The Licking County Progressives

Agenda for Monthly Progressive Business Meeting

11/7/17

7-7:30pm (7:30-9pm = Election Night Party!)

24 Mill St., Newark, OH

• Introduction / Fair Districts = Fair Elections Update  (5 Mins. 7:00-7:05)
• Summer of Labor Update (10 Mins. 7:05-7:15)
• Miscellaneous (15 Mins. 7:15-7:30)
• Adjourn (7:30)

Review of Progressive Meeting

10/3/17

• We discussed the progress for the Fair Districts Fair Elections effort: we have advised the local effort’s steering committee (based on our experience in collecting signatures) that polling locations are excellent places to get good signatures, and more counties have reportedly met their signature thresholds.
• We discussed party/system reform beyond the issue of gerrymandering: noted that an open primary would be preferable (highlighted how it works in California and other states and how James Madison and the other founders established a nonpartisan system via our Constitution), in conjunction with the gerrymandering issue a partisan system produces an atmosphere where representatives adhere more to the will of their donors than the people’s or even their respective parties and that there is an exorbitant amount of time expended on raising money instead of reaching out to constituents, there are currently several ongoing efforts to bring reform to the party which will benefit everyone, one key issue is that the party must do more to establish a genuine choice for the people, presently the party is bogged down with discussing/promoting issues or causes that the average person doesn’t prioritize (in other words, noneconomic issues).
• Continued reform discussion: we’ve allowed the people to be convinced that the tax debate is too complex, we must revitalize the party’s “backbone” in fighting for the working class (stop with the abstract issues, focus less on long meetings and direct more short activist briefings, acknowledge that the revolution is still coming and figure out how to shift it towards a progressive direction, fight for automatic voter registration, fight for Election Day as a holiday, and expand early voting with a special emphasis on assisting essential workers such as police, nurses, firefighters, etc. in their need for an opportunity to vote), the party must do a better job of supporting the activism of supporters and supporting organizations (where were they on Democracy Day? Where’s the visible, in-person support for all the candidates and all the important issues?).
• Democracy Day 2017 was briefly discussed. We will begin planning/promoting for 2018 Democracy Day sooner. More time will be spent talking about the solutions instead of just outlining the problems.
• We discussed the influence of big money in ethanol’s history as well as marijuana’s and how the future looks for both of those issues as well as similar fights.
• Summer of Labor discussed: letters have been prepared (and have since been mailed out) to local labor leaders asking for their assistance in developing this program. Further discussion on Summer of Labor: we must convey that labor issues are family issues, stability in life is “pro-life”, the Republican Party is pro-division, even the abortion issues is defined in large part by economics.
• Discussion on growing our membership: more short and fun events in the mold of campaign-style events, seasonally-themed events, voter registration drives, canvassing activism, less emphasis on fundraisers and more outreach to the community.