The Democratic Party in Louisiana is in shambles. As Will Rogers once said, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." That phrase is accurate for me and many other proud Louisiana Democrats right now, though we have little to be proud of. Today's political landscape is bleak for us here in the Bayou State. Of Louisiana's seven congressional districts, only one is held by a Dem - and he is running for Senate this year. We have senior representation in the US Senate in Mary Landrieu, but even she is often criticized on the left for her close ties with business and moderate status. Our one statewide elected official, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, was elected as a Dem but has since shown that he only does what Governor Jindal tells him to do. With Mitch Landrieu's departure from the Lieutentant Governor's office, it seemed that the four Republicans seeking to take his place would go unchallenged from the left. As of noon on the final day of candidate qualifying, no Democrats had jumped in though four Dem candidates would qualify at the last minute. In the state legislature, Democrats rule in number only. The House is evenly split with 51 members in each party and 3 "no-party" members following a representative's recent defection from D to R. When the current group of legislators was elected in 2007, Dems held a 53-member majority - but that didn't stop the election of a Republican speaker of the house. The Senate is ruled solidly by Democrats, at least according to the numbers, with a 22-16-1 (D-R-np) split. Republicans, however, showed this year that they rule the roost by pushing through a repudiation of Obama's new health reform law with a 28-4 vote. Yet, it isn't all doom and gloom. Six of the seven largest city governments in Louisiana are led by Democratic mayors (Shreveport, Alexandria, Monroe, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans). And, the race for Vitter's U.S. Senate seat just got much more interesting, signaling a potential pick-up for Democrat Charlie Melancon this year. But, I'm afraid that is where the highlights end. From where I sit, Democrats as an organized party or movement in Louisiana have nowhere to go but up. It is no secret that the party structure itself has suffered from a lack of leadership, with former chair Chris Whittington succumbing to calls for his resignation last December and the position of Executive Director having been filled recently after almost a year of sitting empty. In January, the former congressman and long-time party financier Buddy Leach was elected as chair of a party in disarray. "We deserve better." This is one of Melancon's often-used phrases this campaign cycle - referring, of course, to better leadership in the U.S. Senate. However, I think the phrase is equally applicable in the context of this article, as well. For too long, Democrats in Louisiana (and in many instances, Louisiana voters in general) have allowed themselves to be represented by whomever the good ol' boy of the moment was, while postponing or forgoing any real progress or leadership. This needs to end - and soon. Louisiana is in no position to rest on its laurels, and neither are its Democrats. Our Tigers and Saints might keep us happy in the fall, but it should not make anyone happy to look around and see the state of Louisiana otherwise. We're the second poorest state in the country, ranked 47th in the nation in health, and the only state where children have it worse is Mississippi. Yet - and I can't explain this one - we're the happiest folks in the country. Perhaps my father was right all those years - maybe ignorance is bliss. But what do Democrats stand for? Unfortunately, this is a question that won't get you far. Even our young, bright-eyed, Ivy-league educated candidates are "pro-life, pro-gun conservative(s)." Democratic candidates spend more time running away from the party label, often taking great pains to hide it on their websites and in their stump speeches, than they do offering a meaningful and viable contrast to the traditional Republican message. I will not discuss the statewide grassroots organizing or candidate recruitment efforts of the Louisiana Democratic Party because I see none happening right now. Democrats across the state are disconnected, disunified, and discouraged. It is going to take strong, proactive leadership - from the LDP and Dem elected officials - and a hell of a lot of elbow grease to rectify this situation. Speaking of elected officials, we need our Democrats in office to do a few things if they care about the future of the party and the state as a whole. First, show some unity - come together and rally behind a bold, Democratic proposal. Political parties exist for a reason, and you'll get little done if you are trying to stand alone or be "independent." Second, lead on policy. Don't be afraid to bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table, lest Einstein's definition of insanity creep up on us as a state (for some progressive policy ideas, check out Louisiana Progress). Finally, help build the farm team. The day you start thinking about moving on or moving up is the day you should have someone in mind to replace you. The fact that it took so long for State Senator Butch Gautreaux or any other major candidate to step up to the plate for Lt.Gov is telling. It demonstrates that Louisiana does not yet have a system for grooming young progressive leaders for office (wait - we just got one: the nonpartisan New Leaders Council). As Democrats, we have to learn to see beyond the election cycle and build a sustainable political infrastructure. At the end of the day, we do deserve better Democrats and a better Democratic party in Louisiana. Who else will stand up for the poor, the children in public schools, and the hard-working middle class? Who else will stand up for closing the achievement gap, improving access to healthcare, and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure? Who else will promote equality, opportunity, and courageous innovation? If we want a stronger party, we have to offer bold leadership, a contrasting message, and develop a plan for the future - and we can't give up one inch of ground in the meantime. |
