Federated Website System for County Parties
If the average website cost is $20/mo+ $20/yr for URL purchase and there are 254 counties, then collectively, all county parties could be spending up to $66,000/yr. Certain subpage systems can reduce this cost to $10/mo or less per website w/ no need to buy a URL, saving upwards of $35,500/yr.
Most folks outside of the Party DO NOT DISTINGUISH the difference between the State or the County Parties. We know and recognize the difference. Most people do not.
Because of this, all work a County Party does will reflect directly on the TDP and vice versa. The more resources a County Party can put into GOTV and less into overhead, the better for us all.
We need to centralize better and automate certain processes while maintaining local control. Federated websites and CRM systems are a great way to boost long-term effectiveness & efficiency.
We call upon the TDP to create a federated system of websites for all county parties so that resources can be better spent on GOTV and other matters.
"Remote voting" in this instance means for state delegates who are unable to attend. In-person delegates may still be allowed to vote in however means they deem necessary. The Permanent Rules Committee passed this proposal and we now ask for the General Body to support it as well.
We call upon the Texas Democratic Party to allow remote voting for State Delegates starting in 2026. This measure passed the Permanent Rules Committee and will allow delegates who are unable to attend in-person to still have their voices heard. Too few Democrats are able to truely participate in the State Convention -- whether due to not being able to take time off from work, limited financial resources, illness, and more. This reform will allow them to participate in the governance of their Party.
The Permanent Rules Committee passed this proposal and we now ask for the General Body to support it as well.
The Chair of the Texas Democratic Party is an important position. It's a disservice to the Party that whoever holds that position cannot give it their all. Furthermore, by not compensating the Chair position, we inadvertently dissuade working class people from leading the Texas Democrats. As such, we call for the State Chair to become a full-time, paid position within the Texas Democratic Party.
The Permanent Rules Committee passed this proposal and we now ask for the General Body to support it as well.
We call for rule changes to the Texas Democratic Party to institute ranked-choice voting for all party officer positions elected at the 2026 State Democratic Convention. It is confusing to our delegates to use ranked-choice for SDEC and committee members only to use an entirely other voting system for party officers. One common voting system will best serve our party. We also call for the party to institute electronic voting, including at in-person conventions, for to make our floor votes faster, easier, and more transparent.
The Permanent Rules Committee passed this proposal and we now ask for the General Body to support it as well.
We call for the Indigenous Peoples Caucus (IPC) to be added to the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC). The IPC represents those who have been historically persecuted and face a very unique set of contemporary issues. The Texas Democratic Party needs their voices in our decision making process, and it is only right to ensure the IPC has a seat at the table.
The cannabis prohibition is harming Americans. The Democratic Party should support any legislation that moves us forward to ending the cannabis prohibition -- including full medical use, recreational use, and full decriminalization.
Our water, air, and soil must be protected. As FDR said, "a nation that destroys its soil destroys itself." The Democratic Party needs to support any legislation that works toward ending the climate crisis -- from boosting renewable energy; removing or otherwise limiting pollution and greenhouse gases; protecting water, soil, and air; and any other necessary policy that will protect Americans from the climate crisis.
The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act establishes a targeted process for
reviewing voting changes in jurisdictions nationwide, focused on measures that have
historically been used to discriminate against voters. It would allow a federal court to order
states or jurisdictions to be covered for results-based violations, where a particular measure
has a disparate racial impact on voting.
The Act would increase transparency by requiring reasonable public notice for
voting changes, and would grant the U.S. Attorney General authority to request federal
observers be present anywhere in the country where there is a serious threat of racial
discrimination in voting. It would also increase accessibility and protections for Native American
and Alaska Native voters.
Voting is the foundation of freedom. The Democratic Party needs to support legislation and policies that support the voting rights of all citizens. We call upon the Federal Government to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
We are a nation of immigrants. The Democratic Party should support legislation and policies that strive to fix our broken immigration system in a humane, safe way.
Freedom is a cornerstone of America. The Democratic Party needs to fight for all legislation and policies that promote and protect freedom, including but not limited to: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, and freedom from want.
