I'm sure many other Democratic Party leaders across the state received this letter. I am posting it here as a follow up post to my earlier post of a letter I wrote and distributed to Democratic leaders a few days ago.
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Greetings Fellow Democratic Party Leader,
Attached in an Excel format are the weighted votes assigned to each county and to the elected officials who are automatic members of the State Executive Committee. If a county is assigned twelve (12) weighted votes then the state committeewoman
casts six (6) votes and the state committeeman casts six (6) votes.
Please accept my best wishes for a glorious 2013. I am running for re-election for
the position of Democratic National Committeeman. You will get to elect five (5) men and five (5) women to the Democratic National Committee. I am asking that I be one of your five men when you vote.
Would you take a moment and complete the following survey regarding the County Democratic Executive Committees (CDECs) December organizational meeting. Here is the link to take the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DWX9Z85
State Chair’s Race
Many members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) recognize the opportunities and risks involved in having a protracted campaign for State Chair. Rather than look at this as a win-lose situation where only one person can be elected and the other defeated I am proposing several scenarios below for your consideration.
We need to respect and honor all hard working Democrats involved in this State Chair race. We need to find a way that we can have a harmonious January.
Scenario One:
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 1995 and in 1999 elected two (2) persons to the position of National Chair. In 1995 Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Donald Fowler of South Caroline were elected and served together until 1997.
In 1999 Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania and Joseph Andrew of Indiana were elected to the position of National Chair. They served together until 2001.
In both instances the National Charter was not amended and the DNC accepted both co-chairs. One served primarily as the public spokesman and fundraiser of the party
(Dodd in 1995 and Rendell in 1999) while the other took care of the
administrative function of the party (Fowler in 1995 and Andrews in 1999).
We can do the same if we wish to elevate both Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant to the position of State Chair (I am going to rotate the order of their names throughout this email). This will allow the potential of a win-win for everybody though the details would need to be agreed to beforehand.
Scenario Two:
In the 1992 FDP Chair race Terrie Brady, the Chair of the Duval County DEC, and I, the County Chair of the Leon County DEC, ran for State Chair. We both ran a
hard-fought, positive campaign through the election. We decided ahead of time that if Terrie was elected State Chair that I would be Vice-Chair and have the choice of having three of my strongest supporters elected to the DNC (in this case they were Jimmy Cobb of Levy County, Nancy Dick of Hardee County and Diane Glasser of Broward County; two from small counties and one large county).
If I won then Terrie would be Vice-Chair and she would have the choice of having three of her strongest supporters elected to the DNC. This is when Florida only had eight (8) directly elected DNC members, four (4) women and four (4) men.
We both ran a clean, affirmative campaign. Terrie won and we both honored the deal we made.
I want to encourage Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin to consider this possibility as a way to encourage a positive discussion of the direction of the party and as a way to allow the SEC to heal after the election. This solution also eliminated
backbiting and personal attacks.
I am already sensing the beginning of an us-versus-them division. We could avoid such by using this scenario.
Scenario Three:
Two weeks or so before the 26 January 2013 election of the State Chair there is an unofficial meeting of the SEC in either a centralized location, a massive telephone conference call, or by a webcast using six to seven locations around Florida at which SEC can gather.
At this meeting we hammer out what the goals of the FDP for the upcoming election cycle are going to be and also what role Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant will play in them. The public, official meeting of the SEC ratifies these conclusions.
Already Orange County State Committeeman Jimmy Affaunt has set up a meeting in Central Florida. Miami-Dade State Committeeman Bret Berlin has done the same in southeast Florida.
Scenario Four:
Both Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin campaign hard for the office all the way through the 26 January 2013 SEC meeting. Their supporters continue to use both
negative and positive techniques. Their supporters continue to refuse to negotiate and turn this into a winner-take-all result for their respective candidate. Somehow the SEC heals over the following 120 days.
Scenario four uses up 150 days (30 more of campaigning and 120 days of healing) during which time we could be recruiting candidates, evaluating what worked in 2012 and gathering resources.
Scenario Five:
This is the time that you come up with a solution to the issue which benefits both camps and the FDP as well. Share with me what would make this a win for you. We both know there are other scenarios which could get the job done and you may know some I have do not know.
