Gone native

The DNC (Democratic National Committee) developed a bad name with the progressive community over the last couple of decades. Instead of being the representative of the Democratic electorate as a whole, it became a single issue lobby group dedicated to one issue and one issue only: getting Democratic DC-insiders re-elected in spite of the will of the Democratic voters in the reps respective states. We're seeing this played out with the DSCC in Connecticut.

I saw a little of the politiking that went on here in Maryland to keep Howard Dean from being elected chairman of the DNC. You see it now when the heads of the DSCC and the DCCC snipe at him for not pouring cash into their efforts to re-elect the insiders.

The DNC under Dean's leadership is funding a broad-based policy that is Populist by it's very nature and antithetical to the interests of the entrenched Democratic powers who have gone native and who just can't bring themselves to needs and desires of the Great Unwashed Masses.

Steve Gilliard makes a good point in his post The Single Issue Trap...

"In this world, the NAACP is just one more interest group, along with the rest. Real issues of social justice become second place to consumerism and political game playing. Which is why the Green Party went from weak to irrelevant. Instead of developing as an adjunct to the Democratic Party, it wound up riven with factional disputes. Why? Because every idea is valid. Everyone has a voice and leadership is a debate. Which is fine in ordering pizza, but politcs is supposed to create leaders, not serve as a personal temper tantrum.

So I am constantly amazed that people expect NARAL and Planned Parenthood to see a bigger picture. Why should they? They have been trained to be single issue advocates. And those kinds of organizations are dedicated to schmoozing in DC and hiring Hill Rats. It is rarely about what the local members want or a larger picture..."

We need to throw these single issue organizations off the island and start supporting a broad-based organization that is better prepared to do the work needed to, say, protect reproductive rights, environment, etc. One that won't sell out by supporting Republicans (and Corporate Dems) who pay lip-service to these ideals while making sure bills that undermine these causes slip through Congress like greased pigs.

The next time NARAL calls and asks for a donation (and I have donated to them before), I'm telling them I'm giving my money to an organization that has a better chance of protecting woman's reproductive rights.

The DNC.