlight is the best disinfectant, followed by the ability to surgically remove an infected body part.  The County organizations are festering sores on the carcass of our state, and until we disinfect them and forcibly cut away those who can't even agree to fill the duties of their offices; then nothing you, or anyone else, will matter.  Corruption breeds corruption.  You can be a good friend to the rest of the power structure, or you can be the leader New Jersey needs.  I don't think you can be both.  Only you can decide which one you want to be.

Thanks for posting.... (4.00 / 1)
...and welcome to Blue Jersey.

I'd like to see a little more diversity on the ballot.  As it stands we've zero women in our congressional delegation, too few in the state house, fewer faces of color and only one (token) gay.



activist for hire.Follow jay_lass on Twitter

why is Reed Gusciora a token? (0.00 / 0)
I really don't think that is a fair description of his political career.

If you want more gays on the ballot, start by running against James Beach in 2011.

[ Parent ]
I'd rather be a hooker. n/t (0.00 / 0)
[ Parent ]
to each their own, but... (0.00 / 0)
...it shouldn't be Assemblyman Wisniewski's problem to get more of any particular group on the ballot unless there is a concerted effort to keep them off the ballot.

There have been plenty of female and gay legislative candidates over the past few years, but mostly in districts where Democrats don't have a chance in hell of winning.

That only leaves districts where there are incumbent Democrats and whether they are male or female, gay or straight, they aren't too quick to step aside just to satisfy your desire for more diversity.  If you want more women and gays on the ballot, they are going to have to run against Democrats in Democratic primary elections.

That said, when there has been turnover over the last decade or so, there have been several female candidates replacing men.  Most notably is Loretta Weinberg replacing Byron Baer in the State Senate, which opened up her Assembly seat for Valerie Vainieri-Huttle.

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Celeste Riley in LD3, Annette Quijano in LD20, Mila Jasey in LD27, Cleopatra Tucker in LD28, Teresa Ruiz and Grace Spencer in LD29, Sandra Cunningham in LD31, Sheila Oliver in LD34, Elease Evans in LD35, and Connie Wagner in LD38 all replace men and aren't most of them women of color?

While there is undoubtably more doors that can and should be opened for diversity's sake, some of them are going to have to be kicked open, starting with the ones leading to the offices of Steve Sweeney, James Beach, Jeff Van Drew, Fred Madden, Paul Sarlo, John Girgenti, Nick Sacco, Ron Rice Sr., and Shirley Turner, but I think that it would be asking a lot of the NJDSC Chair to help us kick them open.

This is something that we will have to do ourselves, and if you would rather be a hooker than take on Beach, then when you aren't busy turning tricks, maybe you could reach out Susan Bass Levin or another high profile woman and/or person of color and recruit them to do it.

[ Parent ]
The chair has a role in encouraging diversity (0.00 / 0)

It's my understanding that some of the women you mention who replaced men who had to step down because of corruption, were helped by Cryan's commitment to getting more women.  I can't really know, but that's what I heard.

We've been told in Middlesex County that it's not a good idea for leadership to interfere in local decision making, but you can still make clear that diversity is prized and the kind of slate that Wisniewski himself ran on is not going to be tolerated, nor municipal councils made up only of straight white men.  If the Mdlsx leadership had worked harder on this issue over the last 3 years, then maybe they wouldn't be down 25 seats countywide and maybe it's a stretch, but they might have been able to hold the county for Corzine.

That being said, the last standing Dem on Wisniewski's Sayreville council is a woman.

I can't agree with Jay on the issue of running vs. taking on a new occupation.  I'd defintely rather run that start selling my body (or get involved in buying or selling body parts).

So, I join Jay's call for the chair to make a commitment to diversity.  Not a little more diversity, a lot more.  The unprecedented gains for women in legislative office two years ago has already started sliding back, and as Jay points out that still leaves our congressional delegation men only.

[ Parent ]
Which Congressman should step aside? (0.00 / 0)
Adler?  Andrews?  Holt?  Pallone?  Pascrell?  Payne?  Rothman?  Sires?  Do you really think that it is the place of the NJDSC Chair to ask them to do so?