In 2007-08 I negotiated a solution to Florida’s delegate takeaway by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee.
I had to listen to the concerns of a number of persons/organizations involved in the conflict: the Obama campaign; the Clinton campaign; the DNC Rules and Bylaws Chairs James Roosevelt and Alexis Herman; the DNC Chair Howard Dean; the Rules and Bylaws Committee staff; the FDP Chair and staff; and, other Florida persons/groups who were involved.
Every single one of these persons/organizations had a different view as to what needed to be done. Everybody wanted to “win” and initially wanted the others to “lose”.
I made a large number of calls and went to personal meetings. Florida got a unanimous vote by the Rules and Bylaws Committee giving Florida its delegates. We achieved this because we listened carefully to what each person/group wanted and tried to find a way to give them some of what they wanted.
We can negotiate a way to a positive solution which benefits everyone involved (Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant, the strong elected official supporters of both candidates, party supporters of both candidates, other stakeholders of both candidates).
Those who are saying “s/he had their chance” to resolve this and there will be no more negotiating should re-open both their hearts and minds to a possible, positive solution.
Both Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin have positive histories and both can make a positive contribution to our Party.
Help me make this a situation in which all Florida Democrats win.
With respect, I am,
Jon M. Ausman, State Committeeman
Leon County Democratic Executive Committee
Attached in an Excel format are the weighted votes assigned to each county and to the elected officials who are automatic members of the State Executive Committee. If a county is assigned twelve (12) weighted votes then the state committeewoman
casts six (6) votes and the state committeeman casts six (6) votes.
Please accept my best wishes for a glorious 2013. I am running for re-election for
the position of Democratic National Committeeman. You will get to elect five (5) men and five (5) women to the Democratic National Committee. I am asking that I be one of your five men when you vote.
Would you take a moment and complete the following survey regarding the County Democratic Executive Committees (CDECs) December organizational meeting. Here is the link to take the survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DWX9Z85
State Chair’s Race
Many members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) recognize the opportunities and risks involved in having a protracted campaign for State Chair. Rather than look at this as a win-lose situation where only one person can be elected and the other defeated I am proposing several scenarios below for your consideration.
We need to respect and honor all hard working Democrats involved in this State Chair race. We need to find a way that we can have a harmonious January.
Scenario One:
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 1995 and in 1999 elected two (2) persons to the position of National Chair. In 1995 Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Donald Fowler of South Caroline were elected and served together until 1997.
In 1999 Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania and Joseph Andrew of Indiana were elected to the position of National Chair. They served together until 2001.
In both instances the National Charter was not amended and the DNC accepted both co-chairs. One served primarily as the public spokesman and fundraiser of the party
(Dodd in 1995 and Rendell in 1999) while the other took care of the
administrative function of the party (Fowler in 1995 and Andrews in 1999).
We can do the same if we wish to elevate both Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant to the position of State Chair (I am going to rotate the order of their names throughout this email). This will allow the potential of a win-win for everybody though the details would need to be agreed to beforehand.
Scenario Two:
In the 1992 FDP Chair race Terrie Brady, the Chair of the Duval County DEC, and I, the County Chair of the Leon County DEC, ran for State Chair. We both ran a
hard-fought, positive campaign through the election. We decided ahead of time that if Terrie was elected State Chair that I would be Vice-Chair and have the choice of having three of my strongest supporters elected to the DNC (in this case they were Jimmy Cobb of Levy County, Nancy Dick of Hardee County and Diane Glasser of Broward County; two from small counties and one large county).
If I won then Terrie would be Vice-Chair and she would have the choice of having three of her strongest supporters elected to the DNC. This is when Florida only had eight (8) directly elected DNC members, four (4) women and four (4) men.
We both ran a clean, affirmative campaign. Terrie won and we both honored the deal we made.
I want to encourage Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin to consider this possibility as a way to encourage a positive discussion of the direction of the party and as a way to allow the SEC to heal after the election. This solution also eliminated
backbiting and personal attacks.
I am already sensing the beginning of an us-versus-them division. We could avoid such by using this scenario.
Scenario Three:
Two weeks or so before the 26 January 2013 election of the State Chair there is an unofficial meeting of the SEC in either a centralized location, a massive telephone conference call, or by a webcast using six to seven locations around Florida at which SEC can gather.
