Hey, Democrats: 8 Steps to End Your Toxic Fundraising Habits

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http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/hey-democrats-eight-steps-end-your-toxic-fundraising-habits



I’ve always respected the importance of elections, but the receipt of hundreds of fundraising emails has driven me to the brink of political despair. Seemingly all written and designed by the same consultant, they have as much sincerity as the phony pitches about millions of dollars waiting for me in a Nigerian bank account, or the diet plans from a friend’s hacked computer.

On January 18 I got this email from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

"Daniel — once again, radical Tea Partiers in the Senate have opted for obstruction over helping the American people. 

Just this past week, they blocked an extension of unemployment insurance benefits for those families hit hardest by the Great Recession. We want to raise $10,000 this month to open up the year — can you give $5 or more right now?"

The same day a Democratic congresswoman exhorted me:

"Click here to automatically add your name and stand up for protecting women’s rights."

From Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz:

"I want to have the chance to say thank you in person, which is why we're flying one supporter like you, as well as a guest, to D.C. later this month. We’ll take care of your flight and hotel and even take you on a tour of the city so chip in $10 or whatever you can to be automatically entered."

And there were literally six emails asking me to sign a petition wishing Michelle Obama a happy 50th birthday. Obviously Michelle Obama will never notice whether or not I sign such a generic birthday card. The purpose of the "petition" gimmick is to aggregate email addresses to use as targets for future fundraising pitches.