Bernie & down ticket Dems. I'm going to break your kitchen sink on this artful smear as well.

[jillan]

I get it that many of you do not understand what is going on with Bernie supporters, and I accept that. If you're not part of it, how would you know.

About the DNC, I personally have not donated one cent to the DNC since Howard Dean left. Why? Because I live in Az & DWS has written us off. In fact hopefully we can all unite in saying that DWS has been a disaster for downticket Dems and local races. Just look at what has happened in states all across the country under her leadership. We have lost local offices, governors, down the line. In 2012 the DNC did not put one penny into this state but the RNC AND the Koch Bros sure did. You cannot imagine the govt they bought - or maybe you can since this is a country-wide problem.

Berniecrats do NOT donate to the DNC. We donate directly to the candidates themselves. In the same manner that we are funding Bernie's campaign is the same way we are funding these down ticket races.
We have compiled a list of approx 100 "Bernie Dems"... some call them the Bernie Brigade, It is VERY important to Bernie supporters that should he get elected that he has more progressives elected to Congress & the Senate & in States since he has a very aggressive agenda. And if Hillary wins, this will be beneficial to her as well.

This is part of the Political Revolution, we are united in finding elected officials that are willing to represent the voters, are willing to fight for change and challenge the status quo.

Of course Bernie supporters are concentrating on our own states. But we also donate to other candidates that we believe we can help get elected.
I am not going to list the entire list because I do not want them to be under attack by those that are hellbent on destroying the work we are doing. But I will name a few....
Tim Canova FL running against DWS. Lucy Flores NV running for Congress. Cori Bush MO (no relation - lol) running for Senate.

After the primary season or the GE is over, this is not going away. This list will continue to grow & once Bernie is no longer concentrating on running for President, he will become more involved.

The money that we donate to Bernie is for Bernie alone. We want him to use every last penny to do what he needs to do to take him through the end.

As far as the downticket Dems - we are taking care of that for him right now. Bernie supporters are united in a movement and it is not just about Bernie.

I get it that many of you will not understand. But that's okay.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. For Bernie, giving money to the DNC is like giving your key to burglar. K&R

[jillan]

2. And that too!!

[NCjack]

34. It would be stupid for Bernie to give money to DNC. Debbie would funnel that money to Hillary

and her buddies to be used against Bernie and his supporters. That would be a stupid move for Bernie to make. As a Bernie supporter, I give money to my down-ticket DEM candidates -- none that would ever be considered by Debby for help. This attack on Bernie is disingenuous. And by the way, it appears that the DNC is broke. Apparently, Bernie supporters aren't the only ones not give money to the DNC. Debbie has bankrupted the DNC of worthy ideas, goals, and donors. Everyone who wants their down-ticket candidates to be able to fight against their Republican opponents need to make direct contributions to them. Pres. Obama can end this malfunction of the DNC when it please him. He is the person who hires and fires it chairperson.

[revbones]

51. ^^ THIS ^^ nt

[Red Oak]

64. +1!

[SusanCalvin]

66. Hah! Bingo! nt

[daleanime]

78. +1

[Raster]

3. As long as the DNC AND ITS LEADERSHIP remains a bought and paid for...

...commodity, they won't get a dime from me.

[artislife]

4. isn't that what they have PACs for?

We cut out the middleman.

[jillan]

8. Exactly but what this does is help others know who is out there supporting Bernie and his plans.

For example - I have donated to Flores in NV even tho I do not live in her state.

[Biaviians]

50. I donated to Catherine Cortez of NV and Adrian Fontes of AZ

I'm from New England and happy to do it

[jillan]

52. Thank you thank you for donating to Adrian! I would LOVE to see him unseat Purcell.

[Biaviians]

54. Saw the entire AZ elections hearing with my mom and dad.

We were moved. It pains me there won't be a revote. Blows my mind. GO ADRIAN!

[arcane1]

5. That lack of understanding is deliberate and intentional n/t

[daleanime]

28. +1

[Hiraeth]

37. +2

don't burst their bubble

[Gwhittey]

6. Post Alerted

You should not post explanations that derail talking points.

[jillan]

10. LOL <- you always make me do that ;)

[snowy owl]

7. Thanks!I decide where $$ go.I'm WA but sent to Canove (FL) and Feingold (WI) most recently. I decide

Nina Turner and Donna Edwards through Act Blue previously. No, I don't send often but I do when I believe in candidate and want dems to win I sure do!

I sure don't truct DNC/DLC and Wasserman Schultz to decide. She'd probably spend it on herself.

[metroins]

9. Lol

There's so much spin in this, I feel like I'm in a tornado.

