Democrats Close Financial Gap with Republicans, Led by Senators

[NYCGirl]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=ar6wZ4gZuYr4

Democrats, seeking to regain control of the U.S. Congress this November, are narrowing their fund- raising gap with the Republicans.

Democratic Party election committees raised $143 million in 2005, up from $128 million four years earlier, led by a record amount collected by the Senate campaign organization. Republican committees raised $206 million, down from $234 million in 2001, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

—snipped—

``It will give the Democrats a boost, even psychological,'' said Herbert Alexander, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a campaign-finance specialist. ``It's always nice to have money and it's always nice to be able to spend it in meaningful ways that will help the party win seats.''

—snipped—

Dean doubled the Democrats' donations from small contributors, those who gave less than $200. The party reported taking in $32 million from small donors, compared with $16 million in 2001. The Republican National Committee raised $55 million in small donations, up from $40 million four years earlier.

[mdmc]

1. go Dems!

:kick:
peace and low stress!

[NYCGirl]

4. Thank you for kicking this. It's seldom that good news about Democrats

gets any attention here at all.

[mdmc]

5. what is the deal-i-o with your sig?

:kick:

[NYCGirl]

8. It's a real pic — not photoshopped that Tipper took of Al when he

was dressed for a Halloween party.

Al Gore talks about it here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-29385328971143264&q=al+gore

[mdmc]

9. thanks for the info and link

Gore 2008!

[calimary]

2. See the paragraph there about "...Dean doubled the Democrats' donations"?

For those who say Howard Dean hasn't done anything to help our party...

...put your money where your mouth is. (Some guy named Carl Sheeler in Rhode Island could use a few bucks... See my sig line.)

[TankLV]

3. Yes! I'd like to hear from all our house "Dean Bashers/Repuke Moles"

on this.

I doubt they'll show up.

[gulliver]

6. We'll never "match" the Republicans.

The campaign contributions are only the tip of the iceberg for the GOP. For the Democrats they are the iceberg. The GOP has a whole political economy tied into corporate treasuries and the checking accounts of the wealth. They steer contracts, put people in as "lobbyists", provide revolving door jobs for their public officials... The campaign contributions themselves are a pittance.

If you are a Republican public official, aide, think tanker, whatever, you can look forward to making some serious green. Democrats have nothing to match the corrupt black payroll that the Republicans have cultivated.

[ljm2002]

7. Double the donations from small contributors!

That is exactly the strategy we need to run with.

That is how we get back to our populist roots: appeal to the base, and get donations directly. Harness the power of numbers, make it work for us, and undercut the power of corporate lobbyists and their Mighty Wurlitzer.

Go Dean!

And for the Democratic Party as a whole: please, please remember your roots this time. Harness the power of populism and use it for a change -- don't cede it to the rabid rabble rousers of rightwing radio. Their version of populism is the xenophobic, misguided sort defined by faux values that divide us around issues like immigration, abortion and gay rights; whereas ours is the real values based populism that cares about the common good, and taking care of those most vulnerable among us.

[blm]

10. And MSM been lying about Dean's fundraising. Wonder who the Dems

are pushing that pile of horseshit. Actually, I'm pretty sure I know who they are - they're the "chosen" Dem punditry class.