Should we try to dry up the DNC?

[IrateCitizen]

I'm just thinking here, so bear with me. It seems that many of us here are utterly outraged at the incompetence and lack of responsibility among the "advisor" and "consultant" crowds that run national campaigns for the DNC. But, these folks all are sucking at a free-flowing tit in these positions, so it's not likely that they will accept their culpability for recent electoral failures. The question is, how do we get them out?

Personally, I won't give another dime to the DNC so long as they maintain their present course. Certainly, I'll continue to support specific candidates -- but I just don't see any benefit in helping to reinforce the failure that has entrenched itself in the DNC.

Does anyone else see things this way? Can anyone offer a compelling argument as to why we should support the DNC if they are so unwilling to change their strategy (and strategists)?

[benburch]

1. I supported the DNC to the tune of almost $2000 this year.

But never again unless I see the fangs and claws come out.

We need to see some blood on the snow (politically) before they get another shekel from me.

[Bouncy Ball]

3. Hear, hear.

Not a dime from me and I've never voted for anyone but a Democrat in my life (except when a third party is running against a repuke, then I run for the third party person).

[sangh0]

2. Give to independent organizations

like MoveOn.org and ACT and DFA. Give to individual dems that you admire and think are doing a good job of speaking up and fighting back.

Don't give the DNC any money to waste on new buildings

[Maat]

11. I'm with you sangh0.

MoveOn, DFA, A.U. (Americans United for Separation of Church and State), Planned Parenthood, Human Rights Campaign, and People for the American Way are the organizations that I intend to support.

And local candidates.

No $ to the DNC.

[IrateCitizen]

12. What is this, like the 4th time today we've agreed on something?

I'd better run to a window to make certain that the sky is still in its proper position!

I actually haven't given the DNC any money in some time. I do give to several progressive organizations and individual candidates, however -- and will continue to do so.

[sangh0]

14. We agree more than you realize

.

[IllegalCombatant]

4. i think we should start a grassroots counter to the DLC

publish our own papers, opinions, position's, raise money for our candidates, org. etc.

if they wont let us in we should start our own pac - or whatever - and go head to head with them at their own game.

though i always felt DU was a great think-tank so maybe we already have a counter :shrug:

[seafey]

8. go to www.progressivevote.org nt

[renaissanceguy]

27. I think Democracy for America

already does that job. They have successfully supported candidates on the local and state levels. It's already well-established by Howard Dean, and I think that together, we could make it grow into something phenomenal.

---------------------
Buy liberal and progressive buttons, bumper stickers, and shirts at www.cafepress.com/liberalissues

[Kolesar]

5. I give money to candidates

I know I don't have much influence on the DNC. I don't even know who votes for their leadership, actually. The bit of money I gave for the Kerry campaign was the only money I ever did contribute to the DNC. I had already given JK a lot more money when Edwards withdrew and Kerry was the nominee.

[InvisibleBallots]

6. Step 1: Target the Land Developers that run the local Dem parties

(I'm ignoring GOP counties for now)

Take a look at your local county level Democratic party, and chances are the people running the show behind the scenes are land developers - now, almost all middlemen for corporations like WalMart, HomeDepot, and the like

These people are in the business of contributing to (read: bribing) politicians. They are in the local government officers every single day, every year, and have their hands in everything.

We need to take back the local parties from these people. Next step is the state governments.

[Jason Bradfield]

9. Take Over the Democratic Party

This post is absolutely correct, genuine progressives have to take over the Democratic Party from the inside out. The conservatives did this to the GOP and it is one reason the GOP is able to be so successful by running a well-coordinated national campaign.

Many local Democratic contributors are only interested in lining their on pockets. Activists should not be afraid to run against these people for party positions.

Despite the election fraud that exists we are still a democracy and the local democratic Party is usually run like as a democracy. Where it is not we need to challenge its legitimacy.

[InvisibleBallots]

13. We could take over many counties this year, it would not be hard

At the county level, a coordindated group of progressives could get some clout in one year. All it would take is showing up at county meetings, running for party positions. That means the next year, you can support progressive primary candidates. If they win the general, your group is in. We could have a solid Dem majority in the state legislatures in two elections.

[Kolesar]

15. Hi Jason

Welcome to our forum. Your "Naomi Klein" posting on your blog shocked me. More heartbreak

[newyawker99]

20. Hi Jason Bradfield!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[seafey]

7. I see things exactly the same way.

check out www.progressivevote.org and keep thinking like you're thinking. It's obscene what they're doing. I went to a state meeting Saturday and one guy had the nerve to stand up and say people are asking him "what went wrong" and he tells them- "nothing went wrong". He hinted it was Kerry's fault......... OY. These people are complete egomaniacs.