So, Bernie is helping down ticket Democrats, but nobody sees it and the vast majority of Democrats back Hillary, despite Bernies invisible support?

What?

I'm not that gullible.

[jillan]

12. I don't expect you to understand but it's really not hard. We donate to candidates directly & not

to the DNC.

Kinda simple really.

[metroins]

20. I'm sorry, but no.

The actual elected democrats would be supporting Sanders a lot more if he were meaningfully directing down ticket candidates.

I'm not saying you and other supporters aren't donating but Sanders has done very minimal work to further the party nationwide.

He is most certainly not leading an effort to funnel donations their way.

[senz]

25. Bernie's efforts are directed toward changing the country.

This is what we, his supporters, want him to do.

Time is short; he needs to win the nomination -- nominated by we the people, not they the party -- first and foremost.

Bernie is building a coalition. If the Democratic Party want to be part of the broader coalition, then they should get on board. If Bernie wins the nomination, he will do all he can to strengthen those who are on board with the political revolution because he knows he will need all of us and we will need one another to carry this through.

[metroins]

33. He's had 25 years

And is just now affecting this change.

I'm not going to slap lipstick on a pig and take it to prom.

His supporters need to view him in the real world. He hasn't helped the down party in a substantial way for 25 years. He hasn't been a major political force for 25 years. He hasn't built a coalition for 25 years. Hillary has.

Time is short because he hasn't spent his time furthering the cause and building a coalition for years like Hillary has.

She has her faults but she's put in the effort and taken the beatings. There's a reason the party overwhelmingly supports her.

I like some of Bernies ideas. I don't like his leadership skills.

[senz]

35. He's been an Independent legislator from Vermont, not a presidential candidate.

Though a constant, outspoken advocate for minority rights, Bernie never stepped out of his legislative role until last spring when he saw that a status quo candidate had the nomination wrapped up -- and decided to challenge her because the stakes really are too high this time.

As for his leadership skills, after four successful terms as Mayor of Burlington, he chose the legislative route and has performed it very well while sticking to his strongly held values and principles.

But in less than a year, he has shaken up Democratic politics, gained the enthusiastic support of millions of Americans, shaped Hillary's "policy positions," and has turned the conversation in this country around. Hillary doesn't even have it in her to do that. Bernie has done it in less than a year. It IS yuge. That's leadership.

Now try to understand this:

"The cause" is not the Democratic Party machine.

The cause is economic and social justice, fairness, a decent break for working people, peace, and environmental sustainability. The Democratic Party can get behind that or not. But the people will push forward with or without it.

[bvar22]

45. Well Said!!!

...and worth repeating:

"The cause" is not the Democratic Party machine.

The cause is economic and social justice, fairness, a decent break for working people, peace, and environmental sustainability. The Democratic Party can get behind that or not. But the people will push forward with or without it.

I stand with Bernie and the movement "for working people, peace, and environmental sustainability"

[senz]

58. Thanks so much, bvar22

I always appreciate your comments.

[SusanCalvin]

68. "But in less than a year, he has shaken up Democratic politics"

And I'm grateful. At the very least, his success shows there's an incredible amount of dissatisfaction with the status quo.

[KoKo]

70. ...!

[Land Shark]

47. Bernie should do anything except run for Prez because he is beating Hillary now! Lol.

[metroins]

48. No he is not

Hillary leads in popular vote and delegates.

[Land Shark]

57. Lol. The only thing she leads in is votes cast and commitments made before January 31, 2016

I would not want to be in the Hillary campaign during this.kind of feverish attempt to avoid implosion.

[metroins]

62. She leads in popular vote and pledged delegates

And Supers.

http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P16/D

[noiretextatique]

61. The primaries aren't over

So her lead really means very little, especially since her POC firewall is crumbling.

[metroins]

63. NY PA MD DE

All going HRC.

[noiretextatique]

77. In your dreams eom

[Gwhittey]

13. "I'm not that gullible."

This would of been better if it was posted along with comments that really do not go contrary to that in the same post.

[reformist2]

11. Thanks for calling out this latest smear for what it is.

[dchill]

14. What Bernie WILL DO for ALL down ticket Dems...

Get them elected.

If Bernie is the nominee, voter turnout will experience a huge surge above the depressed "Clinton again" turnout. It's no stretch to predict that a vote for Bernie is a vote for other Dems on the down ticket.

Manufactured memes do not produce turnout. For anybody. In-the-pocket MSM know this, but don't care. It's only about bread and butter for them. For Bernie's supporters, it's about much more.

[jillan]

15. Yes! And I imagine after the primary season is over we can focus more on helping these people

get elected.

