"Pack up. Go home. It's done."

[WilliamPitt]

Jesus H. Baldheaded CHRIST.

OK. All of you people who love to deploy the OMG REPUBLICANS YOU GUYS argument to explain why the Democratic Party isn't an utterly brain-addled shitshow of an organization, answer me this:

When I get an email titled "Pack up. Go home. It's done." (which I just did)

...what, exactly, am I supposed to think? No hope. Utterly doomed. I may as well not even bother showing up to vote.

Right? Exactly how the screaming purple fuck should I or anyone else interpret "Pack up. Go home. It's done" any other way?

THIS is how they're inspiring voters?!

Not a constructive message. Like, at all.

I quote myself, from my 10/3 article:

"Here's a memo to whoever came up with this particularly obnoxious fundraising tactic: You suck. I hope you get fired with such velocity that you can't even get a job drowning puppies in a kill shelter."

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/26605-an-open-letter-to-my-democratic-spammer

[Peacetrain]

1. I agree! it is NOT a constructive way to inspire people

[Scuba]

25. Agree, it's a total fail, actually will de-motivate potential voters.

[SoapBox]

28. I absolutely agree.

What stupid fuck comes up with shit like this? And who approves its use?

Idiots.

[blkmusclmachine]

91. That's the point, right? They want the GOP in charge. Then they don't have to waste their time makin

up their bullshit "bi-partisan" excuses as an answer to why they're doormats for the GOP.

[Scuba]

96. Sure seems that way, but then I'm cynical by nature.

[kelliekat44]

108. Are we all certain that these e-mails com from Dems? nt

[Ykcutnek]

2. Yet still not as spammy as clickbait journalism. nt

[11 Bravo]

8. Ever written anything that people paid to read?

I didn't think so.
The dude you're aiming your vitriol at has. Much of it has been brilliant. Check out some of his stuff ... find someone to help you with the big words.

[belzabubba333]

15. look at that kentucky backwards has the phrase cutnek in it

[merrily]

102. Unusually, um, "spunky" for a newbie posting to a long time DUer, no?

[Voice for Peace]

106. I thought clickbait journalism is what you get in ads, for example

"You won't believe what this person did when
that other person did something!!" click here

[Duval]

140. Thanks, 11 Bravo. Bravo!! n/t

[hifiguy]

21. You would be advised to hold your horses

criticizing Will Pitt. He has been a pillar of DU and one of its best and brightest for many years.

[WilliamPitt]

52. You just compared me to a racist making "watermelon" comments

I defy you to back that shit claim up.

I'll wait.

[1StrongBlackMan]

61. No ...

I just indicated that calling President Obama a POS Used Car Salesman AND making racists comments ... both of which should be frowned upon on a site named DemocraticUnderground; but instead, both, qualifies one as the best and brightest pillars of DU.

[sheshe2]

67. Well done~ eom

[WilliamPitt]

68. Helluva dodge there.

You must be something on the diamond.

P.S. The day an American is thwarted from calling a politician - ANY politician - a "used car salesman" is the day the show is over.

...and you and your friends here hold grudges better than 8th-graders. Seriously. Wallow in pride. Or not. Like, at all.

[1StrongBlackMan]

77. My response is not a dodge ... It's directly responsive to your inquiry ...

P.S. a mis-directed tantrum in which DUers, on DU, calls a Democratic politician - ANY Democratic politician - a POS (you forgot that invective) Used Car Salesman or posts racist sh!t AND are held out as an example of the best and brightest pillars of DU is the day DU's show is over ... or, maybe not.

You ... the one who, when called on that mis-directed tantrum post, chose to start (to the great pleasure of your friends) 2 or 3 more threads promoting/defending that mis-directed tantrum post ... now want to talk about 8th grade antics and "wallowing in pride"?

Too funny ... but completely mirror deficient.

[appal_jack]

82. I called it "ad hominem attack by association" & a jury agreed.

On Tue Oct 21, 2014, 09:02 PM you sent an alert on the following post:

Yeah ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5696448

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

YOUR COMMENTS

ad hominem attack by association? Will Pitt has never posted anything racist to DU that I have every seen; certainly no watermelon jokes. This is pure disruption here.

JURY RESULTS

A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Tue Oct 21, 2014, 09:40 PM, and voted 5-2 to HIDE IT.

Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: You could tell this guy you drive a blue car and he'd find a way to twist it into something racial.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Yeah, the racist association is too much.
Juror #4 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This is not over the top.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: As the song says in Frozen--Let It Go. Will's comments are nothing on par with those other two assholes.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: If you're going to alert, bone up on your reading skills. He did not call WP a racist, nor did he say WP told watermelon jokes.

Thank you.

For the record, I share Will Pitt's conviction that when a politician (EVEN a Democratic one) promises one thing and delivers another, almost completely opposite & very disappointing thing, it is right and fair to call that politician a POS used car salesman. This is politics, not tiddlywinks, and poltics affect our lives, our household wealth, and our future.

-app

[Number23]

88. Props to Juror #7

Even though I disagree with Juror Number 6, at least he didn't sink to the depths that Juror #2 did.

And I'm sure that the alerter (which apparently is you) is imminently more qualified than 1StrongBlackMan to know if Will Pitt said something racist. Right? Even though that's not even close to what 1SBM actually said.

[Voice for Peace]

109. You certainly have the right and the freedom to call anybody anything.

But communication is an art, especially for someone who
has Will's background and reputation; to weigh one's words,
and have some foresight as to their impact and value.

The referenced name-calling post didn't serve any good
purpose that I could see, but it did damage here. To
DU relationships, and Will's reputation, if nothing else.
It wasn't constructive. It didn't help Obama do a better
job.

