Fundraising, cohesive political strategies, the economy and Democrats

[lostnfound]

I can’t be the only one who:
*deletes 1 or 2 dozen emails and text messages daily from Democrats asking for money.
*lost a good job in the Trump economy, and sees a retirement eaten up by inflation, attacks on social security, medical care.
*wonders whether large portions of ActBlue campaigns are wolves in sheep’s clothing,
*yearns for a cohesive organizing body with a strategy to counteract the massively organized and powerful fascist GOP.
Because if they are not effective at counteracting the voter suppression, voter caging lists, gerrymandering, and the implanting of compromised DINOs within the party, what good will it do?

If elected democratic leaders can state that people just need to bring their photo ID to the polls to vote, then the Democratic Party as a whole has failed. Because it is NOT about photo ID’s. There is A WHOLE APPARATUS BEING IMPLEMENTED to DELETE NAMES FROM THE VOTER ROLLS and SELECTIVELY DIVERT ABSENTEE BALLOTS and more.

How are the Democrats fighting this? Is Marc Elias the center of the Democratic Party? Bernie? Sheldon Whitehouse? Or is it Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries? Is it AOC? Was it Katie Porter — did we lose that one from our party’s bench?
Where do we get money from when big donors force milquetoast centrists upon us, while forcing fighters to the fringes?

I am fond and respectful of just about everyone in the party whether it’s Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff and Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris; or the group that I have particular affinity for like AOC and Sheldon Whitehouse and Katie Porter and Jamie Raskin and Ed Markey and OF COURSE Elizabeth Warren. Jon Ossoff seems strong with a promising future too. A big tent is good. But where is a cohesive and effective game plan to match and counteract Project 2025? Where is our well-funded strategy to write state level legislation and the mechanisms to promulgate it (like ALEC does), supports up-and-comers (like Club for Growth or Americans For Prosperity do), plants leftists on corporate boards (like Leonard Leo)?

And how about standing up for freedom as an organizing principle? The freedom to use cash — that is a freedom that has been given up by default, and it may become more important than we think. The freedom to travel unmolested by ICE or corrupt cops or invasions of privacy. Freedom from constant surveillance — on the highway, in our own cars, on our computers and phones. Are we mice, or are we men? The Democratic Party should stand for individual freedom, because we’ve seen what fascists do when they get their hands on the wheel.

I don’t have the kind of money to move the dial — who does?? — and currently I don’t have extra money to waste on random candidates. But if I wanted to scrape together a donation for the democratic cause, I’m not sure what vision I should support. Not sure whether it is effectively used.

[Lonestarblue]

1. I have never felt so pessimistic about our party and the future of this country.

We had a strong, articulate leader in Barack Obama. Who is today's version of Obama? Where is the vision for what we need to do for the people of this country and how we will do it? People are fed up with big corporations. Especially health insurers, and high prices. Just blaming Trump and Republicans is not enough. Voters need a vision for the future, such as policies that allow people to feel secure bout medical care, gives young people faith that education and jobs will support them, and tackles the obscene levels of hate and anger throughout the country.

The only person I think is close to the Obama level of leadership is Buttigieg, and I sadly do not think he is electable. I heard on NPR recently that support for same-sex marriage has declined by 18 percentage points, mostly among Republicans but the war on LGBTQ+ is having an impact. That said, I would like to see Buttigieg replace Ken Martin as DNC leader or at least in some more visible national role.

[happy feet]

2. I have the same desire to see

Coordination of a strategy and messaging from leadership.