So it's been a week now, and I'm still vacillating between mad and sad. Progressive Organized Women PAC (POW-PAC) paperwork has been filed with the WV Secretary of State. The checking account is ready to accept donations. I still need to set up an online account. I'm taking my time. It'll all get done, eventually.
Your comments from my last post are most appreciated. Thank you all.
What happened last Saturday is a microcosm of what's happened to the Democratic Party here in WV. Possibly elsewhere. I've had my eye on North Carolina politics for a while now, as WV has been following in its footsteps. I've blamed it on the Koch Brothers and all that money, but that's not the entire story here in WV.
The heart of West Virginia's Democratic party is not in the statehouse in Kanawha County. It's in Marion County, home of Senator Joe Manchin (DINO-WV). Joe Manchin – the only Democrat to vote for defunding Planned Parenthood. Joe Manchin – who voted against the Iran Deal (make war, not diplomacy!). Joe Manchin – who called me "honey."
Joe Manchin and those who follow him care more about their power in the structure of the party than they do about the strength of the party itself. We've been bleeding Democrats for years. Clearly there are a lot of Democrats who are voting for Republicans, if you take a look at election results for the last 15 years. The flip of the statehouse in 2014 from blue to red was stunning. The only Democrats in power now are our Governor, who cannot run in 2016, and … Joe Manchin.
What does that have to do with the WVFDW election? Very little, actually. Except that the chair of WV's Democratic Party is a past president, her county voted as a bloc against the nominating committee's slate, she brought the greatest number of county delegates … and she's from Marion County.
In a nutshell, having control over the women who belong to WVFDW was somehow more important than moving women's issues and interests forward in WV. The chair of the party is someone I trusted, liked, considered a friend. Oddly, though, I don't lay total blame on her shoulders. A good deal goes to … Joe Manchin.
Whether POW-PAC makes a difference for West Virginia women lies in our ability to get our message out. It will take a lot of work and dedication. We'll surely ruffle some (more) feathers. One thing is certain: It's not about me, nor is it about any of the other strong, progressive women who are working to make it happen.
It's about West Virginia. And it's about West Virginia women.
2 comments:
I unfollowed WVFDW on FB, and followed POW. Not much help since I'm not in WV, but who knows, every drop can add up I suppose.
We (WVFDW) were SO CLOSE to 4000 followers right before the annual meeting. We made a big push and actually hit that number sometime early in the weekend. I'm so mad about that. THANK YOU for unfollowing them and for following POW. We'd like for POW to go national, eventually, so your drop definitely makes a difference. Thank you so much.
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