The Evolution of Democracy for Washington

Written by: Chad Lupkes on Mar 17, 2007 5:11 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy for Washington

To: Democracy for Washington (DFW) Members & Supporters  (via BCC:)

From: Chad Lupkes, Executive Director, Democracy for Washington
      Kelley Bevans, Treasurer
      McKenna Hartmann, Secretary
      Dean M. Nielsen, Washington State Director, Progressive Majority (PM)

 
This is a special version of this message for the DFA community.  The upcoming changes to DFW are not going to have any effect on our DFA site or any of the local linkup groups.  I just wanted to be clear about that.

Since DFW began as an outgrowth of Howard Dean's 2004 campaign, DFW has strived to be a resource for you, the grassroots membership. However, we have not been able to have enough money for paid staff or to pay for the programs that we originally dreamed of, and our volunteer efforts have been unable to support our dreams for the organization.  Our board members have been and will continue to be active in the Progressive Movement and the Democratic Party, and that's the primary reason why we have not done as much as we had hoped with the DFW brand. 

DFW has two main options at this point in time.  The first option would be to recruit new grassroots leadership for a statewide Political Action Committee, something that we can tell you from experience is not an easy road to travel.  The second option, and the one we recommend, is why we are sending out this letter.  

About 2 months ago, we initiated discussions with Progressive Majority to see how DFW could get help to best provide activist services to you, our members. What we determined was that a merger was possible and beneficial.  We, the DFW Executive Board, see this as an evolution of the work we started in 2004, and want to continue to help you, the membership.  Progressive Majority is willing to pick up the costs associated with hosting our website,  www.democracyforwashington.com, and to initiate regular actions and information resources to our common grassroots base. To meet this increased need, Progressive Majority has already increased its training schedule of candidates, campaign workers and activists for 2007. In addition to working with Wellstone Action!, Progressive Majority held a large-scale, regional training in Spokane and has plans to offer several more community trainings this year.  Adding DFW members to this mix of services is a win-win for everyone.  

In short, here are our choices.  If you are interested in keeping DFW separate and active, and have the time to pursue this, please let us know.  Unless someone comes forward with a plan between now and the end of March, 2007, we will follow the second choice.  

DFW will:

· Notify the PDC that DFW has ceased to exist as an organization, and complete whatever is required to ensure our compliance with the appropriate laws and regulations

· Turn over our various membership lists to Progressive Majority

· Donate the remainder of our financial resources to help pay for the extra training opportunities that PM is willing to provide

· Cease normal operations


Progressive Majority will:

· Initiate regular e-mail member communication, adding the DFW membership list to their already extensive list of activists in Washington

· Host additional trainings in Seattle and regionally throughout Washington

· Pay for hosting the DFW website and activist tools

· Investigate integrating DFW's website tools and information resources into Progressive Majority's state website

· Launch a new Progressive Majority state website with expanded features.

This proposal will not affect or replace the local DFA groups nor the DFW yahoo listserves, which will continue to operate as normal.  

If you have any questions or concerns about what we would like to do, please let us know.  Please understand that we are doing this in order to continue to build on what Howard Dean started in 2003, and continues to build within the party at the national, state and local levels.  We do have the power.  But we may not have all the resources we need to pursue all of our dreams at once.  

Please continue to be active, and let's build a new future based on collaboration and cooperation.

Chad Lupkes
DFW Executive Director

Kelley Bevans
DFW Treasurer

McKenna Hartmann
DFW Secretary

Dean Nielsen
Progressive Majority, Washington

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Location: WA