Platform Progress

The Democratic Party is beginning to take its platform seriously. That development may help us rebuild the Party into an activist organization that fights for its platform year-round.

When I discuss that possibility with my taxi passengers, they respond enthusiastically.

Last night, Bernie Sanders, in his address to more than 200,000 supporters, said:

I look forward, in the coming weeks, to continue discussions between the two campaigns to make certain that your voices are heard and that the Democratic Party passes the most progressive platform in its history and that Democrats actually fight for that agenda. I also look forward to working with Secretary Clinton to transform the Democratic Party so that it becomes a party of working people and young people, and not just wealthy campaign contributors (emphases added).

This year’s drafting process is a step in the direction of full, deliberate participation. A series of public hearings are being held to elicit testimony and Democrats have been invited to submit written testimony, as did I with "To the Drafting Committee: Build a Strong Party."

In an unprecedented move, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) invited the losing candidate, Sanders, to place a significant number of members on the platform drafting committee. In addition, the DNC itself placed on that committee other Democrats who have strong progressive credentials.

On June 15, concerning the drafting process, the New Republic concluded:

The platform is only as powerful as those willing to use it, and last week’s events suggest great interest in making it a foundational document rather than an afterthought. In the short term, the platform can build a peace between Sanders and Clinton. In the long term, it’s how lasting change gets forged (emphases added).

Bernie's commitment to help transform the Democratic Party into an organization that fights for its platform reinforces that possibility.

No doubt, as the New Republic detailed in “The Split,” the Party faces “a series of deep and growing fissures among Democrats, along a wide range of complex fault lines—from age and race to gender and ideology.” But as Hillary has said, those differences largely concern means, not ends.

Bernie’s simple soundbites worked well for his campaign. But as Mark Schmitt argued in a New York Times op-ed, the issues are complicated. Formulating agreement on policy positions will require sophistication and flexibility. Hopefully, Bernie and his supporters will demonstrate those skills, which does not preclude some votes at the convention.

By reminding one another of how rank-and-file Democrats agree on basic long-term goals and values, hopefully we can keep our differences in context, and compromise concerning short-term methods. Then, over the course of the next four years, we can study the issues, follow developments, and engage in the drafting of the next platform.

Those who fail this year can push their position during the next cycle and perhaps prevail then. Regardless, without anyone violating any of their core principles, hopefully most Democrats will be largely supportive of the platform that emerges, without discounting the value of angry gadflies and other approaches.

Then, with a resolve not to forget about the platform after the convention, Democrats can experiment with ways to fight for that platform.

Here, here, and here, I’ve argued for developing precinct-based clubs that would enable neighbors to work together to build the Party. That effort could nurture face-to-face community, which could help fill a void that is growing in modern society. By addressing that and other local needs, the Party could help expand its base of active members, who could learn from one another how to become more effective activists. They could, for example, study and discuss the platform throughout the year so they could better discuss it with others.

A few weeks ago I proposed to Democratic clubs in San Francisco that they engage in year-round precinct organizing and “encourage the entire Democratic Party to do the same.” Two days ago, the District Five Democratic Club, which covers my neighborhood, told me that they “would be interested in working together on this effort” and invited me to attend their next meeting and “discuss your goals and plans.”

That response is encouraging. Hopefully the club will ask the San Francisco Democratic Party to undertake ongoing precinct organizing. If potential participants know that the project is a city-wide effort to establish a model that could spread nationwide, they might be more likely to participate.

One thoughtful friend has advised that we focus on defeating Trump and “when that's done, get back to movement-building.” He said he does not see “a long-term call increasing get-out-the-vote efforts between now and November.”

I disagree. I believe a positive, longer-term vision could inspire many currently inactive people to participate more than a narrow, negative, short-term focus on defeating Trump. That is especially true if Trump continues to self-destruct. (His chances of winning on Predictwise, which is highly reliable, has fallen from 40% to 25%.)

It’s not either/or. Self-organizing precinct clubs need not require major funding or take away from other efforts. Rather, by attracting inactive people with an inspiring vision, it could increase available person-hours. Moreover, with crowdfunding appeals for financial contributions to specifically support year-round precinct organizing, people who relate to this particular idea might provide the minimal required funding.

By focusing heavily on the next election, Democrats have neglected building a real Party that can help them win future elections. As with businesses and personal lives, this short-term focus on immediate gratification ultimately undermines growth.

Though it can be improved, the Democratic Party structure is already remarkably democratic. If like-minded people forge enough unity and assert themselves within that structure, we can transform the Party into an activist organization that fights for its platform and serves local needs year-round.

The 2016 platform may be a tool to enhance that transformation.