Gratuitous negativity is never good for anybody, except
the creatures who dwell in darkness and hatred. They
love it, they feed on it.

[Sheepshank]

83. did you call Obama a POS used care salesman?

I clearly read that the watermelon jokes were on someone else.

How is it you complain about people being encourage to not vote after you so recently called the Democratic President a piece of shit used car salesman, on a Dem site? Did you intend to increase Dem voter turn out with that comment?

[calimary]

141. Yes. Unfortunately true. I wish Will hadn't done that and I expressed my displeasure at the time.

The Piece-of-Shit Used Car Salesmen (and women) were those on the OTHER SIDE doing everything in their power to derail ANYTHING he wanted or proposed or suggested or advocated - EVEN WHEN IT WAS SOMETHING THEY'D APPROVED OF WHEN IT WAS A WHITE GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

I can understand the upset and sense of betrayal too many people feel about President Obama. He hasn't gotten done a lot of what he promised. Very true. But you're short-sheeting him if you say it's all on him. The President has to work with Congress. And he's tried. He's tried! Was everyone asleep when he first got there? He extended his hand to them again and again and again and they spit in it. And kept on spitting. He had people hellbent on stalling EVERYTHING he did, EVERYTHING he proposed, EVERYTHING he suggested, EVERYTHING he offered. Just a blanket "NO" across the board. Even for things they actually could agree with somewhat! Because it came from him, they Sore Loserman'd him all day every day and all night every night. And where were those ready to actively denounce THEM? Or take their frustrations and hostilities out on THEM?

When Barack and Michelle moved into the White House - DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THIS?????? - the First Couple let it be known they wanted to bring back the cocktail party. They wanted to have cocktail parties at the White House where people from Capitol Hill could come and socialize and party and toast each other and schmooze and enjoy each other's company. Well, that went down in flames when they invited and nobody showed up. All the President ever got was a bunch of invitations-declined.

When Barack and Michelle moved into the White House - DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THIS?????? - the First Couple invited Senate and House leaders of BOTH parties to come watch the NCAA tournament. Nobody showed up. All the President ever got was a load of invitations-declined from the GOP.

When Barack and Michelle moved into the White House - DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THIS?????? - the First Couple invited them to come watch Oscar screeners during Academy Award season - in the private, elegant White House screening room. Nobody showed up. All the President ever got was a load of invitations-declined.

When Barack and Michelle moved into the White House - DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THIS?????? - the First Couple invited the boners and yertles and other GOP JERKS to White House State Dinners that literally glittered with distinguished big names, heads of state, celebrities of every sort, high-ranking diplomats and military people, correspondents, and multiple other international VIPS. NOBODY showed up. The boners and yertles of Capitol Hill turned their fucking noses up at all those invitations. All the President ever got was a load of invitations-declined.

DOES ANYBODY REMEMBER THIS?????? I do. And it made me SO mad. I wanted him to quit offering. Quit reaching out, quit extending that open hand. Give up and start hitting them across the teeth with a fucking 2x4. He still held out hope and remained the gentleman and the good sport and still tried. It wasn't his fault that everybody on the other end of all those efforts just spat on them all, before turning their backs on him.

And we're all gonna dump on HIM because of it?

[Major Hogwash]

94. Hahaha!!!!!!!!!

Now YOU sound like a POS used car salesman . . . trying to sell a Dodge!

Maybe YOU didn't see the irony in your statement, but I sure as hell did!!

[fadedrose]

89. I'm real sensitive to Obama criticism too

But I don't think Pitt is a racist, maybe he just doesn't like Obama, I think. That's why DU is special, some pick on the President, and some stick up for him.......I'm with the sticker-upers because I admire and love the President, mistakes and all.

But you gotta admit StrongBlackMan, he sure has a way with insult words...how you gonna not smile when he makes phrases like this, and isn't afraid to put them ln print:

"Exactly how the screaming purple fuck should I or anyone else ...


He always has me shaking my head when I read his posts...

[merrily]

104. Oh, please, Of course you did exactly what Pitt says.

And your dog whistle got hidden. Yet again.

[stonecutter357]

105. k&r

[snooper2]

114. That could be debated LOL, also, the truthout page- don't click on it-

talk about SPAMMY!

[grasswire]

64. how would someone so new to DU

....be so intimately familiar with events of months ago?

[corkhead]

126. shitting on people's posts is no way to go through life, son

enjoy your stay

[Union Scribe]

129. Who'd you use to be? nt

[11 Bravo]

3. I got the same fucking email! Now I'm fired up!

Hell, I'd run through a strip of wet, single-ply toilet paper for those guys!

[tridim]

4. How does complaining inspire voters?

Obviously you should be running the campaign. Problem solved.

It really sucks that you're so down on Democrats, because we're going to win this thing despite the relentless negativity.

[WilliamPitt]

5. "despite the relentless negativity"

"Pack up. Go home. It's done." <--- email from the DCCC

You're basically the western hemisphere's main distributor of unintended irony, right?

You should be.

[tridim]

6. It's fucking marketing, not reality, Will.

It has been going on since forever.

We could sure use your help.

[WilliamPitt]

10. See post #9

[Voice for Peace]

118. The article is pretty depressing, I must say.. I think the timing isn't great.

You're right, fuck'em all Democrats stand for nothing.

I totally agree about the emails and I have written them
many responses. I also agree about much of the Democratic
party but that's not my focus right now. We need a new
governor here. We've got serious anti-Koch work ahead.
Let's start with the Kochs. What do the Kochs stand for?

Do some writing that can educate the nonbelievers; that
would be awesome. You can do it.

[rhett o rick]

18. "How does complaining inspire voters?" You should be making this comment to the DCCC.

