What would Eleanor think?

Is the NHDP on the right path?

Let’s compare three events: the NH Democratic State Convention (10/18), No Kings (10/18) and the NH Eleanor Roosevelt Dinner (11/14) because they offer clear lessons to candidates without well-recognized names or party positions and they teach the public about our politics. They also matter to those of us challenging the Republican Free State government in Concord and the fascists in Washington.

Also, congrats to all of last night’s winning teams in Concord, Nashua, Manchester, Rochester, Dover, and in so many other places! There are no consolation prizes for those who didn’t win but your hard work also is appreciated.

The NH Democratic Party Convention

The convention was held at an auditorium at St. Anselm’s College. I got there early to snag a choice parking spot for my pick-up truck so the Congressional candidate I support could use the tailgate to hand out coffee and cider donuts and snag a few potential voters.

Christian Urrutia is a good, smart, caring candidate. It comes through when he talks with people. The more access he gets, the better he’ll do in the primary. Even though I was there two hours early, the young staff of the Shaheen and Pappas campaigns were there since five to set up tables and plant signs near the door, an activity the rest of us were told was off limits. The young people were giddy with lack of sleep. They were fun to watch. The Pappas campaign also rented a video sign board truck that lethargically circled the campus parking lots. The colors of the video reminded me of a garish act in a tattered circus.

The convention was delayed a few times. There were rumors of an important keynote speech but one didn’t materialize. There was no keynote. In-person turnout of delegates was also grossly underwhelming.

Controversy

But for one item of controversy, the party leaders acted as if they were just going through the motions. The controversy surrounded amendments to the party’s constitutional bylaws that were hotly contested. The most important amendments expanded the group of voters eligible to select the party chair and other members of leadership.

The chair of the party, Ray Buckley, is not a unifier. After sustaining multiple years of embarrassing election losses at the state level, he’s been challenged for leadership in the last couple of party elections; once by Emmett Soldati, a young activist and small businessman, and a second time by Mat Stover, a Rockingham County party chair and retired NYNEX executive. Both lost 2-1. The losses were predictable because Mr. Buckley appoints two thirds of the members of the state committee who then vote for him. Every vote cast is made public. Voters actually fear retribution.

The fight over the amendments to the party bylaws was full of insider intrigue. Anyone who was a delegate was eligible to vote. There were about 1300 delegates. Most of the county chairs supported an amendment to expand the state committee to include all the elected Democratic state reps while they are in office. Another amendment added town committee chairs. Mr. Buckley doesn’t control either group. Their addition makes his re-election less certain.

The process of amendment requires prior approval by a rules committee and both amendments were surprisingly recommended for approval, barely. A number of people worked very hard to win this recommendation. To the surprise of the majority of the rules committee and the amendment proponents, the call to order for the convention that was emailed to every delegate included a “minority report” with all the arguments against the amendments. The “minority report” was written by NHDP legal counsel Bill Christie who is appointed by Mr. Buckley. The majority of the rules committee and the amendment proponents did not know in advance about the minority report. They weren’t asked to prepare a majority report with their arguments. Opponents of the amendments knew about the report and issued an email with their arguments immediately after the call to convention was issued. It was a coordinated MailChimp one-two punch.

Voting for or against the amendments happened online before and at the convention. Mr. Buckley saw the votes as they came in. He called allies and whipped the vote as it was happening.

Although there was plenty of talk about harmony and the need to win back the state house, there was an undercurrent at the convention circulating while reports were given and those holding elective office gave their updates. And then, the convention officially closed.

Mr. Buckley walked to the center of the stage and announced, “The convention is now closed. The candidates will now speak.” While I understand what Buckley’s rationale might have been, the juxtaposition was stunning. It raised the question of what the party cares about. There were two candidates for governor, one challenger for Congress in CD-2, three candidates for the open senate seat, and it felt like dozens running for Congress in CD-1.

There were only about 50 people left in the audience to hear the speeches of these earnest candidates. Did they have new bold ideas? Were the candidates engaging speakers with interesting backstories? Hardly anyone will know.

The amendment vote was announced the following Monday. The amendment package passed over the objection of the chair and his supporters by a 509 to 286 margin. About 500 delegates did not vote. I assume the majority of these were “yes” voters who didn’t want to be on record. It feels like everyone knows how everyone voted. It’s disheartening to have this fracture so open and clear two weeks before important municipal elections while so much evil is happening at the state and federal level.

No Kings

Christian and I left the convention and drove to Concord to a huge, energetic No Kings rally that had overtaken the entire downtown. As depressing as the convention was; Concord was joyous. There was music everywhere. People talked and smiled and hugged. Inflatable frogs and unicorns were everywhere. Who knew I had so many aunts named Tifa? This is where the energy for change was that day.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Dinner

A month after the NHDP’s failed convention, the NHDP will hold its Eleanor Roosevelt Dinner at a swank hotel in Nashua. Senator Cory Booker will be the keynote speaker. Tickets for the dinner start at $150 a pop. However, if you want a good seat and access to the party’s major donors, you can spend $1000 for “priority seating” and access to a private reception with Booker. If you spend $2500 for a ticket, you get even better “premiere seating” with access to the reception and the chairman will call out your name from the stage.

The dinner invitations for priority and premiere seating were sent to Democrats at a time when SNAP benefits are frozen and healthcare subsidies are gone and the affordability of almost everything is on everyone’s mind. It’s a time when many of us are trying to make clear the president’s loathsome “let them eat cake” approach to governing. It’s when we are pointing out the corrupt policy choices that led to a millionaire and billionaire class. While Democrats bemoan the impact of money in politics and Citizens United, this for-profit fundraising dinner feels like the wrong way to raise needed money for the party to operate.

I am not naïve but perhaps standing for something would attract more support than a for-profit dinner. I am sure Eleanor Roosevelt wouldn’t mind a spirited potluck to raise funds for campaigns.

The Book Talk Continues

I’ll be speaking at the Education Law Center’s national conference for school funding litigators this week. I’m on a panel with our lead counsel Michael Jaoude.

November 17th at 6pm, I’ll be speaking at the Nashua Public Library. Come say hello.