That incumbent is 74-year-old Delmas Parker. Unfortunately, Delmas has done little to help democratic candidates win during the disastrous 2010 midterm elections. Instead, Delmas prefers to wield power within the party, over the rank and file party members and bend the rules -- of the North Carolina Plan of Organization -- to suit his needs and his allies.
Delmas, a close ally of former chair Jerry Meek, was content to sit back and watch Meek's hand-picked successor David Young bungle the party's grassroots efforts and funding. Like Meek, Delmas also stayed closely aligned with the Progressive Democrats of North Carolina, even acting as their unofficial spokesman within the state's executive board.
Delmas's best days are behind him. His age isn't really the issue as much as his penchant for ignoring the Plan of Organization's prescribed rules, regulations and processes. He actively runs interference to protect party officers from disciplinary action (as long as they are members of the Progressives democrat group) for working against democratic candidates deemed not liberal enough.
Delmas rarely communicates with the party's active base because he's confident his pseudo-auxiliary club members will insure him another term. Unfortunately, Delmas's actions cost the party time, money and other resources in order to appease a non-auxilliary club all for the guarantee of their voting block. They keep him in office and he will protect their members despite rogue behaviors.
We can not endorse anyone who would encourage division inside the party by helping a sect of highly liberal democrats to ridicule, harass and malign the reputations of less-liberal democrats and the party's more moderate candidates. The hardcore recruiting must begin today!
It is imperative that someone step up to challenge Delmas for the Second Vice Chair office. Delmas has served on the party's state board in other positions but times have changed. It's time for fresh ideas, energetic work ethic, integrity to treat all democrats fairly and to follow the party's organizational regulations and procedures.
It's time for a new face on the state executive board and it's time for Delmas to step aside.
Speaking as a part of the party's VERY active base, I would like to whole heartedly disagree that Delmas is out of touch with us. He is in very regular communication, attending many events of all sorts, and always available with advice and input. He has been helpful to me during campaigns I've worked on, and fundraisers and conventions I've helped to organize.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Plan Of Organization, are you aware that with majority support of the SEC it is being re-written? It is full of very frustrating inconsistencies and though well intentioned, it is not always possible to follow each bit of it and maintain an organization locally. I am looking forward, as a member of the Council of Review, for the much needed revision.
You call yourself an "insider", and have some interesting insights, but don't seem terribly aware of a lot of things that go on in local NC politics. Why aren't you running, or publicly saying who you are while an argument about who you are is going on at BlueNC? Do you live here?
I'm with ya on David Parker, I feel strongly he is our best qualified candidate and I know his heart is with the grassroots of the party, having worked closely with him for years now. I'm a bit surprised at your support of him with the venom you're tossing at liberals; but I understand David has gone through some changes himself politically over the last couple of years.
September, thank you for taking time to comment.
ReplyDeleteDelmas is out of touch in many regards and crooked. Because YOU are an active member of the party and on the council of review, you receive a level of attention from Delmas the rest of democrats do not.
We are very aware the Plan of Organization needs rewriting for clarity at a minimum. However, Delmas does not bother to follow the existing regulations in the POO and that is a monsterously serious issue for a state party officer.
This blog is not about local or state politics, it is about the state party and the problems within. BlueNC's regular posters are widely reputed to attack anyone who speaks up with input or facts that oppose their positions. It doesn't make the information any less true but the attacks are designed to discredit the individuals and the information is then relegated to the sidelines. Tactically smart, ethically disgusting. This is why we are anonymous. Look at what happened to WiseDem who posted links to this site. The accusations were unbelievable.
We are not attacking liberals. We are liberals. We do find fault with a particularly venomous sect of liberals calling themselves "progressive democrats" and harming the party by their ugly behavior toward other democrats inside the party.
We appreciate feedback and if you have evidence or information that contradicts our reports, we urge you to let us know.
Can you give specific evidence about Delmas not bothering to "follow the existing regulations in the POO"? or being "crooked"?
ReplyDeleteHe has been attentive and supportive of all of my democratic efforts since before I held office, so I guess it's not just that.
I am unhappy that he has apparently spread some mis-information recently and I intend to speak with him and correct that if I can, but I am just not ready to believe the serious accusations you are making without some basis in fact.
Tony McEwen is another person in the party who has been as supportive of me as David Parker has over the years. I think that Tony's taking some initiative in forming the HAC was a great thing, considering that DY and Company had pretty much no communication going among party officers (from what I understand). The POO states that:"Vice Chairs. The duties of the three vice chairs shall be assigned by the state chair, with the approval of the state executive council." Tony accomplished an important task on his own initiative, given no direction by our Chair. Also, for electing dems, well...I can tell you that he was personally supportive of me during my frantic work trying to elect Billy Kennedy (not that we succeeded, but we sure tried!) Tony (and his Dad) also took Billy around to introduce him to donors at the last convention to try and help us out.
Tony doesn't live in the 10th any more, or the 5th-but the work he did over here as NC10 chair isn't forgotten, and those of us who were part of that organization then have carried the torch forward. I don't know what I would have done without CJane, for instance! Tony's "10 for the 10th" strategy is something I've gone back to over and over again trying to rally volunteers here on the district border :) He always takes my calls or gets right back to me.
I can't really speak to the BlueNC thing. I don't really spend time there. As a matter of fact, I heard about the conversation and went to look, but was unable to log in or post. It couldn't find my username...which is odd cause I can see it when I google the time I did post there. I was unable to even retrieve my password. Oh well. I do know that I like the people who do tell me what is going on over there.
I don't know which "progressives" you're referring to. I was at the PDNC convention on David Parker's behalf, you're not talking about those nice people, are you?
Could you elaborate on your Secretary endorsement?
Please send us your email address and we'll share specifics with you. The concern of publishing here the answers you seek will reveal the identities of those who've sent us documented proof. We'll consider posting the information in the near future but at this time we'd rather protect the names of the involved.
ReplyDeletevrmccrady@roadrunner.com
ReplyDelete