The PPC held their 2007 Annual Meeting on March 10 in San Antonio in conjunction with the Progressive Action Alliance (PAA) Conference. The PPC conducted business in the morning, and then the PAC commenced in the afternoon with a number of speakers discussing subjects of interests to progressives. The highlight of the combined meeting/conference was a keynote address delivered by presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich.

At the PPC meeting, former steering committee member and current State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) member Linda Perez informed the attendees of the efforts of the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) Campaign/Finance Committee. Linda, PPC/SDEC member Dennis Teal and Galveston County Chair and PPC member Lloyd Chris have worked hard to create this committee, a move that the PPC has been advocating for some time (since 2003). This will give SDEC members a voice in how the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) spends campaign funds. Currently, there is no oversight of such funds.

A rule was adopted at the meeting mandating that voter be members of the PPC for at least 30 days before being allowed to cast votes concerning PPC issues. This rule will ensure that the values of the PPC membership are represented, particularly at district and state conventions.

Welcome New Steering Committee Members 

This annual meeting included steering committee member (SCM) elections. Each SCM is elected to a two-year term. It was with great pleasure that Charlie Urbina Jones was elected the new PPC Chair. Charlie is a long-time activist and for over two decades, he has championed Veterans’ issues, at-risk children, small business, immigrants, the environment and civil rights though out Texas.

Tina Norwood was elected Secretary. Tina has been an activist since 2000 and enjoys working at a precinct level and working with get-out-the-vote efforts.

We would like to thank the outgoing Steering Committee members for their hard work and dedication.  Their efforts were a true benefit to the PPC.

Awards 

Several awards were presented to members who had shown outstanding effort to further progressive/populist causes. Rachel Van Os was presented with the prestigious “Shoe Leather Award,” for her tireless campaigning on her husband’s behalf in his race for State Attorney General in 2006. (The previous award holder, Rachel’s husband David Van Os, was presented with a trivet.)

Past PPC Chair, Sheril Smith was recognized for her service by receiving the “Big Britches Award.” Sheril was presented with a lovely horse tack.

The PPC remembered Molly Ivins by adopting as our slogan the words that appeared in her last column, “We are the deciders.”

After the PPC Annual Meeting was adjourned, various speakers gave informative presentations regarding matters important to the Progressive movement. The first conference speaker, David Van Os, presented a slideshow of his 2006 Whistle Stop Tour campaign for State Attorney General. It was rewarding to see how Texas citizens responded to his message of bringing government back to the people. Next to speak was the past Chair of the TDP, Charles Soechting. He discussed ways to move the TDP forward.

Next on the agenda was a discussion panel led by the PPC Chair Charlie Urbina Jones focusing on the impacts of free trade on the Progressive agenda. Appropriate enough, most of the dialogue centered on the Trans Texas Corridor and its negative impact on the people of Texas.

Marti Garza, Associate Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, then gave an update on the ACLU’s current legal projects in Texas. After Marti’s presentation, Bill Crosier from the PAA spoke about building alliances between progressive groups to become more effective in forwarding the Progressive agenda.

A moving speech was given by Placido Salazar, ret., US Air Force, regarding the horrible effects of Agent Orange. Officer Salazar served in Vietnam and his health has been severely affected by this chemical. He spoke of his concerns that residents of Southeast and South Texas were exposed to Agent Orange, which was tested and used as a defoliant in those areas in the sixties. Salazar reported to the audience that current members of the military are being forced to take vaccines that may have negative consequences on their health and are exposed to even worse chemicals than Agent Orange, such as Depleted Uranium.

The highlight of the conference was the keynote speech given by presidential candidate and Congressman from Ohio, Rep. Dennis Kucinich. Rep. Kucinich spoke of America loosing her moral compass and possible ways of gaining it back. He told of his and his wife Elizabeth’s trip to Lebanon last year after the bombing by the Israeli Army. He spoke of the affection that the Lebanese people had for the people of America, although they disliked our government and its constant support of Israeli policies, including supplying the ammunition that bombed Lebanon. Rep. Kucinich’s remarks were very thoughtful and brought tears to the eyes of most of the audience.

Rep. Kucinich then spoke with the Vietnam Vet Placido Salazar, who presented him with documentation concerning the harmful effects of Agent Orange. Rep. Kucinich promised that he would forward the documentation to the Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee in DC. The warmth that Rep. Kucinich displayed toward Officer Salazar was another touching moment.

After Rep. Kucinich received the “Defender of Habeas Corpus” award from Ivan Espinosa of the PAA, for his support of civil liberties, the conference was adjourned.  Dennis and Elizabeth then took a few moments to greet attendees shake hands.

The Progressive Populist Caucus is very committed to playing an ever larger part in the Texas Democratic Party (TDP). Current projects include developing rules for convention chair selection and developing outreach programs to other like-minded voters, such as farmers and ranchers, small-business owners and minorities. The PPC is committed to their goal of reforming the TDP to listen to their grassroots members.