[Cobalt Violet]

10. If they move to the right on with the religious ca-ca I won't support them.

If they advocate moving to the right to get votes then I can't give them anything. But I'm going to be very upset if they want to give in to the religious nut bags out there. We already have a party for those people. It's called the republican party.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

16. Only if you want to ensure GOP victories from now on...

Does anyone else see things this way? Can anyone offer a compelling argument as to why we should support the DNC if they are so unwilling to change their strategy (and strategists)?

OK, I'll give it a shot. The DNC effectively is the party - the combination of the liberal, conservative, labor, environmental, social conservative working class, etc., etc., etc. It is a coalition formed by compromise. You don't like some positions that the DNC takes - no doubt you think it's too centrist. But there are other Democrats who struggle in swing districts who cringe at the antics of the far left, because they understand how that affects the perception of our candidates in the minds of swing voters.

Now it is very easy to play the "your side of the party lost it for us" game - which is what you are doing with this post - but I won't sink to that. The truth is that the Democratic party is suffering because we're in the final throes of the GOP's southern strategy - the Zell Miller Dixiecrats are turning firmly Republican. And while I - like you - say good riddance, I also must point out that losing their support has put the Democrats at a disadvantage that anyone would be hard pressed to make up.

The solution, therefore, isn't to "clean house". Instead, we have to grow the party. Among other things, that means getting involved locally.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Skidmore]

19. What a DLC -like statement to make....

the modern Democratic party does not represent the interests of the American worker any more than the Rs do. They represent those who would exploit the worker.

The DNC is not the party. The party is the people. The DNC is a committee. Membership in that committee can be changed by the people.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

21. So far off the deep end...

Another poster who's so far left, he can't tell the difference between the Democratic party and the Republicans? Tell me, if you really believe that, why do you even bother to post in the D.U.?

And insofar as your "The party is the people" observation, you're right of course, just as the American Government is really "We the people" of the U.S. But the DNC isn't just a "committee", it's the leadership - our party's "Congress". And it already reflects the general views of average Democrats in our nation.

In fact, it is already slightly to the left of the average Democratic voter. Case in point: during the primaries, many in the DNC were warming up to Dean. He was lining up national endorsements left and right. But the Democratic voters in Iowa and New Hampshire decided that against the GOP smear machine, they'd rather take a war hero. The people wanted someone a little less strident.

But ultimately I'm a pragmatist, Skidmore. You show me a good 10 million Bush voters who think like you do ("I vote for Republicans, because, gosh darn it, the Democratic National Committee is just way too conservative"), and I'll be happy to wave the flag of protectionism. Anything to win.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Skidmore]

24. FYI, I've never voted Republican---ever.

But there are other options to the current Democratic party which I am very inclined to consider and perhaps pursue. This does NOT mean the Republican party. I don't agree with "our" party's congress and I do believe that those who participate in it are operatives. I do not believe the party has done the worker, the farmer, or any other group which as been among its traditional constituency any service for several years. In fact, you would demand no less of me that * demands of his supporters--that the party and the policies they endorse currently never be subjected to criticism. The DNC does not have all the answers and just because it is made up of people who fancy themselves "players" does not mean that it wouldn't benefit from an injection of new ideas and personalities.

AND, I don't need lectures about Dean. My husband and I are Iowans who proudly caucused for him and continue to very much respect and support his message.

[InvisibleBallots]

25. "waving the flag of protectionism"

Show me one working class Republican that votes GOP because they are anti-protectionist. If the Democrats would "wave the flag of protectionism" more often we would win.

You ever heard a Republican say "I vote for Republicans, because, gosh darn it, the Democratic National Committee wants to stop CEOs from sending my job to Communist China!"

I didn't think so.

[Skidmore]

26. Well said, Invisible. nt

[ConservativeDemocrat]

28. Didn't think so? Don't be silly: it's easy!

Show me one working class Republican that votes GOP because they are anti-protectionist.

They're called "WalMart Customers". Maybe you've heard of it? The rural poor flock to those stores (which sell almost exclusively Chinese goods), because they're cheap.

I really don't think the Democratic party can win elections by campaigning against WalMart. At least, not nationally.

You ever heard a Republican say "I vote for Republicans, because, gosh darn it, the Democratic National Committee wants to stop CEOs from sending my job to Communist China!"

No, but I do hear Republicans bitch and moan about "Unions", even though they themselves would obviously benefit from being in one. They have this perception that unions use their political clout to tear down businesses, artificially reducing the number of jobs so as to increase the wages of only their membership.

Now I don't believe that personally. But when you have some Democrats talking about "corporations" being the enemy, it makes it harder to pull these people away from their preconceived notions.

But pray tell, explain to me exactly what deep well of liberal voters are unplumbed right now? I'm anxious to find out.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[InvisibleBallots]

29. That's easy!

"But pray tell, explain to me exactly what deep well of liberal voters are unplumbed right now? I'm anxious to find out."

