Ok – I Spammed you guys on over the last few days with something like the following…
I am doing a wholly unscientific poll about how much does the DNC listen to us.
This is high traffic here and now, and I just want to get a temperature.
Please go over, check it out and come back...
Poll on Daily Kos
Call the DNC 202-863-8000 - is it worth it?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/1/21/828305/-Call-the-DNC-and-Report-Back
Some variants asked for the response of the poll taker to the call to the DNC.
The reason I went to the DailyKos was they had a quick way to a poll up there for a quick hit like this. As of now – Friday afternoon, this is what the poll looked like:
Poll | ||||
Scale of 1 to 10 - Will calling the DNC help make Change a Reality | ||||
Votes | Pct | |||
1 | No they won't listen because they are arrogant and think we're dumb | 50 | 43% | |
2 | 3 | 2% | ||
3 | 5 | 4% | ||
4 | No - they will politely listen, but ignore me. | 32 | 27% | |
5 | 2 | 1% | ||
6 | 2 | 1% | ||
7 | Yes but only if enough people complain | 16 | 13% | |
8 | 0 | 0% | ||
9 | 0 | 0% | ||
10 | Yes my voice matters | 5 | 4% | |
Total | 115 | |||
I am not going to close it so if you want to put more into it – go for it. Yes, I am using you guys as guinea pigs to do couple of things. (No – using “guinea pig” is not an Italian slur.)
oregon bird replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 15:11:34
“Pimping must be part of waving that pretty orange banner, so many of you spend so much time touting your own work, other threads, other sytes. Kind of annoying, in fact.”
oregon bird I am sorry if I appear to be pimping anything. I am seeing a problem here that needs correction yesterday. We can make blog after blog or comment after comment saying there needs to be changes, but it isn’t going to be listened to anyone without a little research. I am not a professional researcher, I know my sample has all sorts of problems and would not hold up to peer review, but this is a quick and dirty. I wanted the poster population as the subject here, because this population is the Marines of the political world. Posters here and other places are the first ones storming the beaches. If this level of personnel is out of whack – we are all going down this year.
I had a number of opportunities over the last few weeks to interact with the DNC. It was not pleasant. You can see my documentation in my other blog posts.
My thesis is the DNC/OFA doesn’t get it and are too far removed from the reality outside the beltway to give us, the unwashed blogging community, credence. There is a BIG disconnect. To get there I need more info.
First, I want to know how the DNC has been humbled by this week’s defeat in MA. Everybody fails; it is how you react to failure that makes the difference. What are they doing differently? I am sad to say – not much.
Second, I wanted to mark down some of the preconceived notions from bloggers about the guys running the show. The poll to a certain extend does this. This should scare the daylights out of somebody.
Third, I wanted to find out what those who called thought about their experience with the DNC. Again, not good.
I am going to leave prime comments from the Huffington Post and the DailyKos as the coda to this entry
The experiences of my own and these folks are emblematic of what is going on. If you think I am cherry picking comments –you can go thru the interactions in the comments section of my profile on the HP or look at the diary entry on the Kos. (In other words, don’t feel bad if I didn’t use your quote, what you have said has affected how I am writing this.)
Conclusions and actions
The DNC has messed up they need to admit it just to begin to solve the problem.
It appears from the comments below the DNC as an organization is hunkering down. This is exactly the wrong move. Some of the comments here take a defensive tone towards people who called in. The DNC needs a real opening up to US, the Dems in the field. It is almost as though they are too arrogant to realize they are being stupid.
It does start with the top. Aside from an attitude change to protect the President and win elections, there needs to be basic customer service training.
The phone demeanor of the staff has to change. I got polite people and I tried to remain polite. Not everyone is keeping their ire intact. We are calling the DNC because we are seeing a problem that needs correcting – not to argue with staff. Staff defending the undefendable actions of the current chair only irritates those calling. Our voices need to be heard. The comments and poll numbers should be a glaring assessment of what the front line there is handling.
