Our Health Care Forum on August 12 resulted in 50 new members to the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley! This is a very big deal. I hate to admit it but lately there is more energy coming from the far right than we have seen in years. Sure – its crazy, angry, misguided and corporate funded but energy just the same. Obama has got them excited in the way Bush got us excited. They are scared and dangerous.
On the other hand the Dems have been pretty quiet since our victories in November 2008 and the inauguration in January 2009. Of course this all makes some sense and can be explained by human nature – success breads complacency. Failure can lead many directions but for Dems during the Bush years it served as motivation. Our highest levels of membership and meeting attendance occurred during the aftermath of the Kerry loss in 2004.
All this background leads me back to just how extraordinary it was for us to have had our best meeting attendance in years as well as the amazing number of new members signed up. There is very good news here. We are responding well to the anger and energy coming from the right. Also I think we are starting to wake up. Our 2008 victories were wonderful and the efforts extended to earn them were significant so some time to recharge is understood… but it is time to get back in the game!
Congrats to Debbie Birenbaum and the DCCV leadership for pulling off such a successful event. We should continue to be thoughtful about our meeting speakers and agendas. A well planned meeting can increase our membership, create press coverage leading to further outreach and even more membership. Each member is a potential volunteer to walk, call and support our voter registration and get out the vote efforts for the big elections in 2010. This will lead to the end of the 2/3 rule and help us elect a Dem Governor who will sign Single Payer Health Care into law. Our events are informative and fun but ultimately the building blocks of a strategy to win elections and finish the business we started last November.
The donkey is waking up… and not a moment too soon.
