Everyone donating to Dem candidates now..

[GOPBasher]

This is only for people like me, the "Anybody But Bush" crowd. If there are Dems that you wouldn't support, this probably doesn't mean much to you. Anyway, for my fellow "Anybody But Bush" people, please just consider this.

Dems -- specifically, Dean, Kerry, Clark and Edwards -- have been raising so much money right now in the primary. This money is not going to fight against the gazillion-dollar right wing propaganda machine; it's going towards campainging against other Dems! Since we are ALWAYS at a money disadvantage anyway, why don't we consider saving more now, during the primary, and then donating as much as possible to the eventual nominee. That's what I'm doing.

My only donation this year has been a $100 gift to the DNC. I'm not giving any money to any candidate right now, because I'm saving as much as I can, and then I'll be able to give $500 - $1000 to the eventual nominee. Money now goes for Dems fighting Dems; money after we have a nominee goes toward fighting the real bad guys. And remember, we NEVER have close to as much money as they do anyway, so we've got to be as smart as possible.

[justinb3]

1. $$ for candidates

I'm metering out $2k since last spring for the candidate of my choice through the end of the year (the first time I've ever donated to a campaign, let alone a primary).

I'm also plannin on giving $2k once the nominee is decided, assuming it's not someone that will make me retch. I'll still vote for them (barring the unforseen), but I probably won't go the whole $2k stretch.

-justinb

[GOPBasher]

2. Well that's good.

Okay, in your case, you're giving the max in each case (or probably the max in the general election). Since I can't afford to do that, I'm giving as much as I can in the general election. But what you're doing is the best of both worlds. :)

[Nazgul35]

9. actually....

i've been pushing the DNC funding sites for over two months now (see my sig below)...I am currently giving $20 a month to the ePatriot fund and if just 1,249,999 more people did the same thing, we'd have $200 million for the eventual Dem nominee in the spring...

I am also giving to my candidate and to date, he has gotten $200 from me over two quarters...he'll probably get $100 more from me in the next....cause he needs the cash now...as Bush is going to use his money as soon as a front runner emerges...

[madison]

3. I don't agree with GOPBasher.

I don't agree with GOPBasher.

The money we are donating now will go to enabling our candidates to get known, and to get their message out.

Yes, this is a primary race and only one of the candidates will be the eventual nominee.

But there is more to our donations than just enabling Democrats to fight with one another. Our donations also send a signal to the voters out there who have less interest in politics than we do that Something Big is happening in Democratic-Land - we are supporting our candidates in unprecedented numbers. A real grassroots primary season is happening.

Many Republicans and Independents who are disenchanted with Bush are switching to vote for a Democrat this time around. That is happening only because the phenomenal money we have raised has caught the attention of the media and the public.

The money we contribute now is giving credibility to our candidates' campaigns - and it is serving as a wake-up call to Bush and his minions that we're mad as hell and we're going to do something about it.

[GOPBasher]

5. You make good points.

I really didn't think of it that way. But at the same time, I still hope we can raise tons of money in the general election.

[Ediacara]

4. I give what I can

which so far has been $85. Come next year I will give more, again probably only around $100, but hey, I want Dean as the nominee, and a $15M bat sure as hell gets him closer to that point!

DISCLAIMER: I am ABB, but I have my preferences :-)

[sandnsea]

6. I do both

More to my candidate than the DNC, but I do both. And the ACLU. To me, the ACLU is there 'if all else fails'. Important to support them.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

7. So you're asking us to withhold contributions?

Stupid, imo.

When the nominee is decided, there'll be 10 funding sources turned into 1. The Dems combined have raised MORE cash than Chimp so far.

My advice: Give as much as you can afford to the candidate of your choice. There's no do-overs. Get your guy/gal nominated. That's how the primaries work.

[WhereIsMyFreedom]

8. For those of us who haven't made up our minds yet

I saving most of what I'll donate until after the nomination. I've given a little already, but I think my meager donations will do more good if it isn't divided 5 ways.

[w4rma]

10. On Dean. He's not just raising money, he's building a fundraising machine

I think he might be able to build on his ~$15 million this Quarter and out fundraise himself next quarter (Q4). Because of his fund raising method, he has the potential to raise even more each successive quarter. He uses the money from the previous quarter to add to his fundraising capabilities in the next quarter and the next quarter. Exponentially.

No, we should donate to candidates, now, so that these candidate have the funds for ads to convince others to donate, to get more funds to convince more people to donate, etc. etc.