Linda Stender should have been our state's first Democratic Congresswoman but by all accounts, she ran one of the worst campaigns in recent memory with the obvious exception of Martha Coakley.

There is no doubt that where possible, the NJDSC and its Chair as well as its Vice-Chair should encourage the CDCs to promote diversity in their candidate selection process, but it is unrealistic to expect them to do much more than that.  For good or ill (mostly ill), the Democratic Party in NJ is dominated by its CDCs not vice versa and there is only so much that even a well-meaning Chair like Assemblyman Wisniewski can do to dictate policy to them.

As far as Adler's role in promoting diversity is concerned, it is true that most of the turnover that I described in my previous comment was on Adler's watch, I am not sure how much of it was his doing.  I am sure that he played a major role in the ascension of Annette Quijano, because she is in his district.

However, I seriously doubt that George Norcross approved Celeste Riley and Dana Redd (I forgot to mention her earlier) to curry favor with Joe Cryan.  His opinion was probably not much of a factor when Steve Adubato backed Teresa Ruiz and Grace Spencer, Dick Codey picked Mila Jasey, Cory Booker chose Cleopatra Tucker, John Currie selected Elease Evans, and Joe Ferriero gave the nod to Connie Wagner.

And someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I don't remember Cryan or Bonnie Watson Coleman, whomever was Chair at the time, being particularly vocal either way when Loretta Weinberg and Valerie Vainieri Huttle were taking on Joe Ferriero and the Bergen County all boys club.  This is not to say that Cryan was particularly bad (or good for that matter) on the issue of diversity on the ballot, but just that state chairs are very limited in what they can do.

Another reason that I do not place as high a priority on promoting diversity as I would on other reforms that I would like to see Chairman Wisniewski pursue is that my experience in NJ politics has not proved to me that diversity equals progressivism.  If anything, most of the elected women and people of color that I have known have been more loyal to the party establishment than not.  This is probably a function of having to overcome more and go along to get along more than the white men who have had far fewer obstacles and as a result owe less people, but whatever the reason might be, someone like Loretta Weinberg is the exception and not the rule.

If anything, the rule is someone like Charlotte DeFilippo who actually played a role in Maryanne Connelly's 2000 Congressional election loss to Mike Ferguson, because Connelly defeated the party's favorite, Mike LaPolla, in the primary.  Or the rule is Ron Rice Sr. and Shirley Turner who both voted against marriage equality, as well as Redd who vacated her office prior to the floor vote, but refused to meet with Julian Bond or her LGBT constituents on the issue.  By all accounts that I have ever heard, Senate Majority Leader, Barbara Buono, is one of the least independent of all of the Democrats in Trenton.

That said, I would still agree that there should be more diversity in Trenton and in elected offices and party leadership positions throughout the state, but I would like to see it come about more by aspiring candidates challenging the status quo rather than moving up the ranks by going along and getting along.

[ Parent ]
I meant Cryan, not Adler (0.00 / 0)
As far as Adler's role in promoting diversity is concerned, it is true that most of the turnover that I described in my previous comment was on Adler's watch, I am not sure how much of it was his doing.  I am sure that he played a major role in the ascension of Annette Quijano, because she is in his district.

[ Parent ]
Congratulations and thanks for posting (0.00 / 0)
we would love to have you on Blue Jersey Radio to talk about these issues as we go forward. I'm sure our readers would love the chance to hear directly from you.
isn't Blue Jersey Radio tonite? (0.00 / 0)
Maybe Assemblyman W can call in!! what's that number again?

activist for hire.Follow jay_lass on Twitter
[ Parent ]
We are on tonight (0.00 / 0)
from 8-8:30pm and we would love to have the new Chair or anyone else call into 646-652-2773.

But if he's not available on such short notice, we'd love to schedule him for a show in the near future.

[ Parent ]
Three Principles to Build On (4.00 / 1)
1.) Openness & Transparency within the party and in government at all levels:  

People distrust NJ government and elected officials and view the NJ democratic party as corrupt.  That has to change for us to win and hold majorities.

