- Press stop on the live video stream above and
- Press play on the podcast below to view the archived meeting.
- Then, blog your comments below.
California Democratic Party Region 9 Quaterely Meeting
June 28th at 7:00 P.M Pacific Standard Time
Listen, Watch and Blog Your Entries Below!
This regional meeting will capitalize on 21st Century technology. New media will enable the Regional Director for Region 9 of the Democratic Party to distribute interactive content to party delegates and voters who will have the option to attend the meeting as part of the studio audience, or listen and watch from anywhere in the world via television broadcast or live internet video stream or even via the AM radio dial while traveling in an automobile! Participants throughout the region will be able to interactively blog, twitter, or email their comments and questions during the meeting.
This multi-media event will enable Democratic Party leaders to practice progressive values by being environmentally friendly by saving fuel and reducing the Party’s carbon footprint.
What’s happening with the senate campaign? Is there a run off vote? Why is there a run off vote? When will it be if there is one. This issue has not been effectively communicated.
Party politics seems so cryptic. This is supposed to be the new age of openness, but it seems that, once they’ve got our vote, all decisions at the party level are still made behind closed doors. How can the decision making process on the local level be opened up? Do you really want it to be opened up?
I would concur with the need for openness and transparency. I would also add that we (our elected officials with the support of the public) need to act with a greater sense of urgency with regard to the pressing concerns of the day (i.e. protecting all our coastlines.) Look at the sluggish and ineffectual response to deal with the environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Those with appropriate technologies to correct the problem need to be able to act swiftly and not get bogged down into further beauracratic impediments. Similarly, in California we need to be able to act more swiftly with the challenges that face our state and in our region. I would place education on the top of the list with regard to an area which needs our concentrated attention. Are we willing to work collaboratively to address the challenges that we face with regard to securing the futures of our children, by not continuing to slash the budget for public education, but by finding ways to continue to provide a quality education to all students?
I agree with Marie. How can we intensify the partnership/integration of political parties/policy makers with the general population into concerted action on issues such as eliminating environmental degradation from oil spills and protecting resource allocation for health and education?
Okay, So this is a regional meeting. Tell me why I should participate as a democrat when there are so many options now. Why shouldn’t I remain independant. I mean really. It should be the best candidate that wins regardless of affiliation.
Great job, Shawyn! Love this format! Did you talk about the Center 4 Change? Also, can we expect Jerry or Barbara to make an appearance on the Central Coast anytime soon?
What we need to emphasize about Meg is that she will slash and burn every social program we have in hopes of balancing the CA budget. In my small town and areas around me, we need such programs to help us to get by. Someone that rich cannot possibly understand what ordinary people do to survive. She is out-of-touch!
The oil “spill” should really wake everyone up to how our energy policies are no longer in our best interest. There are a myriad of other reasons to cut our thirst for oil, such as the wars, air pollution, our health, as well as oil being of limited supply. There are so many alternative energy sources that when combined, could be the complete solution. Most people are supportive of cleaner energy but no amount of letters or emails to our leaders seem to have any effect. What else can we do to clean up and prevent other such disasters?
I agree with Anna. Let’s start with some green legislation: 1) ban plastic bags ( which is already in the works in Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties; 2) ensure protection of our coastline (including and beyond existing boundaries of Monterey Bay sanctuary)=all offshore drilling should be ceased in CA & West Coast; 3) money should be invested in alternative energy(wind,solar, photo v. Etc.) =It is our only viable solution; to get off fuel dependency. What measures can be put forward to make green energy a priority on the regional level?
Thanks everyone for all these comments. I don’t know if we’ll be able to get to any more of these tonight, but everyone is making some very good points. (And I totally agree with Monica about Meg Whitman – she will destroy California if she gets the chance, leaving everyone who isn’t rich to suffer so that Whitman and her allies can enjoy another tax break.)
A big thank you goes out to every one who viewed this regional meeting, and thanks again to all of you who posted a comment. This event represents democracy at work right here at the local level. All of your comments have been brought to the attention of the Region 9 leadership.
I want to thank everyone for their input.This meeting format was a first of its kind and the blog added that new media element. Participating at the grassroots is a very basic element of our democracy. Get involved and do it right now. It does matter.
See you all on the campaign trail.