Grassroots voices matter in Democratic campaign

Why are county and state party conventions important to the 2016 election process?

In urging Democrats to attend our Beaufort County Democratic Party Convention held in March at Penn Center on St. Helena Island, I described it as “democracy in action.” There was a place for both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders supporters at the event. The same can be said for the South Carolina Democratic Party Convention held in Columbia at the end of April.

At the Beaufort County Democratic Convention, delegates were elected to attend the State Democratic Convention. The Harriet Keyserling Service Award was presented to her son, Beaufort Mayor Billy Keyserling, for his consequential local and national efforts toward halting plans for drilling off the Atlantic coast. The convention honored deceased Democratic activists and dedicated its meeting to the late Bob Masteller, who was a former Beaufort County Democratic Party chair and a jazz impresario.

Resolutions were presented, discussed and approved for forwarding to Columbia. Resolutions are important because they speak for what is at the heart of the local, state and national Democratic Party. They also typify what both Sanders and Clinton believe.

State convention-approved resolutions basically echoed what our two candidates for president advocate. Most were approved unanimously, but the resolution supporting an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour highlighted a difference between the candidates. The Resolutions Committee had advocated a “gradual” increase to $15 an hour (consistent with Clinton’s view), but the convention voted to delete “gradual,” more in line with Sanders’ position on an immediate increase to $15 an hour.

Over the next six months, you will hear our Democratic presidential nominee speak on policy issues. The resolutions passed at our Beaufort County and state conventions are consistent with these important issues. Over the next months, this column will address many of these from a Beaufort County perspective.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, is unqualified to be president of the United States. He has little understanding of issues important to all Americans. He will bully and name-call and give a broadened meaning to Pinocchio. Foreign allied leaders will continue to view him with horror. Meanwhile, our Democratic candidate will continue to address those things that matter.

Criminal justice reform is something on which both Democrats and reasonable Republicans are seeking to find common ground. Black lives do matter, and we need to work together to eliminate racism and promote peace and unity for all.

While Trump wants to build a wall, Democrats want to enact comprehensive immigration reform, including a path to citizenship. We believe the Citizens United case typifies economic injustice, where the Koch brothers can contribute $750 million to support candidates from the Republican Party; Democrats will seek a constitutional amendment to overturn this unjust law. Interestingly, even the Kochs are concerned about supporting Trump and may allocate their contributions to down-ballot Republican races.

Improved economic security, increased minimum wage, improved road and bridge infrastructure in South Carolina, election law reform, equal pay for equal work, equality for LGBT individuals, improved education, more concern for our environment and international trade agreements that favor American workers — these are all resolutions that are Democratic Party positions.

Finally, the state convention elected delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this summer. More than 1,100 delegates were credentialed at the State Democratic Convention; the GOP had only 496 at theirs. I was honored to be elected as a national delegate pledged to Clinton.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 9:13 AM with the headline "Grassroots voices matter in Democratic campaign."