House Dems' Fundraising Email Promises "Strong" Dem Majority -- On Same Day AS FISA Cave
Hmmm. This one isn't great timing, now is it.
On the very same day that the House Dems passed the new FISA cave, Speaker Nancy Pelosi blasted out a fundraising email this afternoon with this...
As Speaker, I can tell you that we need a Democrat in the White House and a strong Democratic majority in Congress to drive change forward. Our June 30th FEC deadline is vital to our success in November. All eyes will be on Democrats' fundraising totals as a measure of our party's unity and strength.I ask that you please help to show our commitment to across-the-board victories this November by making a contribution of $35, $50 or more...
It's just not a good day for House Dems to be asking rank-and-file Dems for money, let alone promising strength. As TPM Reader SM, who forwarded us the email, said of this promise of a "strong" Dem majority:
"All I want is one with a spine."
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Well, I've never given to the DCCC or DSCC and sure ain't going to start now.
June 20, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excuse the multi-thread post, but I agree and suggest as an alternative supporting Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriot Fund (PAC):
http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/
I *have* donated to the DCCC and DSCC in the past, but have decided not to do so until the leadership changes. (And this despite fundraising pleas on their behalf from John Edwards and Barack Obama, whom I support and admire.)
Better to send money through a more progressive filter. Also, I plan to donate directly to candidates, using Act Blue.
And I was distressed today to see that one of the candidates I supported in '06, Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8, where I used to live) voted for the new FISA bill. No contribution to her this year! But I'll take the time to write and tell her why.
See how your favorites voted:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll437.xml
-- ARG
June 20, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bwahahahahaha!
She voted for the bill, if I remember correctly.
Doggett, my rep, did not!
We don't just need Dems, but good Dems that stand up for the constitution and the rule of law.
the amount of lobbying cash the telecoms have poured forth this year is sickening as well. Conflict of interest! in deciding what should occur in a judicial situation.
June 20, 2008 3:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
not a good day to be asking for money from the rank and filers.
June 20, 2008 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's stuff like this that keeps my registration as "Independent." I can find far better uses of my money than supporting spineless corporate toadies.
June 20, 2008 3:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I received one of those emails today. Hre was my response:
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
What good does it do to have a Democratic congress if they refuse to stand up for our priciples? The FISA bill being debated today should never have been brought up for consideration. Capitulation is not the same thing as compromise. It seems every time you "compromise" with the Bush Administration, the only thing that gets compromised are the voter's rights.
I'll be glad to help more democrats get elected when they stop caving in every time the Republicans try to scare them into yet another capitulation. It's time we stopped focusing on more Democrats and started focusing on better Democrats. I would like to help get elected people who won't sell my right to privacy to the highest telecom bidder.
June 20, 2008 3:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, an actual measure of unity would have been a united Democratic caucus voting against this sham of a bill.
Your leadership sucks, Madam Speaker, and Democratic unity is suffering.
June 20, 2008 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah I got a fundraising email from Pelosi yesterday
The same day that I called her district office to register my objection to the HoyerBush deal
Think I'll pass Madam Speaker
June 20, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, when some Repub asks you:
"name me one issue where you've ever criticized the Dems,"
The FISA bill cave-in fiasco is your answer.
This is part of the Washington mindset we have to change, this whole, "oh, the Repubs are gonna use this as a campaign issue this election."
To quote Sgt. Hulka:
"gutless, ...punk."
June 20, 2008 3:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
My boyfriends response when he too received this email--
Voting for FISA = NO MONEY!!!
June 20, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama:
This is the part for me that is weak. To show leadership, he could've said more. Indeed, if he really wanted to strip immunity from the Senate version, he would've expanded on the issue and been more forceful. Saying he'll work on it isn't saying much. No promises, and not exactly a tough stance for someone trained as a civil rights lawyer. I expect more from Obama.
If you did too, call his office and let him know:
1-866-675-2008
June 20, 2008 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama:It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.
Pure posturing folks you know what happens next,is the we don't have a large enough majority in the Senate to stop the bill from going forward.It's BS.
****Pelosi is genius ,she brings the bill after her primary on June 3.Now she goes against Cindy Sheehan in Nov.Of course she thinks Dem rank & file are dumb enough not to remember in Nov that she brought this crap forward.Let's see what kind of SPINE the folks of San Francisco have in NOV.are they going to put up with the foolery & war funding or throw Pelosi out on her ass ?Well see!
