A couple months back I received a fundraising request from the DNC, right after one of the myriad Congressional cave-ins. The letter went on and on about "enacting our agenda" and "increasing our majority". In my disgust I wrote in block letters across the form "Want my money? Get a spine." I have since adopted this as my mantra for contributions this upcoming election cycle.
Today Chris Dodd got my money. I hope he gets yours, too.
A few days ago I posted a lightly read diary detailing my email exchange with my Senator, Dianne Feinstein, on her previous support of the Protect America Act. One of the comments left me wondering "so what now?" Writing diaries on DailyKos is a nice vent but is that, to borrow from Steve Earl, "the best that we can do?"
Want my money? Get a spine.
Yesterday (and today) Senator Dodd showned a spine in his pledge to fillibuster the abominable FISA legislation that emerged from the Intelligence Committee. Senator Feinstein voted for this version which, as other diaries detail, includes the onerous provisions for retroactive immunity for telecoms and secret Attorney General certification on legality of telecom activity. Senator Dodd got a contribution. Senator Feinstein got an angry phone call. Rest assured, her Democratic challenger will receive money in the next election.
Hey, maybe it's just political posturing by a bottom tier Presidential candidate. I don't care. The man showed a courage that is in desperately short supply these days. Our Constitution and Republic are literally being replaced in front of our eyes. We are, for the most part, powerless to stop it. Demonstrations in the street are ignored or deliberately marginalized; our little screeds and letters to elected officials meet with disingenuous responses and MSM mockery; "direct action?" just typing those words attracted NSA scrutiny (if you don't think every one of us here on this site is profiled as a potential threat you're high); the next election is too far away...this administration and this utterly gutless Congress will have put all the blocks in place before then. The time is now and the only tool we have is money.
Each of us, today, needs to give to any individual or group that is in a position at this moment to defend the Constitution of the Republic of the United States of America...and those people and groups need to stand unequivocally right now. The moment is upon us.
Get a spine. Donate.