We are going to need them just as badly if Hillary is elected.
We will need more people to work with Bernie in the Senate. Even if he ends up back there, the fight is not over....we've just begun.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. This. nt

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. Those downticket donations by Clinton and the DNC?

They are not intended, nor used, to attain or keep vulnerable seats. It is used to pad the war chest of comfortable incumbents (i.e. Cantwell) and to secure their superdelegate votes.

[jillan]

18. I'm sure you've seen that article about buying superdelegates?

That is exactly what we need to stop.

Enough is Enough.

[dchill]

19. Ding, ding!

[MerryBlooms]

29. Bingo!

[SusanCalvin]

69. There you go. nt

[unapatriciated]

80. and pay off their 20012 debt.

Clinton is allowed to coordinate with the party and the party coordinates with the super PAC's.

The party committee has been trying to rebuild its finances after carrying a high debt load following Mr. Obama’s re-election in 2012. The committee wiped out a chunk of its bank debt in the last few months, but is still working to pay off about $7 million owed to vendors.

But under new limits that were put into effect last winter, the main party committees can now solicit donations of up to $334,000 per person, or almost $700,000 per couple, far more than the $5,400 per couple the campaign itself can raise for the primary. That means huge amounts of money could be going to the D.N.C. at the request of the campaign, where officials want to be mindful of the investments.

The Clinton campaign can coordinate spending and messaging with the party committee, whereas it is barred from doing so with super PACs, which have no limit on donations. (The campaign, however, is restricted in how much it can ask donors to give super PACs.) But the party must also stay neutral through the primary, in which voting does not begin until Feb. 1.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/us/politics/hillary-clinton-fortifies-ties-and-fund-raising-with-democratic-committee.html?

Colbert gave a great explanation on how Super PAC's really work. So Clinton can't coordinate with them but the DNC can.

[Waiting For Everyman]

21. Exactly. The Establishment within the DNC is what needs to go.

From top to bottom. It IS the problem, every last one of those paid off stooges is the rot within the party.

Like this shit right here:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/01/how-hillary-clinton-bought-the-loyalty-of-33-state-democratic-parties/


And this:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/01/hillary-clinton-hit-list-102067

Every one on her "favors" list needs to go. Those who challenge them are the ones we'll support. I'm donating to several down-ticket Bernie-ite Dems too, as many of us are.

[senz]

22. Lifelong Dem. This election is not about "party." It's about our country & its people.

There is too much at stake in this election for me to be giving my funds to a party whose current leadership does not cooperate with my chosen candidate and works against liberal progressive values generally.

I donate heavily to Bernie because it really matters at this time.

I donate to other Dems/progressives whom I choose and when I want to.

Thanks, jillan.

[lasttrip]

23. i have my own private LT pac.

Thanks jillan.
Peace.
LT

[BernieforPres2016]

24. Is the Clinton campaign now pushing this Bernie isn't helping to fund the DNC meme?

That would be another one started by MSNBC (Rachel Maddow) and immediately picked up by Hillary's campaign. If so, that's at least 4 cases of that this week.

Why the heck would Bernie send money from his contributors to the DNC which is doing everything in its power to help Hillary defeat him?

And speaking of the down ticket disaster of the Democratic Party under the leadership of DWS, take a look at the latest from my state of North Carolina. After the Republican legislature just passed a ridiculous law on which bathroom people can use (the one based on your gender according to your birth certificate, which presumably we should all start carrying around in case we encounter the bathroom police) and the Republican governor just signed it, the number of cities and states that are banning discretionary travel to and events in North Carolina is growing by the day.

[jillan]

27. Yes - it was started by Maddow. After she admitted to running around in the streets looking for her

after interviewing Bernie, it is obvious that she is working directly with the Hillary campaign. Isn't that against some kind of rules?
Keith got suspended for donating to a couple of downticket dems, so I don't know if it's just that you cannot donate - but I do wonder.

What has happened in your state is insane. Just maybe if DWS would have donated in your state things would be different.
Here in Az the Koch Bros & the RNC swept in and took over the public schools with their purchased puppet. And she only won by a teeny margin! The Dem, who actually worked for the public schools was left to fend for himself. DWS has destroyed the dem party.

[SusanCalvin]

71. Sigh. I used to like Maddow.... nt

[sunnystarr]

75. As I recall ...

Rachel ran after her after she had interviewed her (HRC) not Bernie. Just want to keep the record straight.

[BernieforPres2016]

31. I don't think it would be illegal for the MSM to coordinate with a campaign

And to engage in quid pro quos. Unethical, but not illegal. There have been stories about the Clinton campaign giving "scoops" to friendly reporters in exchange for favorable coverage.

Based on what we have seen this week from MSNBC and the Clinton campaign, I believe the Clinton operatives are giving MSNBC ideas on negative things to pursue on Sanders and perhaps even doing the opposition research for them. MSNBC runs the "story" or hits Bernie or a supporter with the gotcha question, and the Clinton campaign grabs it and runs with it as a real story that came from the mainstream media.

[jillan]

32. They are definitely in cahoots. Too bad for them Bernie supporters see right thru it.

[amborin]

53. isn't MSNBC owned by Comcast and GE? Comcast's CEO held fundraisers for HRC

[Betty Karlson]

26. K&R for awesome truth to power.

[Fairgo]

30. Their argument is not consistent until you under stand the underlying ethos

Bernie's social justice movement (with its economic emphasis) will raise all political boats on the strength of ideas that build community in common cause...the money will follow.

The HRC movement is about the money, but leads with a weirdly deconstructed understanding of the lived experience of social justice. Their straw man attack on the economics of social justice demeans the concept and reveals their root cause.

This "Where's the money?" meme underscores the mission: They are fighting for power, not people.

[Henhouse]

36. Why is he running as a Democrat?

The money that we donate to Bernie is for Bernie alone. We want him to use every last penny to do what he needs to do to take him through the end.

As far as the downticket Dems - we are taking care of that for him right now. Bernie supporters are united in a movement and it is not just about Bernie.

I truly do understand Bernie and his supporters. They are using the Democratic Party as a vehicle to get elected but they are not invested in the party.

Can you understand how Democrats feel about Bernie's sleazy tactics?

[MrMickeysMom]

38. You don't understand a gawd-damned thing with that statement...

With so few Democrats acting outside a controlled think tank of corporatists, it is the DNC that is using the Democratic Party as a vehicle to increase their personal net worth.

That is what shills do in an a sleazy oligarchy that seems to have pulled the wool over YOUR eyes.

Feel better soon, now.

[jillan]

39. For the same reason the DEMOCRATS in the SENATE have picked Bernie to be the head of different

Committees.

He caucuses with the Dems, votes with the Dems the majority of the time, heck he has even been a superdelegate in the past at the Dem convention.

Got it? Probably not....

[djean111]

40. I have been a Democrat all my life. It is the DNC and Hillary and DWS who are

the very embodiment of sleazy tactics.

Did you know that Debbie Wassermann-Schultz has openly supported her GOP cronies against her "fellow" Democrats, down here in Florida? I am supposed to donate money to THAT?

Oh, and - obviously, you do not speak for all Democrats. So I would advise not acting like you do. And - the DNC welcomed Bernie. If he had run as a third party candidate, Hillary would sink like the fucking Titanic.

I think, actually, they are rearranging those deck chairs right now. And it is so good to see the nasty assed people like Maddow displayed for what they really are.

[SusanCalvin]

73. ^THIS^

[Fast Walker 52]

41. except millions of Democrats are THRILLED to have Bernie in the race

There's nothing sleazy about that.

[eridani]

44. The party is NOT invested in electing Democrats, as devastating losses under DWS tenure have shown

I quit donating to DNC when they abandoned the 50-state strategy. In retirement, I have to watch what I donate out of state, but MoveOn, Progressive Democrats of America and Democracy for America have helpful lists.

[bvar22]

46. I stopped donating to MoveOn when Obama was elected,

and MoveOn stopped protesting our illegal occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq.

[font size=3]Rahm Emanuel’s Think Tankers Enforce ‘Message Discipline’ Among ‘Liberals’[/font]

Over the past several weeks, independent journalists and anti-war activists have tried to shine a spotlight on how groups like the Center for American Progress and MoveOn, which portrayed themselves as anti-war during the Bush-era, are now supporting the escalation and continuation of wars because their guy is now commander-in-chief.

CAP has been actively pounding the pavement in support of the escalation in Afghanistan, the rebranding of the Iraq occupation and, more recently, Obama’s bloated military budget, which the group said was “on target.” MoveOn has been silent on the escalation in Afghanistan and has devoted substantial resources to promoting a federal budget that includes a $21 billion increase in military spending from the Bush-era.

What is clear here is that CAP and MoveOn are now basically psuedo-official PR flaks targeting “liberals” to support the White House agenda.

<more>


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeremy-scahill/rahm-emanuels-think-tanke_b_185203.html

[merrily]

76. Based on results, the Party seems far more interested in squelching liberals than in electing Dems.

[SusanCalvin]

72. "Can you understand how Democrats feel"

Uh, yes, I can understand how Democrats feel, because I am one. Are you insinuating otherwise? My county party would be interested to hear that....

[questionseverything]

74. i am a life long democrat and i begged bernie to run as a democrat to save our party from the 1%ers

just so ya know whose fault it is.....

it's me and many millions more like me

[unapatriciated]

81. He could of run third party.

Instead he chose not to with the blessings of the DNC. You can not have it both ways. I'm a lifelong Democrat and I'm glad he chose to run on our ticket.

You do not speak for all Dems, many of us have been invested in our party for a very long time (myself over 30 years). We have not been happy with the direction of the DNC for a very long time. Sander's campaign has changed that direction for the better, allowing many of us an actual voice in our own party.

[mainer]

42. I've given thousands to the DNC. Not this time.

So yes, you are absolutely right. I too have started giving to specific candidates I agree with.

Every day I get emails from the DNC asking why I'm not contributing. It should be obvious by now why I'm not.

[Gregorian]

43. Another progressive- Alex Law for NJ 1st District

I watched him talk last night, and he is dedicated to this. I've watched a lot of downstream Dems getting in, and I've been mostly impressed. Alex appears to live his life for this. He pretty much parallels Bernie's plans, but with what sounds like little improvements that he has made.

www.alexlawforcongress.com/

Alex Law is a young, progressive Democrat running for United States Congress to represent New Jersey's First District in 2016.

[Gothmog]

49. Do not be surprise when super delegates take this silliness into account when you ask them to flip

Please explain to the super delegates your reasoning and then ask these super delegates to vote for sanders. That will be a fun conversation

[Prism]

55. The Democratic Party is the weakest it's been in 100 years

But Bernie Sanders is the real problem here.

I've just never been so partisan that my common sense has ever taken flight and wandered off into a cave somewhere for permanent bunkering in the way the current DNC boosters seem to be grappling with.

[Xyzse]

56. There is a reason there is some distrust in regards to the bundling of donations

It basically shows that the big event parties, where "State Parties" sign up, don't really get that funding, it tends to go to the DNC which is saddled with debt due to the current mismanagement.

The Hillary Victory Fund which was established last year, was created so that campaign contributions could be maxed for two years, which is 2015 and this year 2016.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democratic-party-fundraising-effort-helps-clinton-find-new-donors-too/2016/02/19/b8535cea-d68f-11e5-b195-2e29a4e13425_story.html

The Hillary Victory fund is that if you read the article it shows that(in excerpts):
- 32 state parties signed on to the fund, allowing the committee to solicit donations 130 times greater than what a supporter can give to Clinton’s campaign for the primary.

- The states have yet to see a financial windfall. Meanwhile, Clinton’s campaign has been a major beneficiary, getting an infusion of low-dollar contributions through the committee at a time when rival Bernie Sanders’s army of small donors is helping him close in on her financially. The fund is run by Clinton campaign staff, and its treasurer is Clinton’s chief operating officer.

- state parties have served only as a pass-through for their share of the funds. Campaign finance records show that nearly $2 million in donations to the fund initially routed last year to individual state party accounts was immediately transferred to the DNC, which is laboring to pay off millions of dollars in debt.

- the national parties have traditionally waited to have a presumptive White House nominee before launching such a vehicle. It was not until June 2008 that Barack Obama and the DNC created one

So to me, what they are complaining about now is something that is usually not done until after the nominee is already decided. Hillary's campaign decided that they are already the nominee, and raised money that is not going to any of the state parties yet, which supposedly it should be.

At the moment, those funds are still being handled by Clinton and the DNC, which is mostly dealing with their debt at this time, and not really going to the States that signed up for this Victory Fund of theirs.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

[renate]

59. does anybody literally donate directly to the DNC? like, as an individual, to a glob of people?

Wow--I didn't know that happened, except maybe for corporations. I honestly would not ever have even considered that as a possibility.

[Luminous Animal]

60. Yep. I have donated to campaigns across the country from dog catcher to governor and not

one cent to the dirty DNC candidates. In some races, it is remarkable how much the challenger has raised as a Bernie Brigade candidate.

[SusanCalvin]

65. Thank you.

I too am giving not only to Bernie, but to downticket Dems OF MY CHOICE.

[randome]

67. So you're, what, President of all Sanders supporters and can direct the others?

How would you know what everyone else is doing?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Aspire to inspire.[/center][/font][hr]

[unapatriciated]

79. This article from last year explains the how and why

Clinton is in a position to raise monies for the DNC.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511632538

Thank You for your op.
We democrats who support Bernie donate down ticket as well. We made the choice to cut out the middle man.