A famous Democrat once said some inspiring words about fear. But the DCCC apparently didn't listen. Fear is a powerful tool but doesn't work well to inspire voters.

Democratic candidates should stand proud to support Democratic values. That's what I want to see instead of telling people to be afraid.

Support DEmocratic candidates via organizations not under the control of the conservative Democratic leadership.

[JI7]

7. who gives a shit

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. It's ridiculous. In just the last few days I've received emails captioned:

Accept Defeat
Feeling of Regret
C R U S H I N G F A I L U R E
We've got nothing left
Disappointed
In trouble
Pleading....PLEADING
We regret to inform you
TRAGIC conclusion

These are supposed to motivate me to donate? I get that an important tactic in fundraising is to instill a sense of urgency. But these instill a sense of doom and hopelessness that inspires me to delete the emails, along with a sense of annoyance and loathing that inspires me to find the yoyos who came up with this misbegotten strategy and flog them with ethernet cables until they beg my forgiveness. I've never seen such a terrible, stupid fundraising campaign.

[DeadLetterOffice]

43. I got one today : "All Hope Is Lost"

Doesn't that just make you wanna go out and vote.
Idiots.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

73. Got that one, too.

I'm almost beginning to wonder if the GOP has hacked the DCCC's and other Dem email lists. What could possibly be less likely to generate enthusiasm than being told that "all hope is lost"?

[elehhhhna]

72. almost like it's theatre. almost, or exactly?

[hunter]

11. I read or delete my email once a fortnight, whether I need to or not...

...since I first logged onto the internet in 1979.

Same as my U.S. Postal service paper mail.

It helps keep me sane.

[FiveGoodMen]

40. Wow. What was the internet like in '79?

[hunter]

78. Very small and slow.

My current desktop computer and dsl connection are magnitudes deeper and faster than the entire internet was back then.

In 1979 I had a 300 baud modem at home. The terminals at the university were not much faster if a few people were logged into the system. I became a night owl.

Coaxial network cables were as thick as garden hoses and a kink or other slight damage could take down the entire local network. Moving a desk or table with a dumb terminal on it was a fussy business.

The release of 2BSD in 1979 shook my world. I've kept stuff I originally wrote using the vi text editor.

Leaving Windows 98SE for Linux was like going back home and I've not left since. Most of my old BSD tools and habits just worked in Linux. Since then Microsoft's world is a recurring nightmare. People have to pay me to go there.

Whenever I upgrade my computers I bring all my old computers along in virtual reality. My old Atari 800 with all my floppy disks and cartridges lives on just one click away on my Desktop. I have a PDP-11 emulator too, but not much reason to use it. Software and file formats were simple then, and easily adapted to modern Linux..

If I'd ever thought about making money as the internet grew I'd probably have some now. On the other hand I never bet my money and time on something dot-com-bust-stupid or hazardous to human rights. I simply like to play with computers.

[snooper2]

115. you are confusing the Internet with an Intranet FYI

[hunter]

124. No, I'm not.

Technically it was ARPANET and a few similar beasts. But it's silly to argue about the terminology like that, the situation was fluid and experimental.

I was an on-and-off-again student computer groupie/roadie/techie hanging around the University of California labs where much of it was happening.

Just as some people follow rock bands, I was obsessed with these computer networks. I had backstage passes and sometimes made myself useful. (I was also obsessed with evolutionary biology, but that's a different story...)

Coincidently, after a decade of nomadic lifestyles, and soon after I got a real job where I met my wife (we were both teaching science), she was accepted to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana for graduate school and I got to see the development of the NSFNET up close and personal too. I'd say PLATO was the "intranet" at U of I, but ARPANET and NSFNET were most definitely precursors to the internet as we know it today.

[Systematic Chaos]

127. My computer isn't a computer until it has an Atari 400/800 emulator on it...

...along with a torrent full of just about every game ever made for the system. I wish I still had a working one with all the accessories, dual disk drives, and a like-new pair of Wico joysticks. 500 floppies full of games and save files, the whole works. Long live the 80's!

[Fred Sanders]

12. The email was clearly sarcastic and intended to inflame and anger the receiver to vote, it is not

the abomination you think, seems a great idea to get our side angry for a change.

[rhett o rick]

20. It's negative campaigning. We need Democratic candidates to explain to America

how we can do better. Tell them the good things about Democratic Values and not use scare tactics. That's a conservative tactic.

[Fred Sanders]

23. Fuck the true democratic values shit, the GOP is as scary as the Nazis and if that is not scary

enough to fear and we do not "use" fear to get the folks to wake the fuck up and smell that righteous fear, then we are fucked.

Has the Great American Ebola Freakout not convinced you how powerful fear is and how it can be abused? We are not abusing fear because the fear of the return of The Gilded Age is freaky real.

[rhett o rick]

32. I say stand by our values which doesn't include fear based tactics.

So your rational is that it isn't abuse if good people do it? It's not abuse if it's for a good cause? Sounds like situational esthetics to me.

[Fred Sanders]

47. You misunderstand. Making people afraid of monsters that are real is not really using fear, it is

pointing out the monster.

[rhett o rick]

50. You will end up with both candidates pointing at the other claiming "They're the monster, honest."

Campaign on Democratic Values and point out that the other side has nothing more than the "They're the monster" meme.

[KoKo]

87. But..."The Monsters" are under the bed of both Parties these days...

In case you didn't notice. And, that's the problem. If our Dems have nothing better to run on than "Our Monster is less Fearful than Your Monster."

Why would people come out ...except the hardened Party Supporters? It's a self defeating message and doesn't appeal to anyone and especially the young voters who are the future.

