Deadbeat Dems Betting Smart?

A whole lot of Dem members of Congress aren't ponying up dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Here's Roll Call's report (subscription only; linked at Daily Kos):

Democratic House Members anted up more than $11 million in dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2005, but there remain 21 Caucus members who have not contributed a dime in the 2006 cycle and 13 others who have given less than 10 percent of what the DCCC is seeking from them.

While the numbers suggest that Democrats are making progress toward compliance, they are still $20 million short of the $32.1 million they would reap if every member meets his or her obligations.

In other words, two-thirds of Congress-o-Dems aren't bothering to fund the party's next round of campaigns.

Kos points out that four of the miscreants are seeking higher office. They are: Sherrod Brown (owes $250K, has $2M war chest), Ted Strickland (owes $149 K, has $498K war chest), Harold Ford (owes $150K, has $1.7M war chest), and Ben Cardin (owes $150K, has $299K war chest). "See ya, and I'm taking my money with me, losers," they seem to say.

It's less than 10 months from the critical midterm elections, and the DNC can't even get money out of its own electeds. Take your pick: They're either betting smart, or they're Dems who are all for socialistic tax the rich to feed the poor programs -- unless, of course, they're the rich ones.