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This past Thursday I had a chance to hear Krist Novoselic, former bassist for the band Nirvana discuss his new book, Of Grunge & Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy! at the offices of the Foundation for a Feminist Majority in Beverly Hills.

Mr. Novoselic was accompanied by Rob Ritchie fo the Center for Voting and Democracy. Both discussed the perils and promise of meaningful electoral reform and managed to make a potentially dull topic quite interesting.

Novoselic's book is part personal memoir, and part political polemic with some interesting suggestions to make our electoral system more competitive and more representative of the public at large. He is a big supporter of San Francisco's experiment with Instant Runoff Voting and has made his own proposal to make the Washington State Legislature more representative of the voting public up there.

Novoselic's proposal for Washington is actually quite simple. Rather than have 98 legislators elected in 49 districts (often times gerrymandered to favor one party over another), Novoselic proposes 9 "super districts" each electing a slate of 11 legislators, selected through a system of proportional representation. Thus each "super district's" 11 legislators would be divided up amongst the parties based on the percentage of the vote received, and there would be no way to gerrymander seats for individual incumbent legislators.

Thus, you could have a district where 30% of the voters pull the lever for the Republican Party, 30% for the Democratic Party, 20% for the Green Party and 10% for the American Heritage Party. The seats would then be assigned to each party for their candidates, with each party getting a number of seats based on the percentage of the vote cast.

More people would have a chance to have their voice heard, and there'd be a chance for all parties to compete with their ideas and candidates on a level playing field - and the results would more accurately reflect what the public wants. Why not have a four party system that allows the electorate to tilt in whatever way it likes, and change its mind later on? What's wrong with a little drama, and a little competition at the polls?

To be sure, there are several kinks to be worked out, but the concept is inherently a fair one. Why should a voter be reduced to voting in an effective one-party state because one party has gerrymandered that voter's district, making other parties not even bother to compete? Novoselic decried the lack of competitiveness in legislative and Congressional seats as a big reason why people get so turned off of voting. "Competition makes our economy stronger - surely competition can make our democracy stronger too," he commented.

It's nice to see a celebrity get involved in politics that shuns the limelight in favor of the hard work and careful study needed to be truly effective in politics, and I certainly hope one day Washington voters will get a chance to vote on his proposals, if not for Novoselic himself, someday.

There was talk that he was thinking of running for Lieutenant Governor of Washington State, but he decided to focus his attention on issues instead of his own political ambitions. In the Age of Governor Doofinator, that's something to be admired as well.

The group also heard from Roy Ulrich of California Common Cause speak briefly about the ill-conceived Proposition 62 which would limit the choices voters would have on their ballot through the introduction of a new "primary" system in California.

I've often said that this proposed law is the wrong cure for the wrong disease - it's like trying to cure a stomach ulcer with Tabasco sauce. The only result we're going to get with this is a big mess - just as you would if you drank a bottle of Tabasco after getting an ulcer.

In other words, it makes no sense. Plus when you read who's spending the big money to support this initiative, it reads like a "Who's Who" of special interests who have never show any interest in real reform - they just want the government to give them more goodies - and make you pay for the privilege.

All in all, an interesting evening for sure. I urge everyone to take a look at Krist's book the next time you're at the bookstore - it's a fun read and worth your while.

© 2003-2006 Greg Dewar | All Rights Reserved | Originally Published at www.schadelmann.com

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Presidential campaign years offer many opportunities for people, young and old (but mostly young) to get involved in the day-to-day operations of a political campaign. Every four years it seems the size of both incumbent and challenger presidential campaigns grows, and the affiliated positions available at "coordinated campaigns," political parties, and other races for US Senate, Congress, Governor, Dog Catcher, etc. are all available to those who really want to get their hands dirty in the inner machinations of politics.