2.) A commitment to civil and human rights:

Yes right now that means marriage equality -- but it also means a future focus on things like child welfare and advocacy, equal opportunities in education, being able to respond compassionately and competently to issues like the upcoming migration of Haitian refugees to NJ.  We also have to defend pro-choice policies and family planning funds.

3.) Facing the future, not fearing the future:

Retreating to the NJ Democratic Party's Reagan Democratic past will only ensure further defeat.  We need to be open to demographic change and actively seek to advance women in leadership, engage the 18-35 voting bloc and ensure that we recruit and retain party leaders, candidates and elected officials from all of New Jersey's races and ethnicities.  

I like this. n/t (0.00 / 0)
And I would add, this would require getting way smarter than I think most infrastructural Dems are about who those young voters really are, how they communicate, and why they cleave far less to the established Party than their parents might have. (Recent events have probably driven far more of them from the Party).

The Republicans host their young voters, charge them up, inspire them and underwrite their involvement in party activities. We don't do that. They should be treated like the gold they are, especially the youngest part of that demographic.  

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

[ Parent ]
New ideas, new media and new voices (0.00 / 0)
It's great to be part of the Blue Jersey community and to hear back from so many of you already.  I had a feeling that if I asked for some advice here, I'd get it.  I'm reading them all and working to make them part of our new direction.

Our party must recognize and then speak to the well-earned cynicism and anxiety out there.  Your fresh ideas, enthusiasm and pledges of support can help start restoring the hope and confidence New Jersey voters yearn for.  I can't call-in tonight, but count on me to join the Blue Jersey Radio show in the coming weeks.

[ Parent ]
look for a post soon on how to reach younger voters (4.00 / 2)
I am one myself, and I've had frustration with how the party has tried to reach us before.  Thought you might like some input from an under 30 voter.

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...
[ Parent ]
Lollipops! j/k n/t (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
Not all of the ideas are fresh (0.00 / 0)
Some of them, we've been saying for years. Just sayin'.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  
[ Parent ]
Yup (0.00 / 0)
Many of these ideas go back to the Dean campaign in 2003 and were part of Governor Dean's run for DNC Chair in 2005 which became part of the DNC operating strategy between 2005 and 2009.

Some states implemented the infrastructure, opened up processes and began more directly engaging constituencies. Others,well......

[ Parent ]
Rosi's ideas (3.00 / 3)
I'd like to piggyback on what I think are three of Rosi's best ideas that do not require the NJDSC to venture outside of its box too far.  This is not to say that any of her ideas ask the NJDSC to change more than it is capable, but these are some of the easiest and most obvious reforms.

Get the Dem State Conference out of Atlantic City, and out of September
I'll say this as plainly as I can: It's insane to take 1,000 of the state's most passionate Dems out of play for a whole half-week just as the rest of the electorate is waking up to the fact that there are candidates running. Move the thing to late spring/early summer (after the non-partisan elections). Nothing against AC, but move it out of there or at least revolve it all over NJ.

Make it a grassroots event, not an insiders' schmoozefest.
Move it to a college campus.
Make it a convention, not a conference. Use the opportunity to develop platform, bump up training, and let the people in attendance help set the direction of the party by involving them in decision-making, platform-writing.
Make part of the convention open source. Some of the most exciting meetings in the country are run this way.

I think that this proposal and the one below it could be part and parcel of the same change.  In my opinion, there should be four NJDSC conferences/conventions/major events per year in March, June, September, and December respectively.

A December event in Northern New Jersey (Montclair State University?) could be the place for the celebration/consolation of November victories/defeats, the development of the party platform, and planning for the year to come or at the very least, the beginning of a process that could be completed by a March event.

In addition to providing a forum for the presentation and hopefully ratification of a party platform, a March event in Central New Jersey (Rutgers University) could be the place where the party's numerous caucuses that normally meet for an hour or less at the annual conference could meet for much longer as a kickoff for caucusing that could continue at the local and regional level throughout the year.  The same approach could be utilized for a launch of the party's campaign training programs.

