Guess what's missing from this DCCC "Priority Issues Survey"!

Wow, even the other party acknowledges our existance

Because of my pre-coming out years as a Republican volunteer, I still get that party's survey every year which is no bigger than the DCCC's and there has always been at least one question on same-sex marriage for at least the past decade.  Even when the question is skewed against us, we're not being ignored.

Recent surveys are showing that non-affiliated voters may be outnumbering staunch partisans from either party.  My motto this year has been "one political party down, one to go!"  The Republicans are still hastening their implosion and now we're seeing the Democrats do the same.  I look forward to the day when both parties no longer have a lock on the political process and our lives.

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by: PopArt66 @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 06:26:04 AM CDT

We used to be included in prior years

The DCCC surveys every year and if I am not mistaken, in prior years we ranked high enough to have a question.  And even further back they had questions on AIDS funding.

So now we are not under the bus, the bus totally passed us by.  Hopefully I will come up with a nice note to include in my response with $0!

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by: jaxtom @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 06:38:50 AM CDT

Here's a letter

Here's a letter that's been posted on several sites.  The author has given his permission for anyone to use it.  In fact he hopes many people do use it.

Dear DNC

I truly "support" Democrats being elected in 2010 and 2012. I am a "fierce advocate" of the Democratic Party after all. I know that I have promised you my support over the past few decades and have done my best to follow through.

Even now I am "working towards" a financial donation to the Party. I do have to ask for your "patience" though, because as a gay man, my family and I are still second class citizens and are having to funnel our resources towards causes that protect and honor our basic civil rights. "We have a lot on our plate."

We are "proceeding" towards lifting the denial of funds to the DNC and are "developing a strategy" that will get us there by the end of Obama's time at the White House. As a matter of fact, my family has planned several "meetings" to discuss these very important donations and will be sending out a press release shortly to announce our "cocktail party" celebrating Democracy.

Thanks for understanding. And hang in there!

Sincerely,

Liam  

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by: timNC @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 06:58:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

i would suggest

Adding a paragraph disucussing your vote in addition to these paragraphs talking about donations.  YOu could relate it to DADT suspension.

along the lines of:

I'm reconsidering voting for democrats in upcoming elections.  Elections, after all, occur every two years.  As such, voting for democrats. only provides a "temporary" fix and we really need to work to find a more durable solution....

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by: timNC @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 07:08:17 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Brilliant!

I like it!

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." ~~~ Thomas Jefferson

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by: SD_Dave @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 16:04:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

the 10 cent check

Send them a check for 10 cents.  Doesnt it cost them a shit load of money to cash a check even if its for a minuscule amount?  I believe it does.  They will have to process the check and then report the check in their annual reporting. If we send a hundred thousand checks for 10 cents can you imagine the heartache the DNC will have to fill out all the reporting requirements for these teeny tiny donation. Donations that are all from the teeny tiny people that they are throwing under the bus. The 10 cent check could represent the 10 percent that are LGBT in the USA.  

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by: texaspigeon @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 07:34:23 AM CDT

Too feed off the old cliche......

......send a check for two cents. Meaning that here's "my two cents worth."

"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." ~~~ Thomas Jefferson

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by: SD_Dave @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 16:10:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

This is silly...

There are also no questions on there regarding any other special interest constituency in the party. Do you see anything on there about immigration, abortion, women's rights, affirmative action or unions?

This is a survey about their top priorities, I.E. those requiring immediate attention. They are also issues that have popular support. There are NO potentially divisive issues on the survey.

Since no other group has a special question on the list, why would you expect there to be one for LGBT Americans? There is not even a general section on civil rights.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 08:38:07 AM CDT

Three quick ones:

Environmentalists

Anti-war

"Middle-class"  (Whatever that means, since everyone but Cheney seems to think that they're "middle class".)

All listed in the rank your priorities section.

# Duty, duty -- honor is, is --
Honor, Creideiki -- alertly
# Shared, is -- Honor #

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by: MileHighDawg @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 08:52:13 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

just a few more special interest groups that ARE in the survey ...

But still a partial list:

• "Economic Recovery" affects the unemployed, underemployed, the employed whose hours, wages, and benefits are being frozen or reduced; both the homeless and homeowners; retirees, college students, auto workers, fossil fuel and renewable energy workers, and yes, unions.
• "Iraq, Afghanistan, and America's Moral Authority" — military service personnel and their families, military contractors & employees.
• "Health Care" — the unemployed, the underinsured, small business owners and employees and their families, and basically everyone with a stake in public health ... so basically, everyone.
• "Retirement Security & Medicare" — older/retired citizens, their children/caregivers, the unemployed and working poor, workers whose companies offer lousy pension plans or don't provide them at all.
• "Education" — teachers, teachers' unions, religious and private schools, parents with kids, the kids, and everyone with a stake in an educated populace ... so basically, everyone.

And of course every last taxpayer is affected by all of these issues.

But we LGBTs sure are silly with our pesky, piddly civil rights and health insurance/retirement/inheritance/adoption/employment/military service/hate crimes issues when no other special interest groups are addressed in this survey. Oh, I wish we would all just sit down and STFU!

