DCCC vs. DLC - Poll

by Gary Boatwright, Sat Nov 26, 2005 at 05:05:18 AM EST

Members of the MyDD community who have been around for a while are quite familiar with my contempt for the DLC for both policy and structural reasons. While not universal, contempt for the DLC is very well founded, as demonstrated by the following small sample of diaries DLC Maneuver on S.S. by Bob Brigham, DLC Dammit! by Political Junkie, The Rise and Fall of the DLC by v2aggie2, and An Aspect of the DLC Problem by janfrel

I recently noticed that the DCCC had thirteen candidates listed on their website they were supporting. The DCCC page that I linked to in that comments has been replaced by a map of interactive links that simply lists all Democratic candidates for House seats in 2006.

Is the DCCC hiding their miserable record of recruiting and assisting Democratic candidates for the House in 2006? Is there any transparency in the DCCC? Does the DCCC maintain a public list of expenditures on behalf of Democratic candidates?

Not as much attention has been focused on criticism of the DCCC, but in order to gage the relative discontent with the DCCC and how it is being managed by Rahm Emmanuel, I offer the following poll:

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21 Comments

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The Stakeholder is doing a fine job
While I disagree with Jesse over at The Stakeholder from time to time, I believe he is doing an excellent job on the DCCC blog. My intent is to focus on the structural infirmities of both organizations, but everyone is of course welcome to vote according to their own dictates.

I am aware that the DLC is an organization that is outside of the formal Democratic Party structure and therefore outside the formal channels of party control. In practice, how does the DLC interact with Democratic Party fundraising campaigns for candidates?

If the DCCC has supporters at MyDD I welcome positive comments about DCCC activities that I may not be aware of. My concern is that the DCCC is not taking the idea of competing in every congressional district seriously.

That said, I am also concerned about what the DNC is doing to meet Howard Dean's stated goal of being competitive in every district. Does anyone know how the DNC, DCCC and DSCC divy up the responsibility for funding Democratic candidates?

by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 05:16AM | 0 recs
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Only 13 god damn candidates?
go figure

We need 15 seats, and they only find 13.

Ugh.

by RBH 2005-11-26 07:35AM | 0 recs
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Re: Only 13 god damn candidates?
I suspect that's why they changed the page to the current map. I was probably not the only person who noticed how anemic their list was, even this early.

Over at dkos somebody named Superribbie is tracking the top 74 races where a GOP incumbant is vulnerable.

Here's a link to about a dozen or so diaries on House elections.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 09:45AM | 0 recs
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Gary, you and I seem to read each others minds
I have been very disturbed the d-trip lately, and I have been researching them extensively.  I think they should be our next target for takeover after placing Dean at the head of the DNC.

How are the leadership of the DCCC picked?

I went to their website and it won't list their members other than saying that it is currently lead by Rahm Emmanual who took over for Matsui.  I know that before Matsui died he seemed to be one of the chicken dems that would deliberately avoid confronting Bush on the war.

by Dameocrat 2005-11-26 11:17AM | 0 recs
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Simple minds think alike
I've been wondering exactly the same thing Dameocrat. I tried to google some basic info and this was the best I could do at Wikipedia. Nothing of any substance at dkospedia or anywhere else.

I don't have a clue how their officers are chosen or how they decide which candidates to support. Taking a pass on CA-48 was stupid. To the best of my knowledge there are no other special elections between now and next November. There is no way a lousy few hundred thousand dollars would be missed between now and then.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 04:11PM | 0 recs
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Re: Simple minds think alike
Gary,

The chairmanship of the DCCC is an elected position of the House Democratic Caucus. In practice, the chairperson is often nominated by the Democratic Leader and elected by acclaimation -- that is, by unanimous consent -- but there are from time to time contested elections for the seat.

The top operatives are usually installed by the chair, and are drawn from his or her own staff, the staff of the Democratic leadership, etc.

Replacing the chairman would take an act of the Caucus. He's elected by them, and he's responsible to them. Remember also that the DCCC is primarily a Member services organization. It exists to make campaigning easier for its Members, who provide the bulk of its funding in dues they pay directly to the DCCC. To the extent that it helps the Members who pay its dues to elect more Democrats to the House, the DCCC undertakes that role.

They would deny it to you if you put it that way, and they'd have a good basis for doing so. But I put it to you that way in order to give you no illusions about what you're up against in terms of trying to change the organization from the outside. Many of those who take it on from the standpoint of outside activists fail to take this into account. The organization is of, for and by incumbent House Democrats, and traditional outside agitation doesn't have the impact there that it's often expected to have on, say, the personal offices of individual House Members.

by Kagro X 2005-11-27 08:42AM | 0 recs
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The DLC is not
a democratic organization. They are not part of the Democratic Party structure.

It is my understanding that the DCCC changing their web site to show all Democratic candidates running in all districts is a good thing. It is an opening up of the process (to a small degree at least) and a recognition of the requirement for a 50 state, every district, strategy. In the past they have only listed their handful of approved candidates and now they list everyone. This is a good thing.

It is my understanding they will still only get directly involved in a handful of of races due to finite resources. That part needs to change and I still have some questions about their decision making process on approved and supported candidates but listing all candidates can be nothing but goodness.

by Andrew C White 2005-11-26 11:48AM | 0 recs
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Re: The DLC should disband
It is a self serving group of political hacks whose goals are frequently antithetical to the party as a whole.