There needs to be a short moratorium on money grubbing for a period of time until the DNC can get its’ act together. That means a clearly enunciated plan of attack for the 2010 elections. Vague words such as being “more pugnacious” do not do it. I want to know where the body blows are going to land, so as an activist, I can start softening them up there too. We need to let the GOP know we are coming for them and we are mad as hell.
We need real politics not fundraising for Lord knows what. If Freedom Works can clean our clocks, we need OFA to start doing the same for us.
By the way, I voted for #7 on the poll.
From HuffPo chicagurl replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 14:33:33
“Just called. The "Chairman's assistant" said they're keeping Tim Kaine, he's doing a good job and he's going to keep doing what he's doing. I asked, "What's that? Losing elections?" Evidently that's what the DNC has in mind, because they have no plans whatsoever to get rid of Tim Kaine and bring back Dr. Dean. He then said, in the middle of me still talking, "Thank you very much" and hung up on me.
So there you have it, from the horse's mouth. Tim is doing a great job for them losing elections.”
So there you have it, from the horse's mouth. Tim is doing a great job for them losing elections.”
From the Kos Not Changing a Thing (0+ / 0-)
I called and asked why Tim shouldn't step down, as he was losing elections and really didn't seem to be up to the job. The fellow who answered said he (Tim) was doing a great job. I disagreed, of course, and asked if there were any plans to bring back Dr. Dean. He said absolutely not (in no uncertain terms), quickly thanked me for calling and hung up on me. Guess those 5 nuts who voted and said they thought the DNC would listen because "my voice matters," have never actually called in to see if it really does. Trust me, your voice really doesn't matter. Hopefully neither does my money, cuz they're not getting another dime unless they bring in someone who wants to win elections. Then again, not like the Dems actually do anything once they're in.............
From the Kos I called the DNC... (9+ / 0-)
...and they asked for my Credit Card number,I gave them a piece of my mind and they asked if that was all 16 digits.
I told they they had a nerve and they told me there was too many alphanumerics for that to be correct.
I told them they needed to raise their game to get anything from me and they suggested I check because the payments system couldn't recognise the format I'd supplied.
I gave them a 16 digit number and they said thanks and hung up.
The only thing they didn't realise was that the number I gave them was the number of years it would be before they would see a penny from me again.
From HuffPo Kellyk311 replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 12:21:43
“Isn't it just beyond the imagination why a guy who seemed to have his hand so accurately on the pulse of our nation while campaigning, couldn't have gotten further from it as President?
I for one felt while he was on the trail, 'this dude will help, he gets it'. Not to say I thought he was going to buy my house or pay off all my debt, quite the contrary. I did feel, however, that he would go after these people and fix the situation. Publicly chastising the people who've wrecked our country... Well that just isn't enough.
Obama still has my support, for now. Patience wears thin quick every day that passes by with a the horse and pony show. Time for real action. Period.”
I for one felt while he was on the trail, 'this dude will help, he gets it'. Not to say I thought he was going to buy my house or pay off all my debt, quite the contrary. I did feel, however, that he would go after these people and fix the situation. Publicly chastising the people who've wrecked our country... Well that just isn't enough.
Obama still has my support, for now. Patience wears thin quick every day that passes by with a the horse and pony show. Time for real action. Period.”
“That won't work either.
They'll simply laugh at us and continue to blow smoke up our fannies.
Sad thing is that we'll continue to go to the polls as if it actually mattered.”
They'll simply laugh at us and continue to blow smoke up our fannies.
Sad thing is that we'll continue to go to the polls as if it actually mattered.”
From HuffPo hahaney replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 12:33:18
“Unlike Republicans, most Democrats try to represent the people they serve. When have all the people ever agreed on anything. The people don't all agree, Democrats don't all agree. Isn't that the way it should be? If Republicans were actually representing their constituents they couldn't possibly vote in lockstep.”
From HuffPo Osmona replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 13:34:49
“Where's Tim Kaine? I NEVER hear him say ANYTHING.”
