David Lee & David RePass,

I am very heartened to see this announcement [about the reactivation of Democrats for Change]. I think that the net result from the effort two years ago has been extremely positive and I hope that this time there will be similar progress. I don't see a meeting of the DFC as a divisive process at all.

Yes, some folks took it that way two years ago, but lets look at the net effect.The party is now twice the size as before, with newcomers and experienced folks working together across a wide range of issues. We continue to turn out record numbers at Democratic conventions and at the polls. Sure we argue. We're Democrats. This fall we saw a 1429 vote increase in Democratic turnout in the City, compared to the last gubernatorial election, so we must at least be arguing about the right things.

I'm proud to be a Democrat in Charlottesville because we've put progressive ideas into action. In the past two years we've passed a number of living wage ordinances, passed a nondiscrimination policy in the schools and expanded alternative transportation (e.g.. yellow bikes and trolley). We've opened up the selection process for major board appointments, created a scholarship fund for City schools and taken steps to restore the heath of the Moormans River. We have a police force that is serious about community policing and we are now seeing the results of the most inclusive comprehensive planning process in ourhistory.

However, there is still much to do. I've got a few ideas about what I would like to accomplish in the next two years and I would very much like to hear what other Democrats (and those considering joining the party) have to say.

Is there a reason why this cannot be a movement within the Charlottesville [Democratic] Committee? No, of course not. Democrats have been pushing the progressive envelope in Charlottesville for the past 30years. I imagine that this is why David RePass posted the invitation to the Committee list. At the same time, I'm not sure that the Charlottesville [Democratic] Committee is the best vehicle for such an effort. I know that David and others have been trying to generate enthusiasm for doing something like this within the City Committee for two years now. It hasn't happened.

We've done quite a lot of other good things, but people's time and energy is limited. If some other folks want to take this on, I say more power to them! I think that regardless of how one feels about the DFC effort, we all will agree that we need to do more outreach, particularly to minorities and young people. I believe that the way to do outreach is on their terms. We can't wait for them to come to us, we have to go to them. Perhaps this meeting will be one way to do that. At the very least, it will surely spark some new debate and that, I believe is a Good Thing.

Kevin Lynch (electronic mail, November 20, 2001).