The catch is that most of the actual "work" on political operations like these have little to do with policy, politics, ideas, or Big Important Things. Instead, as the Deputy Assistant Political Director for the Very Big Wig Campaign for Whatever, one's job is as likely to be about figuring out what one-horse town to have a rally at, or making sure enough baseball caps are available for assembled third-tier celebrities at a press conference, as they are about anything else. In other words, unless you're at the very top of a campaign, your job is more about moving things around on time and under budget, than it is about "politics."

It's important that those considering a move into the "political business" understand this early, because every year the streets are littered with the burned out remnants of political operatives at the bottom rungs of the ladder disillusioned at their station in life, because they thought they were getting involved in something important and "meaningful."

They did get involved with something important, if one accepts the idea that elections are, but what they didn't' realize is that for the most part, your job on a Big National Campaign is to make a big machine work, and most parts of a big machine are small. And replaceable. Cheaply.

If you accept that your job is that of a production-line employee, moving things and people around on time and under budget, you can take pride in a job well done and use those skills in politics, or in life. But if you don't accept it, you're setting yourself up for a nice run in with a brick wall known as Reality.

More importantly, to those who are working their fingers to the bone for Sen. Kerry or President Bush in the hopes of attaining some lofty position in a future Bush II administration or a Kerry Administration need to realize that while their hard work in service of electing said folks was duly noted and appreciated, it is no guarantee they'll be getting anything more than a computer-signed photo of said candidate in the future. In fact, if history is any guide, working on a Big National Campaign almost ensures that one does not get a future gig with President Whomever.

That may sound counter-intuitive, but it's been proven over and over again by both parties over many, many years. Unless you happen to be one of the few people at the highest levels of the campaign hierarchy, or you happen to have raised an incredible amount of money, the sad fact is that the future administration does not particularly care much about what happens to you once November 3rd rolls around. To be true, there are exceptions, but I've met too many people who gave up way too much for these big operations only to end up very disappointed when inauguration time comes around.

That's why I can't stand how so many of these people behave during the campaign. You find that unless you work with particularly mature, or intelligent people, many of the middle management types are particularly forceful when elbowing you or others perceived to be "in the way" of their ambitions to be in a future administration. I've often said the most dangerous place to be in a presidential year is between a mid-level position and an overly-ambitious political wannabe.

One can attempt to reason with said folk, and encourage them to work towards the common goal of electing Candidate Whomever, but it tends to fall on deaf ears. That elbowing and jockeying for position can create situations in even the best run campaigns where people are quibbling amongst themselves over perceived slights and perceived perks, forgetting that their job is not to help themselves, but get someone much more important than themselves a new job (or keep one).

There was a time when I found such behavior irritating, but nowadays I find it more amusing than anything else, since I know what happens next. No one believes me now, but come January 2005, I'll be proven right, or at least sort of right, once again.

It's nothing I take much delight in - I'd rather see people more realistically understand what it is they get into so they get the maximum out of it they can, but I find that with younger staffers these days, the only way they learn is the hard way. I suppose there's some amusement in that, especially after you listen to some 22 year old who just got out of a training session at the DNC or RNC tell you why it is You Don't Get It And They Do.

Indeed.

For those of you looking for a fun way to get involved with politics and potentially win $100,000, I strongly urge you to follow my link to VoteOrNot.Org and enter the contest. It's really simple - you register to vote via the site (or if you're already registered, just enter the contest) and you will be instantly entered into a contest to win $100,000!

You win. I win. And America wins! Woo hoo!

© 2003-2006 Greg Dewar | All Rights Reserved | Originally Published at www.schadelmann.com

Posted by Greg Dewar at 5:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

2004 has become the Year of The Documentary with an Axe to Grind. Mere mention of Farenheit 9/11, OutFoxed, The Corporation, Uncovered: The War in Iraq, The Hunting of the President and now Bush's Brain is enough to send certain partisans into hissy fits that make the most emotional leftist seem calm by comparison. More interesting is the fact that with the exception of Fahrenheit 9/11, none of these films were slated for a theatrical release, but now almost all are seeing some basic distribution in movie theaters in advance of the November election.