Listing all canddidates is not a problem, but it is hardly deserving of praise. I see no reason for taking down the meager list of featured candidates someone had decided to support.

As always the problem is transparency and accountability.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 04:15PM | 0 recs
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DCCC still has ways to go
But you have to admit, under Rahm Emmanuel it has improved. Yes it's true that not all seats are contested, but at this point in the ball-game there are MUCH more seats contested than 2 years ago, and there's still time for recruitment. Plus they haven't necessarily endorsed many candidates - they need to recruit more people while let the primaries and the people decide that.

http://dccc.org/races/ is pretty helpful

by KainIIIC 2005-11-26 12:29PM | 0 recs
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Re: DCCC still has ways to go
They're recruting candidates like Harold Ford. The type that won't take on Bush.  They are discouraging primary challenges against them, so we have to settle for wimps like Kerry.. Rahm is also squashing Murtha's criticism of Bush in favor of the dem hawks.  They are minority among dems and independents, but everyone must be sensitive to their feelings.
by Dameocrat 2005-11-26 01:12PM | 0 recs
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Re: DCCC still has ways to go
I don't think Rahm is squashing Murtha's criticism so much as making it clear that it is not and cannot be the "official position" of the DCCC, which it would be assumed to be if Rahm said anything other than what he did.

And the reason it can't be the official position of the DCCC is that the DCCC doesn't take official positions. It funds and supports Democratic candidates, who will have as many official positions on any given issue as there are candidates. If Rahm Emanuel or the DCCC took an "official position" on Iraq -- or even appeared to -- every Democratic candidate in the country would be asked whether they agree, or whether they're "bad Democrats."

It's trouble none of them need, but can find readily enough when they're ready to ask for it. In the meantime, many of them appreciate Rahm giving them that cover.

by Kagro X 2005-11-27 08:46AM | 0 recs
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Re: DCCC still has ways to go
That's the link I am complaining about. When I made this comment on Nov. 18th that link featured 13 Democrats.

What was the rationale for taking down that page and replacing it with the generic interactive map?

But you have to admit, under Rahm Emmanuel it has improved.

Actually I dont' have to admit that and I have no idea what criteria you are basing your evaluation on. Why do you say there are many more seats being contested? Do you mean they have thrown more warm bodies into races than a few years ago?

Some races need to be sorted out by primaries. I can't believe that of all the seats up for grabs that there are not more than 13 where there will not be more than one viable Democrat.

I still haven't heard a legitimate rationale for leaving Steve Young hanging out to dry in CA-48.

by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 04:22PM | 0 recs
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The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
Candidates in close districts (execpt KY-03 but that could change.) They suck however at getting people to run in Red districts like 100 seats are not being contested right now.
by Liberal 2005-11-26 01:33PM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
Good point Liberal. Do you have a link for your source on that stat? Pretty much the only source of information I've found is Superribbie at dikos. I would love to know a site where I can gather more information about the DCCC.
by Gary Boatwright 2005-11-26 04:24PM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
I would recommend going to the DCCC site. they have a list of Democrats running in every district. (they cover every district doesn't mean every district is getting a challenge.

http://www.dccc.org/races/

by Liberal 2005-11-26 07:18PM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
The DCCC LIST IS INCOMPLETE there are actually only 77 unchallenged seats

Alabama 1-4 and 6
Arizona 2
CA 2,19,21,22,25,41,42,44
DE
FLA 7,10,12,14,15,18,25
GA 6,7,9-11
Indiana 5
Kansas 2 and4
LA 4-6
Michigan 3
MN 3
Missouri 7 and 8
Missippi 1 and 3
NC 5 and 6
NJ 4,11
NM 2
NY 3
Ohio 4,8,12
Oklahoma 1,3,4
Oregon 2
Pa 9
SC 1,2,4
TN 1,2,7
Texas 1,2,11,12,23.32
Utah 1,3
VA4,6,7,10
Washington 5
Wisconsin 6

by orin76 2005-11-28 06:11PM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
The DCCC did nothing to recruit these people they just got the names off of FEC filings
by orin76 2005-11-28 06:14PM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
I live in KY-3 and have been constantly following the race.  No names have stepped forward yet.  I would run but I'm not old enough yet.
by kydem 2005-11-27 06:46AM | 0 recs
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Re: The DCCC is doing a good job at getting
opps i missed Kentucky 3,4 and 5 Yeah Jack Conway decided not to run again
by orin76 2005-11-28 06:22PM | 0 recs
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Speaking of the DLC and their Third Way friends.
It just happens that Third Way is an alternate term for anal intercourse. (I figure I'll let you all run with this strange fact and figure out its symbolic uses and cartoon uses.) The DCCC has always been a weak organization compared to the RCCC LBJ had to save the party before the 1940 elections by stepping in and running the DCCC after some patrician Senator had screwed up the entire effort by being too gentlemenly to ask for contributions over a period of several years.  
by strrbr 2005-11-26 06:08PM | 0 recs
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DCCC
I'm pissed off with them as of late (NH-1 for example).
by kydem 2005-11-27 06:46AM | 0 recs

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