Great points. If the Dems are truly interested in changing the old losing playbook and moving onto a new winning strategy, we need strong, focused leadership that recognizes the effectiveness of grassroots activists. They need to listen. Thanks for posting this.
All good stuff. But I missed the part where the Democratic Party will embrace populism. Americans hear all day long about our happy stats. Unemployment is low. Inflation is under control. Growth is stronger than other countries. Yea!
But Americans are SUFFERING. Housing, healthcare, child care, elder care, utilities, COST of EVERYTHING is breaking the budgets of working families. Two people working overtime in their jobs can't make ends meet.
The Waltons have over $400 billion. Their employees are on Medicaid and live on Food Stamps! Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ran an excellent campaign. In a short window of time. But we failed.
Because we didn't offer CHANGE. We didn't commiserate. We didn't offer ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
I'm not always convinced that voters want government to do something about this. There is such resistance to anyone getting a hand out, to people using a government check for something they disapprove of. I'm pretty sure I heard Kamala Harris commiserate and offer ideas for child care and some of the other topics on your list. But were they believable, that I don't know. If they are implement-able, why haven't we done them already? How can we convince people outside of Alaska to go along with an annual payment, a fair share of the wealth generated from commonly held resources?
Excellent presentation. Two additional points you might want to consider.
1. ActBlue used to charge 4.9% to process their collections, versus 4.0 or 4.1% for its competitions. After I raised the issue and others joined the fight, they reduced their rates. Check out their 990s to see their greed in personnel salaries, etc. The D's have lost too much money and the contribution processing contract out to be put out to bid.
2. ActBlue has refused to amend its donor pages to include the voluntary entering of a Post Office Box in addition to the required billing address. This reduces D's efforts for fundraising, canvassing and snail mail. That is an easy technical change, with an alert to current users, and should be a requirement in rebidding the contract.
Added qualification: personal experience in engaging real life working class and main street democratic voters and independents in exploring issues in order to reorient what the Democratic Party stands for.
YAY! I wonder if you have thought of sending it directly to Simon Rosenberg and asking him to forward it. He clearly has an inside track and seems like he would be sympathetic.
Reaching the 70% of eligible voters who don’t identify as “Democrat,” (Going on major podcasts that Trump went on. Harris went on none of them! We have both lists.)
Communicating Democratic successes as part of ongoing messaging."( It sucks to only hear from them when they want money.)
Creating a process by which ordinary Democratic citizens can make suggestions/comments to the Party that can help us win. (We have experienced a not invented here syndrome which is why your letter is sooo important. THANK YOU).
From what we can tell Ben Wikler is the most progressive candidate running for the DNC chair. Have you been able to get this to him? Might you be able to set up a zoom with him (and other candidates) with those of us, who would choose to attend, to see how he responds to the commitments.
If Wikler does seem like the best candidate, how do we help him win?
Robert Hubbell informed his readers about your suggestions and I find them so essential. Learned that the brilliant David Hogg is running for either co-chair or vice-chair of the DNC. I think he would fabulous and would help turn the tides. I heard that some want Rahm Emmanuel to be the head…HELL NO! Fresh blood is what we need! Personally, I would love to have Clayton Anderson on the committee. She did wonders for NC and she is another young energetic person with great ideas. One thing I would like the DNC to focus on is the stopping of texting or emails after one has given $$ towards a candidate. I must delete 400-600 emails a day and it is annoying!
I don't know what is up with Facebook but, unfortunately, it reaches most of my friends. I copy/paste articles if (when) FB rejects them. It shouldn't be necessary, but we don't give up.
Yes! Not another dime from me until the DNC adopts every one of your suggestions. So tired of giving money to organization that is oblivious to reality.
All excellent suggestions, but particularly stopping the Republican-like shrill, invasive, and guilt ridden emails and texts. Awful--and they clog up my email and text files daily. Plus, stopping the sale of donor lists; that's insulting and disrespectful to people who have chosen to give to a particular cause or candidate but not to another.
An excellent set of suggestions!
Great!! I will pass it on in my newsletter. Keep up the good work!
Great points. If the Dems are truly interested in changing the old losing playbook and moving onto a new winning strategy, we need strong, focused leadership that recognizes the effectiveness of grassroots activists. They need to listen. Thanks for posting this.
Absolutely true!!!
All good stuff. But I missed the part where the Democratic Party will embrace populism. Americans hear all day long about our happy stats. Unemployment is low. Inflation is under control. Growth is stronger than other countries. Yea!