A June event in Southern New Jersey (Atlantic City) could be the place where the party comes together to literally party, which tends to be the dominant aspect of the traditional NJDSC conference.  There is a time and place for everything and considering the contentious primary election season that 2011 could and should bring, this would be a good opportunity to rally, recharge, and unify in advance of the general election season to come.  It would also be a very good opportunity for the Trenton Democrats to provide the party faithful with a frame for budget negotiations that often reach a fever pitch around this same time of year, enabling participants to return to their communities with a coherent and cohesive message.

For the reasons described by Rosi, a September event could and should be less a singular statewide event and more a virtual, 21-county rally connected online.  An event like this could enable every county to highlight their best and brightest candidates for elected office, potentially attracting attention and support from outside the county, while presenting voters throughout the state with a message that is both diverse and unified. This event could take place over one day, three days (seven counties per day), or seven nights (three counties per night).

Give the party a platform Let the pro-choice ones battle the anti-choice side. Hash out differences on taxes. Make your stand clear on home rule. The party needs to stand for something, and voters need to see what that is. And not inconsequentially, active Democrats need a voice in setting your direction. That's their route in, how they can buy-in to who the New Jersey Democrats will be.

Transparency You have a nifty website. But it doesn't do enough. Publish the DNC bylaws, NJSDC bylaws and bylaws of every county party. Everybody needs to know the rules, and how to work them to get done what they want to. Knowing the rules levels the playing field, and if you want us to believe that Democratic is also democratic, you're going to want to level that field.

Post on your site every member of every Democratic County Committee and how to reach that person. This party should make it easy for Democrats to see who's supposed to be doing the work where they live, and if that person's unresponsive, then the party should make easy for someone to challenge and contribute that work.

AMEN.  The only thing that I would add is that such a list include vacancies and identifies municipal chairs.

LGBT people need to feel welcome in the NJDSC (4.00 / 2)
Right now there are zero "out" LGBT voting members of the NJDSC. To his credit, Joe Cryan, as Chair when so informed, appointed, on 2 separate occasions, an LGBT Deputy Vice Chair to at least recognize the LGBT community.

The voting members of the NJDSC come from the 21 counties and the Democratic Party's second most loyal constituency must be included at the city, county and state levels.

The DNC in 2008 added a new rule which applied to each of the state parties to require LGBT inclusion to reflect the LGBT vote. NJ county chairs need to get the message. We also need competent LGBT people to come out and step up!

Some posts were made regarding the lack of a platform, I think we can reasonably look at the DNC platform and that which was approved at the 2008 Convention. Some things we can do now, others are worthwhile goals.

What is really important is that we don't alienate or drive to ambivalence good Democratic Party voters and activists, as well as people for whom the Democratic Party actually seeks to represent, while the wing nuts and tea-baggers are energized, often against their own personal self interests.

Babs Casbar Siperstein
DNC Member
Deputy Vice Chair NJDSC

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

did any LGBT candidates run in SC elections last year? (0.00 / 0)
If the CDCs aren't giving the line to LGBT candidates, there is nothing keeping Stonewall Democrats or any other LGBT groups from running a slate of candidates off the line.  It is a tough route to take, especially during a year when there is no compelling statewide primary election, but that shouldn't prevent people from trying.

Fortunately, it looks like 2013 could provide us with a wide open gubernatorial primary election season and if all of the hopefuls are smart, they will be prepared to run opposition slates in the counties where they do not receive organizational support, creating lots of opportunities for primary election candidates at every level on the ballot.

[ Parent ]
Randy Bishop ran for Assembly in the 11th (0.00 / 0)
I'd love to see Randy run against Sean Kean for Senate next year. talk about class vs.  (fill in the blank)!

As far as State committee folks, Ed Zipprich, who is currently the Red Bank Democratic township chair, would be great. We could even have a woman from Monmouth as well on the SC, considering the LGBT Democratic vote in that county.

Hudson, Essex, Middlesex ,Bergen, Camden, Hunterdon and several others should reflect the LGBT votes in those respective counties.

Of course we need folks willing and able!

