The Supreme Court of the
United States will consider the case of Ohio voter-rolls
purging practices in Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
on January 10, 2018. The NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund has warned that the Court decision could
have a momentous impact in making it more difficult and
costly to vote – extending well beyond Ohio.
Since 2011, the state of Ohio
has purged two million names from voter rolls, more than
half of which targeted people merely because they were
“infrequent” voters (despite “limited voting hours, erratic
job schedules, child care needs, closing of neighborhood
polling places, inadequate or inaccessible transportation,
and the costs associated with obtaining a photo
identification,” all obstacles which make it harder for
disabled, low income, elderly and minorities to vote).
Yet, while the community
desperately tries to survive the War on Voter Rights and
other major conflicts such as the war on black youth, the
war on women and the war on the LGBTQ persons, Lucas County
Dems appear more interested in attacking each other than
fighting the wars being waged upon their constituents.
The Implications?
With Lucas County still a
pivotal county in a pivotal swing state, the much-ballyhooed
Democratic Party re-takeover of power a/k/a the 2018 Blue
Wave stands to become nothing more than a myth.
As a result, with
reorganization of the central committee scheduled for May,
2018, Lucas County Party Chair, Josh Hughes could also find
himself on the hot seat unless he can demonstrate that he
has the ability to keep the party unified.
Remnants of the old A and B
factions still exist as well as other in-group/out-group
dynamics. Candidates still carry grudges from unhealed past
wounds. In addition, the Party still suppresses diversity of
thought and “assumes exclusivity over inclusivity, denying
the opportunity to attract more people into what needs to be
a wider tent,” says one elected official.
Because of the infighting,
many potential but powerful donors are sitting on the
sidelines. “We’re embarrassed,” said another Party regular,
“They (donors) give money to a few select candidates, but
they won’t give money to the Party. Somewhere along the line
they’ve got to fix that,” he adds.
Where Do We Go From Here?
“I don’t know who in the
world would want the job of Party Chair. There’s no money in
it and it’s pretty thankless. Although he came in as labor’s
guy and caused a lot of the fractions himself, I don’t see
Hughes as a leader but at least he’s doing something, the
elected official reasons.”
Yet, the old saying is:
“Healing is a Function of Time that must run its Course.”
More than likely, by May
2018, newly-elected Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz will become the
de facto leader of the party and will have the opportunity
to choose the Party’s chair.
If so, look for Mike
Beasley and a few other people to have a larger role in
Party decision making, especially if the building trades
shifts their priority from running the Party to a focus of
financially supporting individual candidates.
In the meantime, we shall
see if current leadership can make the decisions needed to
move the Party forward while driving out the “Me First, You
Not At All” Self-Serving spirit that is currently prevalent.
Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at
drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org
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