posted May 6, 2008
For the life of me I cannot understand what has happened to the Democratic Party here in Hamilton County. We used to be a vibrant party full of excitement and energy and brimming with qualified candidates running, and winning offices not only here locally but also at the state and national level. What we seem to have now is a bankrupt Hamilton County Democratic Party; bankrupt not only in monetary terms but also bankrupt in ideas, candidates, and leadership.
The party leadership is more focused on having discussion groups, forums, and speeches by so-called experts than building a party apparatus that will attract candidates and raise the necessary dollars to support those candidates. Could it be that the top leadership here locally is more interested in building name recognition in advance of another run for elective office?
This is a pivotal election year with many important issues on the minds of voters. We as a party have to be fully engaged while providing a clear direction of how and where we will lead once elected. This cannot happen if we are not fully committed to raising the funds, recruiting qualified candidates, and doing what is necessary to elect those candidates.
My hope is that someone will step up to the plate before it's too late for Democrats in Hamilton County. There is just too much at stake. We cannot allow our party to go bankrupt.
Ian Barkley
Chattanooga
ibarkley10@yahoo.com
* * *
Mr. Barkley, I have been involved in politics locally for the past eight years. I worked hard to try to elect Al Gore. I worked for John Kerry. I worked for Harold Ford. I'm going to work hard for our next nominee for president.
But honestly, in all of that time, I never saw, met or heard you, Mr. Ian Barkley.
If you are for real, you have not been at any of the local Democratic Party functions that I have been involved in. I've never seen you or met you.
Have you even given any money to local Democrats? Or to the party?
Who are you? Are you really a Democrat?
wrightbrother@live.com
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Let me thank all those Democrats who volunteer and support our local party. And while I would like to thank Ian Barkley for his critique, he seems not to be aware of what our party is doing. So let me invite him to get involved with the Democratic Party locally. We have many opportunities.
Instead of criticizing and standing away from the party, I encourage him to get involved by helping us with phone-banking, canvassing, letter writing, event planning and assistance, voter registration, and finding good candidates to run. These efforts take lots of people.
These efforts take money too. That's why last year we raised enough money to keep our leased headquarters open all year and pay a staff member. So if you have money to give to our party, we would appreciate it.
John Bailes, Chairman
Hamilton County Democratic Party
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