Well, the DCCC just called me for money. And I gave him an earful

[Democrat 4 Ever]

I'm thinking they won't call back for awhile.

Once he went into his spiel about how hard they are trying to get Democrats elected to the House, yadda, yadda, yadda. I then asked him if every member of the DCCC board is supporting only Democratic candidates. I asked is everyone supporting Lamont over Leibermann. Of course, he had to "set me straight" and tell me that was a Senate race (well, duh!) and they weren't involved in that race. I said I know that race is a Senate race but I wanted to know if the board only supports Democrats - no matter whom is friends with whom. He said that was a personal decision. Said, "Not in my checkbook, it isn't!"

I then asked if he is supporting what Howard Dean is doing for the DNC. This guy actually said the DCCC is upset with Dean right now and they are in a "little snit." I told him to stop right there. I said if the DCCC can't support Dean and what he is trying to do for the Democratic Party then they would not be getting any money from me. Period.

That the DNC, DLC and DCCC leaderships are part of the problem. Dean is building a party from the grassroots up and these groups can get on board or be left behind. I could not believe this "moran" actually had the gall to criticize our party leader while attempting to ask for money. I support their organizations efforts but I don't support their methods -told him THEY were splitting the party apart with this nonsense. My money is going to the organizations that believes I have enough sense to know who is working for change and who wants more of the same. I know when someone is peeing on my leg and telling me it is raining and I've had enough of the "peeing" to last a lifetime. Had a few more choice words and he ended up HANGING UP ON ME!!!! Guess he doesn't want my credit card number.

[RB TexLa]

1. I hung up on some Dem running for something when she called me sweetie

I asked, "What did you call me?" She said "sweetie." I really find that sexists and this conversation is over.

[dorktv]

6. Wait a minute, I am a candidate and I call people sweetie.

Not when I am talking to voters mind unless it is my (male) best friend.

Usually when he has been a sweetie.

[EFerrari]

2. Oh no. So, do you have any idea what the conflict with Dean is?

Howard Dean is the best thing that happened to the Democratic Party in years. What's going on? :(

[Democrat 4 Ever]

The discussion we had was the DCCC was upset that Dean was

spending time and money building the party and not giving the DCCC money to get their candidates elected. I told him it didn't make a tinker's damn how much money the DCCC candidates have if we don't get them elected. It is a new day in the Democratic Party and he would do well to wake up and smell the coffee.

[EFerrari]

15. Well, I hope more Democrats repeat your message.

It sort of gives you the will to live.

lol

:toast:

[dorktv]

11. Basically:

Rahm and Schumer want to do targeted races and want the DNC money to go to that. Basically whatever the "polls" say will be a winnable race. Which as we all know, the only poll worth paying attention to is the election day one. And while I live in a targeted district, I was very angry at how it took MY runnning without any support whatsoever from anyone outside of ONE small local party against a 10 year incumbent to show that the "polls" mean nothing because we could have won that seat last cycle had we not targeted another race here in AZ.

Dean on the other hand is thinking beyond this election and trying to rebuild the party up. (Some of the other sub-organizations are doing this as well, YDA for one) So the money has been spread around all fifty states with the intention of building up new grassroots organizations to do the door to door, walking, calling type of campaigning.

Works too, the more you work a precinct the better the turn out is. Yesterday's YDAz training had the Progressive Majority show the numbers from targeted for walking and non-targeted voter tallies...the ones that were had 50% MORE turn out.

So while pouring resources into a campaign is good because this IS the first chance in a long time for us to take back congress, it does us no good if it is only for a few years.

[EFerrari]

16. Dean is right and Schumer is wrong. I wonder who will win

the power struggle.

[dorktv]

22. Dean, he has the states on his side.

[EFerrari]

24. I hope you're right. Howard Dean actually knows how to build

an organization. That doesn't grow on trees. :)

[dorktv]

25. Let us hope they can sustain the organization. THAT is important.

[Cassandra]

18. Schumer and Emmanuel have been angry that...

Dean is using money to support state operations. They think that money should be sent back to DC, like tribute I guess. They are being very shortsighted.

[EFerrari]

26. DC is a sinkhole and a myopic one. n/t

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. Right Fucking On!

It's about time somebody told them to go "Cheney" themselves

[dorktv]

4. Rahm only has a point for this election. Dean has a point about all

future elections.

[Bobbieo]

8. What is the DCCC???

[dorktv]

12. Democratic Congressional Candidate Committee

something like that anyway.

[TalkingDog]

14. Hi Bobbieo, Welcome to DU!!!

Ummm, we are big believers in self-determination here. So I'd suggest you Google any terms you don't understand.

Now asking about board etiquette is another thing entirely. We are glad to help you with those questions anytime.

Again, Welcome to DU! Enjoy the free education.






My favorite Future Famous Dead Artist: KarenParker

[EFerrari]

10. Thank you! Exactly!

The leadership treats Dean like kids scared of a new toy.

Howard Dean connects with people. He is the anti-DLC.

I wasn't a Deaniac but have learned over time how smart he is and how good his instincts are.

The DLC let their candidates win elections and not get seated. Howard Dean is building this party from the ground up. No contest.

[dorktv]

13. Well I was in a state with a double targeting of the DCCC

last time it was Paul Babbit who *I* with only $4,000 outpolled! He had over a million.

Now of course we have another targeted race, mine but I am not the nominee...they recruited someone even though there was another dude already running. :eyes:

[EFerrari]

17. When you say "targeted race", does that mean the DCCC is

putting money and attention there and not elsewhere?

There's a lot about party mechanics that I don't know, sorry.

[dorktv]

21. Oh that is okay. Yes when a districted is targeted by the DCCC

they direct the money they collect to that district and get the big donors to drop money in their race.

