Tired of Getting Donation Requests from Democrats?

[MineralMan]

Really? I get them all the time. Some come from Democratic Party organizations. Some come from people like Elizabeth Warren and Howard Dean. Some come from my local party organization or from candidates for office in my area, like Al Franken, who is running to keep his Senate seat in November. I remember that he only won in 2008 after a lengthy recount, and only by a few hundred votes. That tells me that every vote and voter is needed in 2014, so he can return to DC, instead of being replaced by some creepy Republican.

I get too many of these donation requests, of course, and can't contribute each time I get one. But I read them. I donate what I can, where I think it will do the most good. Usually, that's in my local area, but I also donate to Democratic candidates in districts in other states who have a fighting chance of unseating some Republican.

I expect Democratic donation requests. It costs a lot to run for office and to support candidates for office. I don't have a lot of extra money, but it's an election year. This year, we determine whether Democrats can hold a majority in the Senate and whether we can change 18 seats in the House and get control of that legislative body. That seems pretty damned important to me.

So, I don't relegate these requests for donations to my spam filter. I read them. It adds to my resolve to do whatever I can to GOTV for the 2014 election. It encourages me to check my bank balance and contribute to campaigns. It reminds me that I am a Democrat and that Democratic candidates need my support. We must continue moving toward a more progressive government.

I read these requests, and donate what I can, and pledge to:

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[sufrommich]

1. Apparently,we're not supposed to donate to the

democratic party and we're supposed to stop democrats from taking donations from corporations. How the party survives without money is irrelevant.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, that's what some people seem to think

and are promoting. I guess I don't understand that. I can't see how withholding donations contributes to anything but losing elections. Who knows? Maybe that's the goal of discouraging donations.

[sufrommich]

7. Sad to see that crap on a democratic site. nt

[MineralMan]

12. Yes, sad, but expected I guess.

I'll just keep posting encouragement instead of discouragement. That seems more likely to produce a good result.

[sufrommich]

13. You're a great democrat,MineralMan.

Kudos to you and your hard work.

[MineralMan]

16. You, too.

Thanks for being part of the real Democratic base!

[steve2470]

44. yea, the Dems don't need my stinkin money

We can fight the Republicans/fascists/neo-Nazis/theocrats for FREE.

[sufrommich]

47. Some here seem to believe that crap. nt

[steve2470]

48. yep nt

[NightWatcher]

2. Ever notice how you get donation requests from the people who's petitions you sign?

I know that once the DNC or DCCC get hold of your email that they'll pass it around like a joint at a Dead show, but I used to get donation requests from PACs that apparently were formed simply from a petition mailing list.

Sign away on useless private petitions (not the White House site) and then wonder why the beg closely follows.

[MineralMan]

6. I notice that I get donation requests from

the political party I belong to, from candidates I support, and for causes I favor. My state party does send my email address to the national party, for sure, and I get donation requests from there, too. It's an election year. Campaigns cost money. I wish I could donate more than I can.

I don't sign petitions, though. I write letters and emails expressing my opinion directly to the elected officials I've helped to get elected.

[msanthrope]

4. People can also donate time....voter drives, door-to-door, helping on Election Day...heck, just

going to your local ward meeting and seeing what's up!

[MineralMan]

9. Exactly. Time is the equivalent of money, and is worth

even more in your own local area. Discouraging donations of money or time is a very bad idea in an election year.

GOTV 2014 and beyond!

[Autumn]

5. What's that saying? All politics is local?

Good on you man. We don't have a medal smiley so...

[MineralMan]

10. Indeed that's true.

There is much each of us can do in our own districts. I hope everyone gets on board in 2014. Discouraging donations and volunteerism is the same as campaigning for the Republican who is running. I wish everyone saw that.

[Autumn]

14. never mind

[MineralMan]

15. Exactly the same.

[Autumn]

18. Have a great day, I'm off to pick up a hedgehog I bought for my Grand Daughter.

I enjoy spending money on her.

[MineralMan]

20. Cool gift. Hedgehogs are super cute.

[Hoyt]

8. +1. Of course, we can just sit back and let corporations/PACs donate all the money or

inkind stuff that wins elections.

[MineralMan]

11. Yeah. That'll work.

I guess I'm old-fashioned that way. I think that individual participation works much better.

[Walk away]

17. I have a budget for political donations every year.

I usually go over a little at the end of an election cycle but it is really fun to choose who get's my support and when. I can donate to long shots who need some out-of-state help, put a big bet on a Dem senator because each seat is so important or double down on our presidential candidate and get a little crazy in the last few weeks.

I guess it combines the things that really matter and internet poker but if I'm presented with a good case to give, I'll do it.

[MineralMan]

19. I think we all more or less do the same thing.

I don't have unlimited funds, so I tend to donate where I think it will be the most useful. Most of my donations this year will go to the Democrat running in Michele Bachmann's district here in Minnesota. That would be a great district to flip, and we can do it in 2014. My own districts are locks for progressive Democrats in all offices, so I'll just be doing GOTV efforts here to make sure every Democrat goes to the polls and helps reelect Al Franken and Governor Dayton.

But my money goes to the MN CD-6 Democratic candidate.

[mountain grammy]

21. I get lots of donation requests..

I don't donate to my own Congressman because he's a multi millionaire, but a good Congressman and is not in danger of losing his seat.

I've been supporting Democrats in other districts and even in other states, whenever I can. Sometimes I just stick $20 in an envelope and send it, hoping 1000+ people do the same thing.

