SDEC Meeting Report January 2003
By Stan Merriman - Date: 2003-01-17 15:16:30

A Report on the January 15, 2003 SDEC Meeting from the Progressive Populist Caucus

The SDEC convened for the first time since the November election. Our PPC Caucus was well represented with approximately 20 members present wearing very visible name tags, ?Party Reform Now? tags and hold signs in the gallery with the same theme and ?working the room?.

The first meeting impacting our work was the 8 am Resolutions Committee, considering Juan Maldonado’s (Vice Chair) resolution for the Chair to step down. It was disqualified on a procedural issue, based on the false assertion that it called for removal rather than resignation and need not meet procedural criterion for this action by the SDEC.

The PPC resolution on resignation, submitted by Jesse Martin, was debated in this committee for referral to the full SDEC body and defeated unanimously. However, an alternative resolution was submitted by SDEC member Cumming ?lauding? MBM’s work which allowed debate in the full body later in the morning.

The PPC resignation resolution was submitted by Jesse Martin again and debate was robust. Many observed that this was the first significant debate held in SDEC proceedings in many years. 10 courageous SDEC members voted in favor of the resolution: Maldonado, Vice Chair, Mary Bowles-Grijalva, Juanita Valdez Cox, Adrian Fernandez, Gary Horton(PPC member), Jo McCall, Nancy Machen(PPC member), Jesse Martin(PPC member),Ann Marie Schroeder(PPC Officer) Philip Ruiz. 77 voted to support MBM.

Our two reform resolutions also submitted by Jesse Martin, dealing with decentralizing certain aspects of the State Party and empowering the SDEC with a stronger role in overseeing statewide campaign organization and activity were not sent to the floor by the Resolutions Committee because the Parliamentarian ruled that they, in her opinion, impacted party rules and were not submitted through the Rules Committee.

On the positive side, PPC member Van Os was asked by the Chair of the Grassroots Committee to join the Committee. We agreed and this represents a significant inroad and victory for our Caucus. Nancy Machen, PPC and SDEC member was also assigned to this key Committee. Eva Howe, PPC member is also on that Committee as is Frank Ortega, PPC member. Jesse Martin, stalwart PPC activist serves on the Nominations and Legal Committee and our staunch reformer and PPC member Gary Horton serves on Rules. In addition, we have many friends in key positions on those Committees so we are well positioned for access.

Many SDEC members spoke with members of our Caucus, applauding our reform initiatives and persistence, commenting that we were highly visible and encouraged our continued efforts to reform the Party, including Party icon Bob Slagle.

As a result of Steering Committee approval, we are seeking immediate and new avenues on our two reform proposals, including through the Grassroots Committee. We are immediately shifting our MBM resignation efforts to the County Chairs where we have found very significant support. We are reaching out to individual SDEC members through our Steering Committee with direct, personal contacts as well as County Chairs. We are pursuing a meeting with the Parliamentarian with our members familiar with Party rules to challenge her decisions. We are requesting of MBM to meet with a delegation from the PPC. We are immediately contacting the ?Courageous 10? SDEC members to thank and applaud them for their support.

THE THREE RESOLUTIONS ARE ON OUR WEB SITE AND WERE SENT TO YOU IN WORD FORMAT AND CAN BE PRINTED OFF. IF YOU NEED RE-TRANSMITTAL CONTACT escramble('INFO','TEXASPOPULISTS.COM'); AND WE WILL SEND TO YOU. PLEASE MEET/COMMUNICATE WITH ANY SDEC MEMBERS OR COUNTY CHAIRS YOU HAVE INFLUENCE WITH AND ENCOURAGE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THESE VITAL REFORM INITATIVES.

You would have been proud of your fellow PPC members who fought the good fight on January 15 and made significant progress in moving this Party out of denial of the crisis we are in and action to begin reform of our Party. That denial was evident not only in the MBM vote but the election assessment meeting held at the meeting where the consultants and MBM blamed our defeat on the ?national events? and Bush’s popularity.

Stan Merriman-Chair Progressive Populist Caucus.