Bush vs. Dean vs. Kerry vs. Clark -- Follow the Money

[stickdog]

From: http://www.opensecrets.org/

All figures are in millions.

Total Money Raised in Individual Contributions:

$82.40 - Bush
$25.57 - Dean
$17.66 - Kerry
*$3.48 - Clark

Total Money Raised By $2,000 (already maxed) Contributors:

$59.58 (72.3%) - Bush
*$8.74 (49.5%) - Kerry
*$3.16 (12.4%) - Dean
*$1.04 (29.9%) - Clark

Total Money Raised By Under $200 (in total) Contributors:

$12.84 (50.6%) - Dean
*$9.53 (11.6%) - Bush
*$2.83 (16.0%) - Kerry
*$1.17 (33.6%) - Clark

Note that less than 13% of Dean's total contributions came from $2,000 donors and over 50% of Dean's total contributions came from donors who have so far contributed less than $200 in total to his campaign!

Dean's campaign is simply the most democratizing force to hit Presidential campaign financing in US history. No wonder DC insiders and fatcats are pulling out every stop imaginable just to try to slow down the lean, mean Dean machine.

[Demobrat]

1. I tell people who don't have any money to spare

to kick in $5 anyway, just to keep the body count up and the average donation down. Looks like it's working!

[Justice]

2. Skewing the Numbers?

So is that what is going on....

[Pastiche423]

4. How is that skewing the numbers?

Not everyone can give "average amounts".

Like me.

[w13rd0]

5. I've never given to a political campaign (though I have to causes)...

...but now I have, and eveyone who contibutes is PERSONALLY invested...that's what we need to take our country back, our democracy back. A personal investment of time and money coming from thousands of voters concerned about the issues well enough to seek a little more information, and speaking out a little more often.

The Dean campaign has been such a refreshing contrast from the Bush model of "business/politics as usual", wherein a small group of large contributors hold the strings, write the policies, approve the speeches. We're answering trickle-down policies with push-up dynamics...and it's exciting to see it working.

[Demobrat]

7. Yep. That's it.

Blatant and deliberate manipulation.

[dsc]

12. So now poor people shouldn't be allowed to give to campaigns

is that really what you mean to say?

[dofus]

3. At the Dean meetups,

nearly everyone there says "This is the first time I've ever given to a political campaign." And often they fret because they really can't afford to give much, maybe $20 a month. The idea of being able to give a total of $2,000, let alone that amount in each cycle, is quite alien to them.

And every single one of those people is a voter.

[denverbill]

6. That's me all over.

In my entire life (45 years) never donated until I gave $40 to Bill Bradley in 2000. This year I've already given Dean $250.

I think it's reading about Bush's $200 million and realizing that the only way to beat the rich asshole's is if all of us little guys pull together.

If 25 million Americans gave Dean $10, we'd kick Bush's sorry ass back to Texas, or more likely, back to Kennebunkport.

[Demobrat]

8. Reading about it, and seeing it working.

It really is working. And it really didn't hurt very much. I've given about as much as you so far, and this is what I get back? A hope of a president paid for by me and not big corporations. Heck, that feeling is like a drug. I just want to keep doing it!

[Hep]

9. it all adds up

I've spent all of my $250 limit in terms of personal campaign funds (which is the most you can spend in terms of buying items that YOU use to campaign- flyers, pens, bumper stickers)

And I've given about 200 in contributions.

[stickdog]

10. To me, 2-4 million dedicated and active citizens volunteering a few hours

a month and giving $40 to $100 total to the candidate of their choice completely redefines the meaning of campaign finance reform.

If each current Dean supporter can just somehow manage to get 8 more Dean supporters involved in the next year, Bush won't have a prayer.

[Malikshah]

11. Can I hear an empowerment!

C'mon y'all--

*in the voice of Jacque the mouse from Cinderella*

we can do it
we can do it...

[dsc]

13. That is 62,400 people

if the average is $200 a piece. It is 124,800 if it is $100 a piece. And if it is $50 a piece, which is pretty likely since his total average is in the high $60's it is an astounding 249,600 people. That is literally amazing.