Democracy is Alive and well—in the Montgomery County Democratic Party!

The Montgomery County Democratic Committee will hold its 2015 MCDC Nominating Convention on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 7:30 PM.

Montgomery County committeepeople have a vote on endorsements--unlike the Philadelphia Democratic Party where the Party Chair and other members of the executive committtee decide endorsements and expect ward leaders and committeepeople to rubber stamp their decisions.

Also the Montgomery County Nominating Convention is open to the public—unlike the Philadelphia Democratic Party where decisions are made behind closed doors.

In the Philadelphia Democratic Party rules, both the old rules and the 2014 rules posted at Philadelphia Democratic Committee Facebook group provide for a County Convention:

ARTICLE 4 County Convention
The County Convention shall consist of the officers of the County Committee, and County Committeemen from the various wards in the City and County of Philadelphia.

In my almost 3 decades as a Democratic committeeperson, I have no recollection of such a convention ever being held. But the rules provide for it, and I believe there is growing interest in holding one.

Recently more democratic activists have been questioning the lack of transparency and democracy in the Philadelphia Democratic Party. The Philadelphia Democratic Progressive Caucus has the potential to become a real force in the Democratic Party and Joe Driscoll’s recent efforts to organize committeepeople through Philadelphia Democratic Committee Facebook group is another potential game changer.

And to paraphrase se the Social Forum folks, the Montgomery County Democrats have shown us-—another ward model is possible.