Los Angeles Welcomes The California Democratic Party Convention

Last night the California Democratic Party kicked off it's annual 3-day convention here in L.A. Professional Democrats of all stripes streamed into town. This morning, one national operative spat in disgust, "Everyone is so slovenly. This place in worse than ComicCon." For me, though, it was a wonderful opportunity for a series of lunches and dinners with old friends. For those who are serious about being in The Party, Party Chairman John Burton kicked off the real event with a welcoming speech at the Westin Bonaventure that sought to celebrate the Democratic victories-- Democrats hold every single statewide elected office-- while warning that it's imperative to remain vigilant. "We cannot be complacent." But the party is, notoriously so. And corrupt… hideously so.

The California Democratic Party is what it is, but "lean," "smart," "inspiring" or "aggressive" isn't in the mix. "Lucky" is… lucky that the Republicans are even lamer-- if less slovenly-- than they are.

I'm looking for one thing-- even before a winning-machine-- in a party: a carrier of a worthy progressive vision. I hate conventions and last night I was sickened meeting so many people for whom a progressive vision is so far, so very, very far from any kind of equation that drew them to the Party or the convention. "We have a lot of work to do," said Burton, referencing local races including, hopefully, congressional ones. “It’s tough to be enthusiastic when you think you have a cinch." A cinch? They have a cinch? I guess if your goals are control of patronage… the California Democratic Party has a cinch.

But it was Burton's brother Phil-- once my own congressman, a strongly pro-environment/anti-war liberal-- who is also acknowledged to be the father of the lobbyist-driven Congress. Yes, he gave the lobbying industry the key to the gates in DC. Thanls, Phil. He voted very well on policy… but everything that's wrong with American governance can be blamed on him without too much of a stretch. Chairman John Burton, also a good, solid liberal, was forced to resign from Congress because he was a coke addict. His power inside the party has since grown gigantically. And he's a lot better than many of the other party autocrats underneath him. Eric Bauman, the Boss Tweed of L.A., former president of the Stonewall Democrats, senior adviser to Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez and vice chair of the California Democratic Party, makes John Burton appear cuddly-- and that's no exaggeration. "Machiavellian" is the nicest word I've ever heard to describe Bauman and he personifies what's wrong with with one party states in general and what's wrong with this state's Democratic Party specifically. He carries the East Coast big city boss mentality in his DNA and he's infected California with it.

Friends from out of town ask me if I'm a delegate this weekend or which formal sessions I'm going to. Once the president of the Young Democrats on my college campus, I don't even consider myself a member of the Democratic Party any more. It's the party where some laughable two-bit bully like Eric Bauman can maneuver liberals to back a pathetic hack and Chained CPI proponent like Pete Aguilar-- on the same weekend Aguilar's soliciting the endorsement of the Big Business and Wall Street-owned New Dems-- against a grassroots progressive like Eloise Reyes for the CA-31 congressional race. That symbolizes what's wrong with the California Democratic Party. Conservative careerist trash like Eric Bauman and Pete Aguilar… you can keep 'em. Pharcyde, though, was way cool at the Conga Room.