Better Democrats: Democratic Donor Strike

How long have we been waiting for the Democrats in Congress to listen to the will of the American people?  "Wait until we have a legislative majority," we were told.  Now it's, "wait until we control the exectutive branch, and have a supermajority in both legislative branches."    

Congressional Democrats have no excuse for failing to lead on protecting the Constitution, protecting the DOJ from criminals, and protecting our military from dangerous politicalization.

I'm going on strike.  No money to the DSCC, or the DCCC, until the Democratic leadership supports the core values of the Democratic party, and democracy.

democrats.com has a petition to the DSCC and DCCC,  pledging no money to the DSCC/DCCC until the following conditions are met:

1. Restrict any new Iraq funds to a safe withdrawal of U.S. troops - the "Peace Pledge" adopted by 90 House Members

2. Prohibit any use of funds to plan or execute a pre-emptive attack on Iran, and repeal the post-9/11 Authorization of Use of Military Force that Bush and Cheney believe authorizes them to attack Iran or any other country they please, as well as to wiretap all our calls and emails without warrants

3. Fully restore the Constitution by strictly outlawing warrantless wiretapping and torture, closing Guantanamo, and restoring habeas corpus

4. Complete the investigation of White House crimes by using "inherent contempt" to compel testimony by current and former White House officials

This is not a blanket strike on supporting Democratic candidates.  I have given this year to Chris Dodd,  Donna Edwards (MD-04), and am contributing to a draft movement for Scott Kleeb (NE-Sen).  

I will give more in the future, and will volunteer, because better Democrats are the only ones who will enact real change.  We know who the problems are: the Bush Dogs, and the weak leaders who don't whip them in line.  But the leadership has to know that this kind of crap is not acceptable:

Despite their rhetoric about not wanting to hand President Bush another "blank check" for the Iraq War, Democrats appear poised to give him exactly that -- enough cash to keep the war going full steam for as long as six months, no strings attached.

Democratic leaders continue to fear GOP attacks that cutting off or slowing funds would hurt the troops, despite anger among the Democratic base over the party's failure to use Congress' power of the purse to end the war.

And while House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have said they have no intention of bringing up Bush's almost $200 billion supplemental war funding proposal this year without a timeline for withdrawal, Democrats are quietly preparing to give the president enough spending flexibility to keep the war going anyway.

Please sign the petition, or better yet, sign the petition and then call the DSCC/DCCC and tell them yourself.  

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
430 South Capitol Street
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Be sure to emphasize how much you would like to help them out, if only the Dems kept their promises, and listened to the voters.  Trust me, it works.

•  Many people

  have already expressed this sentiment.

  But the petition is a great way to amplify our voices, and get noticed by the leadership.  Plus, this (from the petition itself) is awesome:

  I understand that it takes a majority of votes to accomplish these goals, but I consider it the responsibility of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, as the Leaders of our Party, to deliver those votes.

  If you want my help, I will be delighted to lobby my Senators and Representative to support whatever legislation you introduce to accomplish these goals, and to encourage all my friends and relatives to join me in this lobbying. All you have to do is lead the way.

  Thank you for your attention to my urgent concerns about the crisis we face as a Nation.

  by mffarrow on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 09:58:25 AM PDT

•  I would not call it a strike, but my heart is

  just not in the right mood for giving after seeing some of the spinelessness exhibited by our party leaders.

  by VolvoDrivingLiberal on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:03:07 AM PDT

•  I already halted my Democracy Bond payments...

  and was astounded when the Democratic Party HQ offices didn't even try to ask me why....I told them bluntly.  It was a phone transaction. They didn't seem much interested.

  And now, according to news reports, the Democrats in Congress appear poised to give the prez another six months of funding...no strings attached.

  We're living in a nightmare.

  by dweb8231 on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:05:07 AM PDT

•  Oooh. Very nice. Highly rec'd. (nt)

  by dov12348 on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:10:47 AM PDT

•  Some advice. Consider giving this idea...

  ...to a popular person with a fan base that would automatically recommend them if they wrote that they found a new zit this morning.

  by dov12348 on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:21:11 AM PDT

•  I agree..

  I will not be giving money to the DSCC, DCCC, DNC....until some things change.

  - I want DNC to step up and start uniting the dems...they have let everything run amok...especially the dems pres. candidates and primary dates fiasco in MI/FL.

  - I will not donate to DSCC and DCCC and DNC again since Edwards think they should be collecting money on his behalf to assist him mar-aug 2008...

  Yesterday edwards pretty much said that money is not important(at lest silently; he never answered the question fully) on this week....

  See nobody needs money to run....learn the EDwards lesson....no money in politics....!!!! money is BAD, BAD, BAD!

  by cookiecutter on Mon Nov 05, 2007 at 10:25:04 AM PDT