From HuffPo joeinvt replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 15:03:41
“I tried but no one is home at the DNC since Dean was canned.”
“I just spoke with her (Pelosi’s) aid, he was very empathetic, I stated I just wanted be treated fairly and equally instead of Wall Street and the big corporations getting all the breaks while they outsource our jobs, and that I wasn't buying into her remark that everyone in Massachusetts is happy with their health care, and I'm fed up and I will vote against every democrat here in California except for Barbara Boxer if they don't start exercising the will of the people.
Speaking of California Senators, Feinstein is quite the Blue dog, I do not trust her at all.”
Speaking of California Senators, Feinstein is quite the Blue dog, I do not trust her at all.”
“Joe,
To the question, on a scale of 1 to 10 - "will calling the DNC help make Change a Reality?"
The lowest anyone can vote is: "No they won't listen because they are arrogant and think we're dumb"
is giving these amoebas way too much slack.
How about:
"No, all they want is my money and my vote and will lie about the quality of candidates that we Progressives SHOULD support because they are so different from Republicans."
And that would be putting it nicely.”
To the question, on a scale of 1 to 10 - "will calling the DNC help make Change a Reality?"
The lowest anyone can vote is: "No they won't listen because they are arrogant and think we're dumb"
is giving these amoebas way too much slack.
How about:
"No, all they want is my money and my vote and will lie about the quality of candidates that we Progressives SHOULD support because they are so different from Republicans."
And that would be putting it nicely.”
From HuffPo JamesR. replied on Jan 21, 2010 at 15:03:03
“I'm in the 47% group Joe.”
“i removed myself from their mailing list
I got tired of being asked for money everytime somebody f@rted”
I got tired of being asked for money everytime somebody f@rted”
“Interesting. My choice was only about 3% lol. But the extreme was at 47%. I sort of agreed with the extreme. But I think that so many people going so far tells you alot about the polees?”
“Done. I am far from the majority. But I guess that is what I get for not selected an extreme position. lol”
“Call them about what? The need to get even deeper into the progressive pockets?”
“The responses were kind of restrictive but I answered with #3. My written answer would have been: No one could figure out how to answer the phone let alone field my concerns.”
“a slow talking message machine - how encouraging”
“Thanks. I voted in the negative, and I was too kind.”
From the KOS Money talks... do what we did for dean (1+ / 0-)
and obama... no$$ until you get your dodo together. I'm calling and asking for Dean to come back.
Confucius say: Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.
1 comment:
Hey Joe - I said "Yes if enough of us 'complain' although I think there is enough complaining...get of your couch - attend a town hall, write a REAL letter - especially to the so calle Blue Dogs like I just did. Did it take me time? Yes about 2 hours: Blanche Lincoln, Ben Nelson, Max Bacus, Landreiu, and of course the ultimate narcissist Joe Lieberman.
I wrote them, printed it on paper - made multiple copies of each to send to all of their offices.
Basically, we Democrats have let OUR President down. With our whining, nitpicking, and not answering the right.
The elected Democrats have let us ALL down - those who harumphed and bitched and added things and demanded this and that. Typical. Max gave away the store to try and get one GOP vote to allow the bill to move forward to debate for Christ's sake. What did we actually do about it? Nothing - bitched that Obama's wasn't doing more.
The 'blue dogs' added and added and subtracted so much that the public option was gone. What did we do about it? Nothing - bitched some more that Obama wasn't doing enough.
The Tea Party and birthers and other loonies screamed and ranted at town hall meetings. What did we do about? Watched Rachel Maddow and said "can you believe this shit?"
Our President has a LOT to do and he has spent enormous political capital for the last 12 months.
I say - we pass this bill and we will be 100% - yes 100% further along than we are today.
No pre-existing conditions
Insurance Exchange with individuals able to buy in a pool
Insurance MANDATE - with susidies for those who can't afford it.
Allowing 'kids' to stay on parents policy until they are 25 or 26 in college.
And much more.
Get off your asses and DO SOMETHING
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