Michigan Democratic Party Survey

I received a gem of an email today from Michigan Democratic Party chair Lon Johnson.

"We’re facing a critical time for Michigan.

As we craft our plans for the coming year, and beyond, your input will be vital to helping us best serve our state.



And the first step to doing this well is listening. That’s why we have put together an issue survey to get your feedback on what our focus should be in 2015.



Please fill out our 2015 issue survey to let us know what is important to you.



Now is the time for us as Democrats to establish priorities and develop plans to help our state move forward. We can only do that with your help. Please take a minute to give us your view.

You hear a lot from us, but now it’s time for us to hear from you – fill out our 2015 issue survey here.



Thank you for all that you do.

Tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they do care? Don’t. Let’s take a look at a few of the questions.

    3. In what county do you currently reside? (If Wayne County, please specify Detroit vs. outside Detroit)

Detroit vs. outside Detroit. Yup. Detroit vs. outside Detroit. That’s pretty much an echo chamber from Lansing: there’s us and then there’s THAT city.

    4. If you think of yourself as a Democrat, would you call yourself a strong Democrat or not a very strong Democrat?

  • Storong
  • Not very strong
  • I do not think of myself as a Democrat
  • Other (please specify)

    Is your mailing list in such bad shape that you don’t even know who you’re sending emails? Think a Republican, or Tea Partier, is really going to fill out your survey? Hell, even I’m not going to fill it out. Who would want the torrent of spam that’s bound to come as a follow up?

      5. Which of the following best describes who you are?

  • Elected Official
  • State Party Leader (DNC, Executive Committee, State Central, Statewide Caucus)
  • Local Party Leader (District Party, County Party, Local Club)
  • Democratic/Labor/Progressive Activist
  • Candidate
  • Campaign Staffer
  • Coordinated Campaign Volunteer
  • Other (please specify)

    Notice something missing? Voter. I doubt that’s just an oversight. They’ve proved once again that they’re more interested in keeping their titles than listening to voters.

    You don’t need to read the rest of the questions. You get the idea, or lack thereof. They’re losers and they’re going to keep on losing.

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    Comments

    gulfgal98's picture

    has become a very strong suit for the Democratic party, not just in Michigan but everywhere. The problem is that if they really wanted to know what the voters think, they would actually have to listen. And if they listened and acted accordingly, it would severely limit the flow of big money campaign contributions.

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    Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

    “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

    joe shikspack's picture

    they purchase the time of a highly-compensated consultant who assembles a focus group to test out the best wording for a pitch to sell what the democrats intend to pursue.

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    shaharazade's picture

    or a survey from a 'reputable' market research firm with questionnaires that leave no room for anyone's real opinion. Hillary vs. attila the Hun? Affordable Health Care vs. The Rack or Leeches? Then they weight their data and demographic's and the analyst Dem. Tea leaf readers and come up with a bus called Scooby Doo and a strong approval of a fair trade job creating TPP. Speaking of which,The AFLCIO just called me and said to contact my 'representatives' to stop the fast tracking of the TPP. yeah right.

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    JayRaye's picture

    I remember all those big union meetings and conferences we had about NAFTA. I was still living in MN at the time. Strong union state, and I was in a union. So, anyway, NAFTA passed and what did the AFLCIO do?

    Kept right on donating to Democrats.

    Imagine where we would be now in the US Labor Movement if the all that donated money had instead gone into organizing campaigns and big strike funds.

    Even now, I doubt that the AFLCIO will get the message: the Democrats are just not all that into us.
    http://www.eharmony.com/dating-advice/dating/signs-hes-not-into-you/#.VT...

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    Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.-Lucy Parsons

    Unabashed Liberal's picture

    much a waste of the paper that the survey is written on, and I imagine they know it.

    OTOH, could be that the Michigan Dems have had their hands tied (which is no excuse).

    Just as many "No Labels" candidates were swept in (or almost swept in) this past cycle, the agenda for 2016 has already been set.

    The national agenda is their nonpartisan, corporatist technocratic agenda--and nothing else matters.

    It started months ago in Iowa and New Hampshire), and most likely, the profile of the growing scores of No Labelers will become much more intense in the months leading up to 2016 (that's their plan, anyway).

    I doubt that they will flaunt the name of the organization--mostly they will push their 'common sense' agenda.

    And, they will tell us that all the polls say that 'the American People' are in total agreement with every aspect of it.

    (I've even got a 'class photo' of these clowns--hope it will reduce down.)

    Mollie

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    Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

    Cordelia Lear's picture

    for US House dropped down on us from above. The guy lived in the general vicinity as a kid but as far as we could find out hadn't even been back in years. He supposedly worked for the CIA so he couldn't/wouldn't say what he done for the last 15 years and we couldn't find a record of him voting anywhere for anything - ever.

