Name: Marc Seltzer
Gender: Male
Office: Counsel
Member since: 2009
Residence: Canada
Biography:
Originally from New York, I grew up in Los Angeles, studied humanities at UC Berkeley and law at Boston University. While I have practiced law for 25 years, I have also taught US Government, Law and Ethics in high school and various college and adult education classes during the past 15 years. In 2008, I was a volunteer lawyer for the Al Franken Senate Recount. I went to Minnesota and supervised and provided legal support (from the Franken side) in the hand recount of hundreds of thousands of ballots in Anoka county. It was a carefully conducted recount thanks to the integrity of volunteers from both sides and the state and county officials. Franken won, and I felt inspired by the civic-mindedness on display. When I came back home to Montreal, I reached out to Democrats Abroad. I became Chair of the Montreal Chapter, then Counsel for DA Canada.
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Describe your your volunteer work with DA and and your greatest DA accomplishment?
I started as Montreal Chair, supported by a small officer team. We planned and promoted events during President Obama's second campaign. In the beginning we had just a handful of people turn out to our events, but we wrote the membership and the press, and we just kept on getting bigger and better each year. As I leave the chapter in new hands now, I am excited to see great new leaders -- an inspiring team with so much potential to lead. I credit President Obama for leading with so much ability, respect and decency that I have always felt honor in trying to do my small part. In my role as Counsel I have done my best to give fair and thoughtful responses. I like the challenge of problem solving, and I value rules and processes. I aim to support leadership at all levels with just and positive guidance.
Why are are you you running for this this office?
I am running for counsel because I feel confident that I have the judgment and understanding that will enable me to support all levels of DA leadership with their legal and ethical questions. I have experience in a wide variety of professional legal matters such that I can anticipate and manage problems that are likely to arise. I am creative and not afraid of unknown territory. I like challenges and I like to help, where help is needed. With this outlook, I feel confident that I can support and lead to the benefit of the organization.
I have been a chapter chair for 4 years as well as counsel for DA Canada for 4 years. Consequently, I have a real sense of the issues that come up at chapter and country committee level from both a leadership perspective and a counsel's perspective. I believe that I can help advise country committees and their counsel when legal reasoning and analysis is needed, and that I can do so with the sympathetic ear of someone who knows what it is like to try to get things done correctly in a volunteer- staffed political organization.
How will your your skill sets and experience contribute to DA’s success?
As counsel I can support the chair and leadership team as an effective sounding board, listening and offering feedback to help leaders to hone in on key issues and to see weaknesses in their positions. I also have strong writing skills to help in drafting and editing bylaws, platform documents and all written materials. I practiced law at Baker & Hostetler for 8 years, but have also taught Law and Ethics. I believe that I can hold the larger systemic values of justice and fair process in mind in all of the matters I work on. I am independent and have integrity. I can offer fair unbiased judgment and authority for the benefit of the democratic process as conducted within the Democrats Abroad organization and consistent with the ideas and rules of the Democratic Party.
If elected what are the three top issues within DA you will work to affect and how?
First, I have watched the conflict between Bernie Sanders supporters and Hillary Clinton or institutional Democratic Party supporters turn into a battle pitting Democrats against each other and absorbing a great deal of time and energy. I would work to create forums and activities for the purpose of listening to and learning about each other --with the greatest respect for our fellow human beings. We need to communicate as effectively as we can to find what unites us and to maintain perspective on our differences. I respect everyone who participates in democratic political process, and I can facilitate conversations where respect for others is maintained.
Secondly, I have participated in the international AGMs and watched the platform resolution process. I think I can help make our positions clear and articulate and point out weaknesses in the way our platform ideas are presented.
Thirdly, I want to promote recognition for the important role that regular private American citizens abroad play in the long-term promotion abroad of American values and democracy. The positive influence this has on the countries we live in and indirectly in support of America’s long-term security and interests is seldom recognized in Washington.
What three planks/issues are you most passionate about to include in the DA 2020 Platform and why?
We were blindsided by the Russian campaign interference, which overwhelmed our electoral process. We will have to develop defenses against manipulation and political control. This is the most important issue going forward. Our sovereignty was compromised by a Russian military intelligence campaign, and the continuation of a truly democratic republic requires that we regain our democratic elections. We cannot allow Russia to veto candidates whose positions it does not like – which is what happened in 2015-2016.
Beyond this, I am most concerned about immigration reform and environmental protection. The values of the wider public should not be held hostage to political brinksmanship. In a country that is made up of immigrants, it is unconscionable that we cannot create laws that promote respectful, legal immigration within a security context.
In addition, more than twenty years ago, I was a contributing author of The California Environmental Law Handbook, and while my practice area changed over the years, I have supported progressive environmental policies and the great work of the fed and state EPAs in science-based protection of our nation and planet. There is so much more to do, and time squandered on global-warming denial and corporate shill policy-making is shameful.
What can Abroad do to increase its profile among voters globally and better work to elect Democrats?
To continue developing an online and social media presence is the way to increase our profile among voters globally. Democrats Abroad is not nearly as well known as it could be. We are too narrowly focused on get-out-the-vote messaging. A broader marketing appeal might raise our profile, serving our core electoral interests in the end. An inspirational message (just to create something on the spot to point in the direction I am going): "Connect; Vote; and Make the World a Better Place," might peak the curiosity of Americans abroad more than just the Vote from Abroad publicity.
In Montreal, we connected with some great McGill University students, and they have and led the student group there. It has had a great impact on our chapter numbers and our participation levels. We have not had the same luck at other schools, and that remains an important task in front of us.
How can DA work best with the Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee to represent the issues of Americans living abroad? What can be enhanced or improved in this relationship?
While I understand that elected officials look to DA as an organization that can get out the vote, we nonetheless play other roles. FACTA and tax issues came up during the Obama presidency. Our leadership represented the wider membership in expressing concerns of overseas Americans to their elected representatives. In addition, Americans living outside of the United States have always played a fundamental role in teaching, exemplifying and leading in profound and positive ways. The many small and large ways that so many upstanding Americans abroad serve to improve American interests should be documented and communicated back to Washington.
What will you do to grow DA and ensure greater overall participation by by Chapter Members?
The greater part of leadership at the chapter level will come from inspired chapter leaders. International leadership can aid through sharing of what works and facilitation of leadership support. I will support chapter leaders by sharing what I have learned and helping to solve problems to the best of my ability. As I am finishing in my role as Montreal Chapter Chair I will be available to support my chapter leadership in any way I can. In addition, I had a very positive experience supporting the creation of a thriving on- campus Democrats Abroad chapter at McGill University and I would be happy to communicate with members at any local chapter in support of their outreach efforts to the campus communities where American students and faculty are present.