[winter is coming]

63. Yeah, because emotional manipulation really inspires me to do good things for the manipulator. n/t

[Fred Sanders]

65. Why do folks even at DU not get it? Republicans have evil policies in mind, policies of division and

fear and loathing, somehow making people fearful of this is manipulation? Then so be it, it is a form of manipulation, but unlike the Republican manipulations, ours will be based on truth.

[winter is coming]

71. Then tell the truth and leave it at that.

A lot of people are going to turn you off the instant they realize you're trying to manipulate them.

[sabrina 1]

132. What's wrong with telling the truth? About SS and what the GOP wants to do with it eg?

Maybe they can't though, so you may be right. After all for the first time, Dems are on board with the GOP on SS. So better to just rely on, 'their monsters are worse than ours', after all OURs will just use convoluted terms like Chained CPI to try to cut the SS benefits of the most vulnerable Americans and hope no one knows what that 'technical' term means. THEIRS will come right out and demand cuts. Same thing, different strategy.

But here's the thing, a majority of Americans like SS, most have elderly parents or other relatives who rely on it for survival. Imagine if Dems were actually FIGHTING the lies about SS how powerful a tool it would be during election season. To be able to say 'THEIR monsters are trying to steal your SS that YOU paid for, WE are going to stop them'.

But they can no longer say that, can they?

Which is why all we're getting is 'their monsters are worse than ours'.

So, how do we change that? That is the million dollar question.

[moriah]

162. So what about "All Hope Is Lost" and "Accept Defeat"?

Sure, they might be trying to do some kind of reverse psychology, but all they do is depress me about the possibilities of the midterms. I'm going to vote anyway, and I'm doing volunteer work for Mark Pryor's campaign, but it is discouraging to see emails telling me I should "accept defeat", especially when all I do with them is read the title and never the message.

I think it is counterproductive to morale and GOTV efforts to spam people with all of this doom and gloom. If all anyone reads are the subject lines and ignore the rest of the message, it adds to a belief that we will lose the Senate, the House will gain greater Republican members, and almost makes me think my vote is going to be worthless. I'm still going to vote, but if I was thinking about sitting out the midterms, those would encourage me to just do as they say -- accept defeat, and believe that my vote won't count.

[Blanks]

13. All they want is money...

And they promise that my contribution will be triple matched.

That's sure nice of the 'triple matcher dude' to give 3 times as much money as me, and not expect three times as much influence.

[Cleita]

14. Yep.

Too bad they don't seem to be that present in elections they should be trying to win.

[MontyPow]

16. Call me Moron Monty, because I am.

But what motivates me to vote for a candidate is seeing their actions match their words. On pass one you really only have words, unless you're a diligent voter, but on passes 2 ... N you have actions.

And actions have been lacking. But apparently I'm a TeaLeft because, who knows, Fourth Way says so.

[billhicks76]

17. Obama Opposition Based On Race Not Policy

Obama is a Conservative as Cornell West pointed out.

http://www.salon.com/2014/10/21/reagan_adviser_bruce_bartlett_face_it_obama_is_a_conservative/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[billhicks76]

19. ^^Bruce Bartlett Points It Out

[GeorgeGist]

22. I amazed at people who claim to be progressive ...

and yet haven't figured out how to configure a spam filter. Mine is real simple: if they're not in my address book = spam folder.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

29. How does being progressive relate to managing a spam filter?

Some progressives are good at computer applications; some are not. Same with conservatives. I don't get the correlation (probably because there isn't one).

[FiveGoodMen]

41. The problem: A party we support acts like a bunch of spammers

And not at all like people trying to undo the GOP mess.

Configuring a filter will help you ignore them...

But it doesn't solve the problem of having no one worth supporting.

[Ilsa]

24. Any email like that gets deleted lickety-split. And I've

had quite a few over the last month.

[Shankapotomus]

26. If I'm one of their "best contributors"

like the emails they send to me say, as poor as I am, there really is no hope.

[valerief]

27. I'm telling myself they're going for black humor.

[sarge43]

30. With thanks to Joss Whedon

"May have been the losing side; still not convinced it's the wrong one."

[NuclearDem]

34. Gorramn right.

[DeadLetterOffice]

46. Shiney!

[silvershadow]

31. Every time I open my email (several times a day) I want to stick my head in the oven. nt

[KoKo]

33. Be Very Careful here, Will...

You have to realize this is a Democratic Website founded on Promoting Democrats for Office and you treading on Dangerous Waters! You might be swept off your feet because you dared to post about "Democratic Strategy "FAIL," and Discouraging Democratic Voters is VERBOTEN!

Even When I post great Interactive Website by NC Voter Education "Efforts to Get Out Dem Vote" there is little interest ........yet they go after so many of us because we try to make sense out of where our Democrats have strayed since the time when You and I and so many Others Built this Site because were "First Responders" to "Democratic Underground's" Founding after "Stolen Election 2000." It's been a Long/Hard Journey for us...and many of us have disagreed along the way....but, many have stuck with it for the long haul...but, we are SICK AT HEART with WHAT WE SEE GOING ON.

Be Careful where you TREAD...as the Rest of Us are These Days. This aren't the "Old Times of DU.... This is something New. "Political Expediency?"

[riqster]

36. I donate to candidates. Fuck party organizations.

And I always vote for whoever can beat a Repub's ass like a drum.

[mountain grammy]

112. Me too. I look for underfunded progressive candidates and send what I can.

Some are running with just a few thousand dollars in their coffers. Vic Meyers in Co.'s 4th running against the insane Ken Buck. That is not a statement to scare people, it's the truth, and I don't need an email to tell me.

[EileenFB]

37. Hate to say it but I've been putting those emails in spam

folder the last two weeks. It has gotten out of control, and not a one of them has a positive subject line.

