General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI finally had to unsubscribe from the DCCC mailing list.
I've had it with them. Constant emails requesting donations...3 to 5 a day. OK...I get it with the need for donations. But the final straw was the shaming email I received saying they they sent me 17 emails for Stacy Abrams and I haven't responded.
Sorry DCCC, but I can only donate once a month at the end of the month with what I can afford. They obviously don't appreciate small donors.
I'll continue to contribute, but to the candidates I choose.
Oh...and never a acknowledgment or thank you for my donation.
Anyone else have comments concerning the DCCC?
msongs
(67,453 posts)flying_wahini
(6,659 posts)phylny
(8,389 posts)I haven't heard from the DCCC in some time now, thank goodness.
I donate to the campaigns I chose.
brooklynite
(94,745 posts)That's not what ActBlue does. The candidates you supported sold your name elsewhere.
DFW
(54,445 posts)I haven't used them in years now, but before I stopped, they would check a "make it monthly" box without my consent, and it took me a lot of effort to stop it. When I asked for assistance, they sent me a bunch of tech gobbledygook, and then practically called me a moron for not being able to decipher it. I mean, maybe I AM a moron, but I don't need Act Blue to remind me. Not only that, they worm their way into just about every cause to which one can contribute online, send out tens of millions of unsolicited requests for money, and then take (or, took back then) 3.95% of every contribution run through them. If, like one claim went, they took in $1 billion in contributions in one year, that's $40 million for them--not bad for an operation that appears to be fully automated with maybe twenty salaried live people to iron out glitches and check the bookkeeping for the IRS.
And they probably do sell contributors' information (national S.O.P. unfortunately)--additional revenue for them and more solicitations landing in our "IN" boxes. After Act Blue and the credit card companies take out their cut, $80 million or so has gone NOT to the candidates or causes of our choice, but rather into their pockets. Obviously, we want that the other $920 million go to causes we care about, but MAN that's a big cut going elsewhere. I send old-fashioned checks. Yes, the check is really in the mail. But when it gets there, the recipient gets 100% of it, not 92%. Not only that, but the threshold is higher. It is easy to make a few clicks on the old computer (and your bank account is down a few hundred dollars you forgot you spent). It's another to actively seek out the snail mail address, get out the checkbook, write it, put it into an envelope, address it, find a stamp and send it off. Only causes I'm really sure I want to give to get that treatment, and not Jeremiah Q. Gogettum, Democratic candidate for dog catcher in Banana, Indiana, who may or may not even exist.
Meadowoak
(5,560 posts)Un-checking any boxes to avoid automatic donations, like the GOP does.
Going to Canada
(169 posts)It would be smart for some of the sites to give information, let you write a comment or sign a petition, submit, and ask you after you have signed, if you would like to donate. This is one of the reasons I became interested in UD. It is an intellectual website, I didn't feel pressured to contribute and because of that I wanted to. ☺☺
ripcord
(5,537 posts)I am totally bypassing them now and like you will donate directly to people I support.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)And I'm inclined to make most of little I have to local candidates.
FoxNewsSucks
(10,435 posts)or through ActBlue.
The DCCC and similar groups have missed too many chances to elect progressive candidates. Even when that candidate was an incumbent.
ActBlue may result in some spam emails, but I just delete them.
progressoid
(49,999 posts)Ya gotta wonder if a strategy of being annoying actually works.
Gore1FL
(21,152 posts)That may work for the right, but it insults my intelligence. I'll donate directly.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)The sky is falling the sky is falling mantra.
JI7
(89,276 posts)it does seem to work.
Jeebo
(2,028 posts)I get more than a hundred emails requesting donations every day. It's an election year and I will donate to Democratic campaigns for Congress, Senate, governor, etc., but I'm thinking about making those donations on the condition that they NOT contact me asking for more, explaining to them that I get so many of these emails that it takes me a prohibitive amount of time daily going through them. I'll give you money because I want Democrats to win, but PLEASE stop the avalanche of political emails.
At least I haven't gotten on any right-wing email lists yet, knock on wood ...
-- Ron
GP6971
(31,220 posts)that I can only contribute at the end of the month. No acknowledgement and the emails keep arriving.
Qutzupalotl
(14,333 posts)like any business.
They think, if sending one email a day gets you X$, sending 5 must net you 5x$. Of course it doesn't work that way. But emails cost very little to set up and send, so it's an attractive model.
But it's counterproductive because it's too annoying. I hate the schizophrenic nature of one email to the next. The sky is falling, things are looking up, we haven't heard from you, there's an arbitrary deadline at midnight. I feel like I'm being A/B tested for my money, and I resent it. So I unsubscribed completely and just give when I feel like it, and to whom, through ActBlue.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)I can't give what I don't have.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)I don't use my business email for political donations.
I have a yahoo.com email I use when donating. That way the several hundred emails I receive per week go to that mailbox and don't clog up my business account.
I usually log on there once per week, delete them all without looking through them (because they're all political) and that's it.
Yes, they go WAAAAAY overboard with their requests.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)I think I'll do the same.
SergeStorms
(19,204 posts)and getting cross-eyed so you don't delete anything important. Try it, you'll like it.
uponit7771
(90,364 posts)GP6971
(31,220 posts)it make sense. It's just so annoying with so many emails.