But Americans are SUFFERING. Housing, healthcare, child care, elder care, utilities, COST of EVERYTHING is breaking the budgets of working families. Two people working overtime in their jobs can't make ends meet.
The Waltons have over $400 billion. Their employees are on Medicaid and live on Food Stamps! Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ran an excellent campaign. In a short window of time. But we failed.
Because we didn't offer CHANGE. We didn't commiserate. We didn't offer ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
I'm not always convinced that voters want government to do something about this. There is such resistance to anyone getting a hand out, to people using a government check for something they disapprove of. I'm pretty sure I heard Kamala Harris commiserate and offer ideas for child care and some of the other topics on your list. But were they believable, that I don't know. If they are implement-able, why haven't we done them already? How can we convince people outside of Alaska to go along with an annual payment, a fair share of the wealth generated from commonly held resources?
Agreed. Thanks.
Excellent presentation. Two additional points you might want to consider.
1. ActBlue used to charge 4.9% to process their collections, versus 4.0 or 4.1% for its competitions. After I raised the issue and others joined the fight, they reduced their rates. Check out their 990s to see their greed in personnel salaries, etc. The D's have lost too much money and the contribution processing contract out to be put out to bid.
2. ActBlue has refused to amend its donor pages to include the voluntary entering of a Post Office Box in addition to the required billing address. This reduces D's efforts for fundraising, canvassing and snail mail. That is an easy technical change, with an alert to current users, and should be a requirement in rebidding the contract.
Please, please keep up the great work. Thanks.
I try to donate directly by check and avoid ActBlue. Pretty sure they sell my information and take a large fee.
Added qualification: personal experience in engaging real life working class and main street democratic voters and independents in exploring issues in order to reorient what the Democratic Party stands for.
Hear hear!
Love this - I sincerely hope you’ll do your best to get this to the candidates and DNC members!
We are trying.
YAY! I wonder if you have thought of sending it directly to Simon Rosenberg and asking him to forward it. He clearly has an inside track and seems like he would be sympathetic.
Ben wikler
Three suggested additions:
Reaching the 70% of eligible voters who don’t identify as “Democrat,” (Going on major podcasts that Trump went on. Harris went on none of them! We have both lists.)
Communicating Democratic successes as part of ongoing messaging."( It sucks to only hear from them when they want money.)
Creating a process by which ordinary Democratic citizens can make suggestions/comments to the Party that can help us win. (We have experienced a not invented here syndrome which is why your letter is sooo important. THANK YOU).
From what we can tell Ben Wikler is the most progressive candidate running for the DNC chair. Have you been able to get this to him? Might you be able to set up a zoom with him (and other candidates) with those of us, who would choose to attend, to see how he responds to the commitments.
If Wikler does seem like the best candidate, how do we help him win?
Cheers,
John Steiner/Margo King
Longmont, CO
steinerking33@gmail.com
303-912-8300
Robert Hubbell informed his readers about your suggestions and I find them so essential. Learned that the brilliant David Hogg is running for either co-chair or vice-chair of the DNC. I think he would fabulous and would help turn the tides. I heard that some want Rahm Emmanuel to be the head…HELL NO! Fresh blood is what we need! Personally, I would love to have Clayton Anderson on the committee. She did wonders for NC and she is another young energetic person with great ideas. One thing I would like the DNC to focus on is the stopping of texting or emails after one has given $$ towards a candidate. I must delete 400-600 emails a day and it is annoying!
I'm with you--I was also thinking today about Clayton Anderson. She gave us a sense of what an energetic person can do in that role of state lead.
400-600 emails, yikes.
I don't know what is up with Facebook but, unfortunately, it reaches most of my friends. I copy/paste articles if (when) FB rejects them. It shouldn't be necessary, but we don't give up.
Yes! Not another dime from me until the DNC adopts every one of your suggestions. So tired of giving money to organization that is oblivious to reality.
All excellent suggestions, but particularly stopping the Republican-like shrill, invasive, and guilt ridden emails and texts. Awful--and they clog up my email and text files daily. Plus, stopping the sale of donor lists; that's insulting and disrespectful to people who have chosen to give to a particular cause or candidate but not to another.
Keep saying this. You are speaking for thousands. We will try to amplify too. Maybe we can write a Dear Candidates letter for 2025 campaigns.
Great points all - the only thing I'd add is the Democrats deliver messaging with a touch of fire.
Yes! and humor. It works and is in short supply.