Here's another gem posted by none other than Van Os on behalf of Burkett: I am bad with my acronyms.. what's SDEC in the grand scheme of Texas politics. Burkett kinda hints he's a part of it. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Texas-Democrats/message/2803 From: "David Van Os" Date: Mon Dec 23, 2002 4:05 am Subject: RE: A Letter from Molly Beth Malcolm ADVERTISEMENT Forwarded comments from West Texas Democratic Party activist Bill Burkett Subject: Re: A Letter from Molly Beth Malcolm Without making this in to a debate about a letter, I would like to make a few observations that continue to add more questions rather than answers to the issue of Molly Beth Malcolm's tenure as Texas Democratic Chair. I have read the referenced letter from two indirect sources. I did not receive a copy of the letter. Which leads me to ask, who was the letter sent to? Was this just addressed and sent to 'selected' Democrats or to all Democrats? Without being able to confirm the address list, I would have to surmise one of the following: ~ Ms. Malcolm does not have a complete list of Texas Democrats, yet all members of the SDEC, as an absolute minimum should have received this letter, OR ~ Ms. Malcolm again used TDP time and influence to selectively address a letter which had a single intent of shoring up personal support for her position. I therefore had to ask if this was meant as a policy letter. While the timing for a policy letter was a few weeks late, such a letter has been hungered for for several years; a letter which lays out a vision, plan and detailed objectives for the legislative session is part and parcel of the job that we expect of the Democratic party Chair. But when I read the letter, I simply get a few election carryover soundbites from the campaign, without clear and measurable approaches, plans or anything that you can sink your teeth in to. Excuse me, but I think that is exactly what most of the critics and media said was wrong with the Democratic campaign in 1998, 2000 and 2002: it provided no planned and detailed alternative to the current leadership. It was a voice without a message and a message without substance, I believe is how the Dallas Morning News said it. But in order for there to have been a legislative session planned approach, someone would have had to call a meeting of the SDEC, I would think - to broach the subject. Was there such a meeting on such a subject as the legislative session? I'm not on the SDEC, but I haven't heard of it. Please correct me if I am wrong. Now of course, sometimes, the plans are not made by the appropriate body - the SDEC, or with their input; so did some other group make such a plan, and if so, where are the details and marching orders? And who made the plans? Once again, I am troubled that we end up without a professional approach and therefore end up with little more than whining and complaining. If we plan to ever win back our voice in Texas politics and policy, then we have to start by developing an alternative message with some depth - and a focus. Bitching and complaining gets old even amongst each of us. So I'll shut up my bitching and leave you to your own thoughts. Even though Molly Beth had told about everyone except me that she was resigning effective June 1, and was efficiently trying to select her replacement without as much as input from the SDEC, I might even join others and say lets wait until then, if I saw anything in the way of product or progress. As it is, I tend to say - Just get a hook. Bill
Stupid formatting... here it is again.. I somehow doubt that Burkett is part of the SDEC.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Texas-Democrats/message/2803
From: "David Van Os"
Date: Mon Dec 23, 2002 4:05 am
Subject: RE: A Letter from Molly Beth Malcolm
Forwarded comments from West Texas Democratic Party activist Bill Burkett
Subject: Re: A Letter from Molly Beth Malcolm
Without making this in to a debate about a letter, I would like to make a few observations that continue to add more questions rather than answers to the issue of Molly Beth Malcolm's tenure as Texas Democratic Chair.
I have read the referenced letter from two indirect sources. I did not receive a copy of the letter.
Which leads me to ask, who was the letter sent to? Was this just addressed and sent to 'selected' Democrats or to all Democrats? Without being able to confirm the address list, I would have to surmise one of the following:
~ Ms. Malcolm does not have a complete list of Texas Democrats, yet all members of the SDEC, as an absolute minimum should have received this letter, OR
~ Ms. Malcolm again used TDP time and influence to selectively address a letter which had a single intent of shoring up personal support for her position.
I therefore had to ask if this was meant as a policy letter. While the timing for a policy letter was a few weeks late, such a letter has been hungered for for several years; a letter which lays out a vision, plan and detailed objectives for the legislative session is part and parcel of the job that we expect of the Democratic party Chair. But when I read the letter, I simply get a few election carryover soundbites from the campaign, without clear and measurable approaches, plans or anything that you can sink your teeth in to.
Excuse me, but I think that is exactly what most of the critics and media said was wrong with the Democratic campaign in 1998, 2000 and 2002: it provided no planned and detailed alternative to the current leadership. It was a voice without a message and a message without substance, I believe is how the Dallas Morning News said it.
But in order for there to have been a legislative session planned approach, someone would have had to call a meeting of the SDEC, I would think - to broach the subject. Was there such a meeting on such a subject as the legislative session? I'm not on the SDEC, but I haven't heard of it. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Now of course, sometimes, the plans are not made by the appropriate body - the SDEC, or with their input; so did some other group make such a plan, and if so, where are the details and marching orders? And who made the plans?
Once again, I am troubled that we end up without a professional approach and therefore end up with little more than whining and complaining. If we plan to ever win back our voice in Texas politics and policy, then we have to start by developing an alternative message with some depth - and a focus. Bitching and complaining gets old even amongst each of us. So I'll shut up my bitching and leave you to your own thoughts.
Even though Molly Beth had told about everyone except me that she was resigning effective June 1, and was efficiently trying to select her replacement without as much as input from the SDEC, I might even join others and say lets wait until then, if I saw anything in the way of product or progress. As it is, I tend to say - Just get a hook.
Bill