DFA

When Katrina hit, we all watched the Bush Administration celebrate McCain's birthday party, Condaleeza Rice shop for shoes in NYC, and, of course, New Orleans flood in a comlpetely avoidable disaster that happened as a direct result of Republican "Drown Government in a Bathtub" policy.

But what most people missed is that Mississippi got hard hit as well. Back then, one of my coworkers had grown up in Mississippi and her family is still in rural Mississippi. She didn't talk about Katrina much, but once I asked her and the devastation to her family, financially, emotionally and psychologically, had been enormous. And the insurance companies were dicking everyone around, refusing payouts if people had gotten a single cent of help from the government.

Americans died needlessly and the survivors are now being screwed by the same right wing extremist policies that let the disaster happen in the first place.

Democracy for America, one of the more effective progressive organizations around, is eyeing the election for Mississippi Insurance Commissioner to get someone on the ground in Mississippi who might actually HELP people rather than hurt them. From DFA:

The fight to bring health care to every American is not just a national issue. It is a local one too. Governors, state legislators, and insurance commissioners are taking the lead on health care, often making a difference when no one else will.

Recently, I wrote about how Bill Richardson, John Edwards and Barack Obama all participated in a Democracy for America (DFA) Q and A session where members ask the candidates questions and the candidates produce a You Tube video in response that is distributed to DFA members. This is, in essence, practically free advertising and a great chance to get your message out to a particularly active group of likely voters. I though Richardson, Edwards and Obama all did well, and if you go to my diary, I have the videos there for you to watch.

Hillary Clinton did not participate. I though this was both stupid and rude of her, particularly given the strong role DFA played in the 2006 elections. Some readers disagreed, suggesting she had no reason to participate. Well, before I cover the LATEST stupid and rude blow off by Clinton, I want to explain why her actions were stupid.

DFA boasts of a membership of well over half a million members. It is safe to say that most of these members are likely voters and, though some may be registered Green, or Working Families Party or Independent, most are Democrats. Of that half a million, about 50,000 are particularly active, organizing or participating in events, doing the footwork for candidates, and donating money...$2.6 million donated to candidates by the end of 2006. DFA's local affiliates cover 98% of America's Congressional districts. THIS is what Hillary Clinton chose to blow off.