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Texas State News

Vol. 2, No. 4--May 11, 2005

The Progressive Populist Caucus (PPC) of the Texas Democratic Party held its quarterly Steering Committee meeting in Austin, Texas on Saturday, April 16. This was the first official Steering Committee meeting of the newly elected statewide group guiding the work of Texas Democratic Party reform, headed by new Chair Michael Boyette of Houston. Highlights from Texas since the last report include: passage yesterday by the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) of a PPC-crafted follow-up to the PPC- sponsored Kucinich campaign resolution on the creation of a Federal level Department of Peace. The SDEC has required the State Chair to direct a letter to the Texas Congressional delegation urging support of the House Bill authored by Rep. Kucinich.

Additionally, six new ad-hoc State Party Committees were created to address work critical to reconstructing the Texas Democratic Party (TDP). PPC-sponsored position papers on the establishment of voter verifiable paper trail with the use of electronic voting machines is now being expressed in four Texas House bills and one Senate Bill requiring this be put into Texas law. The TDP legislative committee and assigned staff are vigorously "working" this legislation during the current session. Other Steering Committee work includes participating in a electronic voting vendor review by the Republican Secretary of State of Texas, advocating inclusion of paper trail ballot technology.

The Steering Committee voted to establish the PPC as a "Partner" in the PDA structure. Local regional PPC groups are actively engaged in Party reform work such as: Dallas -- successfully causing the resignation of a Dallas County Dem. Party chair who endorsed a Republican judicial candidate last year. Houston area -- dominating County party committees on election reform which also are engaging with the County Party in recruiting unfilled precinct chair positions and providing training to new and existing precinct chairs in grassroots precinct organizing; also assisting neighboring county Party leaders in acquiring electronic voting equipment with paper trail. San Antonio -- leading a dissident group of precinct chairs demanding improved Democrat voter mobilization in their area. Corpus Christi -- recruiting of Air America program to the first A.M radio station in Texas to carry their programming as well as running their own weekly progressive issues FM radio program.

Submitted by: Stan Merriman, Chair Emeritus

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