Ooh, I feel sooooooo special!

I’m still chuckling from the sight of my mail on Friday.

In addition to something from AT&T, I got a letter from the Democratic National Committee, along with a survey I’m supposed to fill out that is supposed to aid President Barack Obama and party leaders in Congress to figure out what their policies should be through the end of 2016.

AT WHICH POINT, we’ll have a new president whom I’m sure could care less what Obama thinks about anything – regardless of what political party they’re from.

Do we really have political leaders who have no sense of self that they need to be told what to think? That doesn’t say much for their sense of self; particularly since I believe government officials ultimately ought to do what they believe is right.

If that action winds up costing them re-election in the future, then so be it. You can’t please everybody, and I don’t trust someone with no sense of what they believe.

But should I be honored that, according to a letter signed by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., I am one of a “select group of party leaders from around the nation” whose opinion is being sought?

THEN AGAIN, LET’S be real. The survey with 15 questions and some space for comments has a conclusion that brings to view the real purpose of this survey – a solicitation for campaign contributions.

For as little as $25, I can become a member of the Democratic National Committee, although a little asterisk tells me that the preferred donation is $35 or more. Perhaps in excess of $100.

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: My ideas, or my $

Does this mean that my opinion only counts if I’m willing to cough up my checkbook, or provide access to a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card?

Yes, I am inherently cheap. I reluctantly spend money. I’m still recovering from the several hundred dollars I shelled out this week to purchase a new laptop computer – my old one frizzled out after having its keyboard hit with one of the most devastating substances known to computer equipment.

COCA COLA!!! AS in the real thing, and not one of the non-caffeine, non-caloried alternatives.

OBAMA: Does he really want my thoughts?

So since I’m not willing to make out a check to the party (I may be politically interested, but that doesn’t extend to donating money to candidates. Which isn’t an act of political speech, no matter what the conservative ideologues think – although that’s a topic for another day), my guess is that the party won’t be terribly interested in having me fill out their survey.

Although to tell you the truth, anybody who has ever read this weblog would already know what I think of many of the issues they’re trying to bring up.

I’d say “yes” to whether I agree with Obama’s plan to use executive action on issues ignored by Republicans, such as immigration reform. It may be political hardball by the president, but the GOP is playing its own hardball. It’s nice to see Obama try to address an issue whose resolution really is long-overdue.

I’M ACTUALLY “UNDECICED” about increasing the federal minimum wage (because it’s likely Illinois will remain better than the national average) because I could see how someone forced to live at the minimum wage is going to be struggling, no matter how much they’re paid.

As for whether Republicans/Tea Party types will consider cooperating with Obama during the next two years, or continue with political obstruction, I’d have to mark the option saying the GOP will “escalate their obstruction efforts.” Then again, I can see how such a question is worded in a way that would make people think the Democrats aren’t exactly interested in bipartisan cooperation.

EMANUEL: Nation following our lead on higher ed?

Those are just a few of the points Dems want us to think about in their survey. Although I have to admit to finding some humor in the question about whether I support the Obama initiative encouraging community college education for all who are interested.

That’s so similar to what Mayor Rahm Emanuel has offered in Chicago (free tuition to any Chicago Public School graduate with a “B” average or better) that I wonder how long it will be before Rahm takes credit and accuses the president of ripping off his idea for the nation.

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