[SeattleGirl]

5. Good for you!

Too bad he wasn't willing to listen to you. And that is one of the biggest, if not THE biggest problem, with this gang. The people are trying to tell them what they think, what they want, etc., and they just flat don't want to listen. Randi Rhodes calls the Republicans the Daddy Party. Seems this gang is also a Daddy Party. Um dad? We really CAN think for ourselves, and it's time for you to shut up and listen to us.

[Eric J in MN]

7. For people who prefer supporting individual candidates...

...please consider Patty Wetterling, running for the US House for an open seat against right-winger Michelle Bachmann in Minnesota.

http://www.pattywetterling.com

[me b zola]

9. It really is a war for the soul of the party

I have believed for a while that the dlc are trying to run us (us as in informed and believers in the Democratic Party representing the people whom vote for them) out of the party. I began to believe this when I began hearing the hateful rhetoric of the rw coming out of dlcer's mouths directed at us. That belief was cemented for me when I heard Lieberman say that supporters of Lamont (I don't remember how he called us, but it implied "us" as in the same people that the dlc shits on every chance they get) couldn't "have his party". :mad: :grr: :nuke:

[jerry611]

20. It benefits the DNC to isolate the far left

The far-left makes up only about 20% of the electorate. If the party moves to the left, the Republicans move just slightly to center on a few key issues, and the Democrats lose the independant vote.

That's what the DNC is most afraid of right now... They don't want to be "the party of the left."

[me b zola]

28. There is no "far left" in the Democratic Party

"The far left" has been a talking point used by the rw, and their supporters with 'D's after their names, to continue to push the Democratic Party to the right. The party has been pushed so far to the right that the new false "center" is now what would have been a republican 20 years ago.


It is not far left to believe in the social safety net that FDR had created.

It is not far left to believe that all Americans deserve access to health care

It is not far left to believe that workers have the right to organize and be payed a living wage, be given the benifits that they were promised, and work in a safe environment.

It is not far left to believe that wars of agression will make us less safe---AND ARE WRONG

It is not far left to demand that are Vets be treated with respect and their programs be fully funded

It is not far left to believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and that no one should have less--or more--rights than others

It is not far left to recognize that we must develope real alternatives to using fossil fuels

It is not far left to demand a seperation of church and state--for the protection of both

It is not far left to be against the death penalty

It is not far left to believe that elections should be transparent and verifiable

It is not far left to expect representation from our elected officials, and if they are not representing us that we have the Constitutional right to replace them via the primaries



=========== The Radical Center refuses to be pushed to the right ========

Many people who consider themselves old fashioned Liberals have already left the party. I will never forget when Ron Reagan Jr said on his show because I am a Liberal I am not a Democrat. Now I don't know if you ever listened to his beliefs, but there is nothing "far left" about him. I, however, refuse to hand the party over to those of you who keep pushing us to the right. I will not be moved.

[PassingFair]

19. LOL, Democrat, I've had that SAME conversation!

So many acronyms, so little time!
My tongue has TRIPPED over itself
with all those D's and C's......

I support the DNC, the DFA, and MoveOn.

I most certainly WILL NOT SUPPORT the DLC, the DCCC, or the DSCC.

If I HAVE too, I'll vote for the panderers,
but I WILL NOT WORK
for them and I WILL NOT GIVE THEM MONEY.

There was too much BULLSHIT thrown during the primaries,
ESPECIALLY from the mouth of Mr. LIEberman, for me to
EVER trust the "strategists" with the fate of our country.

[Rainscents]

23. Amen to that!

[jen4clark]

27. big trouble...

Of course, we all know Corporate Power is what's fucking everyone who's not a gazillionaire -- but this article early-bird posted today at CCN - (Clark Community Network) is pretty disturbing:

The Top 10 Corporate Democrats-For-Hire

http://www.alternet.org/story/40482/

They claim to be 'centrists,' but these D.C. Dems -- whose corporate agendas aren't too different from Bush administration policies -- are living proof that the system needs fixing.

The media like a simple story line -- and Joe Lieberman's defeat in the Connecticut Senate primary fits the bill: Pro-war senator goes down. Anti-war progressives ascendant, Republicans gleeful, and so forth. But Lieberman is more than an ally in the Bush administration's dissembling on Iraq. He is yet another example of someone who came to Washington as a purported idealist and turned into a creature of the capital's big-money culture. Lieberman's loss is a loss for Cheney and Rumsfeld to be sure, but it's also a loss for an army of sleazy political operatives and consultants.

While Lieberman is best known outside of Washington for his neocon views, he's famous in the capital for his undying support for corporate causes. There are countless examples: Remember Lieberman's role in blocking the reforms of stock option accounting that former SEC chair Arthur Levitt was trying to enact? This was a question of honest accounting that became part and parcel of the corporate corruption scandals of recent years, and Lieberman was a champion of the wrong side.

Beyond that, Lieberman happily has done the bidding of the pharmaceutical companies, the insurance companies and many others, thus establishing an unsavory underside to his more admirable record on environmental and other issues. And of course, his support of and continued rationalization of the Iraq invasion, like many of Lieberman's other stances, has served chiefly to benefit large corporations, in this case the "national security/homeland defense" industry that got a huge boost from Bush's reckless military adventurism. It's no great surprise to learn that Karl Rove called Lieberman the other day after his loss, and described him as a "friend."

Lieberman and his defenders have tried to portray his brand of politics as "centrism." But it has little to do with mainstream voters and much to do with the money culture of Washington of which many Democrats have become a part. And yet, Ralph Nader is wrong in his blanket condemnations of Democrats: You still are more likely to find someone willing to stand up to the big money boys among Democrats than Republicans. But the gap is narrowing. Voters sense it... much more