[MineralMan]

24. Excellent. Every dollar helps a candidate.

I like your selective donation strategy.

[NorthCarolina]

22. I donate to Dems with some regularity, but I do it solely through PCCC now as opposed to the DCCC

which I believe will use the funds to back corporate Dems.

[MineralMan]

25. Thanks for supporting your candidates!

[jwirr]

23. I am not tired but a little frustrated that I cannot always donate. As the months go by i hope to

help the ones that I think are closest to what I want.

[MineralMan]

26. Being selective with your donations helps them be

the most effective they can be. Thanks for supporting Democrats.

[Iggo]

27. They're easy to delete.

[VanillaRhapsody]

28. I wonder how many of the Democratic Party Contribution Request Complainers...

also get requests from the Republican Party!!!

[MineralMan]

29. I have no idea. I never get anything from Republicans.

I'm a Democrat. I guess that's why.

[VanillaRhapsody]

30. Same for me!

I am a Democrat....I do not mind being asked for donations from DEMOCRATS! Jeebus!

[Iliyah]

31. Hey, I get e-mails for donations from GOP and other political parties besides the Democratic Party.

BLOCK AND DELETE. Sometimes there is a check box asking about being taking off your e-mail list, which I check and then delete. Sometimes it work sometimes it doesn't. I get hundreds of e-mails from various of companies and people (especially online dating services) I don't why, delete, delete, delete, which is frustrating because they keep e-mailing.

[MineralMan]

34. Yes. There's a lot of email requesting something.

I just mark the ones I don't want to see as spam in my email client, and then delete my spam folder every morning.

I have no Democratic organizations marked that way. I read those donation requests and decide whether I can or want to donate when I read them. But I'm a Democrat, and I want Democrats to win their elections, so I read them.

[Tarheel_Dem]

32. Thank you MM. Same here.

[MineralMan]

35. Thank you!

I'm confident that there are more of us than people think there are.

[Tarheel_Dem]

42. Oh, there definitely are. You can't judge Democrats by what you read "Underground". Polling.....

proves that.

[Bobbie Jo]

33. K&R

[MineralMan]

36. I appreciate the K&R.

Supporting Democrats and the Democratic Party is important in deciding how this country will be governed. I will never lose sight of that, even when things don't go exactly as I wish them to go.

[dickthegrouch]

37. I have a slightly different take on the issue

I agree that funds need to be provided. I disagree with the scorched-earth tactics of many of the begging letters which make me wonder the requesters have ever planned for anything in their lives.

Being told, for a different reason, every day that my $3 will save the world is a VERY poor use of my time and my money (if I had any). I am now 10 months out of work with no benefits and I'm receiving requests totalling over $1000 each month. Indiscriminate requests for money to address every issue under the sun cheapen all of them and cause me to delete most, these days.

I feel bad that I can't donate, but they won't stop. Worse they won't do what I need them to: restore my benefits until I get me a decent paying job.

I don't respect people that tell me every day "unless you send a donation for this issue, we'll go down in flames", that's just poor planning. And, why the hell is the government not responsible for funding some of these campaigns - such as advertising the ACA benefits and deadlines? I don't understand why some of the requests I get are having to be funded by the party as opposed to the government agencies responsible for them.

/end rant

[MineralMan]

38. If you can't donate, just mark all of those emails as spam

in your email client, and you soon won't see them any more. That's easy.

[calimary]

39. Yes and no, but I also realize it's necessary, and they do need the resources.

And if I just assume "oh, everything will be alright" or "meh, they're all the same," or "meh, they're all in the trough for the corporations," or whatever the fuck-ass worthless apathetic excuse is, then that opens the door for the bad guys to come rampaging through, and further undo/fuck-up/roll back everything we - and I myself personally - have worked to accomplish to move our country forward and help those in the most need - for the common good.

So yeah, I'm beseiged. And they're all begging. And I have to pick and choose. Much as I'd like to be able to be Lady Bountiful to them all, I can't. But I CAN give to some, and I CAN make a difference, and I CAN look in the mirror at the end of the day and know I cared enough to get up off my ass and do something to help.

So I do.

[MineralMan]

40. That's a good way to look at it, I think.

[Hekate]

41. Kick

[steve2470]

43. I gave $5 today to DCCC via ActBlue

Yes, I get annoyed with them, but lawd knows we Dems need money all the time. THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BILLIONAIRES BACKING THEM AND BIG BUSINESS. We have to level the playing field somehow.

[MineralMan]

45. I'm sure they appreciate your donation.

They're counting on a lot of those donations, which is why they keep sending out those emails. I can't see how emails that request donations are a problem, really. They're hardly mandatory donations. Thanks again!

[steve2470]

46. I admit, I get a ton of emails requesting donations...

Perspective, I'd rather get those than spam or Republican emails. I'm not rich or even well off, so I can't indulge all of them. Today was an exception. I'd MUCH rather get my donation emails than Republicans wanting money. UGH. Perspective people, perspective. It's a good thing.

[3catwoman3]

49. I donate what I can...

...when I can, to those campaigns I feel need the most help.

That being said, I do grow weary of the constant barrage of requests. I got 30 separate pleas just today. And the day isn't over.

[bigwillq]

50. I just unsubscribe from all of them.

Or immediately hit delete.

I don't read them. I don't donate to political causes.

[GeorgeGist]

51. To the trash it goes ...

When it says nothing more than gimme.