At this meeting we hammer out what the goals of the FDP for the upcoming election cycle are going to be and also what role Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant will play in them. The public, official meeting of the SEC ratifies these conclusions.
Already Orange County State Committeeman Jimmy Affaunt has set up a meeting in Central Florida. Miami-Dade State Committeeman Bret Berlin has done the same in southeast Florida.
Scenario Four:
Both Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin campaign hard for the office all the way through the 26 January 2013 SEC meeting. Their supporters continue to use both
negative and positive techniques. Their supporters continue to refuse to negotiate and turn this into a winner-take-all result for their respective candidate. Somehow the SEC heals over the following 120 days.
Scenario four uses up 150 days (30 more of campaigning and 120 days of healing) during which time we could be recruiting candidates, evaluating what worked in 2012 and gathering resources.
Scenario Five:
This is the time that you come up with a solution to the issue which benefits both camps and the FDP as well. Share with me what would make this a win for you. We both know there are other scenarios which could get the job done and you may know some I have do not know.
In 2007-08 I negotiated a solution to Florida’s delegate takeaway by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee.
I had to listen to the concerns of a number of persons/organizations involved in the conflict: the Obama campaign; the Clinton campaign; the DNC Rules and Bylaws Chairs James Roosevelt and Alexis Herman; the DNC Chair Howard Dean; the Rules and Bylaws Committee staff; the FDP Chair and staff; and, other Florida persons/groups who were involved.
Every single one of these persons/organizations had a different view as to what needed to be done. Everybody wanted to “win” and initially wanted the others to “lose”.
I made a large number of calls and went to personal meetings. Florida got a unanimous vote by the Rules and Bylaws Committee giving Florida its delegates. We achieved this because we listened carefully to what each person/group wanted and tried to find a way to give them some of what they wanted.
We can negotiate a way to a positive solution which benefits everyone involved (Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant, the strong elected official supporters of both candidates, party supporters of both candidates, other stakeholders of both candidates).
Those who are saying “s/he had their chance” to resolve this and there will be no more negotiating should re-open both their hearts and minds to a possible, positive solution.
Both Allison Tant and Alan Clendenin have positive histories and both can make a positive contribution to our Party.
Help me make this a situation in which all Florida Democrats win.
With respect, I am,
Jon M. Ausman, State Committeeman
Leon County Democratic Executive Committee
********************************************************************
Dave and I shared our brief response to this letter with a few people yesterday and decided to share it more widely today:
Dave and I read Jon Ausman's email with great interest.
For some time now, we've been wondering if it were possible for Allison Tant
and Alan Clendenin to reach some sort of agreement that would benefit the
entire party. Each candidate has much to offer.
The ideas articulated in Jon's message are worth
exploring. What if we didn't have to say choosing one good Democrat meant
rejecting what the other good Democratic leader had to offer? What if it
were possible for Alan Clendenin and Allison Tant and their respective camps to
hammer out an agreement, in whatever form that might take? What if such an
agreement would unite our party and move us past the divisiveness and rancor? Don't
we it owe to ourselves to at least discuss all the possible options?
Rachel Sutz Pienta
David A. Pienta
State Committeewoman and State Committeeman, Wakulla County
Rachel Sutz Pienta
David A. Pienta
State Committeewoman and State Committeeman, Wakulla County
Note: Wakulla DEC Chair Rachel Pienta will be on the PNN show on Sunday night. The night’s schedule includes the following segments:
Interview with Allison Tant, from 7:10-7:40pm
Tim Carpenter founder of PDA from 7:41-8:10pm
and Dr. Pienta from 8:11 - 8:28pm talking about Democratic politics and small counties.
www.NewMercuryMedia.com/pnn.html
Interview with Allison Tant, from 7:10-7:40pm
Tim Carpenter founder of PDA from 7:41-8:10pm
and Dr. Pienta from 8:11 - 8:28pm talking about Democratic politics and small counties.
www.NewMercuryMedia.com/pnn.html
Wakulla has been waiting on the Small County Coalition to finish collecting responses from the member counties before making a public endorsement of one candidate over another. We will announce our choice after January 8th.
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