State Parties Like Netroots Money; Don't Seem To Like Netroots

by Chris Bowers

More at http://www.mydd.com
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Previously, bloggers have shown the abuse of the netroots by the Kerry / Edwards campaign, which ditched Meetup and primarily used their email list for fundraising, rather than message or GOTV.
This has to stop. Of course Democrats love the small, online donors--they brought in something like $300M for Democrats this cycle. However, the netroots and its donor base needs to be treated like much more than ATM machines. The best way to kill the new wave of small donations is to keep asking for money without offering other ways for people to feel connected to the campaign. In fact, typically, people need to feel connected to a campaign before you can even ask them to donate. This is a lesson many in the Democratic leadership do not seem to have learned yet. It is a lesson they better learn soon.

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3/4 of US state Dem parties websites don't have a blog. What a waste!

He did remarkable things leveraging the internet for money, organizing, and activism. We need to have him imprint this on the national organization. I am truly pissed at the DNC's lack of preparation to counter the expected Republican gaming of this election. We need someone who understands the stakes, knows the MO of the adversary, and can motivate the rank-and-file for the 2006 midterms. Dean knows that it is the grassroots who deliver elections, not bigtime donors.

We have to embrace and use the new technology. I am surprised Gore did not have a better net strategy in 2000. Now that Dean showed us some, we need to get on the ball.

I'd do quarterly internet conventions with State/Local Democrats and annually with the rank-and-file. Lots of excellent potential to run web meetings/interviews/Q&A/meet the candidates/instant polls, etc. Obviously we'd want to keep access tight, but the possibilities are quite interesting....and cost effective.

Building the grassroots is a year round effort, not just for presidential elections.

Apparently, the party has stopped using meetups too.

that's what they want.