Convention Mama

We had great fun at the State Democratic Convention, which was held here in our beautiful, sparkling city by the sea this weekend, and I have high hopes for November. We are turning Texas blue, people!  Blue-green. 

Our little family started our participation (this week - I suppose you could technically go back to when we voted!) when the girls and I spent a couple of hours on Wednesday folding t-shirts and stuffing bags with other volunteers in preparation for the Convention.  LSP took the girls to their respective swim lesson and swim practice that night while I went to an informational meeting about the Convention at the courthouse.  We took Thursday pretty much off to take the girls to their various activities (library volunteering, swim lesson, swim practice).  I did pop over to the Progressive Center for a few minutes in the evening to drop off food for the kick-off party there, but only in between swim practice drop-off and pick-up.

On Friday morning, LSP and I got up super-early and headed off to the convention center to get credentialed.  We let our elder daughter get her younger sister dressed and ready while we went so they wouldn't be too rushed.  LSP and I were alternates to the Convention (though we got elevated to delegates today when there were some absences in the delegation).  We then picked up the girls and headed back to the convention center.  We took the girls around looking at all the booths set up by organizations, vendors and candidates.  We attended caucus meetings.  The LSG took a shift helping at the Texans for Peace/Texas Drought Project table where the Clean Economy Coalition was also passing out information.  It was great fun.  We left when it was time for the LSB's swimming lesson.

Today we went to the LSG's swim meet in the morning and got to the Convention as it was going back in session.  The LSG and I tried to walk down to McGee Beach for the Hands Across The Sand event, but it was much further than I remembered and crazy-hot.  We arrived just as it was ending and caught a ride back with a nice college student.  We met LSP and the LSB on the floor and stayed for the rest of the Convention. There was some excitement about approving the report of the Rules Committee as there is much disagreement over the Texas Two-Step process and people feel very strongly about it.  There also were these delegates who kept making motions to stop the reading of the resolutions approved by the Resolutions Committee and just have them decided by the SDEC or the Resolutions Committee (two different motions).  This was odd because it was quite obvious that the majority wanted to hear and vote on the resolutions, but they kept bringing it up an getting voted down.  If they had just been in a hurry, I think they would have just left, so I'm not sure what their issue was.  The Party voted to approve a moratorium on any future coal or pet-coke plants in Texas and voted to approve a resolution against Las Brisas - woo hoo!

I got to see Representative Elliott Naishtat from Austin who I worked for as a Social Work Intern and later LA when I was in graduate school.   

We got to help collect the recyclable trash for recycling at the end, too, because we were a green Convention(:


It was so great to participate in this process, especially as a family.  I love seeing our girls learning how to be involved citizens and having so much exposure to the process.  It thrills me.  I think we are doing a really good job teaching our kids about how democracy works.  It was also very grounding to be participating around the girls' activities and to work to balance it all.  We put a lot of effort into striking the right balance for our kids.  I don't really believe there is a "right" balance when you come down to it, though - it's really about the trying.  It's just good for the soul.


Expect many candidate posts and issue posts in the near future! Buenas noches!