This June will be the quadrennial MCDP Reorganization Meeting. By a majority vote, leaders will be elected and a new MCDP Constitution will be ratified.  The context of this meeting will be the reality that our democracy is in deep trouble and the best way to push back against Trump is at the ballot box. The big question Reorganization must answer: What can the MCDP do to make flipping this district, OH-10, more likely?

Deadline is February 4 to register to be on ballot to serve on the MCDP Central Committee and to be a voting delegate at the MCDP Reorganization Meeting in June. The only requirement is to be a Democrat registered in Montgomery County. Just contact the Board of Elections. Consider stepping up and getting engaged in remaking our party.

Our Republican incumbent, Mike Turner, has won every election since 2002, but, OH-10 is rated one of the three most competitive of the ten districts now controlled by Republicans. If Democrats are to flip any Republican districts, OH-10 has a much better shot than most Republican districts. I’m proposing a two-year plan.

I’m putting together my proposed changes to the MCDP Constitution in a little book, to be posted on line,  showing these changes as part of a two-year plan to flip this congressional district. This book cover is a bit much. It was created by ChatGPT.

Most Democrats agree that the party needs big changes. This is from an NPR report: “Polling shows voters have historically negative views about Democrats in Congress and the overall brand of the party. But a sizable share of the dissatisfaction comes from people who consider themselves Democrats, favor Democratic policies and ultimately will end up voting for the Democratic candidate.” The wonderful opportunity is that the big changes needed in the Democratic Party can start here, at the county level.

Though unstated as such, the current mission of the Democratic Party is to elect Democrats. This sounds reasonable but, as a mission, this is very faulty. Imagine a car company saying that its mission is to make a profit. No, a car company makes money by accomplishing its mission of making a quality automobile at a low price.

The mission of the Democratic Party, I believe, should be the advancement of participatory democracy. The stronger our democracy, the more likely the election of Democrats will be, and, the more the party stands for empowering the rank and file, the more it will attract votes for its candidates. 

To flip this congressional district, I believe, will require building a non-partisan civic infrastructure that at present does not exist, one that will engage hundreds and thousands of rank-and-file Democrats not now engaged. I’m proposing that the MCDP launch a two year program to prepare for the 2028 elections. During this time, the goal will be for MCDP members to construct non-partisan civic communities in all of the local jurisdictions in the county.

The Democratic Party should be driven by a vision of the future worth working for. A new MCDP Constitution will show a vision of that future and focus on building that future.

The big crisis of our time demands a big solution. My goal is to write a draft of a 21st century MCDP Constitution and to work with fellow Democrats to hammer out the details that can be widely agreed to. The goal will be to produce a Constitution proposal that will have overwhelming support by the delegates at the June Reorganization Meeting.

The letter below, revised, I distributed at the MCDP December meeting / Christmas Party indicating the changes in the MCDP Constitution that I am proposing.  There is a lot to explain and I’m working on writing a small book to be posted on line. I’ve instructed ChatGPT to produce book covers for possible titles.  

——————————————————————-

Dear Friend — Merry Christmas !

We are living in the most consequential time in human history. … More than at any other time, the Democratic Party must step up and provide leadership. We must focus on the big picture. 

We are on the verge of autocracy and the dogs of greed and hate are no longer in the wings. They’re constantly revealing who they are — never with more clarity than in the audacious effort to suddenly cancel Jimmy Kimmel.

Our democracy is failing and the big danger is that the amazing power of artificial intelligence will be used to clinch authoritarian control. I believe we have a short time to save our democracy — two elections, 2026 and 2028 — we must get our house in order.

My goal is to write a MCDP Constitution proposal so that it defines the MCDP as the total membership of the MCDP and empowers MCDP members to directly choose MCDP leadership, rather than being chosen by the Central Committee. Yes, the ORC designates the Central Committee as the “controlling committee,” but the ODP Constitution empowers the ODP Central Committee to cede its authority, part of its authority, to a larger group, so the MCDP should be permitted to copy that practice. 

I’m hoping the 2026 Reorganization will make decisions and approve a new MCDP Constitution that loudly will broadcast the message that the Democratic Party, the community of rank-and-file Democrats, is serious about making our democracy strong and that the MCDP is launching a two-year campaign to earn the brand — “the participatory democracy party.” The Constitution, then, will spell out:

1. The next Reorganization will be in 2028. (As permitted by ORC.)
2. The MCDP will be defined as the community of rank-and-file MCDP members and the new MCDP Constitution will show how this community will be empowered to participate in the work of the Central Committee.
3. The total membership of the MCDP will be empowered to vote to elect MCDP officers in an on-line / in-person MCDP Convention.
4. The elected MCDP officers also will serve in the same offices for the Central Committee, with the approval of the Central Committee.
5. The Constitution will endorse a future system of participatory democracy in Montgomery County, and throughout OH-10, where non-partisan communities will dominate politics. 
6. The Constitution will encourage MCDP members to fully engage in building, leading and participating in these civic communities. 
7. One purpose of these non-partisan communities will be the preparation and development of civic leaders who will emerge as candidates for the Democratic Party.
8. The MCDP Constitution will show examples of “Participatory Democracy Platforms” that the Party will recommend for use by Democratic Party candidates. 
9. The MCDP Constitution will implore the Republican Party, the MCRP, to join the “participatory democracy” movement and copy the MCDP Constitution.

