Why we can't have nice things [View all]

[crazycatlady]

I've been reading this a lot here in the last week. AS a political staffer, I want to share a few things with you.

1) It sounds wonderful when you say you'll give directly to candidates instead of the DNC (DSCC/DCCC, etc). Here's the difference. One is a short-term entity and the other is a long-term entity. Your donation to a candidate will help them go on TV or send out a mailer. Your donation to the DNC pays for the long-term infrastructure of the 50 state parties. They provide training to staffers and candidates (and volunteers), pay utility bills and rent to keep HQ opened, maintain the voter file (so a volunteer's call and walk lists are more accurate), provide rapid response to news, and other behind the scenes stuff. Is it sexy? No. But it is necessary.

2) If you think the DNC is writing off certain races, check my inbox. I've received more than a dozen job postings from progressive groups getting organizers on the ground in bright red Alabama. Many 2018 races are starting to staff up.

3) Progressive groups that make the perfect the enemy of the good are the problem not the solution. I have been active with my local DFA chapter in the past. They were a group that I admired and did work for. I'm very disappointed that they're pulling out of a crucial race less than a week out. The time to fight these battles is in the primaries and ONLY in the primaries.

4) ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL. As Frank Underwood said in the first season of House of Cards, vote your district. If Joe Manchin votes more conservatively than Kamala Harris, you need to look at their respective electorates. If Cory Booker is voting in favor of Big Pharma, keep in mind that many of the drug companies are based in his state. Before we rush to judge a politician's vote, keep in mind his or her district/state.

5) We need to focus on building our bench. This means that we need to run candidates in every race from dog catcher to POTUS. Many school board and city council (while technically nonpartisan) have Republican candidates running unopposed. This needs to stop. Step up and run for office (this is happening this year--- 250 women showed up at an Emily's List training about running for office last week in NY).

6) 2018 is shaping up to be a pretty big year but I don't want to speak too soon. We're ahead of candidate recruitment for congressional races than we were last cycle, but I worry that these large primary fields are ignoring downticket races. There's an 8 way primary for a seat in upstate NY. I wish some of those candidates would focus on running for state, county, and local offices to build our bench.

7) Turn your frustration into action. Register new voters in your district, knock on doors, help local candidates run for office, make phone calls, write postcards. There's many ways to get involved.