[spin]

38. I am growing tired of deleting all the email from Democrats claiming the world will end ...

if I don't donate money to help the party win the midterm elections.

I'm too broke to donate money to anybody. Perhaps the party should ask its Wall Street friends and the banks that are "too big to fail" to donate more to the campaign. They appear to have done rather well over the last six years.

[TransitJohn]

39. The author/marketer is too clever by half eom

eom

[raven mad]

42. I generally just "choose all". And delete.

I'm stealing screaming purple fuck, btw - have just the graphic to go with it, but that'll take some time to perfect.

DNC - FIRE your "perception management" people. They seem to perceive Democrats as total wimps. We're not, and we'll prove it November 4th.

[LadyHawkAZ]

44. I believe that gloom-and-doom tactic is called "holding feet to the fire"

or something like that, and is totally not intended to discourage voting. It just keeps the pressure on. Encourages people to remember their ideals.

Or so I hear, anyway.

[Fred Sanders]

48. Agreed. It encourages voters to be afraid of the Republican agenda, and why shouldn't they be?

[Tommymac]

53. Democratics WIN when they act like Winners (Not Whiners.)

People like to jump on the winners bandwagon. Ads like this are not winners - they add to frustration and lead to disconnection in the long run.

Don't know who came up with the DCCC and DSCC add campaign, but they are doing a helluva job...getting people to set up personal spam filters, or outright unsubscribe to their email list. (Oh wait - that unsubscribe link doesn't really work. Tried 6 times. Sigh).

I give to DFA, the PCCC, individual candidates and real liberal organizations through ActBlue. Screw the corporate fundraising side of the Democratic Party.

When Dems act like winners - Dems win.

(BTW I have given upwards of $300+ just the last week to Rick Weiland, the NDN GOTV pac in SD, and several other Progressive candidates in critical swing states through ActBlue.)

[Autumn]

111. Fear doesn't motivate me. I would rather be comfortable and confident in

the Democrats. Fear is not an encouragement, well maybe to run FROM the one scaring you. I guess when you get old you realize fear is nothing but an overrated emotion and if you take a breath you see that that emotion is nothing. My Grandma always said if you give a scoundrel enough rope he'll hang himself. Republicans are scoundrels.

[liberal N proud]

45. The email titles are depressing, I rarely open them as a result.

[fredamae]

49. "Kiss Any Hope Goodbye"

from DCCC...I just junked it...
I'm voting no matter how Bleak they make it sound.

[ChiciB1]

51. EVERYONE Is Getting This Over & Over!

My email is being kept full, and I mean super full with almost all the races in this country! Guess they're trying to scare us by using FEAR! Oh, Franklin did you ever think??

[sendero]

54. Come on..

... these emails from the DSCC are a comical bit of theater designed to manipulate you into sending cash. One minute we trounce the competition, the next we are trampled underfoot. Lather, rinse, repeat.

It's nonsense but I'll bet it works.

[Kali]

55. I donated and purchased some merchandise back in July

they somehow set me up for a monthly contribution and I didn't catch it until a few weeks ago when I was trying to find somebody to contact about the damn tee shirt I had intended to give to a young voter on his birthday, Oct. 1.

Got the monthly thing sorted out but nobody will respond about the shirt. I also see it isn't in the DCCC store anymore. I feel a little grumpy about all the daily freaking spam (and agree about the negative give up crap) demanding money and they can't even talk to me about a lousy t-shirt. Not feeling to inspired to send more money anytime soon for any of 'em.

[NanceGreggs]

56. Maybe they read DU ...

... and are appealing to the negativity that people here wallow in on a daily basis.

Funny how people who say things like Obama is a piece of shit used car salesman, both parties are the same, voting is pointless, the Party doesn't represent my interests, the President is just a puppet of the corporations/banksters, the Dem candidates are just the lesser of two evils, Dems are spineless, the Party is only interested in the 1%, etc., get their knickers in a twist when someone dares to be as negative as they are.

Show me someone who would be turned off voting due to a negative email, and I'll show you someone who never intended to vote in the first place.

[KoKo]

69. Well you left this Site..and Now you are Back..

Why do you Come in Now...trashing fellow Dems?

[NanceGreggs]

75. You. Have. Got. To. Be. Joking.

Trashing fellow Dems? Do you remember where you are?

This is DU, where my "fellow Dems" are called Obamabots, mindless cheerleaders, Turd Wayers, Conservadems, authoritarians, DINOs, water carriers for the 1%, corporate suck-ups, etc., on a daily basis.

This is DU, where the Democratic president has been called a piece-of-shit used car salesman - which garnered lots of recs from those in agreement with the sentiment.

And yet I'm the one who's trashing fellow Dems?

Seriously, dude, you might want to actually read what gets posted here on a regular basis before you start accusing others of coming here to "trash Dems".

As for my posting here, I didn't realize I needed to get clearance from you as to when I am allowed to post and when I'm not.

I no longer consider DU to be a "Democratic" site; it hasn't been for years. It's just another free-for-all political message board, where "Dem trashers" are welcomed with open arms.

[Autumn]

113. And yet here you are. Posting on this "Dem trashers" site

It's hard to quit this place, especially when other sites like DFR are soooo slow and boring. Oops not DFR, DFP. Democrats for progress. Such a boring site, no wonder you come over here when Will posts one of his excellent well written articles.

[sibelian]

119. Time to dance, Autumn. The wheel never stops turning...

&list=PL8Dr-phd1jfRlWU5JWRq6zDMERRnA4b64&index=9

How are YOU today?

[Autumn]

120. I am so good, and I'm so happy that you are back. I'm sorry the vote you

worked so hard on failed. How are YOU doing?

