Dear Mr. McAuliffe,
The first thing that became apparent upon receipt of your letter dated Jan 19 asking for contributions was that the DNC learned nothing from their netroots efforts of the 2004 campaign. During the campaign, I received two or three emails per week from such party superstars as Kerry and both Clintons begging for donations. And when I gave, the emails kept coming, asking for yet more money. "No fight is too big for the Democratic party," the rhetoric generally goes, "as long as we have enough money in our coffers." You raised a great deal of money from small net-based contributors like me, and maybe you put up a good fight during that campaign--I don't know--but you sure as hell didn't win. And now you're back, writing to me again asking for more. It seems that is the best use of netroots you can come up with.
The rhetoric is as blustery as ever: "This is your chance to stand up and tell President Bush that his narrow victory in 2004 gave him neither a mandate nor a blank check. Now is the time to send a clear signal to the Washington Republicans that Democrats will not falter or fall back -- we will stand up and fight for our values." The only "clear signal" the DNC has sent in the last decade is the constant whine, "We need more money." Mr. McAuliffe, I have been "standing up" to the President for over four years now and don't need your invitation to continue to do so. In fact, I resent your implication that I can best do so by giving money to you because you and the party you represent are poorly suited to tell me how to stand and fight. While the Democrats in congress tripped over themselves to give Bush his green light to make war on the world, I was writing letters of protest and speaking out against American imperialism. I refuse to stand up against giving a blank check to Bush by giving a blank check to you and the predominantly spineless democrats who represent my values less and less every time they open their mouths.
You said, "When President Bush tries to dismantle Social Security, the Democratic Party will be there to stop him. When he tries to make his disastrous tax cuts permanent, we'll be there to stop him. When he tries to stack the Supreme Court with right-wing judges who don't share our values, we'll be there to stop him." And just how do you propose to do that, Mr. McAuliffe? Perhaps the same way Senate Democrats stood up last week and this week to "stop him" from making disastrous cabinet appointments? How will the money I send you help with the problem of impotent Senators like Joe Biden, who publicly announced he would vote to confirm Condaleeza Rice before the hearings had even really started? What about Diane Feinstein, who, if she had gotten her nose any further up Rice's ass, could have said what she had for breakfast? Where was the DNC outrage when Republican Judiciary Committee leadership cut short the confirmation hearings of Alberto Gonzales, silencing Senator Kennedy's questions? Is this how Democrats plan to "stand up and fight?" My God, man! Have you not been paying attention as Democrats bend over before the Republican juggernaut, offering to supply the lubrication? Either you have not been paying attention, or you hope I have not. I assure you it's not the latter.
So spare me your chest thumping. I won't be sending you any money. But let me tell you where I will be sending it: to Barbara Boxer's PAC for a Change because she showed me she would fight, and only then wrote to ask for donations; to Howard Dean's DNC campaign because nothing short of the madman from Vermont will renew my faith in the party; to Media Matters for America because they understand more about netroots activism and combating big media than you ever will, and, if they can unite themselves and pull in a sound direction, to the Green Party in hopes of seeing a real opposition party in my lifetime. If the DNC can meet a few conditions, I'll consider donating when they are met. (1) A competent leader who can (2) articulate how Democrats differ from Republicans rather than looking for common ground, and (3) a progressive platform whose defining plank is opposition to Bush's brand of conservatism.
Untiil then, don't bother me. I have a war to fight and am pulling double duty for those who went AWOL.