They are the 30% of Americans who don't bother to vote for either candidate. They might not be "liberal" but they sure would love to get paid more, have better benefits, and are against sending jobs to Communist China.

As for every *working-class* Republican that bitches about Unions, there are two bitching about the local big business in town. So what does that tell us?

[Skidmore]

30. And corporations suffer from the delusion that they don't need

employees here so it justifies exploiting labor markets elsewhere. What corporations fail to see is that they DO NEED consumers and there will be a point at which the American consumer can no longer foot the costs of corporate greed. In this race to the bottom, those free fall marketers ARE jeopardizing our national security by exporting our manufacturing base and the wealth of the nation, while simultaneously exploiting all workers everywhere. I do not want the Democratic party to endorse such policies which seek to strip the rights of workers. Companies need workers and consumers. At this rate, they will have neither. But then, who knows. perhaps once our nation as been sold out, the DLC will be happy to move to China to con their new base for support. Do you people really believe that this is sustainable? Do you really believe that the average American citizen will prosper from these policies? We all can't work at Wallyworld. The backlash cometh. Not to worry.

[IrateCitizen]

33. I've had the opposite "real-life" experiences...

While in the military, I came to be friends with a few rather RW types. But of those who paid some sort of attention to what goes on in the world, I found two areas in which we came to absolute agreement between the right and the left:
1. The need to curb the influence that corporations have over every aspect of our lives
2. The need to take money out of politics and institute a "Clean Elections" form of public financing

Rural poor people shop at Wal-Mart for two reasons -- because it's cheap, and BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO. Never mind the fact that Wal-Mart typically eliminates 3 local jobs for every 2 it creates, either.

People are against unions because of a well-funded 30-year propaganda campaign against them.

Democrats don't need to talk about corporations as being the "enemy". That's not an effective narrative. They can, however, talk about their ideas in terms of basic values like community and fairness. Most people also don't like the boss, either -- and they're more likely to join up with someone who tells them that he will be on their side against the boss, while pointing out the other guy (Republican) who will join up with the boss against him.

In order to pull people away from their preconceived notions, you actually have to begin to challenge them -- but in an effective manner that speaks to their more basic values. It's not a successful strategy for change and reform to simply cave to those preconceived notions, as the center drifts ever-further to the right.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

35. I even once had a conversation about corporate domination

of our economy with a resident of my former apartment building who met every new resident with a declaration that she was a conservative Republican and would the new resident like to come with her to a luncheon to hear a famous right-wing speaker.

(By the way, local Dem organizations need to operate like that in the off years, sponsoring Democratic speakers and urging the rank and file to invite their neighbors.)

We could both deplore the disappearance of locally-owned businesses that kept their money in town and supported local charities. We both hated having to call Texas (from Portland,Oregon) to get our phones or TV cables repaired. We both disliked off-shoring of jobs. We both hated not having a choice of channels on our cable systems. We both thought local news was superficial and trivial.

Shortly after that, however, I wrote a LTTE that outed me as a liberal Democrat, so she stopped speaking to me. :-)

[Skidmore]

36. You are so right.

Find a local guy who knows how to make repairs. Tell him that you would be willing to pay a reasonable rate for him to repair your equipment. My husband does this. He charges for the part and a small fee for labor. Word of mouth will get the local guy a steady stream of customers. There are enough laid off techs from electronics firms now to take care of electronics and plenty of guys who love to tinker with engines or motors. We never purchase those darned service packets. You end up paying a large amount up front. If the product is defective or poor in quality, it will usually be evident within the period of the warranty it comes with. This is how corporations make their money. They try to tie you into their product service centers. Otherwise they keep changing the technology. We don't buy every new gadget or doodad that comes along. We repair products that we have been satisfied with to get the maximum benefit from them.

[IrateCitizen]

38. And that's the real shame in all of this...

Shortly after that, however, I wrote a LTTE that outed me as a liberal Democrat, so she stopped speaking to me.

You both agreed so much on the greater problems, but she was so attached to partisan labels that she stopped speaking to someone that had many of the same concerns as she did. Rather than approach you on that common ground you shared, she just turned off.

[SOS]

42. Those 2 points

where you agreed with right-wingers contain the answer to our Party's dilemma.

1. DNC should refuse all corporate and PAC contributions.
2. With a people-funded Party our candidates will be free to criticize the corporations that are destroying our quality of life.

As long as we keep cashing checks from corporations and special interests, we will continue to lose.
Let the Republicans have the dirty money. We can use clean money unilaterally and start winning again.

[Skidmore]

43. This party needs to return to being a populist party with a

bona fide grass roots movement. Individuals vote, corporations don't. If you want the votes, go to the people.