Most recently, Bush's Brain was released in the Los Angeles area, and a premiere held on September 3rd featured a Q & A session with the producers of the film, Joe Mealey and Michael Shoob. I missed the big event due to my extended trip to Pennsylvania on behalf of Progressive Majority, but I did manage to get ahold of a copy on DVD and checked out the film.

To be honest, I was not thrilled about this movie, not so much because of any concern as to whether it might hurt Karl Rove's feelings, but because I tend to wince at the suggestion that political consultants have all that much power in our political system. It's a nice media hype that makes reporters feel good when penning a half-researched piece on the election cycle, but the sad fact is that the "power" of political consulting is limited at best. (Just ask anyone who's worked for a winning candidate who's been stiffed on their paycheck! Yes, it really happens!)

That said, I still wanted to see the film and hear what the creators had to say. To my surprised it was not as much a film about the alleged "power" of Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime campaign manager, but instead a recounting of the kinds of tactics Mr. Rove has been willing to use, be it running for the presidency of the Young Republicans in the 1970s, or running candidates for office in Texas, or for President.

The picture painted is not a very pleasant one, and even I, who knew who Karl Rove was long before most people even knew who George "W" Bush even was, learned some new things about the person the President puts his trust in to run his campaigns. None of it was particularly good. It's worth seeing - to try and repeat the entire film in this space would take too long, and not have nearly the impact, that seeing the film has on the viewer.

For me, the message was simple: Rove is not a "genius" in the sense of a master strategist who has an intimate knowledge of public opinion and history. Rather, he's an asshole. An asshole, who will do whatever it takes - lie, cheat, steal, attack, slander, and claw his way to the finish line. More to the point, he's an asshole with over $500 million dollars and the leverage of the federal government's executive branch to manipulate public opinion. Hooray for him.

To me that's not a genius, and I regard him for what he truly is. Let's be clear - give me 500 million dollars and deny me free access to Pabst Blue Ribbon  and I can get anyone elected President, too. Heck, cut off my access to my Netflix DVDs and you can ensure that your candidate of choice will get elected.

Why? Because you'll have on your hands someone with the enmity and the overwhelming resources, to engage in every single sneaky, lying, underhanded tactic and whim needed to get your clown elected, ethics be damned. Anyone.

This may sound cynical, but it's not - it's more of an appreciation of the landscape we live in these days. This is the era that substitutes honesty and straight talk for lawyer-like obfuscations, the hair-splitting lie, and the wink and a nod when it comes to what is said versus what was meant. It's what allows people to put things out in the media to create an impression, while at the same time giving themselves wiggle room Nixon could only dream of to avoid any accountability if someone tries to call them on their foolishness.

That's why you can do a photo-op on an aircraft carrier with a banner that says "Mission Accomplished" and then say it wasn't you who put it up there when you find out more people died in Iraq after "mission accomplished" than before. Don't take responsibility, don't fess up - make up some nonsense saying it wasn't really your idea and you don't really know who put that up in the first place, and oh by the way, didn't they just say ketchup causes cancer today?

It's also how you can have a sitting Vice President lie about a statement we all know he said and rather than just cop to a mistake and move on, have to weasel his way out with bluster and foolish rhetoric. In fact, I don't know that any member of the current administration who has the ability to cop to a mistake or even admit they're less than perfect - no matter how much they screw up.

But then I remembered this is a hallmark of the Rove style of campaign, and win or lose, we'll be seeing more of this kind of nonsense from more than one side in the future. It's unfortunate that most voters won't call their own people on such foolish behavior. If they did, it might stop. Might.

PS: For another example of the kinds of sneaky, underhanded tactics being employed by self-styled Rove wannabes, the Attorney General race in Washington State has produced a truly nasty situation, one worth condemnation by good people of all parties and ideologies.

Whatever it is, it's disgusting, and I'm urging people to send Deborah Senn the support she needs to stand up to this kind of crap. She is not only someone I consider to be of unimpeachable character - she is also someone I consider a friend with whom I had the pleasure to work for during her re-election campaign in 1996. I often cite "the Commish's" hard work and straight talk when I coach candidates around the country on how to be effective and thoughtful candidates on the campaign trail. Go get 'em, Commish!