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

[ Parent ]
willing and able to run off the line if necessary (0.00 / 0)
Randy is a great guy and if he runs against Kean next year, I hope that he wins.  I don't know how many SC seats are allocated to Monmouth, but I am shocked that they couldn't give one of them to Ed.  Red counties like Monmouth cannot afford to NOT be inclusive.
[ Parent ]
Ahem (4.00 / 1)
Don't look for Hudson County to run anyone who isn't fully in their pockets.  While Sandra Cunningham and Brian Stack deserve credit for supporting ME, we have to remember that Little Nicky Sacco just couldn't bring himself to let gay people have any dignity at all.
[ Parent ]
Little Nicky (0.00 / 0)
the poor little ... what ... triple dipper? He seems to be entrenched.

Hudson has lots of supporters for M-E, Joan Quigley has been a supporter for years and the county even has had an out freeholder and perhaps the largest LGBT population in the state. There is a need for more people there to get involved and take advantage of the current situation.

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

[ Parent ]
Little Nicky (0.00 / 0)
the poor little ... what ... triple dipper? He seems to be entrenched.

Hudson has lots of supporters for M-E, Joan Quigley has been a supporter for years and the county even has had an out freeholder and perhaps the largest LGBT population in the state. There is a need for more people there to get involved and take advantage of the current situation.

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

[ Parent ]
May I? (4.00 / 3)
Do you mind some brutally honest feedback from an independent voter, with no personal offense intended?  I also want to move away from the abstract.

First, the honest: NJ Democrats are pathethically unprofessional.  Nine out of 10 seem to be either starry-eyed liberals or the power elites, neither of whom can see the constituency wholly or realistically.  Good won't prevail for good's sake, and neither will money and power guarantee long-term success.

You should study the fundamentals of Howard Dean's 50-state strategy to make EVERY race important, every race intended to win.  Not only does every race matter, but so does every VOTE in statewide candidates and referenda.  You have to stop conceding races before you've even sought a candidate.  (I saw yesterday that a group of progressives have posted an ad at Craig's List seeking candidates they can support -- good idea.)  

From what I've seen of Josh Zeitz, he is one of the rare ones between idealism and corruption.  Intelligent, professional, sharp-tongued.  We need to see 200 more candidates like that, not just ballot lines and people who bought nominations.

When I see the the DSC concede races by nominating people who won't get off their arses to campaign -- and, to be fair, get no state support for those campaigns -- it makes me as an independent wonder why I should care about any of your races anywhere.  What you do in the small picture affects your most important races, and visa versa, which is why so many coattailed on Obama, but expect that pendulum to swing right on back, just as hard if you don't take start paying some serious attention to enduring strategies.  Too often, neither I nor anyone I know (don't underestimate the 6 degrees of separation, the grapevine, etc.) has seen or heard from any Democrat during an election cycle, except maybe, maybe a stupid flyer in the mail on the last day.

Second, specifics.  

1) Get state and even national Dem support into Monmouth and Ocean counties, not that Sen. Menendez has set a successful example of how to do that.  The Dems have been completely gutless in rescuing us from corruption and political abuse here.  You need to turn around the stigma to being a Dem in South Jersey outside of Camden.

2)  To coin a phrase, "It's the media, Stupid!"  Take control of your own message and stop letting the Republicans define you.  You have to take on the Asbury Park Press, consistently and seriously.  You need to call them out for having party loyals including Managing Editor Gary Schoening and Lisa Kruse, longtime a key spokeswoman in Christie Whitman's inner circle, as a night editor writing biased headlines, editing copy to satisfy GOP sensibilities, and selecting stories with a jaundiced eye favoring and protecting people and businesses the GOP depend on.  Call them out for illogical endorsements and scheduling publication to deliberately double as GOP campaign flyer copy.  Demand equal time and equal space, and find competent op-ed and letter writers who can make rational positions and rebuttals (like Zeitz).

3)  Social networks MATTER! Blue Jersey is one of the best, most professional and most cohesive bases you have going, and your party has underappreciated that.  Here, people with like minds can gather without confines of time and distance.  You MUST get more bloggers operating, separately and networked into BlueJ, and get them into places like Ocean County where people can rarely find similar voices in actual public.  

