An Open Letter to the Democratic Party: A 12-Step Plan to Meaningful Reform

HootHootBerns
Jul 22, 2017 · 5 min read

Dear Democrats:

Clearly, you are still having trouble with this “reform” thing. Allow me to help you. Below, I propose the following modest steps to reform your party and its image into something Americans will more likely support and be willing to rejoin. While I doubt you will implement many, if any, of the below steps, I hope you will at least consider them and prove me wrong in light of your recent losses (in seats and overall membership) and continued trouble in understanding, let alone accepting, what went wrong in 2016.

1. CONFESS YOUR SINS, by admitting, once and for all, that the 2016 primary was unjustly rigged, WITHOUT RETRACTION. A candidate running for DNC chair should not have to delete their confession within minutes of airing it on Twitter, as in the case of Tom Perez.

2. CONFESS YOUR SINS, PT. 2: admit to other recent instances of rigging — including the DNC chair race (where Iowan party members were threatened with the loss of their first-in-the-nation primary status if they did not vote for Perez), the CA Democratic chair race (where fraudulent votes were entered to help Bauman defeat Ellis), and other instances of unfair and uncouth manipulation within the party to favor insiders and elites over the progressive base.

3. DENOUNCE RIGGING AND “RIGHT TO RIG”, IMPLEMENT NEW RULE: Future internal elections (including party positions AND all primary races at all levels) will be subject to independent audit upon request, wherever and whenever feasible. Any irregularities discovered (and can be verified, if not discovered as a result of such an audit) automatically shall nullify the election in question and trigger a new one. Any member found to help tamper with an election (including submission of fraudulent ballots, aiding voter suppression, among many others) shall be summarily ejected from the party apparatus.

4. IMMEDIATELY CEASE ACCEPTANCE OF CORPORATE/PAC/SUPER PAC MONEY. In doing so, you will stand out from your Republican opponents, and begin to repair your party’s brand and perception to the average voter. When the average voter sees you are taking corporate money the same way Republicans are, it gives the sense you have also been “bought” and so won’t listen to their concerns (nor their votes). This demoralizes voters into believing neither party is listening — dampening enthusiasm and turnout as a result.

5. ASK ALL DEMOCRATS TO SIGN A PLEDGE TO NO LONGER ACCEPT CORPORATE/PAC/SUPER PAC MONEY. This is key, along with step 4, in repairing your party’s image to the average voter, and setting yourself apart from Republicans, by again demonstrating you are there to represent your voters — not many of the same interests Republicans also accept donations from.

6. ALL CURRENT LEADERSHIP MUST GO. WE NEED A NEW START. Tom Perez must immediately resign from DNC Chair. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer must also step down from their current minority leader posts.

7. SUPERDELEGATES MUST GO, AT ALL PARTY LEVELS. ALL delegates must be pledged.

8. NO MORE LOBBYISTS/PAC/SUPER PAC DELEGATES. A party member is not qualified to operate as ANY delegate, nor participate in any counting of ballots or poll management work (in the case of party positions and all other votes conducted “in-house”), if the member is a lobbyist, works for a lobbying firm, or works for a PAC/Super PAC.

9. NEW LEADERSHIP MEANS NEW IDEAS. In addition to no longer accepting corporate/PAC/Super PAC money, new leadership should reflect the progressive party base. Examples would include Bernie Sanders, Nina Turner, or Tulsi Gabbard. More “moderate” options might even include Keith Ellison, Elizabeth Warren, or Ro Khanna, in the case of House/Senate minority leadership, but the DNC chair should and MUST represent strong progressive, independent leadership reflective of Bernie, Nina, or Tulsi.

10. IMMEDIATELY BEGIN WORK ON A NEW PLATFORM. This platform should fully embrace progressive goals — including ending Citizens United and other forms of corrupting money and bribery in politics, Medicare for All, combatting climate change (including a ban on fracking), $15 minimum wage, nixing corporate tax loopholes, end the drug war, criminal justice reform, cut interventionist warfare, etc. ALL such ideas should explain how we intend to achieve these goals in a way that is clear and concise to the average voter.

11. OPEN ALL PRIMARIES. ALL primaries and caucuses SHALL welcome in independents, and even curious Republicans and third party registrants, to participate in the process. We’re a party that’s supposed to represent the 99%, the working class, the every day common man — it’s about time we acted like it, instead of hiding behind fears of who the unwashed masses might select.

12. TAKE THE NEW PLATFORM TO THE STREETS. Knock on “every damn door” and reach out to all 50 states. Spread awareness online and via social media, rather than cushy fundraisers (we can fundraise from the 99%, once we’ve regained their respect) and old-school, overpriced TV ads. Make abundantly clear what it is we stand FOR, rather than against. Tell everyone about our new leadership, our new platform, our dumping of corporate money and interest in rigging. But most importantly, tell everyone the major planks of our new platform and how we WILL ensure it is enacted upon, rather than simply paid lip service. Please DO primary us out if we’re not ACTING, instead of simply talking! We’ve opened up the primaries to make it easier for you to keep us in check! And if it turns out to be rigged, we’ll redo it!

By implementing the above, you will help to make clear to the average voter that, finally, you are willing to begin listening to them and addressing their concerns, rather than ignoring them or, worse, seeming to look down on them. You will begin to repair your brand and image by addressing some of the things most damaging to that image — including taking corporate money and willingness to rig elections in favor of the party establishment — while shutting out outside voices and interest. Your new leadership will represent the vast majority of Americans and their interests, rather than the ways of old — a fresh start for the party under a New New Deal.

You’ll soon find that you won’t need corporate money once the average American believes the Democratic Party is on their side again. As you regain their trust, the money will start to come in — $27 at a time. But more importantly, you will gain enthusiasm, turnout, and votes for your party again — more enthusiasm and support than Republicans will be able to suppress.

If you wish to again win seats in 2018, I strongly suggest you begin implementation of these reforms NOW, rather than waiting for a commission, approval from corporate donors, poll testers, consultants, or focus groups. Our future, our planet, our country, and our very Constitution are at stake.

Thanks for reading,

A concerned American

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