Breaking: Email From Howard Dean

[matcom]

Dear Matcom,

I wanted to drop you a quick note about a major policy change here at the Democratic Party.

As we move toward the general election, the Democratic Party has to be the Party of ordinary Americans, not Washington lobbyists and special interests. So, as of this morning, if you're a federal lobbyist, or if you control political action committee donations, we won't be accepting your contribution.

This is an unprecedented move for a political party to make -- one that has sent shockwaves through Washington and has turned the debate on clean campaigns upside down. We've unilaterally agreed to shut lobbyists out of the process, and are we're relying on people just like you.

Just imagine what hundreds of thousands of Americans donating $20, $30, or $50 at a time can accomplish together. Imagine the signal that it sends to anyone who looks at John McCain's political machine and the special interest money it needs to fuel every move it makes.

We have a chance to change the way business is done in this country, and we're taking the lead. Will you join us and make a contribution right now to help us elect Barack Obama?

http://www.democrats.org/nonlobbyists

I've written before about guys like Charlie Black and Rick Davis, lobbyists who are at the highest levels of McCain's campaign. But they're just the start -- John McCain and the RNC suck up lobbyist money millions of dollars at a time.

In May, McCain had his best fundraising month of the campaign, and it was directly because he refuses to shut special interests out.

But we did, and we need your help. This is an example of the kind of White House Barack Obama would run. Make a contribution to help elect him:

http://www.democrats.org/nonlobbyists

I'll be in touch later about our plans for the general election, but I wanted to let you know about our policy change right away.

Thanks,

Howard Dean

[Xenocrates]

1. we won't be accepting your contribution.. the normal way..

Please leave your donations in the alley with Guido, Sal, or Big Tony

:sarcasm:

[cliffordu]

3. I had the plasma cutter out....

:rofl:

[mzmolly]

25. Not quite sure what you

mean?

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. Wow.... I forgot to check my e-mail....Great letter from Howard

I'm glad you posted this Matcom!


Thank you Howard!

[MrCoffee]

4. What a slap in the face, matcom!

"if you're a federal lobbyist, or if you control political action committee donations, we won't be accepting your contribution"

All your lobbying work for NAMBLA has gone straight down the crapper.

[Hope And Change]

5. K & R!

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Wasn't this pretty much already the case?

[PoliticalAmazon]

7. Obama's influence? n/t

[bunnies]

12. Yes.

They have adopted Obamas policy. There have been a few threads on this today.

[Fresh_Start]

8. How does this affect NOW PAC or MOVE ON PAC or

Democratic Women PAC or .......

[Xenocrates]

10. Exactly..

It won't. They need that support, which is why I can't take this letter seriously.

[bunnies]

13. How do you know it wont? I'd like a link.

thanks.

[Xenocrates]

15. Dont have one... PACs are huge grassroots ops.. Dean won't turn them away

[bunnies]

16. Theyll have to be turned away... they're PAC's.

Or are you saying there will be some sort of loophole?

[Xenocrates]

18. Loophole..

Its a bad way to say it, but the PACs aren't out of it. I'd expect alot of people getting this letter will contact NOW, and the others, and there will be a response. Soon.

[bunnies]

22. NOW hates Obama...

Theres always a chance that they cant be bothered enough to make a stink. Though... its not really about Obama, its about the PAC's giving up their power.

Cut...

If Obama says no PACs, I expect no PACs. Even the ones that benefit us. Thats the way it has to be to be legitimate.

[RaleighNCDUer]

23. The PACs will simply have thier members make individual donations,

or make donations to 527s.

Only the republicans and the DLC think that lobbyists should run things.

[cbc5g]

30. BINGO! Those PAC's wills till be there but it won't be lump sums AND...

They can use that money to buy ads etc ... this isn't going to effect them that much.

[TheWraith]

38. Actually, they don't need that support at all.

Lobbyist and PAC money is only a small percentage of the party's fundraising, and easily replaced by Obama's donor list. They don't need PACs at all, and there won't be a loophole.

[Hippo_Tron]

17. They aren't lobbyists

Also PAC's can't give a whole lot to the party. They are mostly used for giving to many candidates and also for running issue ads.

[sandnsea]

39. They can't give to the DNC

They can go about their business otherwise and I think thats terrific.

[demokatgurrl]

45. Good question. Does MoveOn fit into

the criteria " federal lobbyist, or... control political action committee donations", or is there a loophole?

[OzarkDem]

9. Sorry Howard

I'm supporting some local Dem races. Good luck! :hi:

[populistdriven]

11. I would have never guessed you were a lobbyist

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6218480

[OzarkDem]

14. Yep, grassroots advocacy

All legal and all lawyered up.

