The MDP is at it again! The plot thickens, folks.
I believe I've caught them lying about how it's "not possible" to join the MDP free online, instead of the paper form.
Here's the full story:
In what I believe is an effort to extract donations, (and according to Article 4 Section A of their own rules, requiring donations for membership is against their own rules and possibly illegal)... they have made it very difficult to obtain a free membership, originally denying the existence of free memberships and saying there was a 10$ minimum to join online.
When confronted, they said free membership is possible only by filling out the paper form (available here: http://www.michigandems.com/mdpmembershipform.pdf) and one must WRITE-IN "Free Membership" underneath "Grassroots Memberships" and "Other:"... and they wouldn't even admit this was possible until the rules were pointed out by yours truly.
I was assured by Ryan Covert, Director of Party Relations of the MDP, that anyone donating ANY amount using the "Join" link on their website (www.michigandems.com) before the deadline of April 21st who wants to become a member and participate in convention will be able to do so, as will people who go through the extra hassle of mailing the paper form.
However, to thicken the plot, I discovered the big "Volunteer" button on their front page. There is a form there that has all the required information for a membership (besides payment information) and there was a checkbox at the bottom that read "Yes, I want to automatically become a member of the Democratic Party". I got excited, was this an easy way for people to join online so they can participate in the May 21st conventions? I emailed Ryan about it. Here was the response:
"Okay, so this looks like an old page. I am not sure if that is archived online or what but it's not something that is accessible from our main page.
Don't encourage folks to use that as I have no idea where that data is going. "
This was DEFINITELY (and still is) accessible from the Main Page (the big "Volunteer" button). However, when I pointed out this was at one time at least intended to be a way to join the Party, and in particular the checkbox at the bottom, they claim it must be a mistake, it is IMPOSSIBLE to join free online, we dont know where the data goes?
The plot thickens still. Within an hour of this email exchange, the checkbox I referred to disappeared.
I know a little about website design, and I know that it is not difficult to put up a form for people to submit whatever info is needed. In fact, I proved they had a method for that set up. And if they did not know where the data for that form goes, why delete only the checkbox that implied the form entailed membership into the party? Why not delete the entire page if it is useless anyway? Next, why exactly is it so difficult to quickly set up a page for people to join free before the deadline (April 21st) with forms that can be accessed, and maximize new membership?
It's all about money.
I myself have donated 50$ in the last month, and everyone should help how they can. But it should NEVER be a requirement for participating. This is wrong.
If you also feel as I do, please let the Party know by calling the Director of Party Relations, Ryan Covert:
Ryan Covert
Director of Party Relations
Michigan Democratic Party
Cell: 586.907.0859 / Office: 517.371.5410 ext 223
[email protected]
We need to elect delegates that have been working hard for Bernie and will stand strong for him at the potentially open convention!
Submit your free applications (available at: http://www.michigandems.com/mdpmembershipform.pdf) by April 21st to 606 Townsend, Lansing, MI 48933, and vote for Charles Niswander for 6th CD male delegate and Kimberly Tregoning for 6th CD female delegate at the District 6 Democratic Convention in on May 21st in Paw Paw at the Knights of Columbus at 10 AM!
I believe I've caught them lying about how it's "not possible" to join the MDP free online, instead of the paper form.
Here's the full story:
In what I believe is an effort to extract donations, (and according to Article 4 Section A of their own rules, requiring donations for membership is against their own rules and possibly illegal)... they have made it very difficult to obtain a free membership, originally denying the existence of free memberships and saying there was a 10$ minimum to join online.
When confronted, they said free membership is possible only by filling out the paper form (available here: http://www.michigandems.com/mdpmembershipform.pdf) and one must WRITE-IN "Free Membership" underneath "Grassroots Memberships" and "Other:"... and they wouldn't even admit this was possible until the rules were pointed out by yours truly.
I was assured by Ryan Covert, Director of Party Relations of the MDP, that anyone donating ANY amount using the "Join" link on their website (www.michigandems.com) before the deadline of April 21st who wants to become a member and participate in convention will be able to do so, as will people who go through the extra hassle of mailing the paper form.
However, to thicken the plot, I discovered the big "Volunteer" button on their front page. There is a form there that has all the required information for a membership (besides payment information) and there was a checkbox at the bottom that read "Yes, I want to automatically become a member of the Democratic Party". I got excited, was this an easy way for people to join online so they can participate in the May 21st conventions? I emailed Ryan about it. Here was the response:
"Okay, so this looks like an old page. I am not sure if that is archived online or what but it's not something that is accessible from our main page.
Don't encourage folks to use that as I have no idea where that data is going. "
This was DEFINITELY (and still is) accessible from the Main Page (the big "Volunteer" button). However, when I pointed out this was at one time at least intended to be a way to join the Party, and in particular the checkbox at the bottom, they claim it must be a mistake, it is IMPOSSIBLE to join free online, we dont know where the data goes?
The plot thickens still. Within an hour of this email exchange, the checkbox I referred to disappeared.
I know a little about website design, and I know that it is not difficult to put up a form for people to submit whatever info is needed. In fact, I proved they had a method for that set up. And if they did not know where the data for that form goes, why delete only the checkbox that implied the form entailed membership into the party? Why not delete the entire page if it is useless anyway? Next, why exactly is it so difficult to quickly set up a page for people to join free before the deadline (April 21st) with forms that can be accessed, and maximize new membership?
It's all about money.
I myself have donated 50$ in the last month, and everyone should help how they can. But it should NEVER be a requirement for participating. This is wrong.
If you also feel as I do, please let the Party know by calling the Director of Party Relations, Ryan Covert:
Ryan Covert
Director of Party Relations
Michigan Democratic Party
Cell: 586.907.0859 / Office: 517.371.5410 ext 223
[email protected]
We need to elect delegates that have been working hard for Bernie and will stand strong for him at the potentially open convention!
Submit your free applications (available at: http://www.michigandems.com/mdpmembershipform.pdf) by April 21st to 606 Townsend, Lansing, MI 48933, and vote for Charles Niswander for 6th CD male delegate and Kimberly Tregoning for 6th CD female delegate at the District 6 Democratic Convention in on May 21st in Paw Paw at the Knights of Columbus at 10 AM!