The Difference
Posted by Josh McConaha on September 28, 2005 at 05:39 PM
DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon just sent this email to Democrats across the country. The one thing that DeLay show us is that there really is a difference between us and them: we rely on you; they rely on pushing the edges and brokering power.
House Republican Leader Tom DeLay and two associates were indicted today for criminal conspiracy.
Specifically, the charge is conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws. The indictment is another stark reminder that Republicans have a lucrative money-for-influence machine that will do anything -- including breaking the law -- to funnel corporate and special interest money into their party in huge amounts.
People ask what the difference is between the two parties, and this indictment gives one clear answer.
Republicans are committed to pushing the legal limits to collect checks from special interests who want to use government for their own narrow purposes. Democrats are committed to funding our party with contributions from ordinary Americans so that when we take power, the government will represent the people.
You can make your personal commitment to changing the culture of corruption by getting your Democracy Bond -- a monthly commitment to contribute to the Democratic Party:
http://www.democrats.org/democracybonds
The Republican Party raises $10 million a month in huge checks from special interests who know they will get a return on their investment in the form of government giveaways and special privileges.
Even though committed small donors have revolutionized the way campaigns and organizations on our side raise money, the fact is that the Republican National Committee raises twice as much as the Democratic National Committee.
We will never compete with the money Republicans like DeLay can collect through conspiracy and corruption. That's why every single committed Democrat needs to make the Democracy Bond commitment:
http://www.democrats.org/democracybonds
The only way we will close the gap will be with a million people giving $20 a month.
A million people sounds like a lot -- and it is. But tens of millions of us already put so much of ourselves into the political process -- talking to friends, knocking on doors for candidates, writing letters to the editor of our local papers, and making contributions from time to time.
But we will only create lasting change if that sense of obligation and responsibility becomes a regular part of our lives.
That's the idea behind Democracy Bonds. We are building a community of people committed to a stable, healthy Democratic Party not just for this month or even this election cycle, but for the next generation. Join the Democracy Bond community now:
http://www.democrats.org/democracybonds
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Governor Dean directed us to halt fundraising and divert staff resources to the relief effort. He asked you to contribute to the Red Cross, and staff members were deployed to the Gulf region.
The 24,819 Democracy Bond holders who provide financial stability for our party through their monthly contributions made that possible.
I cannot overstate how important the Democracy Bonds program is to the future of our party. This community of ordinary Americans committed to contributing whatever they can afford defines who we are as a party. If you haven't yet, please join now:
http://www.democrats.org/democracybonds
The indictment of Tom DeLay is just the tip of the iceberg.
This isn't just about clean campaign financing -- it's about who controls our government. This culture of corruption has dangerous consequences -- the Republican administration has shown us all too clearly what happens when political cronies occupy critical positions of power.
It's time for ordinary people -- whose money is wasted and whose safety is jeopardized by corruption -- to stand up and say, "Enough."
Let's stand together.
Thank you,
Tom McMahon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee
P.S. Get the full story and latest news on the DeLay indictment:
http://www.democrats.org/delayscandal
Comments (13) «
At Last the corrupt and criminal days of one of America's biggest political cowards in nearing an end.
After victimizing America and the people of Texas for years Tom "Dirtbag" DeLay has been indicted for high crimes.
DeLay can feign innocence all he wants, but at the end of the day, this puke will be stripped of power and jailed...A great day for America.
To: Tom McMahon
I was in Washington DC and marched with Cindy Sheehan last weekend. I noticed that no top guns from the Democratic Party were there.
I contributed and voted Democratic in the last election. I am disgusted with the Bush administration and the Republicans.
I regret to tell you that I have little confidence with the Democratic Party in providing anything much different than the Republicans. Where was the Democratic leadership last weekend? I am starting to feel they are guttless and have little to offer in terms of real leadership. They stayed away waiting to ride on our backs when the clearer opportunity comes and will then try to step out in front.
A wicked thought occurs to me to vote Republican in the nest election because it increases the chances that they will cause a complete meltdown in this country faster then the Democrats will. Maybe by the nation hitting bottom genuine leaders will appear.