June 20, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm from S.F. At this point I have to seriously consider Sheehan. Having said that, I seriously doubt Sheehan can pull of an upset; there's just too much stacked against her. Feinstein is already on my shit-list for supporting telecom immunity and spraying my city with toxic chemicals. As progressive as S.F. and California are, established politicians really get in the way. So much for representational government. *blah*
June 20, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where do they honestly get the gold-plated chutzpah to ask for $$$$ TODAY? I guess they think that we are deaf, dumb, blind and stupid. It kind of reminds one of that awful joke about the cheating husband: when caught in bed with the "evidence" by his wife he says: "So, who are you going to believe; me or your lying eyes?" The "eyes" have it today!!
June 20, 2008 7:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I say most of you are missing the forest for the trees. You are looking at having a reformer president, with both Houses of Congress in Democratic control, and maybe even a filibuster-proof Senate majority big enough to send TraitorJoe packing. But you are going to queer that over this issue?
June 20, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
It will be a cold day in H__l when I give the DCCC a penny. What a bunch of wimps. They have betrayed their base AGAIN!
June 20, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
I only give to individual candidates that walk the walk. I am not giving money to an organization that supports someone like Hoyer.
June 20, 2008 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think a good place to express our outrage is to the DCCC and DSCC: Chris VanHollen & Chuck Schumer. Letting them know how dissatisfied we are, and that we won't be answering their pleas for $$$, and contrasting that with the $200,000+ that Glenn Greenwald and the firedoglake & emptywheel blogs were able to raise in under 48 hours, ought to speak in a language they can understand.
June 21, 2008 3:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Can't Pelosi see that huge amounts of campaign money is being raised...to target these same dems who caved in on the FISA giveaway to get rid of them. That is where a major portion of the contributions are going, to get rid of these spineless Bush enablers. Last count was over $250 thousand raised in two days to get rid of House dems voting for this FISA horror. Heck of a job Pelosi especially your lying spin on the FISA measure. As Kit Bond said..."the WH got more than it even dreamed it would get". Heck of a job...Bush is so proud of you since you gave him more than the GOP controlled congress ever did on FISA. No money for you. Say bye-bye
June 21, 2008 2:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
When doing what is right is not politically correct you do what is right. And denouncing this bill would have been politically correct and right
June 21, 2008 3:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's difficult to see why the spineless Dems voted for this bill -- other than the one suggested by Professor Jonathan Turley [that Dem leadership (sic) is covering its ass to keep secret their knowledge of, and lack of action against, Bush war crimes].
Purported Reason #1: "we'll be called weenies by the Republicans." Well sh*t, if being called weenies gets them so scared, maybe Dems are "soft on defense." The Republicans' playing of "the Fear Card" didn't work all that well in the 2006 election. Is there some reason to believe it's got more power now?
Purported Reason #2: "the Blue Dog Dems told us they were vulnerable to challenges by Republicans in their districts." Two responses: 1) these Dogs aren't really Democrats. They don't vote like Democrats, and their only usefulness is that that put Dems in the majority [and thus Pelosi in the Speaker's chair with Steny the Snake right beside her]. There are going to be LOYS of new Dems come November. Shedding a few of these imposters wouldn't be a loss.
2) Why should the leadership [sic] bend the legislative agenda and image of the Democratic party at the whim/request/threat of some folks who aren't really Democrats? I rest my case.
Purported Reason #3: There are really bad people out there, and FISA is an effective way to combat them. [Almost a verbatim quote of Pelosi today.] Plu-leeze. Too stupid to even merit a response.
This whole thing just stinks to high heaven: the shredding of what used to be our constitutional rights for NO discernable reason.
June 21, 2008 3:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry for the typos. Couldn't see the keyboard through the smoke coming out of my ears.
BTW, an "edit" function would be welcome here.
June 21, 2008 3:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cut off Obama's money and let McCain win and pack the Supreme Court! That'll teach 'em!
June 21, 2008 6:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obama just lost my vote...I know what McCain will do...America needs more rights taken away.
June 21, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
When good people stand by and do nothing they are cowards!It make the Dems look weak to allow the President to win on this one.It would make the DEMS look stronger if they would of stood up for the Constitution,the Rule of Law and the American Citizen!
June 22, 2008 6:37 PM | Reply | Permalink