Progressive Populist Caucus
"The democratic wing of the Texas Democratic Party"

These reform ideas have been developed by our Caucus Strategy Committee in discussions with County Chairs, SDEC members and with members of our Caucus:

• Create a Reform Commission to guide the Party through a top to bottom reform process
• Clarify the relationship between the SDEC and County Chairs, particularly but not limited to campaign season
• Regionalization of communications within the State Party
• Creation of SDEC Campaign Committee-perhaps adding County Chair representation
• More County Chair participation in Party Strategic Planning
• Immediate focus group discussions with County Chairs on their party-building and grassroots development needs
• State Party provide the County chairs more grassroots development materials from the best data sources, such as precinct by precinct frequent voter lists, walk lists, telephone lists, mail and email lists
• State Party provide training programs (including seminars, videos, audio tapes, written materials on grassroots mobilization for the County Chairs; train trainers within the Counties
• State Party provide County Chairs and local candidates with best quality targeted mailing lists, including localized, but Statewide data base of Dem. Voter lists, for local implementation including content and graphics, printing, mailing services
• Print ad and newsletter templates with Democratic themes (issues) but for local customization
• Statewide sponsored issues polling, demographic studies and Democratic voter focus groups, but with localized adjustment to allow for issues difference by region
• Statewide sponsored think tanks on Democratic issues (ie: using local university academics with issues expertise). Pull best and brightest from around the state together in think tanks.
• Statewide Democrat expert speakers on key platform items, dispatched for meeting and press briefings in local areas
• Idea sharing among top performing clubs, recognized by the State Party for unique accomplishments and pulled together for idea generation
• New resident mailings statewide inviting involvement with the local Party as well as voter registration
• Statewide but localized new resident lists supplied to County Chairs for voter registration
• Database assistance by State Party to transform new voter registration lists into turnout/GOTV lists for campaigns
• Lower cost counterpart to Sustaining Member campaign for lower income people
• Simplified operating instructions for clubs on how clubs can make contributions and create PACs
• Clarify Senate District Chair and SDEC objectives and empower them with duties during non-convention periods
• Create guidelines for local and Statewide Democratic Candidates and their consultants to comply with basic loyalty to the Party and its platform in exchange for their use of the Party’s name and reputation
• Create channel for local volunteers interested in working on State Party committees and projects
• Help from State Party in filling local precinct chair vacancies
• Create a statewide email network and 24 hour telephone hotline; a discussion site dedicated to County Chairs and Party Chair; secure grants to fund email capability to those County Chairs without it
• Provide support to all Counties with a Web site template and technical support
• Develop a program to assist County Chairs in reintegrating Democrat elected office holders into support for the local Party and its activities
• A pro bono committee of media/communications experts advising the SDEC Finance Committee on appropriate use of campaign consultants
• Create process whereby Platform Committee is informed by resolutions from Party activists in their deliberations and broaden grassroots participation in Platform writing in advance of Convention, including platform hearings scheduled around the State
• Redefine Precinct Chair duties and responsibilities to include voter mobilization