So I'm apparently a local leader. At least, that's what the latest letter accompanying a "survey" from the DNC says I am. Certainly is news to me. But it did get me wondering exactly how many people here have ever gotten one of these before. So, for those who don't receive this little piece of propaganda, I thought it'd be nice to share it here.

The main part of the accompanying letter reads as follows:

Your responses will help shape Democratic strategies to defeat the GOP's tireless gridlock, blocking Democratic proposals that bring relief to our nation's struggling middle class ... provide every child with a world-class education and make college more affordable ... close the gender pay gap and achieve full equality for women ... allow workers to earn sick days and paid family leave ... reduce gun violence ... enact comprehensive immigration reform ... and close tax loopholes hat let corporations and the one percent avoid paying their fair share at the expense of working families

The GOP, led by the presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump stands in stark contrast to the Democratic Party on all of these critical issues - pushing to restrict women's reproductive rights, repeal the Affordable Care Act and dismantle healthcare reform, gut Social Security and Medicare, roll back marriage equality and other hard-wond LGBT civil rights advances, and block Chief Judge Merrick Garland - President Obama's Supreme Court nominee - from even getting a hearing. And let's not forget about Trump's promise to build a border wall or his ban on Muslims from entering the country.

So that's the main bit of the accompanying letter. Democrats good, republicans bad, rah rah rah. Never mind the facts that the current presumptive nominee for the dems is herself someone who stood against pay equality, closing tax loopholes, stood against marriage equality, and a handful of other fairly right wing positions. But I digress. On to the "survey."

The first section is nothing but personal information. The second section, however, is fairly interesting.

Section II: The Republican Threat (very subtle)
1) Which elements of the radical Republican agenda are most dangerous to America's future? (please choose up to three)
Dismantling the ACA
Restricting women's reproductive rights
reversing marriage equality and other LGBT civil rights
Gutting Social Security and Medicare
Packing the US Supreme Court with far-right ideologues
Opposing a minimum wage increase
Obstructing comprehensive immigration reform
Refusing to handle international affairs diplomatically

So, right off the bat, we get a bit of a misleading question. Of all the things listed, not many could actually be said to be dangerous to the US's future as a whole. Dangerous to individual groups, yes, but not the whole US. So they're basically lying with their very first question. Also note that there is no mention of anything like money in politics, or increased marching to war, or restrictions on voting rights, things they could at least pretend to be against or something, even if it would ring hollow. Second question is basically a "what do you hate most about Trump" question, so I'll skip that.

3) Which of the following election outcomes would be most catastrophic for our nation? (please choose one)
A Republican winning the White House
The GOP tightening its stranglehold on Congress
Increased Republican control of state and local governments

Is it any wonder that democrat voters are conditioned to vote for the democratic candidate, no matter what? Just look at the tone being set. Republicans are always the greatest evil, no matter what. Let's skip 4 and 5 and go on to the next section.

Section III: Democratic 2016 election priorities
1) Please rank these Democratic priorities in order of importance (1=most important)
Passing comprehensive immigration reform
closing the gender pay gap and providing access to healthcare for women
protecting social security, medicare, and other programs seniors count on
enacting sensible laws to combat gun violence
raising the minimum wage
leveling the playing field for middle-class families (what does that even mean?)
protecting the environment
reforming our criminal justice system
providing every american with access to a world-class education
expanding our voting rights
keeping our country safe
maintaining our nation's international relationships
other

so, a little better than the "republicans are the heralds of the apocalypse" section, but I can see some problems. What do they mean by "keeping our country safe?" More soldiers getting sent to other countries? Increased military spending? More power to the NSA? It's incredibly (probably deliberately so) vague. It's also laughable that they're pretending to want to expand voting rights, when they've demonstrated that they'll just strip away that right the moment it looks like you'll be voting for someone they don't approve of. And where'd the climate change thing go? Sure, they have "protect the environment," but that doesn't really mean anything without further detail. Do they mean regulating fossil fuel industries? Subsidize green energy? Actually combat climate change?

I don't really care about the rest. It's nothing but suggestions on how to make the establishment more established. So that's where I'll end this. So now, for those of you who haven't received one of these propaganda-style "surveys" before, you get to see parts of one now. Hope you enjoyed the read.