[sibelian]

121. Well, *I* am ok. Also, things are looking up this side of the pond politically...

... in some respects. The SNP are going to flatten everyone in the Scottish Parliament elections next year, which is a good thing, also it's looking like we'll be getting tax raising powers, which is a VERY good thing.

I am still unemployed... but there is hope on the horizon...

[Autumn]

122. Well I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you. On everything.

[sibelian]

152. :)

[Capt. Obvious]

131. She has nothing to apologize for

[Autumn]

133. Did anyone ask her to apologize?

Not that I know of.

[Union Scribe]

142. The good Captain

is, I believe, making a slightly-less-obvious-than-his-name-would-imply reference to her somewhat infamous "No Apologist Here" thread wherein she exhibited a glorious confusion about the term "apologist"

[Autumn]

143. Ah ha. I see I owe the good Captain an apology

a·pol·o·gist
əˈpäləjəst/
noun
a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial.
"an enthusiastic apologist for fascism in the 1920s"
synonyms: defender, supporter, upholder, advocate, proponent, exponent, propagandist, champion, campaigner; informalcheerleader

[Autumn]

144. My dear captain, I am not one to withhold an apology when one is due. Not now, not ever.

I didn't understand your post.

[NanceGreggs]

145. Really?

You're down to "the website I post on is cooler than the one you post on"?

I haven't heard a snappy comeback like that since "I know you are, but what am I?", or the ditty about rubber and glue.

Maybe you find Democratic websites boring because people tend discuss issues of actual consequence, instead of whining endlessly about how the number of campaign emails in their Inbox is ruining their lives.

[Autumn]

147. DU a Democratic web site is not boring. In fact it's the best Democratic site on the web.

I'm just sorry you are made uncomfortable when you leave your favorite site to come here and read the garbage you object to so bad. You know it's not "whining endlessly about how the number of campaign emails in their Inbox is ruining their lives." it's an OP on a message board (the best one at that) pointing out that the DCCC and some of the Democrats seem to think silly scare tactics is the best way to motivate the base into voting for them.
Will, being a most talented, published author and writer is pointing that out. Most of us get that.
I will say though that having signed up at DFP quite some time ago I really didn't see much discussion on pertinent issues over there mostly a kudos place, and you certainly won't find thought provoking OPs that challenge the status quo there.

[NanceGreggs]

148. I don't know why you think ...

... your opinion of DFP is of any interest to me. It's not.

As for DU being the best Democratic site on the web, it once was. It is no longer even a "Democratic" site by any stretch of the imagination.

I am at a loss as to why the Admins keep up the pretense of DU being a site that supports the Democratic party, and strives to get more Dems elected. When the OPs at the top of the Greatest Page are about Obama being a piece-of-shit used car salesman, etc. - surrounded by RW ads on the Home Page, for good measure - it seems rather silly to be maintaining that posture.

Pitt's latest diatribe is about how Democrats stand for nothing. It's been amusing to watch all of the so-called Dems here agree that they themselves stand for nothing.

[Autumn]

149. Why do you think your low opinion of DU is of interest to DUers?

You don't like Wills posts use ignore or hide thread, those are wonderful tools that the admins of DU which is a wonderful site for Democrats, created for the people here to make DU a pleasant experience.

I hate to tell you this but you seem to be stuck in a time warp. There are no "OP's at the top of the Greatest Page about Obama being a piece-of-shit used car salesman, etc" at this time. And that OP made it to the top because the members recommended it you really can't blame the admins for that. As for the ads on the home page I will take your word for that I don't see them because I donate to DU, and really it seems rather petty for you to come here and complain about those ads. The ads are paid for by republicans and one really has no reason to complain or begrudge the administrators of this site their right to make a living. They do a lot to make this discussion board one of the best.

[NanceGreggs]

150. The OP at the top of the Greatest ...

... when I wrote my last reply, was a whine-fest about Dem campaign emails.

Seriously. We are weeks away from mid-terms. Women's rights are being bombarded at every turn, young black men are being gunned-down by out-of-control cops, our kids are losing the fight to get a decent education, bigotry is all but being made "socially acceptable" by the GOP, voters are being kept from the polls, Big Religion is expanding its tenterhooks into politics - need I go on?

I find it remarkable that the top discussion thread on the bestest Democratic website on the internetz is about the terrible scourge of campaign emails. As a Democrat - also as American, and as a human being - I believe there are more important things to discuss, and that they should be discussed in a productive manner. I think most Democrats would agree.

Whining about the volume, tone, or content of campaign emails is just that - whining. It serves no purpose, it accomplishes nothing, it sparks no actual discussion, nor does it resolve anything. It is useless chatter.

And to see useless chatter at the Top of the Greatest Page is truly sad. It makes me reminiscent about a time when an OP like that would have been sent to the Lounge, dismissed as far too trivial to be taken seriously with an election a mere few weeks away.

[Autumn]

153. Here's a wondeful article on the greatest,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025703190

well written as always

[Union Scribe]

130. She's a given in any Will Pitt thread.

It's pretty funny really.

[Mojorabbit]

85. This is just a message board

The emails are coming from campaigns of people who want to be voted into power. It totally lowers my perception of them as candidates when they spam my inbox with this crap. "It's bad to worse!, #failing, It'll all be ripped away! "are but just a few in the past hour.

[Doctor_J]

155. Err...

Show me someone who would be turned off voting due to a negative email, and I'll show you someone who never intended to vote in the first place

Same thing with someone who would be turned off voting due to negative posts on a web site

[NanceGreggs]

157. I agree. Same thing.

So what was the purpose of this OP, other than to whine? It serves no purpose, accomplishes nothing, resolves nothing.

