Let's reward good behavior! (With poll...)

Feinstein, Rockefeller, Reid, Schumer.  Lieberman.  What a pathetic bunch of losers we have in our caucus, and in leadership positions, at that!  We've been bitching about it long enough, and some of our bitching has real influence.  Not as much as we'd like, of course.  But enough to be perceptible.

But the most effective influence in politics is money.  And while we don't have Scaife's millions to throw at our favorite causes, we do have numbers behind us.  So here's an idea, below the fold.

Inspired by this diary, here's a letter I'm sending to the DSCC:

Folks,

Recently I refused a fund raising request from you, since so far I've preferred to contribute directly (or via ActBlue) to candidates of my own choosing.  Of course, they're all Democratic candidates, and I also sent a lot of money to the DNC last year, so naturally you'd think that the DSCC might get some of my money.

But I feel that the senate leadership has made some poor decisions since the 2006 elections.  The Democratic Senate leadership's wishy-washiness on Liberman for one.  Reid and Rockefeller's spineless approach to Telecom immunity, for another.  And Dianne Feinstein's general cynicism on war crimes, constitutional rights, and other issues vital to the very essence of our national identity, nicely rounds up my beef against the DSCC, without ever having to go into Chuck Schumer's vote for Mukasey.

But of course, the stick of criticism needs to be paired with a carrot in some form, or else we progressive Democrats aren't being good activists.  So here it is:  I'm happy to donate $5 to the DSCC today, with the following further pledges:

1. $100 when Feinstein quits the Judiciary committee

2. $100 when Rockefeller quits the Intelligence committee ($50 if he gives up the chairmanship, but keeps his committee membership)

3. $100 when Lieberman quits his chairmanship of whatever committee he heads

4. $100 when the Democratic caucus stops granting unanimous consent to the publicans' demand of 60 votes for the passage of progressive bills.  If the thugs want to filibuster, then MAKE THEM FILIBUSTER!  I'll require a threshold of at least 2 such forced filibusters, with no intervening 60-votes-required cravenness before I consider this goal met.

For now, I'm putting this money in escrow.  If the goodies above don't get delivered, then I'm pledging the above money to primary opponents of Reid, Rockefeller and Schumer, whenever they come up for re-election.

I only wish I'd sent some of this money to one of Feinstein's primary opponents last year!

And please don't call me--as and when the events above come to pass, you'll get my money without lifting a finger.

Thanks!