[eridani]

47. Here's one who speaks for some of the 10 million

This was written when Dean was ahead, and the author obviously didn't know that Kucinich had the NAFTA position he was really looking for. There are plenty of social conservatives like Worden who would forget about gays and abortion if the Dems were in their corner on outsourcing.

http://sierratimes.com/03/12/29/ar_carlworden.htm

I am a Christian conservative who voted for Bush in 2000, and I write for a largely conservative and excellent Internet news and opinion publication called The Sierra Times. Remarkably, the positive responses I received from that article ran 8 to 2, 2 being those who said I was dead, absolutely DEAD wrong. The fact that largely conservative readers responded as positively as they did, means I am not wrong, and I am sticking to my prediction that Howard Dean will be sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.

The issue that I believe will put Dean right over the top will be his condemnation of NAFTA/GATT, free trade, and his pledge to end our participation in the World Trade Organization. If Dean wants to win by a comfortable margin, all he has to do is THAT. The massive number of red states that voted for Bush last election will turn to blue, and Dean will waltz into the White House like a halfback who strolls untouched into the end zone. End of game.

[InvisibleBallots]

22. you missed a HUGE faction of the DNC

"the combination of the liberal, conservative, labor, environmental, social conservative working class, etc., etc., etc. It is a coalition formed by compromise"

You forgot to mention the one faction that the DLC most closely represents in the DNC, against the interests of the rest of the groups you mentioned - Corporate America.

[bvar22]

37. Why not? The DLC is great at winning elections.......

....for the Republicans!!!!

[seafey]

17. My hundredth post! awwww... seriously though...

Has anyone been feeling so angry about this topic that they're thinking of going Green? (Or going back to Green, like me?) I have, but I'm worried it's run the same way- I mean, do people in power automatically eventually corrupt themselves? Is there any system that can prevent this that has been proven to work?

[Skidmore]

18. Better question yet is do people in power literally see themselves

as the voices of the people just because they hold the purse? The leadership of the Democratic Party does not speak for my interests now. And I believe they don't speak for many people they claim to represent.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

32. Doing exactly that.

After, 39 years as a registered Democrat, I've worn out my nose voting for the "lesser of two evils". If the Democratic candidates want my vote they'll have to come and get it. And, that will only happen if they start standing for something other than appeasing the right wing.

[John_Shadows_1]

23. Yes....

We need a Fourth Way (chuckle if it wasn't so serious).

[LittleClarkie]

31. My feeling is that

we'd be cutting off our nose to spite our face if we did that. Fix it if you think it's broke, but don't kill it.

[Skidmore]

34. Problem is they don't want to be fixed.

[LittleClarkie]

45. As a wise woman once said "They don't hafta wanna."

I understand the feeling of some who don't want to give money to the DNC anymore, those who want to give money to other sources or none at all. That's their right. But to talk of drying up the DNC's money as a concerted effort is counterproductive.

You could try to exclusively work for a third party and ignore the DNC, but how long do you think it will take to built that party up strong enough to oppose the Republicans. How long are you willing to put up with Republican rule while you try to grow that third party.

To weaken the DNC is to weaken opposition to the Republicans. If you want even more Republicans to win in 2006, knock yourselves out.

I would suggest a bit of both. Work for the Progressives on a local level, but don't neglect the major opposition party on a national level. As more Progressives are elected on the local level, they will gain the leverage to start changing things from the bottom up. Meanwhile, you're not leaving us with an unopposed Republican party on the national level.

I don't know if that would work. But abandoning the DNC now would be disasterous in my eyes.

[Skidmore]

46. The DNC/DLC left us with an unopposed Republican party

the last election. Basically, everytime I thought someone had grown enough spine to actually stand up, the spokespeople would acquiesce and nod in agreement with the opposition. "What they say," was the tune of the day.

[LittleClarkie]

48. What last election? 2004?

Are you saying that Kerry didn't oppose them. Horsehockey.

Or do you mean 2002?

[bvar22]

39. The DLC could care less about our nickles and dimes.

They are on that juicy Corporate tit.
The DLC has been WILDLY successful.

They have made TONS of money from their CorpoSponsors.
In return, the DLC provides legislation that takes care of any pesky labor problems!

Democrat...Republican....doesn't make ANY difference to the BIG MONEY people as long as THEY get control of the legislation that keeps the money flowing to their pockets.

These guys couldn't CARE LESS about who get an abortion or a gun.

[IrateCitizen]

40. Not the DLC, the DNC

Despite the convergence, the two are not necessarily interchangeable (at least not yet).

[Skidmore]

41. Citizen, I don't think there is a lot of difference. The DNC

seems bound and determined to continue to foist DLC candidates and talking points on the party.

[bvar22]

44. The DLC/DNC are the same.

Notice how the DLC has assumed the official spokesman for the Democratic Party role in their condemnation of Michael Moore and th UN.

They only pretend to be different to keep the money rolling in. They both work for the same masters.