But according to DU, THIS is so important it got rec'd to the top of the Greatest Page. I guess there are no really important things to discuss, weeks out from an election.

[Bill USA]

165. Right!!

[MineralMan]

57. Well, I'll always remember your encouraging words

urging Democrats to get out there and defeat Republicans. Yes, indeed. Your support for President Obama is the stuff of legend. Your calls for GOTV efforts ring out like the Liberty Bell. Oh, yes, with your help, we'll overcome defeatism and dooomsaying and emerge victorious.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[KoKo]

70. Still... Will is On It...and Your Message is: "GOTV"....

and yet there was NO Reply by You to my Post on how to Do a Dem Sign Up Vote and Great Website from NC Voters for Action in reply to the Post.

Yeah RIGHT!

[MineralMan]

76. I do not see every post on DU.

I do, however, consistently post on GOTV efforts. I'm sorry I missed your post.

[WillyT]

58. That's The Problem Will... There IS NO MESSAGE !!!

[abelenkpe]

151. Exactly. Nt

[wyldwolf]

59. "Basically, I'm a whore for the Democratic Party."

"I have hitched myself to that wagon because they have the national machine to defeat (the GOP), period. I will endure, and have endured, an amazing load of moral and ethical contradictions in this. I'm OK with that, because I do believe that the perfect is the enemy of the good, and because defeating (the GOP) is the bull moose gold medal winning number one priority in my life."

- William Pitt, Nov. 26, 2003

Me, too. Even when someone does something stupid as described in the OP.

(don't know why I remembered that old post.)

[KoKo]

74. We are all Whores for Dem Party...because there's Nothing Else...

and, what Will Pitt is pointing out is the "Pimps" that "Run Us Whores for the Dem Party."

And no one really seems to get that or understand that Will is "Pointing Out" what this Means!

What this Means. We vote as Whores...but, we NEVER/EVER Hold the PIMPS Accountable.

Could it get Clearer?

[Enthusiast]

99. PLUS ONE, a huge bunch!

[MisterP]

60. they're already pre-blaming--um, lefty abstentionists? that are supposedly running riot and will

Lose the Vote For UsTM like in 2000 (wrong), 2002 (wrong), and 2010 (wrong again)
heck, remember how happy they were when Sen. Whifflebrain won Massachusetts because the supermajority was over and they had a great excuse to not have to *do* anything anymore?
2001-6 they blamed voting third-party for everything, 2006-8 primaries for everything, and 2010-4 abstention for everything--all the while moving rightwards while threatening us with dire consequences if we didn't keep letting our votes be exploited

don't forget the message of "keep the Senate Dem or it'll start passing Obama's disastrous bills"

[whereisjustice]

62. Once again, responsibility falls on brain-addled DNC, transparently full of bullshit,

I expect next email from the with subject:

"Thanks for clubbing another baby seal."

Here's the fact of this - DNC is relying on sentimentalism, symbolism, etc. because it's easier than explaining why they are on the wrong side of so many issues.

"Sure we hold bankers above the law, but do you want more baby seals to die?"

"Sure we want to spy on you and your kids, but puppies will die until you send us more money."

[Brigid]

66. Unsubscribe is your friend.

Works for me.

[Warren DeMontague]

79. At this point I think I might donate if it would mean they would never email me again.

Other than that, their fundraising attempts this year have been ridiculous and OTT, as you say.

[Hippo_Tron]

80. The DCCC e-mails are good for a laugh, not worth getting outraged over

[Sheepshank]

81. That very message is here right on DU...look at the thread asking about the Dem Midterm platform

many of you all here have done a smack up job of making the vote seem worthless.

[Fumesucker]

128. You seem to be implying that promoting the Dem platform makes the vote seem worthless

[Sheepshank]

134. nope, not at all

just pointing out the hypocrisy of complaining on one OP regarding GOTV (or suppression thereof), and on plenty of other threads attempting to quell voter enthusiasm right here on DU.

nothing more, nothing less.

[Fumesucker]

135. Posts by DUers are not the same thing as official Democratic party emails

I'm not sure that equating the two disparate things advances your argument in the direction you seemed to intend.

[Sheepshank]

154. sure it does...the message is used to promote a DU'ers hyperbolic

stand.....often the stand is to slam Obama and mention the uselessness of voting. That self same DU'er now complaining that others are promoting the uselessness of voting? What a freaking joke.

[Fumesucker]

156. Pack up. Go home. It's done.

Sends thrills up my spine I tell ya.

[cantbeserious]

84. A Political Party That Stands For Nothing - Deserves Nothing

eom

[LeftyMom]

86. I thought this was going to be about the Royals. nt

[fadedrose]

90. That Open Letter you wrote is excellent

along with good content, it has some excellent swear phrases....

[DeSwiss]

92. ....

''…we are led by the least among us – the least intelligent, the least noble, the least visionary. We are led by the least among us and we do not fight back against the dehumanizing values that are handed down as control icons…''

~Terence McKenna

[Major Hogwash]

93. So, are you registered to vote in your new state?

Not that I care, but after you said this, I wonder.

I may as well not even bother showing up to vote.

[Demeter]

95. We need FDR-caliber candidates at every level

People who actually give a fuck about people.

[ReRe]

97. Just delete them, Will...

... and forget about it. We get it in our email boxes and we get the same thing on DU if we dare voice our opinion about it. It's almost like they are running an anti-GOTV campaign. All I can say is sorry folks, nothing is going to keep me from the polls in 13 days.

[Enthusiast]

98. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

Thank you, WilliamPitt. I've been thinking the very same thing.

If this strategy is so disturbing to dedicated lifelong Democrats I must conclude it is the wrong strategy.