3Hotdogs
(12,416 posts)"We value your opinion."
"Bad news ahead."
"Good news in Florida."
"Tonight is the deadline..."
"Team......."
I
philly_bob
(2,419 posts)I live in a building of 350 voters, and Dems have building reps but I don't know who they are. Never any events, get-togethers, meet-the-candidates.
Just send money or volunteer your time making phone calls or VOTE.
Never recruiting new candidates or leaders.
JI7
(89,276 posts)iemanja
(53,072 posts)volunteering only merits a mention right before an election. Being a member of the Democratic Party has become all about money. I don't like it.
The other thing I hate is random candidates form out of state that I never heard of asking me for money. I got a tweet from one at 11:30 PM. Fuck that.
Response to philly_bob (Reply #16)
iemanja This message was self-deleted by its author.
JI7
(89,276 posts)these are automated and it's best to have a specific email just for this and then to delete them if you don't want to donate.
Or just unsubscribe.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)If it's a automated system why can't they acknowledge a donation?
Doesn't seem right to me.
KPN
(15,662 posts)end up not too very long after getting tens and then hundreds of emails a week once again. Its exhausting and off-putting.
GoodRaisin
(8,929 posts)inbox and go straight to the trash folder. Didnt take too long and worked better than using unsubscribe.
KPN
(15,662 posts)Raine
(30,540 posts)I had emails saying something like ... this is the 4,5, 6th mail we sent you today, apparently you don't care about "whatever" issue otherwise you would respond! Anyway those kind of emails get unsubscribed immediately!
Hekate
(90,829 posts)
I let them have it. Youre the only Dem in your town who hasnt donated. Have you become a Republican!? Joe is out of money!!! He cant win unless you send him money!
My own Congresswoman was sending those last time around. I unsubscribed and said I only wanted to get news of what she was doing for us constituents, and by the way, whoever had told her that kind of begging letter was a good idea should be fired.
Its not just the spam, its the gawdawful blaming and shaming and whining. And like I said, DCCC is not the only offender, by far.
I think the best thing we can do is all of us tell them how we feel about this tactic when we unsubscribe.
Raine
(30,540 posts)all they are is constant dunning for money. I've gotten those "shaming" ones too which really piss me off. I quit donating to candidates or political parties. I donate only to issues that I'm concerned about like animals and the environment and I donate directly to them.
panader0
(25,816 posts)I live on Social Security, and it's always tight every month. They ask for at least $15.00 each
time, so about $60 to 75 a day, so I'd be broke by mid-month.
Please tell me how you unsubscribed as I've tried with no luck. The phone beeps and I think it may
be a friend, but the DCCC calls more than anyone.
GP6971
(31,220 posts)there is an option to receive fewer emails. Click on it and it will give you the option to totally unsubscribe and ask for a reason. I just said Too Many Emails.
Postal Grunt
(218 posts)from the USPS, I always considered the political junk mail to be my job security.
Laffy Kat
(16,386 posts)I have been donating to individuals only. Flowers, Abrams; and Sol Sandoval for here in Colorado to replace Boebert the idiot. I've been throwing in what I can after each paycheck, but the solicitations never stop.
aggiesal
(8,924 posts)request only 1 email per day or I'll unsubscribe.
They usually ablige.
I usually donate to more local candidates themselves.
mrsadm
(1,198 posts)Raine
(30,540 posts)and hadn't made a money contribution, that really made me mad. I told them I considered signing a letter or petition as my contribution because if I sent everyone money who wants a donation I'd be broke. Told them not to ever bother me again!
betsuni
(25,645 posts)But constant fundraising anti-establishment populists OKAY!
ecstatic
(32,733 posts)I get. I find the phone calls pretty obnoxious as far as not accepting polite declinations and forcing the conversation to take on a more negative tone (e.g. what part of "I'm busy" or "I'm working right now, can we talk later?" do you not understand?!).
I don't read the emails, but I frequently see previews of new text messages as they come in. I liked the text from Mary Trump. Mark Kelly had an interesting one where it was mentioned that I've only donated $10 to his campaign. I ended up logging in to actblue to donate, but not to him (nothing personal, just other candidates seem to be in more jeopardy).
brooklynite
(94,745 posts)You don't want "fat cats" influencing politics, so there's an emphasis on micro-contributions from "real people". Well, micro-contributions call for regular appeals and emotional tugs (if they weren't necessary, the Committees and candidates wouldn't send them).
I just ignore the emails and periodically dump them.
genxlib
(5,542 posts)And somehow, they are still even doing it with snail mail.
I only donate once at the end of the year yet I am constantly throwing away junk mail. It is incredibly wasteful use of resources (both environmental and organization funds).
I like to spread around my donations to a number of organizations but it drives me crazy to just multiply the bullshit.
I wish I could strike a deal. No more mailings in exchange for increasing my donation by 10%. I would take it in a heart beat.
AntivaxHunters
(3,234 posts)are sending me text messages?
I ONLY ever contributed through Act Blue to campaigns and it was small amounts because I'm poor as hell, so a few bucks at a time.
Now I'm getting text messages from people running on the Republican side of the aisle. Needless to say, my replies back to them haven't been very, well. "nice" or "professional" if you will.
The only logical answer is that our information very well might be getting sold. And if that's the case, people aren't going to take well to that. Just ask Facebook about selling people's information.