Justice must be for all or it will inevitably be for none. The Democratic Party needs to support any legislation or policies that support justice for all -- from ending no-knock raids, increasing police accountability, fixing the justice system, fixing bail, ending the cannabis prohibition, and more.
All Americans deserve to feel safe in their homes, their communities, and their bodies. The Democratic Party needs to support any legislation and policy that limits domestic violence, domestic terrorism, gun violence, crime, attacks on trans children, and more.
All Americans deserve the right to support themselves and their families. The Democratic Party should support legislation and policies that break apart corporate monopolies, support a living wage, good jobs for all, the right to repair for farmers, and more.
Education is the foundation of opportunity for all. The Democratic Party needs to support legislation and policies that support strong public education and teachers.
Healthcare is a human right. The Democratic Party should support any and all legislation to expand affordable, quality healthcare to all residents in USA -- including but not limited to Medicare expansion, full expansion of the ACA, and Medicare for All or any other universal system of healthcare.
Far-Right Republicans have tanked our government, causing millions to go without pay. The TSA, air traffic controllers, our soldiers and sailors, national parks employees, and millions of other government employees will soon be without a paycheck.
During this period of suffering and anxiety for millions, the Congress Critters who caused this mess are still getting paid. Not their staff (who get back pay), not the cooks or janitors at the Capitol (who do NOT get back pay); only Congress members are still getting paid.
We think the first paychecks that should be cut are those of Congress Critters. Sign if you agree!
Given that one of our 2022 Convention Chairs misspoke and caused us to lose quorum, it is evident that anyone who serves as a convention chair MUST know our rules, stick to the script, and be well prepared. The SDEC shall have oversight to ensure these qualifications are met.
We call for the Permanent Platform Committee during the 2024 Texas Democratic Convention to add the following, or equivalent, language to the TDP 2024 Platform under the “Reproductive Freedom and Personal Choice” section:
Regardless of where we come from or how we worship, every family wants to be happy, healthy, and free to live our lives. All of us want peace, justice, and the right to self-determination. This applies to all who call Earth home.
The Middle East is spiraling toward an ever-more destructive path that will kill many innocents, including children. Acts of revenge do not create peace. They do not find justice. Nor do they ensure self-determination for anyone. With over tens of thousands of innocents killed, the cycle of violence must end.
And yet, as more children end up in coffins, many of our politicians are pushing for greater war just to fill the War Machine's corporate coffers. Instead of pushing for peace, many of our politician puppets, ignoring the 70% of Americans who want a ceasefire and de-escalation, point figures and stoke divisions to keep themselves in power while giving kickbacks to their mega-donors.
When we reject these divide and distract tactics to come together, we can push for a lasting and just peace for all.
This is a joint petition between the Texas Progressive Caucus, the Asian American Democrats of Texas, and the Muslim Democratic Caucus of Texas.
Our Ask: Consideration for U.S. aid to Israel should include;
Why Act? The mass killing of civilians, including children, is unacceptable and is a violation of international law. Netanyahu's extremist government is relentlessly assaulting civilians and rendering Gaza uninhabitable. Senators, including Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, and Peter Welch are now considering proposals for conditioning military aid to Israel and ending the blank check approach that has clearly not contributed to peace or security for either Israelis or Palestinians. Giving $14.3 billion without any conditions to Netanyahu, following the killing of over 5,000 children and expecting better results in the future, is unconscionable and reckless.
Our Mission: We urge you to connect with your Members of Congress now and demand that they place much-needed restrictions on the $14.3 billion aid package to Israel to ensure that such aid is not used to harm civilians. Our campaign, "No Blank Checks to Netanyahu," is a call for accountability and a much overdue oversight over how foreign militaries use U.S. tax dollars.
What's at Stake: Reassessing U.S. aid to Israel is a matter of extreme urgency, especially as we have the power to leverage our position and influence to promote de-escalation in the region, advocating for a political resolution over military intervention. This reassessment is critical to prevent complacency in actions that may violate international law and compromise our commitments to human rights.
Take action today and connect with your elected officials to demand accountability for U.S. aid to Israel. Together, let's end the blank check approach. #NoBlankChecksToNetanyahu