I got an email message from Matt Stoller this afternoon. It revealed clearly what’s wrong with today’s “politics as usual.” In response I made a donation to Donna Edwards and to ActBlue, and I shared my feelings with Matt. What follows is, first, an excerpted quote from Matt’s email, plus my response.
And so now it’s our time to show them that frustration is real, that we’re not going to be quietly taken for granted, and that Democrats must stand for the values on which they were elected or they will be removed from office. And that’s where Pelosi comes in, because she’s actively making the caucus worse.
Donna Edwards is a progressive primary challenger running to knock of [sic] a conservative Democrat named Al Wynn in Maryland’s fourth district, a heavily Democratic district. Wynn backed the Bankruptcy Bill, the Bush Energy Bill, and the war, and was a prime mover behind eliminating net neutrality and the estate tax. Last year, Donna nearly beat Wynn, losing by only 3 percentage points. This year, she is going to put the “better” into “more and better Democrats.”
Even with this clear progressive taking on an incumbent in a Democratic district, on Saturday, Nancy Pelosi held a fundraiser for Al Wynn.
A number of blogs – Dailykos, Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake among others, and ColorofChange.org, are raising $100K for Donna to counter Pelosi’s embrace of Wynn. So far, 1,969 people have given $89,757 to send a message to the Democratic leadership that they need to do their job. We just need a few more people to chip in to meet the goal. Would you put in $30 to build a better Democratic party?
http://www.actblue.com/page/betterdemocrats?refcode=Blogpac
I ran into Speaker Pelosi at an event yesterday, and when I mentioned this fundraiser, she turned her back on me. She is feeling pressure from this, real pressure that she cannot avoid. It’s not like the emails and phone calls we send to Congress.
Here’s my response”
Matt—
Your note about Pelosi’s turning her back was intriguing. Obviously, she wouldn’t do it if what you represent didn’t matter. Why waste an insult? But here’s the thing…
I responded to your appeal and contributed both to Edwards and to Act Blue…because of what you shared in your message, not least Pelosi’s rudeness. But I want Pelosi to know that, to know:
First, her policy of automatically supporting “Republican-lite” incumbents in very safe districts merely because they are incumbents is not just wrong in terms of principles and ideals, it’s also stupid in terms of party discipline. (If you’ll support me regardless of how I vote, then why should I respond to your appeals for support on important issues?)
Second, a whole lot of Democrats recognize the wrongness of that policy and are willing to back their recognition with time, energy, and cash. For example, I for one will never again donate money to the “it’s all just a game” Democratic establishment. I’ll trust Act Blue, and I’ll trust myself. But never again will I trust the “inside the bubble, kiss up to K-Street” gang. [And that definitely includes you, Hillary!]
Third, in turning her back on you, [Matt], she’s turning her back on a whole bunch of the best and brightest participants in our loose on-line community. (Like it or not, pal, you’re an emblem!)
It’s not enough to withhold or reallocate money and volunteer hours. It’s essential that we also make sure the establishment knows, not just that we are deliberately rejecting their practices, but also why we are doing so. I want them to know my name. I want them to know why they have forfeited their credibility. I want them to know why I will never, ever give them my unqualified support.
To protest silently is ineffective. We need to make sure they know how and why we are protesting. So how do we accomplish that?