Thurston County Democrats

Thank you again PCO's and Party for the opportunity to speak last night...but more importantly thanks for your service. I committed the cardinal sin of public advocacy speaking last night by running out of time before I was done - and before I even got to my main points. I am using this forum because I believe these points are criticial. Also, after being there last night, I think now even more so. Now is truly crucial time. While it may now be cliché, it is certainly true. Two things make it so: 1) Election of the first black president who wrote a different “book” by including people heretofore not part of the system AND giving reason to all that their voice matters, and 2)This is the first opportunity, in many years, to make the BOCC a source of engagement and for confidence for the community. This is true now more than ever with the revelations about the way our City Council has been functioning. More on that below. All important issues are, I believe, secondary – impact fees, GMA, water resources, jail space, the budget, etc. There is no question that we cannot even seek, much less achieve any of the major changes we need without the public's support. The primary issue is the faith and confidence of the public. Democracy’s founders knew – they couldn’t get their people to go to war for their country without the “consent of the governed”. We are at a very low point in confidence and faith of the public at this time - both government generally, and the political parties specifically (see the recent fight over the primary). There are lots of reasons for further disengagement by the public: Spitzer, Blagovich, earmarks, pay-to-play, etc. There are those who confuse money as comittment and forget that Democracy is like our brain, it requires constant work and exercise. While it may be interesting to some how much money someone gave to D candidates, it misses the point about what is truly important. Where is the recitation of how much service one has given to Democracy? Locally, we get lazy because we are in a democratic town with many government employees. There are those who are conveying to the public that politics and policy making are an inside ballgame, telling those who come to public hearings that they should talk to the hand, as they use electronic devices instead of listening and engaging with the public. They have been conducting themselves in ways for which they would be fired if they were most public employees. What the City Council memebers have done, and continue to do through their action and comments, does tremendous damage to not only them but instead we are all painted by the same brush as far as the public is concerned. We have likely gone backwards 20 years as many in the public believe that what they most feared is true: policy makers don't listen, at best, and already have thier minds made up and are arrogant with "power" at worst. Either way participating in our Democratic system is a waste of their time. The Party and the BOCC can’t turn it around by itself but it can lead by acting. It can, and should: Valuing diversity – giving everyone in or community reason to believe their voice will be heard and they too can aspire to serve the public. Defining experience correctly – while it’s important it’s not only, or maybe even most important factor – vision, energy and leadership and capacity and willingness to learn are more the really important qualities of a true leader. Including all voices – not necessarily agreeing but truly listening and involving wide array of public. Leadership is getting people to do things. Effective leadership is getting people to do the right things. The effective leader must convince people to leave the ideal state and do things they would not otherwise do. The Party should help lead by publically denouncing unDemocratic behavior - from whomever it may come. It should welcome all voices, not just those with whom it is familiar, and it should advance the candiacies of all those, whatever gender, color, national origin, experiential background or religious belief who will be bold, creative and truly inspire and engage the public.