I know this is very very ambitious. It is the urgency of our time that dares us to think big, and I’m doing my best — a “participatory democracy” movement, rank-and-file Democrats building non-partisan civic groups, a Democratic candidate emerging from a non-partisan movement, and, the cumulative result: flipping OH-10 in 2028.  I am preparing a paper, a little book, that develops these ideas. I’d love your input. Contact me.

Sincerely,

Mike Bock           mcbock@daytonos.com   

I’m proud that my neighbor, Bryan Suddith, is seeking to be elected the mayor of Kettering. I’ve told him that, of the 41 precincts in Kettering, my goal is to help him to get his highest percentage in our precinct, Kettering 4-K. I’ve distributed flyers throughout the precinct advertising that this Saturday at 4:00 PM in front of Bryan’s house at 609 Schuyler will be a neighborhood gathering to greet Bryan and Melissa and participate in Q / A and discussion. The flyer emphasizes, Bring a Lawn Chair.

Next week, my focus will be to visit with infrequent voters and unaffiliated voters registered in this precinct. My pitch is simple — “Bryan is a great guy, talented, a history of service, a member of Kettering Council, endorsed by the retiring mayor, Peggy Lehner, etc. — and, HE IS OUR NEIGHBOR. Let’s help our neighbor get elected as our mayor.”

Unknown to me, the League of Women Voters forum for Kettering mayor scheduled at Christ Methodist Church was cancelled last night. As it turned out, Bob Scott, the other candidate seeking to be elected mayor, a week earlier had informed the League that he would be unavailable. Anyway, I enjoyed the forum for the Kettering City Council candidates and the forum for the Centerville School Board candidates.  

Below is part of the e-mail I sent to Bryan in anticipation of the forum: 

Here is a question:

“Mr. Suddith, what is your vision for the future of Kettering? How can that dream be actualized?”

The context of all conversations about the future is the astonishing reality that we are on the verge of the arrival of super intelligence that far exceeds that of humans. Ray Kurzweil, since 2005, has predicted that the arrival of the Singularity will be in 2045, but with the enormous sums of money being spent, many experts now are predicting AI super-intelligence will arrive much sooner. It truly is beyond the capacity of a human mind to conceive of what these machines might do — great good, unlimited material abundance and economic liberty and fairness for all, or great harm, painful totalitarian control and, even, human extinction.

Amazon just reported that in the next few years, it will fill 600,000 jobs with robots. I fear massive unemployment soon will lead to a time of great social turmoil. Many citizens already have given up on a system of democracy that has let them down and I fear this trend will grow.

The future of Kettering is tied to the future of America and, in fact, the whole world. We truly are all in this together and our only hope is that somehow American democracy will be repaired so that it can finally empower governments of, by, and for the people — for the common good, for being a force for good in the world. We have a long way to go.

The Kettering of the future I’d like to see you advocate is a Kettering that is famous for starting the democracy of the future — a vibrant 21st century participatory democracy — a community that practices a politics of unity, that has a well-informed and empowered rank-and-file, an engaged youth, etc. 

It seems like fate that in Kettering we have the Kettering Foundation funded by Charles Kettering in 1927, now with $500 million, and that its mission is to advance thriving democracies throughout the world.

In order for American democracy to thrive, we need a big upgrade to the system. We need to develop the democracy of the future that will use technology and artificial intelligence to empower the rank-and-file to meaningfully participate in their democracy. There is no better place than Kettering for the democracy of the future to be developed.  It seems a good bet that the Kettering Foundation would be receptive to working with a Kettering mayor who offers a plan. 

Now, the fun part will be to write a draft of a plan to establish the democracy of the future in Kettering — as a starting point for discussion. For multiple reasons, Kettering would be an ideal place for an upgrade to a 21st century participatory democracy system. Kettering would be an ideal place for the start of a participatory democracy grassroots movement.

This question about a vision for the future of Kettering is a great question for Bryan. To get to our best future — a future where the astonishing power of AI is used for the common good — will require a united citizenry. We need to invent a politics of unity and Bryan is gifted in all the skills and the background of experiences needed to do just that.

I can’t seem to help myself, but I’m becoming pessimistic about the future. The division and hostility in today’s politics is so great, there seems no answer. We need to elect leaders who have the character, skills and experience needed to build unity and who have the commitment to do so. I have a lot of confidence in Bryan Suddith.