I am very disgusted with this party and I am not alone. I have heard Republicans screaming in the streets at what they assume are Democrats marhcing against the war saying, "Democrats are guttless and wimps". This sounds increasingly accurate. Where is the fire in the belly of our leadership?
Tom Collins
During a week when Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean tried to rally his party in a quixotic effort to block the confirmation of John Roberts, Republicans at all levels of government may have given him the keys to Congress. For Democrats, ending the epidemic of GOP corruption, patronage and cronyism has to be one sure fire theme for next year's mid-term elections.
Memo to Dean: Clean Up the Mess in '06.
For more on the epidemic of GOP corruption, cronyism and patronage, see:
"Banana Republicans."
Fact #1 - Delay will be convicted of absolutely nothing. This effort to have him defeated in next year's election will of course fail, and you loons will have more to cry about.
Fact #2 - Checking some campaign funding facts may help to inject some sanity into those of you who read this drivel and believe it blindly. The poor poor democratic party and it's candidates actually receive more "corporate" donations than the evil greedy corporate republicans. The RNC far out raises the DNC when it comes to small private donations. These are just some inconvenient facts that would blow this articles crap out of the water. If I must I will post the real numbers for those of you too lazy to look it up.
Fact #3 - Ever heard the phrase "no controlling legal authority"? What a joke. Go figure out what that was about and come back with your high and mighty campaign funding corruption garbage and how clean the Dems are. PLEASE.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
The reichwing is losing it's freaking mind. Look at the moron above who came over here who is obviously crazy, and even calls himself looney.
That is just the best thing, cuz you know the more they come over here, the more worried they are. They HAVE to come here and try and make themselves feel better.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA
I thought this was an incredibly well written letter. I totally agree with it and think it is crazy more people don't join in on this program. Just think if we got in power and weren't dependant on Corporations like Wal Mart or something to pay favors too. We could do anything we wanted. The people. The Environment. Anything. If people don't join in this program we will have to seek out contributions from these corporations and all that comes with that. Geez. It's twenty damn dollars a month. Give me a break. Return your movies on time and you should be able to swing that. Alright.
MOKISHA. I have to admit that you are right. I also marched with Cindy and the anti-war protesters in Washington. And boy did I enjoy it. I was really Surprised though that no MoveOn.org there. No Democratic Party stuff. No Democracy for America. It was all these smaller less known groups, but I gained a lot of respect for them. I still have faith in our Progressive movement though and I think the Democratic Party is the best vehicle for our goals in the short-term. Electing Progressive candidates in all levels of government should be our primary goal though.
Posted by Orangutan on September 29, 2005 at 02:13 AM
Certainly there were DFA people at the march. However, the program was organized by the organizers, A.N.S.W.E.R. and people against the war and they issued the invitations to the speakers--of which there were too many anyway.
Don't forget that the E and the R stand for End Racism. There are a lot of people around the globe who are convinced that their membership in a particular "race" has something to do with whether or not they are attacked by the United States.
There's a story being reported on the BFA blog which quotes the following:
"The Republican leadership in Washington is now spending more time answering questions about ethical misconduct than doing the people's business," Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean said."
Did Howard really say that? For shame. It implies that the Republican leadership was actually doing the people's business before. Not a point of view I would hold. A casual listener might conclude that making them answer questions about (what is "ethical misconduct"?) is a bad thing to do.
IMHO we need to be a little more careful about how we describe things.
I resent all this critical critique about Democrats. Why do so many of you insist in trying to make us lose our confidence. Why don't you see what a wonderful party we can be when we are all for one and one for all?
What is the Democratic Party's strategy when it comes to communicating to the children of their traditional membership? The struggles of the parents, aren't the struggles of the son(s) and daughter(s), and it is clear Democrats have lost sight of this reality. My parents were union, I'm not. My parents didn't go beyond high school, I'm a college graduate, my parents needed both their incomes to make ends meet, I'm middle class and so on. Democrats, I'm not asking what have you done for me lately. I'm asking, lately, what have you done?
I find it funny that Tom DeLay keeps referring to these accusations as a "witch hunt." Doesn't he know that there are many people on a grand jury that have to be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt to bring charges before him?
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