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by: 555catnap @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 10:47:55 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

You have just acknowledged

that the issues in the survey are of importance to ALL Americans (or more precisely all tax payers). Obviously the intent is to focus on issues of general interest.

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by: SciFi Geek @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 14:01:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Just Like the DNC

And now we know the DCCC is going the same route as the DNC - Ignoring the LGBT community (except to ask for cash). Well f**k that. I'm sending in a check for $.02 with a nice letter about how I'll pay for what I get and since the Democratic party has only given us crumbs, my donation is a crumb.

Also, in case you missed it check out my post on comments from an LGBT inside the DNC:

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/...

Close the GayTM. Only give to candidates who have actually done something other than make promises - most are just pandering for our cash.

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by: JohnVisser @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 09:25:45 AM CDT

We must keep up the pressure!

The GLBT community must continue pushing our demands for equality. This is purely a civil rights issue.  The DNC and it's various components need to feel how serious we are every day until the President and Congress take real action. Below is what I wrote the DCCC.  I urge everyone to keep speaking out and withholding dollars.

Rev. Russell A. Mark

"I recently received your Priority Issues Survey and have to say that I was completely surprised that you were requesting a contribution from me when you have completely ignored my issue, that being GLBT Civil Rights.  It seems incredibly thick-headed to me that given the recent upheaval of gay support for the DNC because of the tepid, almost vapid action of the President and Congress that you should totally screw-up and have nothing of this issue (or any specific, related policy issue) in your priorities list. So, my question to you is why in the world should the GLBT community support you with anymore of our hard-earned money, when we worked feverishly to get Democratic candidates in office and accepted your many, many statements of support and promises of action on our behalf, when in actuality the President and Congress keep pushing us to the sidelines?  And please don't tell me how full their plates are with other pressing issues, because my people are still literally being beaten to death.  I look forward to your response."

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by: rmark69 @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 09:38:29 AM CDT

Another solution

Tear the survey in two, stick a big rainbow sticker on it and mail it back to the DNC with the message "Kiss My Gay A**."

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by: stojef @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 09:40:33 AM CDT

As an Independent

I left the Democratic party in response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi uttering those five, infamous words, "Impeachment is off the table," amid much criticism from friends and family who admonished me for giving up the opportunity to vote in the primaries.

I joined the majority of Americans who self-identify as a registered Independent.

As a gay man, political activist, and blogger, in a 16 year relationship to my same-sex partner, I think, and I believe, my decision to leave the Democratic party was the correct one.

Until the Democrats begin acting like I matter, my family matters and my tribe matters, I will remain a registered Independent.


People ask, "How have you guys managed to stay so long?" I tell them, "Don't sweat the small stuff." It's mostly small stuff.

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by: christopher di spirito @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 09:54:28 AM CDT

fancy meeting you here.

and I am in 100% agreement.
I'm switching my party back to independent.

http://EQFL.org

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by: banshiii @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 11:29:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Independent

Even though I voted for Obama (because I believe it was the right thing to do at the time), I left the Democrats and went Independent before then.  

Other than civil rights for GLBT people, my other main thing is I believe in the right to bear arms responsibly, and I certainly believe in self-defense and have zero problems blasting anyone threatening me and/or my household.  

There's several gays like myself, and it's very possible that if the Democrats don't act soon, I will not rule out supporting a sane, non-FOX News republican who believes in civil rights for gays as well as responsible weapon ownership.  Several others could possibly swing that way in the future as well.

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by: bluegrassfool @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 12:28:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I've always been an Independent

That would be for over 20 years.

Mostly I vote Dem but in a local race or 2 I've voted for a Repub judge that I happened to like. I've sat out elections, I've voted Green, etc.

The highest level Repub that I've ever considered voting for was former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar... Although, at the time, George Ryan was an attractive Repub that I could have voted for in 1998 if it wasn't for all that hot mess that was leaking out when he was Illinois Sec. of State.

My vote is always up for grabs (I know Roland Burris will never get my vote although he'll hopefully be primaried out)

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by: kevinchi @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 13:41:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Geez I'm tired......

I live in a city where if you don't vote in the primaries you have no choices. But 'Impeachment is off the table' made me reconsder. I also thought long and hard when the Dems tried to snuff Hilary and were extremely sexist towards her. But I did not change my registration then either.
Now I am reconsidering again due to the extreme inaction (oxymoron) of Dems on LGBT issues when they are totally in power.

I a so tired of the Dems making excuses for not doing anything in their platform and appeasing the nasty right wingers.  

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by: Carolyn in Baltimore @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 13:20:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

But really...

There's only one question on that "survey" that they care about.  It's the one on the first page:  How much money will you send in today?

All of the other questions are placebos.

Geez, on every previous "survey" of this nature that I have seen, the fundraising pitch is saved until the end, after they have stoked your interest and enthusiasm for the issues and insinuated a promise that if you tell them what your priorities are, they'll work on them.  I guess now they don't want to run the risk of people not making it to the end.

Cynical, yes.  Also realistic.

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by: ArizonaDave @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 13:30:59 PM CDT

I have to agree Dave

I wonder if they even bother to tabulate the responses to everything else?

Betcha that 10 cent checked discussed above that they don't.

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by: bjohnm @ Fri Jul 03, 2009 at 14:04:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]