[bigbrother05]

100. Instead of outing whistle blowers, they should look for the trolls posting those messages

If someone asked me whether I would stand by and let the RW steal another election cycle instead of sending $5, that might open my pocket book.

Ask me to turn back the Tea Party tide and I'm there with you.

But a message telling me all is lost, so send some cash will get sent to the trash folder without being opened.

Someone needs to check to be sure the DCCC, etc haven't had their site hacked by the Reds (Repubs or Russians) because they aren't making any sense.

[merrily]

101. Sometimes, it's almost as though they are trying to lose.

[FSogol]

103. and yet the Democrats are outraising the Republicans once again.

Don't like fundraising emails? Don't sign up for them.
Don't like the Democratic party raising money? You're either whining or in the wrong place.

[chrisa]

107. Personally, I'm waiting for the death threats to start.

Example: "Donate Now, or We'll Find You, Murder You in Your Sleep, and Napalm Your House."

They can hire DU's death threat guy to coordinate the effort.

[heaven05]

110. I read your link

truth will set some fee, but I fear not enough. I understand the frustration of some of the 'average voters', yet no excuse for these types of headlines in an email from our Party no less. No excuse! I'm frustrated, angry and disappointed in our Party and totally enraged at that other party. Yet, I will vote. To sit out? Not an option. I vote to be able to live with my own conscience. Corrupt or not, till we DEMAND and FORCE real representation of US based on our vaunted ideal(s), it's all I have.

[marble falls]

116. If anything you've understated it.

[the_sly_pig]

117. It could be that politics only attracts stupid people.

I'm sure not all are stupid, but statistically speaking....

[uppityperson]

123. "brain-addled shitshow of an organization" is Hope Inspiring? How do YOUR words inspire anyonet

to vote, Will? Not a constructive message, at all.

I get you are frustrated, but wtf?

[Orsino]

125. "I am not a member of an organized political party. I'm a Democrat."

Seriously, at least a little of this flailing-about is charming. It assures me, once again, that Big Money isn't yet able to enforce a Republican sort of lockstep.

Democracy is supposed to be loud and messy, and one out of two ain't bad. I'll admit, though, that the fifty click-bait emails I receive daily are wearying, and "go home," perhaps intended to frighten us, is an ill-conceived approach.

[Docross]

136. Nobody bothers to kick a dead horse...

Like Grandpa said "Nobody bothers to kick a dead horse".

Quote from this guy "Say what you will about the Republicans, but you cannot fault their tactics when it comes to winning. They are a minority in the United States, by the numbers, but they are running the show both politically and economically, and for one reason: they fire up their base. Sure, "firing up their base" means gay-bashing, and woman-hating, and Jesus-shouting, and war-mongering...but it works.:

" but you cannot fault their tactics when it comes to winning ???
Oh yes I can. Exactly what are they winning?
"but they are running the show".
Say what!? They aren't running anything - traitors, working against our President
in times of war and against the American people.

This sure looks like a 'false flag' to me. It sounds 'really' Republican.

By the way, it just fired up THIS base.

[cp]

137. Go positive, use humor, win.

Paul Wellstone (MN) then, Rick Weiland (SD) now.

[longship]

138. Painting with an awfully broad brush, my friend Will.

I cannot agree with your sentiment here.

If you want the Democratic Party to become more progressive we first have to make sure that it is a majority party. We do that by voting. In mass.

We already know we have a majority in public opinion on a multitude of issues.

However, I agree with your frustration that candidates are not exploiting those issues as they should. But that is not to argue that the party itself is wrong on the issues. But I agree that they need to stand up.

GOTV!

[sabrina 1]

146. The leadership doesn't seem to know we 'have a majority in public opinion'. I eg, am told here on DU

constantly, the lie that this is a 'conservative country' so Dems have to ''go along in order to win'. So, how does this work again? We have elected Dems in large numbers only to see the vote with Republicans over and over again. EVEN WHEN WE GAVE THEM the MAJORITY.

Can you explain, and I'm serious about this, how just continuing to do what we HAVE been doing is going to get us the REAL DEM representation we are promised, but never seem to get no matter HOW much of a majority we give them? See 2008 eg.

[Liberalynn]

139. I am going to vote and vote for Democrats

no matter what the emails say, no matter what other posters say, and no matter what the polls say.

See I never allow myself to forget that there was a time in this country when women weren't allowed to vote. I am not going to thumb my nose at those past women and men, who sacrificed to change that, by not exercising it. I also don't trust the Republicans. I would not put it past them to try and rescind a women's right to vote again. That's why I will always cast my vote against them period.

[Autumn]

163. 1878, a California Republican named A.A. Sargent introduced the 19th Amendment

it was voted down by Congress, controlled by Democrats. Four decades later the Republicans controlled the House and the Senate, passed the amendment despite continued opposition from most elected Democrats -- including President Woodrow Wilson. I had no idea until I helped my Grand Daughter do a report on the Suffragette movement.

Shows how bad the Republican party has gotten.

[Liberalynn]

164. It's amazing how the two parties switched places

[hopemountain]

158. sounds like tea party & gop hacks

have infiltrated progressive activist organizations to sabatoge gotv. liberals and progressives are "feelers" and would not stoop to insensitive & fear mongering appeals for money. seriously.

[Wella]

159. Perhaps they are trying to light a fire under people?

That's what I figure.

[ibegurpard]

160. the worst part of it

is that it's on perpetual replay. it's followed by the "you did it!" email and then the cycle starts all over again.
I've given to my local and state candidates.
I'm not giving to the shit-show hawkers who are sending this crap out.

[butterfly77]

161. Kick&Recommended...