Texas Democrats reject primary resolutions of marriage equality, anti-death penalty, and

[PDittie]

marijuana decriminalization. In yesterday's quarterly Senate District Executive Committee meeting these resolutions were proposed for the March primary ballot, and defeated by substantial margins of the 62 members of the SDEC.

(A resolution in support of casino gambling was passed.)

I have posted my thoughts at the Burnt Orange Report live-blog thread:

You know, they're just non-binding resolutions. The electorate in March's primary would decide whether they represented a 'sense of the party'.

You never see the SREC debating whether or not to stand up for their values (sic).

What the opposing SDEC members said, essentially, is: "we're too scared to even be associated with supporting Texas Democrats' right to vote on these, never mind actually standing up and supporting the values themselves". The irony w.r.t. to the party's argument against photo ID legislation is lost, obviously.

This is classic liberal versus conservative stuff here, not urban-rural. It's the same quarreling that motivated JFK to visit Texas in November of 1963; to calm the dispute between Connally and Yarborough in time for the '64 election. It's the same tussle that's been going in the Texas Democratic Party all of my life. It's really not so much a chronological divide, as Glen and Susan (Maxey and Bankston, in the comments at the BOR thread) have already demonstrated. I'm 53 FWIW.

Liberal v. conservative, progressive v. ... inert, I suppose is the best word. But it's also about being brave enough to fight for your values, no matter the odds.

It's time to clean all of the cowards off the SDEC. Past time actually. The sad thing is that it can't come soon enough to save the Democrats' chances in 2012.

A non-binding resolution supporting OWS never got out of committee, I take it? Another epic fail.

These votes yesterday are exactly the sort of message that could -- and should -- give tremendous momentum to the Texas Green Party.

I would like to get a sense of Texas DUers on this. Do you think the SDEC made a practical, politically expedient decision for the sake of down-ballot Democrats in rural counties -- sheriff, municipal judge, etc.? Or do you think that the TDP has abandoned progressive values in favor of conservative ones once again? Or something else?

I would also ask that you recommend this thread to the Greatest page so that non-Texas-forum visiting Texas DUers will see it and weigh in. I would wish that only Texas DUers give their opinion, but realize that non-Texan Democrats can't be banned from commenting.

[sonias]

1. WTF?

I've just had a chance to read this post, here and on BOR. I think I'm with Glen Maxey on this one - our generation needs to step aside and let the slightly younger generation take control. Too many people from my generation (baby boomers) are continuing to take us down the wrong path. And then they try to be so condescending about it "we know what's best for you".

How many times do they have to hear the message "When you give people a choice between Republican and Republican lite, the voters are going to vote Republican every time".

You don't make any progress by following behind someone who won't lead.

:mad:

[efhmc]

2. Where exactly are these "young" liberals?

The only progressives I know are well over 50.

[sonias]

3. Some of them are on BOR

The "kids" that run BOR are all under 35. And they are very progressive. And they are very active too. Lots of them get involved in campaigns and campaign work. It's not all talk. There have to be others in every county in Texas but we're not going to "attract" them to get involved in a stodgy TDP. If we keep doing the same thing over and over and expect to get different results then we're the crazy ones.

We have to connect with the young political activists in our party differently. And it takes young people to speak to young people.

That's just my two cents on the start of this effort. I don't have any answers either but I do know we're doing it wrong for the future hope of this party and this state.

:shrug:

[efhmc]

4. None of the oldies that I know have any use for the

powers that be in the Dem. party. Same old same old. Ridiculous!