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New Jersey State News

Vol. 2, No. 3--April 13, 2005

Statewide "PDA-NJ CAUCUS" Is Born

PDA-NJ was just a name on a web site until it came to life right after the January '05 PDA Summit in D.C. The name on the national web site for NJ Contact had been that of Anne Creter, a former Kucinich campaigner, who volunteered after returning home from the "Alternative" Democratic Convention in Boston last July where PDA was first launched. At the Summit she was joined by fellow New Jerseyians, Dr.Ed Selby and Todd Bentley (along with Ted Glick of the NJ Green Party), who showed up when participants divided into state ections, thus forming the "PDA-NJ Steering Committee." This small, inspired group left the blizzard in D.C. that weekend determined to "prepare the soil" for sprouting PDA-NJ. They boldly pledged to immediately set in motion several things: create a state web site, develop a mission statement, start a dialogue by arranging a monthly statewide conference call and host a statewide coordination meeting of NJ progressives. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!

Within a week, Web Master Bentley put up a web site. Included on it was a draft mission statement: "PDA-NJ seeks to obtain an organized, consolidated statewide census or snap-shot panoramic view--by region by county--of all currently existing New Jersey progressive groups. Purpose: to acknowledge the groups already out there, in a systematic way, and to connect the dots to enhance the unity and force of the massive ground-swelling, grassroots social movement. Our intention is not to create yet another organization but rather to provide a container or umbrella for holding and pulling them all together. Among our brother and sister progressives, we seek empowerment rather than power, cooperation rather than competition...to find common ground, learning from each other. Ultimately, our goal is to influence the State Democratic Party--either inside or outside--to become the great people's party it once was."

In early February, an invitational email letter--addressed to all NJ progressives--was created (with a picture of activist hero Tom Hayden that Anne had taken at the Summit) inviting them to a statewide meeting in March. This was put up on the web site and emailed to known progressive individuals and groups (who in turn were asked to forward it). A reminder email was later sent out which included an ambitious agenda. Simultaneously, we reached out to our Democracy for America friends as well as the State Democratic Committee, which ironically happened to be concurrently seeking to coordinate state progressives. We think our influence helped spur them on to actually host a recent meeting of progressives (where PDA-NJ was prominently represented) in anticipation of the State Democratic Convention in June, at which there will be a "Democratic Progressive Caucus." The State Democratic Committee at last year's Convention (under the auspices of DFA) had organized a group of impassioned progressives, but there was no follow-up.

To keep the dialogue and momentum going, we also implemented a monthly statewide conference call procedure which began on February 10. The calls will be held each first Sunday from 7:30 to 8:30 PM (Next call: April 3.)

Finally, on Saturday, March 5, 2005 Anne joyfully pounded her gavel to declare the official founding of the PDA-NJ caucus at its first centrally held statewide meeting at the Ewing Branch Library outside Trenton. In true team spirit, Ed & Bentley, along with Bill Brown (formerly of the Kucinich - NJ campaign) assisted Anne in laying the groundwork necessary for this successful event. Seventeen enthusiastic progressives showed up from all three regions (and neighboring Pennsylvania), representing a solid half of the state. The Steering Committee was expanded, a statewide organizational structure was decided upon, and volunteers signed up for key leadership regional and administrative positions as follows:

In conclusion, a healthy little PDA-NJ seedling has just emerged from fertile soil. It now seems NJ progressives may be ready to unite. The meeting ended with applause and the following decree: "Go forth and multiply progressives."

Anne Creter
PDA-NJ Caucus Coordinator

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