Seriously, you can't ask that question like this:
This week, I have received three emails prompting me to take the
DNC's December survey. Each time, the prompting email suggests that they are looking for my ideas. A quick look into the survey itself confirms that they are not.
One of the emails, "signed" by DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, reads like this:
Hey xxxxxxxx --
If you have a few minutes, would you mind taking a quick look at this and letting me know your thoughts?
http://my.democrats.org/...
It'll really help us. I appreciate it!
Thanks,
Debbie
Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee
My response follows...
Dear Debbie:
No, my filling out the survey won’t help you. Because you are asking the wrong questions. You want to know my thoughts? Great, though I suspect no one is really listening...
Democrats already align with the voters on policy, so asking about policy priorities doesn’t help you at all. We lost the 2014 elections because our voters did not feel that showing up would make any difference. It has become routine for Democrats run to the middle, trying to not take a stand, trying not to incite GOP criticism. Look at Mary Landrieu. You can paraphrase her campaign as “I agree with my opponent so vote for me.” Did this cause anyone to think they can make a difference by voting for her? Clearly not.
Or look at the fact that every ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage passed. But no Democrats ran on that? Raising the minimum wage needs to be OUR issue and we simply abandoned it. And look at what the voters did - they voted for the minimum wage because it would make a difference, and they didn’t vote for the Democrat because they felt it wouldn’t make a difference.
Want more votes? Show them how voting for Democrats will make a difference in their lives and in their society. Run on populist economic policy. Run on breaking up the wall street banks. Run on taking power back from the oligarchs. No, can’t do that? Because we need the oligarchs’ money to run campaigns? Then plan on people not showing up. If you want Democrats to show up, show them how doing so makes a difference. Show them that there are parts of the Democratic Party that still represent the people.
One last philosophical thought for you to consider. Money and power are always connected. People with power use it to get more money, and people with money use it to get more power. Almost like they are interchangeable commodities. The purpose of democracy - the ONLY purpose of democracy - is to drive a wedge between the two. Democracy exists for the sole purpose of separating money from power, ensuring that those without money still have power. STAND FOR THAT, and people will vote for you.
Sincerely,
SBucher
You asked for thoughts and ideas, but thoughts and ideas do not fit into checkboxes of predetermined answers. So no, I won't fill out your survey. But I'd be happy to share some actual thoughts and ideas. You only need to ask.
