To the Next Chair of the DNC

The Grassroots takes a page from Mary Poppins.

Concerning the hiring of their new governess, the Banks siblings in “Mary Poppins” sang a heartfelt request:

Never be cross or cruel
Never give us castor oil or gruel …
If you don’t scold or dominate us
We will never give you cause to hate us...

The position of the grassroots vis a vis the choice of a new Democratic National Committee chair is uncomfortably similar. Here we are with much at stake. We have no reason to trust that the party will take the grassroots into account on their own. Therefore, following the example of Jane and Michael Banks, the Grassroots Connector decided to create a job description for the position by contacting several activists for their input. Below is a job description for DNC candidates that prioritizes the grassroots. We hope all candidates will listen.

THE DNC CHAIR SHOULD COMMIT TO:

Opening lines of communication with all groups that make up the Democratic family.

Making the DNC more transparent by publishing a complete and up-to-date list of its voting members.

Establishing “Grassroots Coordinator” as an official position on the DNC Executive Board and convening monthly town halls for dialogue with volunteers.

Reviewing the track record of current chairs and consulting with state party groups to field new leaders, particularly where chairs have poor track records.

Reporting quarterly on fundraising and spending.

Halting the selling of donor lists to anyone.

Presenting a clear plan for strengthening Democratic branding, messaging, and fundraising by appointing a task force of Democrats with proven talents in media/messaging, and allocating a serious budget to build a media strategy that reflects the current media landscape with an aim towards developing a counterweight to the world of rightwing media.

Renouncing shrill, hyperbolic, and scam solicitations in digital fundraising. “Hey, this is Chuck Schumer!” got sooo old. Such crass and transparent pitches must have turned off more donors than they gathered.

Developing a DNC Research Institute to improve messaging and fundraising, especially to better understand when and where to allocate funds.

Demonstrating a robust network of connections for developing and supporting new leadership and candidates.

Making funds available for year round operations in rural areas, in every state.

Conducting a comprehensive review of the Democratic technology stack, including a report on how core voting platforms came to be owned by an overseas private equity fund.

Making a plan to ensure that core technology is owned and maintained by the Democratic Party and its allies.

Ensuring that Democratic tools and data are interoperable and secure.

If we can’t have Mary Poppins, we can at least agree that:

If you welcome our participation
You will have our admiration

Let's assemble a team of workers
Who are never seen as shirkers

Together we can reform the party
To ensure Democracy remains hardy.

By Susan Wagner and Martha Merson

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