Res Publica: Bexar County Dems open Headquarters on Broadway

The new digs a plumbing supply building in its former life is located at the corner of Broadway and Jones Avenue. It’s a labyrinth of narrow winding hallways reminiscent of the centuries old Parisian catacombs. (Made me wish I had known to bring bread crumbs)

It’s also now headquarters to just over 40 local Democratic candidates and various party organizations collectively known as Bexar County United Democrats. That in and of itself seems more oxymoron than accurate description.

BCUD is “largely funded by the Vote Texas political action committee, a pet project of wealthy trial attorney — and major Democratic donor — Mikal Watts.” There had to be deep pockets. Deep pockets are the mother’s milk of politics and politicians. That is the unmendable misfortune our oligarich capitalists have made of the system created by the founders---who by the way, loathed even the notion of political parties.

Christian “Archer, 38, who managed Watts' short-lived 2008 campaign for the U.S. Senate, is paid by the (Vote Texas) PAC. His consulting firm, Adelante Strategy Group, leases the building and provides free office space to candidates, as an in-kind campaign contribution.” That’s an interesting, if curious, concept in itself that raises more questions than I care to entertain at this juncture.

According to Archer, “This is not meant to be a permanent entity,..It's really built for this election cycle, so that there is a competent get-out-the-vote effort. We want to get Democrats fired up again at the levels that they were two years ago for the presidential race.”

Imagine that. A non-permanent political entity that’s meant to get you out to vote and then goes away. I like the idea especially if they take the politicians with them. Still it also has the unsettling feeling of seeing an easily replaceable canvas sign with the name de jour on it fluttering in the breeze outside your bank.

In what has got to be a telling indicator of just how much the would be office holders care about their supporters and constituents the talking part of the show was held outside under a blistering sun, during the hottest part of the day with temperatures hovering at or near a 100 degree heat index. The only shade within blocks, a make-shift, temporary carport like tent was up for (you guessed it) the would be office holders while the rest of us baked out under the hot August sun. The hell of it (no pun intended) is that they’re doing that while they still need your vote----imagine what it’ll be like once they win!