Daniel Tilson: Florida Democratic Party task force is key to Election 2016 victory

Think many Election 2014 nonvoters are following these already tumultuous first weeks of Gov. Rick Scott’s second term?

Doubtful.

Think many are following these final weeks of preparatory action before the hardcore conservative, Republican-dominated Florida Legislature starts its 2015 session on March 3?

Probably not.

And what about their annual income levels going down or staying flat year after year, and the steadily reduced levels of public employees and services available to assist them on so many levels of daily life? Do you think they’re OK with that?

You know they’re not.

Yet they seem unable or unwilling to connect even one dot.

Do they know or care about damning allegations and abuse of power revealed by the “Baileygate” scandal embroiling the Scott administration? Do they understand how such gubernatorial misconduct can directly, negatively impact them?

What about this week’s announcements of Republican legislative priorities for 2015, and the governor’s budget proposal? Do politically disengaged poor and middle-class nonvoters know that their families’ economic best interests are being deliberately ignored? Or that the latest “tax cuts” being dangled like shiny keys in front of a baby are worth only about $40 a year to them, as compared to mega-millions in “business-friendly” corporate tax “relief”?

A lot of you already know the answers to those questions.

Getting these civically turned-off, tuned-out Floridians to connect the dots is the great challenge facing the rest of us, the minority of eligible voters who voted against Rick Scott and other Republicans running for office in 2014.

Of course, that’s the greatest challenge of all for the leadership of the Florida Democratic Party (FDP), which holds a State Executive Committee meeting this weekend in Orlando for more than 100 leaders and activists. Saturday’s session features the first face-to-face meeting of the “LEAD” task force, assembled in the weeks following the party’s profound 2014 failure, to figure out what they’re doing wrong, and fix it. (LEAD stands for Leadership Expansion to Advance Democrats.)

FDP Communications Director Joshua Karp says, “We’re very excited about their first in-person meeting. The task force members have an ambitious agenda that’s going to include looking at improving the process for candidate recruitment, working to empower our clubs, caucuses and DECs (Democratic Executive Committees), and a variety of other party-building things.”

Findings and recommendations will be delivered at the FDP’s annual “Leadership Blue” weekend conference in mid-June.

Asked about concerns in some quarters that progressive and grassroots activists weren’t adequately in the mix, Karp said, “Many members of the task force have been reaching out to grassroots leaders in their communities, and a lot of good conversations have come out of that … and I think the task force is going to bring those to bear on their discussion. …”

Since I won’t be there, I’d like to pose a few quick questions worth discussing.

How do stated LEAD goals such as “Assess field and turnout operations” and “Examine data and digital footprint” help get those unplugged Democratic and independent voters whose disinterest and inaction helped re-elect Rick Scott and so many other Republicans, to give a damn and plug in?

How can “Analyze weaknesses of messaging content and communication strategies” not be a primary goal?

In addition to input from already plugged-in people, why not do a series of focus groups with the unplugged peeps we need to engage, and activate?

Just like so many other Democrats, I’m on your side, LEAD task force — and hoping against hope you make the most of this opportunity.

Daniel Tilson has a Boca Raton-based communications firm called Full Cup Media, specializing in online video and written content for non-profits, political candidates and organizations, and small businesses. Column courtesy of Context Florida.