2023 DSA Convention Suggested Resolutions

Our North Star caucus will begin discussion of resolutions we hope to propose at the national convention next year. These are draft proposals from individual caucus members, not finalized positions. They are in no way official positions or proposals of the caucus, nor are they the result of any selection process. Save the link to this entry. As more suggestions come in, we will add them to this post. As usual, comments are open.

I.

“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to expand and create more participation in a more democratic DSA,
BE IT RESOLVED:  
(Amended portions are marked in bold and deleted portions are marked as  (delete    ). 
Constitution - Article VIII. National Political Committee
Section 2.
The members of the NPC shall be one representative of the Youth Section and 24 (delete '16') delegates elected at the national convention.    Of the elected members, no more than eight shall be men, at least eight shall be women, and at least eight (delete 'five') shall be racial or national minority members and for all genders of DSA. In the event that these minority positions are not filled at the Convention, the position(s) shall be filled by the NPC, except that only minority members of DSA may be elected to fill such vacancies. In case of other such vacancies, except a vacancy of the Youth Section Representative, the NPC shall appoint a member of the organization in good standing to serve until the next Convention. No person shall serve simultaneously on the National Staff and the NPC.
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“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to have a clear definition of membership in the DSA for identity and rights as a member,
BE IT RESOLVED:  
(Amended portions are marked in bold and deleted portions are marked as  (delete    ). 
 
By-Laws - Article I. Membership

Section 1.
Applicants for membership in the organization shall agree with the principles of the organization and pay annual dues (good for 12 calendar months).

Section 2.
Members will receive the organizational outreach publication. Members are encouraged to participate in political activities and education. New members will receive a membership card, and renewing members shall receive such a card upon request. Members will receive information on National policy from the National Office. A member is in good standing only if their payment of dues is current. Only members in good standing are eligible to hold office in the organization.   (delete   Membership in the organization may be maintained by persons who are up to one-year arrears in dues. Such members may cure their arrears and place themselves in good standing by paying their dues. )

Section 3.
Members can be expelled if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization or if they consistently engage in undemocratic, disruptive behavior or if they are under the discipline of any self-defined democratic-centralist organization. Members facing expulsion must receive written notice of charges against them and must be given the opportunity to be heard before the NPC or a subcommittee thereof, appointed for the purpose of considering expulsion.    “Member” or “dues paying membership” or “members fully paid up” is defined and includes a person who is current on their national dues to the DSA (good for 12 calendar months), or has their membership fee waived or reduced with  just cause  approved by the NPC, and who has not been expelled.  
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“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to expand and create more participation in a more democratic DSA for at large delegates,
BE IT RESOLVED:  
((Amended portions are marked in bold and deleted portions are marked as  (delete    ). 
 
By-Laws - Article VI. National Conventions

Section 1.
Delegates to the National Convention shall be apportioned based on the dues-paying membership of the organization (delete (including all members up to one-year arrears in dues).) Delegate to member ratios shall be set by the NPC at least 6 months before the Convention, except in the case of Special Conventions, where such ratios shall be set by the NPC as soon as possible after the Convention is called.
 
 
By-Laws - Article VI. National Conventions 

Section 2.   
Elections for at-large delegates shall be conducted by the NPC. A call for candidates for at-large delegates shall be sent to all at-large members not less than three months and not more than five months prior to the opening date of the Convention. Two months prior to the Convention a ballot containing the names of the delegate candidates shall be sent to at-large members. This ballot shall contain instructions regarding the number of delegates to be elected, voting procedures and date for the counting of ballots. Ballots shall be counted at the National Office one month prior to the Convention. No more than one-third (delete one-half )of the available positions for at large delegates may be available to men, no more than one- third of the available positions for at large delegates may be available to women, and no more than one-third (delete one-fifth) of the available positions (all genders) must be reserved for national and racial minorities.    Each of the three ballots, one for men, one for women, and one for (all genders) and for national and racial minorities, shall be conducted via “ranked choice voting.”  Those candidates who have been elected shall be immediately informed of their election by the National Office. 
 

 
“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to make the DSA National Conventions more accessible to its members,  
BE IT RESOLVED:  
(Amended portions are marked in bold). 
By-Laws - Article VI. National Conventions 
Section 5.
National Conventions shall be held in a location decided on by the NPC at least a year in advance of the convention, while continuing our practice of only patronizing union-staffed hotels or convention sites.     The National Convention must also be conducted using ZOOM and/or Skype and/or similar technology to avail itself to the general membership of the DSA.
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“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to have DSA practice democracy by expanding decision making,    
BE IT RESOLVED:  
(Amended portions are marked in bold). 
By-Laws - Article VI. National Conventions 
Section 6.
The NPC shall consist of one member of the Youth section and the 24 members duly elected among the delegates via three separate ballots for the 8 male members of the NPC, 8 female members of the NPC, and 8 members for (all genders) and national and racial minorities.  Each of the three ballots shall be conducted via “ranked choice voting.”   A fourth separate ballot shall be for the member elected to the NPC by the Youth section members themselves via “ranked choice voting.” 
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By-Laws - Article X. National Political Committee
 
“WHEREAS IT IS just and fair to have DSA practice democracy through “ranked choice voting,”     
BE IT RESOLVED:  
(Deleted portions are marked as (delete    ). 
 
Section 6.
Election of (delete at-large) members of the NPC shall take place at the National Convention under procedures set forth by the Nominating/Personnel Committee. (delete except that preferential voting will be used to elect at-large members of the NPC.)
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II. (from Max Sawicky)

My view of the purpose of resolutions is as organizing tools, not only at the convention itself, but in the run-up to the convention, starting ASAP. We have enough statements. We need precise resolutions that invite support, that draw lines favoring us, that rope in natural North Star supporters and pacify hostile SMC people.

So what should the resolutions be? They should be few in number and brief in verbiage. Not quite slogans, but not 'statements' or proclamations either. I avoid process resolutions because 1) I am not familiar with DSA process, and 2) I think they are generally beside the point. Politics dictates process. Here are four possibilities:

1. DSA commits to the defeat of a Republican takeover of Congress by providing material support to Congressional campaigns, given the best allocation of resources, to be decided by local chapters in their diverse local political situations (MBS: I don't see how it could be otherwise. DSA culture seems to preclude centralization beyond the level implied here.).

Elections for state legislatures, since they draw district lines that have a great bearing on the outcomes of elections for the House of Representatives, should be approached in the same way. This need not restrict competition in Democratic Party primaries by candidates closely aligned with DSA priorities. Third party "spoiler" campaigns in general elections should usually be avoided.

2. DSA voices explicit support for the most progressive Democratic Party candidates for Congress in November elections, including 'The Squad,' Greg Casar, Summer Lee, (fill in your own favorites) etc. In keeping with #1, actual deployment of resources in this regard remains a chapter decision.

3. DSA commits to joint work with like-minded progressive organizations to these ends, again a chapter decision as local opportunities arise.

4. Regarding local campaigns, DSA condenses its national platform to four planks that seek to embrace the most pressing priorities and encourage chapters to focus on these priorities. (My own preference would include labor organizing, state government embrace of the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion, police defunding defined as shifting resources from armed police to alternative forms of social intervention, and school boards. Anti-racism would be major themes in the latter three.)