The real money in politics

By Richard K. Barry

It's way too easy to bullshit the American people

The Daily Kos noted today that "Democratic House and Senate campaign committees each out-raised their Republican counterparts," which, they write, is "a surprising theme of this cycle." 

A big reason is the Dems' list-size advantage, built up over years of investment in Internet fundraising and cemented by the state-of-the-art Obama reelection campaign. Republicans do fine with big donors, but Democrats have a crushing advantage in donations under $200, where online fundraising has proven to be a goldmine. Besides better lists, Dems benefit from "learned behavior": Their supporters are used to giving online.

While I would never claim that Democrats dislike hitting up big donors, it's also heartening to think that the relatively more progressive party is able to appeal more successfully to smaller donors.

My favourite part of the Daily Kos story, however,  had to do with various Republican appeals for funds, as they note this one from former GOP White House flack Ari Fleisher:

[There] is little doubt that the Senate is within reach for Republicans, but they must have the resources to effectively compete against the Obama fundraising machine. Your donation and grassroots support can shape the 2014 election in a way that the Democrat's Hollywood money cannot. Please donate $100, $50, $25 or whatever you can today. ... Thanks, Ari.

Yes. The real money, the important money, in politics comes from Hollywood, not Wall Street board rooms, not the Koch brother coffers, not the oil fields of Texas. 

The Republican Party has always been about the little people. Brings a tear to my eye.