    Who was his first big campaign contributor? Steny Hoyer's PAC. As soon as I saw that - which was long before I ever saw the candidate - I knew he wasn't getting my vote.

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    "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

    Unabashed Liberal's picture

    NT

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    Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.

    Tammany Tiger's picture

    This sentence, from the survey, is a good example of how not to communicate: Now is the time for us as Democrats to establish priorities and develop plans to help our state move forward. That's PowerPoint English of the worst kind.

    Last year, the Democrats recruited a good candidate for governor. Unfortunately, the consultants got hold of him, and his TV ads featured him babbling about "a five-point plan to turn Michigan around," or some such tommyrot. Five-point plans don't motivate people to go out and vote, especially in midterm elections.

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    Shahryar's picture

    First of all, as you no doubt know, this is not a survey. It is a fundraising campaign. I'm reading an interesting psychology book that not only explains 'bots but also touches on this kind of appeal, as shown in one of the questions you quote

    5. Which of the following best describes who you are?

    Elected Official
    State Party Leader (DNC, Executive Committee, State Central, Statewide Caucus)
    Local Party Leader (District Party, County Party, Local Club)
    Democratic/Labor/Progressive Activist
    Candidate
    Campaign Staffer
    Coordinated Campaign Volunteer
    Other (please specify)

    This forces the typical voter to classify himself/herself as either an activist or a "coordinated campaign volunteer". In both cases it makes the voter see himself/herself as committed to the cause, making it easier for the last page (the appeal for money) to kick in and be effective. In fact, it's probably the most important "question" in the thing. Since nobody is counting responses, because they don't care and it's NOT a survey!!, the point of the thing is to make the suckers feel a certain way, all designed to make 'em cough up the dough.

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    Cordelia Lear's picture

    Same thing with those appleals for $3. They can barely cover the cost of the transaction and FEC record keeping with such a small amount. The only thing it accomplishes is that sense of "buy in" to the campaign. Once they have you they figure you're not going over to anyone else.

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    "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

    It's no consolation at all for you, I'm sure, but the WI Democratic Party is equally as detached from reality as is the MI Dem Party. In fact, it's so bad here that Mike Tate, who as head of the WI Dem Party oversaw one failed opportunity after another in terms of knocking Scott Walker off his pedestal, was re-elected to his post a few months back even though the majority of the Dem base in WI can't stand the sight of him. He'l going to continue on until the middle of this summer when he plans to step down and supposedly (ha, ha) by then the Party machinery will have found some other dunce to fill his spot. Banging head on wall here.

    I wish I had a solution for our respective state Dem parties, but the mediocrity appears to be so entrenched, I think it will take something truly horrific before the dead wood gets blown out of place.

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    Cordelia Lear's picture

    way from ever getting rid of the dead wood, if ever. I'm not sure I'll see it in my life time.

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    "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

    Tammany Tiger's picture

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    lotlizard's picture

    [First name] --

    Thousands of jobs for Hawaii's heroes are at stake.

    The U.S. Army is currently considering a proposal to dramatically reduce troop levels in Hawaii by eliminating positions for 19,800 soldiers and 30,000 civilians on our islands.

    Military families in Hawaii are integral to our communities -- through our schools, our churches, local organizations, and so much more. If the Army moves forward with their proposal, Hawaii would not only lose our military families, but also from our state's economy. We can't let this happen.

    That's why I'm joining with Hawaii's congressional delegation, Governor Ige, and state and local lawmakers to urge the Army to keep our military heroes in Hawaii. The Army is holding public listening sessions about this troop reduction plan over the next two days. Will you join us in speaking out to help keep our heroes in Hawaii?

    Join me and sign the petition today at www.KeepHawaiisHeroes.org to show your support before tomorrow's listening sessions begin!

    The Army's plan would devastate our economy and dramatically affect the military families who are so vital to Hawaii's communities and our future.

    To keep our military strong in Hawaii, we must join our full efforts and work together.

    Thank you for working with me to ensure our voices are heard. And most importantly, thank you to our military men and women and their families who sacrifice so much to keep our nation free and safe.

    Mahalo,

    Mazie Hirono
    U.S. Senator

    Imperial "heroes," or an empire in its death "throes"?

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    Blue Dragon's picture

    I am in East Lansing. Can we do a meet up?

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    May the dolphins, whales and furry things inherit the world. Humans, unless we do an about face, have just about proven we don't deserve this beautiful planet.

    Cordelia Lear's picture

    Canton (NW Wayne County). When the weather is crappy I tend to stick closer to home, but let's plan something. Maybe we can get a few of us together.

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    "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone