"Obama/Organizing For America" volunteers "just saying no" to appeals for health care bill support

[Bluebear]

On Wednesday morning, Organizing for America, as Obama’s reconstituted campaign organization is now known, emailed its list of 13 million Obama supporters asking them to “call your senators now and help us ‘ring in reform.’”

The campaign yielded 150,000 calls – less than half the number of a similar effort in October – and it prompted a backlash among online and local activists who had logged countless volunteer supporting Obama’s campaign and legislative agenda, but who felt betrayed by recent Democratic concessions in the healthcare reform fight...

But there’s plenty of unhappiness. One leading OFA volunteer in Florida blasted an email to a statewide listserv urging activists to “just say no” to the phone-banking effort – uncorking a torrent of frustration from Florida Democrats – while some OFA subscribers replied directly to the call-to-action email with angry messages and others asked to be removed from the list entirely.

Still others said they would indeed call their senators – but would urge them to oppose the bill.

http://www.americablog.com/

[polichick]

1. People have been quitting the group for months - it's the ultimate insult...

...to keep screwing us over and then expecting us to keep pushing their bullshit policies. F them!

[Purveyor]

2. Not 15 minutes ago I requested that my name be removed from their email list.

I made it quite clear as to way I wanted for the list.

[dgibby]

3. I got that request.

Here's my reply:

Dear Mitch,

I'm a retired RN. As such, I know a DOA(dead on arrival) when I see one, and this has DNR written all over it.

There is no way I would ever support this miserable excuse for health care reform. It's not health, it's not care, and it's not reform. It's a nothing more than a give away to the health insurance/big pharma corporations.

Get back to me when you either drop the mandate and annual cap loophole, or add a public option. Better yet, let's just kill it and get medicare for everyone.

Oh, I almost forgot. I do not believe in war, so I don't want my taxes going to fund our current debacles in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm sure you'll be as accommodating to my wishes as you are to the Pro Lifers re: abortion funding.

By the way, you do know you're losing your base, right? Consider this: the NBC/WSJ poll shows the Tea Party movement has a better favorability rating that either the Democrats or Republicans. If this trend continues, you won't have a Democratic majority in Congress come 2010, but since you don't seem to be able to do anything with the one you have now, maybe it's just as well. It'll give you cover for why you can't get anything done.

In closing, the pronoun "you" is directed at the Obama administration, not you personally.

Also, from now on, my donations will only go to progressive candidates, be they Democrats or 3rd party.


(I didn't ask to have my name removed, because I'm going to respond to everyone of their requests like this. Maybe somebody in DC will wake up, though I doubt it.)

[Hello_Kitty]

4. The OFA office in Phoenix is, I shit you not, asking people to call McCain and Kyl

To get them to support cap and trade.

That is time well spent. Not.

[Bluebear]

6. Wow. nt

[budkin]

5. I responded to that email saying that I would not be helping unless real reform was on the table

[Bluebear]

7. good on ya.