It's your party: become a PCP

T.A. Barnhart

Today is the filing deadline for the 2010 election season, and one of the most important offices has many, many openings: Party Precinct Committee Person. There are thousands of these positions across the state, and few have greater value for the future, not just of your party, but progressive democracy in Oregon.

We talk about "parties" as if they have some solid, identifiable structure, but in truth, political parties are pretty indistinct critters. Yes, there are officers (more on that soon) and candidates, and there are committees and activists, but a political party is greater than just those few individuals or policy platforms you can identify. A party is an easy target to attack, until you try to specify who, exactly it is, you are targeting.

Take the Democratic Party of Oregon. There is a state party with officers and employees. There are also members who serve, through the county parties, on state committees. These local members come from all over the state, and their political views range from the uber-blues of Portland to the very purplish southern and eastern Dems (often a lonely, but defiant, group). So when someone says "Those Democrats!" are they refering to the ones who are very pro-business, the ones who are anti-corporate, the treehuggers, the fishermen, the former loggers, the soccer moms in Irvington — who exactly are "those Dems"?

Well, they are you. If you are a registered Democrat, vote Dem, support Democratic candidates, give to Democratic causes — that's you. When you hear someone bitch about "the Dems" they are casting that net over you. But you're not the one in office, you're not the one making "those" decisions.

Take a stand, not to defend the party (whichever party you choose to affiliate with) but to direct and guide the party. Become a PCP. Be responsible for the policies and actions of your local county party. You can make a difference at the local level; just ask any elected official who comes to the party for money and volunteers to win an election.

Becoming a PCP is simple. Get your butt to your local County Elections Office by 5pm and file. Then get 3 people to vote for you in the May 18th primary. That's it. You'll then be "those Democrats" too. And one very important fact: Only those PCPs elected in the Primary election are eligible to vote for County Party officers. So if your County Party simply isn't getting the message that we need to move forward, and isn't working for progressive causes, the best way to change it is to get new leadership. And only those who are on the ballot May 18th will be eligible to vote for those progressive local leaders.

So get to your and file that paperwork (it's free). If you've already done so, get your friends to do the same. It really is important. State offices may be getting all the ink, but remember what Howard Dean told us in 2003: "You've got the power".

Use that power as a PCP and make a difference people can point to with pride and certainty.

By T.A. Barnhart March 09, 2010