Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Dusty Democrats

Guest Post By Dana Green:

The latest letter coming from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin's Chair, Mike Tate, has me scratching my head.  Sometimes folks see the writing on the wall, sometimes they don't, even when it's right in front of them.
 
 Thanks for your membership in the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and your work on behalf of Democratic candidates this fall. Even though the midterm elections were hard on Democrats in Wisconsin and around the country, we should all be proud of the work we put in. We fought hard and left it all out on the field.

Now that the dust has settled, I wanted to reach out for your feedback. I’m especially interested in hearing from members and activists like you - the backbone of this Party. Through constructive dialogue and analysis, I believe the Party will come out of this election stronger and more organized than ever before.

A committee has been formed to identify what worked well this campaign cycle and what can be improved for future elections. Our 2nd Vice Chair, Jeff Christensen, will head up this committee comprised of members, activists, county party leaders, and congressional district officers.

Jeff and the Election Review Committee would appreciate receiving feedback from as many people as possible. Please click here to complete a feedback form. All submissions will be sent to the committee for analysis.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Forward,

Mike Tate
Chair, Democratic Party of Wisconsin

Here's my take:

"Now that the dust has settled"......

The dust has settled?  Are you and I living in the same Wisconsin, Mr. Tate?   Folks statewide are still in disbelief that the Democratic Party couldn't muster enough "oompf" to oust the most corrupt politician our State has ever seen.  If anything, the dust is flying fiercer than ever, now that our Governor has a stranglehold on the entire legislature.  I am anticipating more "dust" with the right to work and school voucher lobby agenda moving full speed ahead, aren't you, Mr. Tate? 

"I wanted to reach out for your feedback.  I'm especially interested in hearing from members and activists like you."

I almost had to read that line twice. ( I am not a member of the party. I do vote regularly, I am passionate about what's going on in the State. I pay attention, I love this State, does this make me an "activist"? )This sentence stuck me funny, cause, I don't think you are sincerely interested in my feedback.  I'm involved in a lot of online discussion and political groups, and have been throughout the years, and "activists" have been complaining about the lack of message and representation from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin for years. It's no secret that tons of us "activists" were not on board with Team Burke.  We wanted a primary.  Us "activists" were appalled about how the recall was handled.  We told you this.  Rural "activists" have felt ignored by the DPW for years.  We told you this.  Many "activists" have expressed their frustrations, the lack of leadership, and vision for the party.  We want a party that has our backs, and that fights the good fight, not a party that sends out lame attempts of an "olive branch" after the fact, claiming the dust has settled.  Again, we told you this, time and time again, in emails, facebook messages, blog posts, letters, and most recently, in a move-on petition I started asking for your resignation.  If you want a real perspective of how "activists" are feeling, Mr. Tate, you should read some of the comments folks have posted on the petition.  I'm not sure if these folks who signed it are "activists", I'm guessing they're voters, just like me. 

 

Maybe in your next letter Mr. Tate, you can send Joe Wineke an S.O.S for help with the "dust" problem?   Just a thought.

8 comments:

  1. He was so interested in my feedback that he unfriended me on facebook.
    Go figure!

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  2. I wrote to Mike Tate and Mary Burke's campaign several times to ask them why the hell they weren't focusing the ads on expanding Medicaid and raising the minimum wage. No response from either and I worked for her campaign in the northern part of the state!!! If they would have done that they would have won by getting "new" disengaged voters out. But unless you watched the debates you would have never heard a word about it, and we all know how many people are glued to their seats during those.
    And what did the exit polls show? An overwhelming support for expanding Medicaid and raising the minimum wage. I am so furious at Mike Tate and the Democrats in general. They constantly overestimate the intelligence of the American public and assume everyone is informed. Take a page from the Republicans and their mouthpiece Fox News...simple message, repeat, repeat, repeat.

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    Replies
    1. THIS! Well stated, Tess. We don't have paid spokespeople on AM radio 9 hours a day, so we need to MESSAGE, MESSAGE, MESSAGE constantly. Instead, these guys communicate via press releases that are promptly ignored by the pro-Walker MSM.

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  3. Bernie, oh he'll be interested again when it comes time to email you several times a day requesting money. That's the only input and feedback he's interested in.

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    Replies
    1. Make a point of hitting the reply button and state you'll send money to the party when Mike & Melissa are gone.

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  4. There is feedback he'll have no choice but to listen to, and after several conversations, I believe it's achievable. Organize a majority of county party chairs to sign a letter calling on him to step down immediately. According to the DPW Constitution, if Tate resigns, the first vice chair would then become chair as a placeholder until elections in June. Message sent - the status quo is unacceptable.

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