© 2003-2006 Greg Dewar | All Rights Reserved | Originally Published at www.schadelmann.com

Posted by Greg Dewar at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Once again, I find myself on the road on behalf of Progressive Majority, this time on the road in Southeast Pennsylvania, one of those "swing states" you hear so much about. I've been so busy with my training sessions here I haven't had a chance to update here as much as I'd like. However, I'm enjoying an evening at the West Chester Holiday Inn which features free high-speed internet access, so I can post updates once again.

I've been on the road seeing two targeted candidates a day, and it's been a great (if busy) time out here. I've learned a lot about how things are really going down on the grass-roots level out here, and it's been an interesting experience to say the least. As with my trip in Seattle, the best part (aside from sampling Yuengling Beer which I can't get back home in L.A.) has been working with some really energetic and honest people who remind me why it is I like working in politics (as opposed to the four-day infomercials both parties have propped up like a dead guy on stilts under the guise of "party conventions").

Rebecca Wall is running for Pennsylvania State Representative in the 150th Legislative District (yes you read that right, the 150th District!) Too often when you find a young person running for office, you find a wannabe politico more well-versed in shenanigans and smarminess instead of issues and substance.

Thankfully, Rebecca does not fit this sad cultural stereotype. Instead, I met with an enthusiastic and intelligent person who is interested in public service and helping her community - yes you heard that right. In an era when we immediately dismiss anyone involved in politics as a self-serving apparatchnik, it's time to realize that some people put themselves in the arena because they want to stand up for something, not just against something.

More importantly, it was clear after my meeting with Rebecca that I was not dealing with someone who would tell me what I wanted to hear to earn my support - she was someone willing to tell the truth, regardless of the consequences, because she  has this idea that politicians should be honest.

In an era when too often we equate "honesty" with "being offensive", Rebecca reminded me that there are people who can speak truth to our political system, and provide a voice of reason and compassion that can include respect and a sense of decorum we don't usually get in politicos these days, and quite frankly, it was a nice change from politics as usual.

Many political pundits in Pennsylvania may accidentally overlook Rebecca's candidacy, and it's to their discredit that they do. Polling and the grassroots sense I get from talking to actual citizens indicate this is a race where a young, intelligent, and engaging person may just snatch a seat in the state House from an incumbent who barely won her seat in 2002 (by only 63 votes!) Pundits would be wise to keep an eye on this race, and people who profess to care about Democratic politics and progressive values would be wise to get involved. Now.

I also had the chance to meet with another great candidate, who is standing up for progressive values in a decidedly non-Californian region of the country, Christian Muniz, a veteran and legislative aide in Cumberland County, PA.

Those not intimate with the politics of Pennsylvania may not know just how non-Democratic Christian's part of the world is. When "President" Bush made a TV appearance at the GOP convention earlier this week, it was in Christian's district. To be an honest Democrat in this area takes more than political courage - it takes the will to win along with the courage of the convictions a Navy veteran and legislative aide to put oneself forth as a candidate. More importantly, he is a genuinely likable person, a rare quality in political candidates these days.

But best of all, it was his enthusiasm, unconfined by any sense of political "correctness" that infects Corporate Democrats these days that made Christian one of my favorite people to work with in politics, and more importantly someone who can win.  He is someone who I would gladly encourage readers to support, along with Rebecca Wall and others I'll be talking about later this year.

I'll have more commentary on "swing state" Pennsylvania and the Kerry campaign once I return to Los Angeles (and on my way to San Francisco and Wisconsin). Until then, stay tuned, and enjoy the myriad of fiction that is the GOP Convention. Especially the parts when Governor Doofinator claims to be a principled individual who does not engage in coin-op government!

© 2003-2006 Greg Dewar | All Rights Reserved | Originally Published at www.schadelmann.com

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