New Democratic Party Leadership

While the country is gearing up for the inauguration of Barack Obama next Tuesday, the McPherson Country Democrats also have reason to celebrate. Click the title of this post to go to their we site.

New leadership of the party, with Ryon Carey as chair, Susan Buffington as Vice Chair, Ellen Neufeld as Secretary and Jayne Norlin as Treasurer. I believe that Neufeld is the only returning leader of the party. They've even started a blog.

Frankly, I'm glad to see this change in leadership. I do not mean to speak ill of those who led the party for the last - what - twenty years. I know they were sincere and devoted to the good of the country and the good of the party, but they needed to retire several years ago.

I went to the pre-election rally at the McPherson Senior Citizens' center in September. The focus was entirely on local races, most of which Democrats hadn't a ghost of a chance at capturing. We had Lee Jones, the candidate who would ultimately lose the primary to Mr. Gas Hose (who thought that semi-pornographic ad was a good idea?), who would lose the race to Pat Roberts. We had Cynthia Nelson from Lincoln County.

We missed state party leadership. We didn't have any leaders who could excite the folks who came to the meeting.

What truly bothered me at this meeting was I never heard the top of the ticket mentioned. These may have been Hilary Democrats, but by the time we had this meeting Obama had not only won the nomination, but we were into the fall campaign. I went home from that meeting deeply discouraged about the party in this state.

Seeing the new leadership I once again optimistic about the Democratic Party in McPherson County. Maybe we can bring progressive leadership to local and state government. I sure hope so.