Atrios and Kos have been hitting their readers up for donations to the DNC, DSCC, and DCCC. So far I have been reluctant to donate because I think it is more efficient to give directly to a candidate. If the GOP dumps a ton of money into SD, and bloggers respond by donating to Herseth, she'll see that money faster (and more of it) than if it gets filtered through a larger bureaucracy.
But that argument aside, I'm still not thrilled with the party. Yes, there have been improvements. But I'm still not satisfied and I suspect many others aren't as well.
That said, rather than remaining bitter, I'd like to lay out a few things I'd like to see our party do to regain my trust. In exchange I would be willing to donate to any or all of the above organizations.
What the DNC can do:
Do a much better job of branding the party. I know this is an old complaint. So why do we still have to be talking about it? Why do people still not know what the Democratic Party stands for? I'd like to see something substantive like Newt's Contract With America.
Do that and I will donate.
What the DCCC can do:
Let's face it, there is very little power that the House minority party holds. So, let's see them use the power that they do have. The bully pulpit.
If the House Democrats loudly attack paperless voting machines, I will donate.
If the House Democrats loudly attack the lack of spending oversight in Iraq, I will donate.
If the House Democrats loudly attack the next time DeLay holds a vote open past the deadline, I will donate.
If the House Democrats scream bloody murder the next time the GOP calls the police on them I will donate.
What the DSCC can do:
The Senate Democrats are the last vestige of real Democratic power in D.C. More than the House, I expect some results.
Throw a tantrum the next time you get cut out of a conference committeeIntroduce and I will donate.
Pass a bill voting machine bill that (1) provides funding to develop open source code for e-voting machines, (2) denies electoral funding to any state that refuses to use the open source code, and (3) says that any states' electors in the electoral college will be held presumptively invalid if the margin of victory of a candidate is less than the number of votes that were held on machines without paper trails and/or running uncertified code. Pass that and I will donate.
Create an "advisable judge" list. It should include many highly distinguished, but Republican, judges that Democrats would be willing to fast track. Wave it in Bush's face the next time he tries to nominate an unqualified idealogue to a court. Do that and I will donate.
Raise a shitstorm over the stolen Judiciary Committe files and I will donate.
Any other suggestions?