Working with many GOP loyals, I've observed that their virtual-world warriors already are in action, synchronized like a fine orchestra, with daily talking points and spins and diversions posted as comments on news stories, in Gannett pubs and Star-Ledger, in particular.  Many times, especially with the APP, the news report is so lame that it's easy for the crazies to create not just their own meme but a whole new set of facts!  The average reader doesn't fully understand that these "newspapers" don't screen out garbage.  People believe that if the paper didn't remove it, it must have the paper's seal of approval.  

You should, seriously, re-educate media consumers what intelligent, objective journalism is, and what it is not -- not Rutgers' shame James O'Keefe and gay hooker James "Jeff Gannon" Guckert, self-proclaimed "investigative journalists."

Third, let me reiterate other points made, such as self-purging the ethics embarrassments. But, especially, YOUTH, YOUTH, YOUTH.  I don't think it can be emphasized enough that the Dems need to help college and high school students express left-leaning political interests.  

I don't mean merely putting cash in Young Dem Clubs (although that would be a nice start), but it's also in organizing chapters of NOW, Feminist Majority, Boy Scouts for Gay Rights, Junior State of America, model U.N. (to GOP, that's like holding a gold cross to a vampire), GLT Alliance, Young Sierra-like Clubs, Singles Groups, etc.

Think big.  Working with young voters and near-voters and using endless online potential, you don't need big money.  You need inspiration, leadership, and creativity -- and daily communication of relevant facts about topics in the news.

Youth, Youth, Youth (0.00 / 0)
Jim,
You bring up a great point! "Young Democrats" are a recognized constituency of the DNC, but is not organized as far as I can see here in NJ.
We do have Democrats 2000 which has done a great job in grooming young Democrats for office holding and training, but we do need more youth and more ways of attracting and keeping young people involved  on a full statewide 21 county big-tent basis.

We need to see more College Democrats involved as well, and help organize them and bring them on as part of the infrastructure.

Babs

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

[ Parent ]
Agree (0.00 / 0)

But I wasn't just getting at organizing and grooming future politicians.

Moreover, I was talking about nurturing young voters  interested in issues in the Democratic platform.  People who share interests and opinions need an outlet to socialize and articulate, to create ways to have an impact, a voice in America's policy choices.  They don't have to want to be politicians to be vital to success of Dem politicians, for a lifetime if the Dems can demonstrate continued integrity and agility in governing.

[ Parent ]
Exactly right -- we need young policy professionals and experts (4.00 / 1)
and not just the "starry eyed" liberals you refer to --- which btw I think you are exactly right about.

The state party needs to figure out ways of supporting and developing progressive and liberal professionals & subject matter experts who are engaged in intractable and contentious policy issues like municipal reform, municipal consolidation, development, watershed planning, coastal protection, affordable housing, suburban public transit and the like.

If we focus just on grooming wannabe politicians we've already lost the game.  

[ Parent ]
That's actually my career goal (4.00 / 1)
I'm applying to Masters programs in public policy and hope to start that next January

http://outspokenliberal.blogsp...
[ Parent ]
If you're applying to Rutgers (0.00 / 0)
Make sure you apply for one of the Eagleton Fellowships.  
[ Parent ]
Are you talking about a Democratic equivalent (0.00 / 0)
to the Heritage Society? or more like the Democracy for America (DFA)?

I wholeheartedly agree that we must nurture young and future policy makers and voters, but don't you think that they need to have some connection to the legislators to put those ideas in motion and be able to feel in some way empowered and part of the process!

We also must realize that we are a bigger tent than the republicans!

Babs

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

[ Parent ]
BTW ... (0.00 / 0)

Another specific:  I think "the party of no" is an accurate slogan that is sticking in the public conciousness about the GOP in general.  You need a Frank Lutz-type who can take the daily news and point to examples of it to criticize GOP legislators.

Especially as elections draw near, it might persuade a couple of them to give you the votes to enact serious changes the public wants.  

If the Dems can point to real ethics reform laws, for example, instead of nebulous inches here and inches there that don't translate to anything to the public, then maybe Dems can win because they are better at governing and not just depend on old, declining power bases.

Ultimately, you have to prove you govern better, and communicate that.

[ Parent ]
Thanks for the laugh (0.00 / 0)
Menendez stand up to corruption in Ocean and Monmouth?  What do you think goes on in Hudson?
[ Parent ]
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