Bring it! :hi:

[populistdriven]

24. Well more power to ya, grass roots is what we need. nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

26. Right. You're the guy who thinks Hillary took no healthcare industry

money - according to the thread mentioned above.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/us/politics/29health.html?ref=politics

What world DO you come from?

[OzarkDem]

28. Well, for beginners

I'm a woman, so I come from a woman's POV. How's that?

[RaleighNCDUer]

29. Sure you are.

Just like the Ozarks are in Ohio.

[OzarkDem]

33. Born in Ozarks

live in Ohio.

You can take the woman out of the Ozarks but you can't take the Ozarks out of the woman.

Savvy?

PS. If you're getting any ideas of stalking, forget it. I have a good security system and good friends who are experienced prosecutors. Dems, too. :hi:

[RaleighNCDUer]

35. Don't worry.

I keep my distance from trolls.

:hi:

[OzarkDem]

37. Me too

:hi:

[kenny blankenship]

27. Hey now! Lobbyists are people too!

Hardworking people, real Americans, you know... the salt of the earth.

[sellitman]

19. Dean would be gone if Hillary had won.

We can count our blessings!

[Ichingcarpenter]

21. Could you imagine Harold Ford in his place? Harold Ford?

I mean it!!!!! Harold "that was the best speech McCain has ever given" Ford?
The Green screen speech was McCain's best speech ever Ford!

What a horror story that would have been.

[mdmc]

20. go back to Russia Comrade Dean

Let our corporations rule supreme!

[TooRaLoo]

31. An answer to prayer

This is the way elections need to be funded. "Vote with your wallet." Not with disproportionately larger corporate wallets. This is amazing.

[Willo]

32. Thanks for the info.

I donated to show my support and approval.

[dana_b]

34. I hope they stay true to their word.

It would be good for the image though and hopefully even better for us.

[shadowknows69]

36. It's been a good couple days to be a Democrat.

[madwivoter]

40. I donated this morning

This is a great step for the Democratic party. Although, when I was watching the usual suspects reporting the 'news' last night they seemed to downplay this decision, like it's no big deal. Whatev, I think it's great and they definitely got my attention.

[FourScore]

41. wow!

[TexasObserver]

42. Take the Power Back!

RAGE Against the Machine this Friday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FdF1dDlW-A

[TexasObserver]

43. here are the lyrics, if you want to read them

Bring that shit in! Uggh!

Yeah, the movement's in motion with mass militant poetry
Now check this out...uggh!

In the right light, study becomes insight
But the system that dissed us
Teaches us to read and write

So called facts are fraud
They want us to allege and pledge
And bow down to their God
Lost the culture, the culture lost
Spun our minds and through time
Ignorance has taken over
Yo, we gotta take the power back!
Bam! Here's the plan
Motherfuck Uncle Sam
Step back, I know who I am
Raise up your ear, I'll drop the style and clear
It's the beats and the lyrics they fear
The rage is relentless
We need a movement with a quickness
You are the witness of change
And to counteract
We gotta take the power back

Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back

The present curriculum
I put my fist in 'em
Eurocentric every last one of 'em
See right through the red, white and blue disguise
With lecture I puncture the structure of lies
Installed in our minds and attempting
To hold us back
We've got to take it back
Holes in our spirit causin' tears and fears
One-sided stories for years and years and years
I'm inferior? Who's inferior?
Yeah, we need to check the interior
Of the system that cares about only one culture
And that is why
We gotta take the power back

Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back

Hey yo check, we're gonna have to break it, break it,
break it down
Awww shit!

Uggh!

And like this...uggh!

Come on, yeah! Bring it back the other way!

The teacher stands in front of the class
But the lesson plan he can't recall
The student's eyes don't perceive the lies
Bouncing off every fucking wall
His composure is well kept
I guess he fears playing the fool
The complacent students sit and listen to some of that
Bullshit that he learned in school

Europe ain't my rope to swing on
Can't learn a thing from it
Yet we hang from it
Gotta get it, gotta get it together then
Like the motherfuckin' weathermen
To expose and close the doors on those who try
To strangle and mangle the truth
'Cause the circle of hatred continues unless we react
We gotta take the power back

Yeah, we gotta take the power back
Come on, come on!
We gotta take the power back

No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies
No more lies

Uggh!

Yeah!

Take it back y'all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back y'all, come on!
Take it back y'all
Take it back, a-take it back
A-take it back y'all, come on!

Uggh!

Yeah!

[druidity33]

44. The DSCC, DCCC, and DLC...

will still take their money...

:shrug:

:)

[wvbygod]

46. Why is Dean not telling the whole truth?

Maybe he forgot to mention the the DSCC and DCCC brances of the Democratic Party are still
going to be taking lobbyist and other corporate cash? Why stop short of honesty?