Dean To Propose $250 Contribution Limit (Breaking News?)

[KittyWampus]

Note: As Spock would say on Star Trek "Fascinating".

Dean to Propose $250 Contribution Limit
Wed Jan 21, 3:00 PM ET

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

MANCHESTER, N.H. - Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean wants to lower the limit of individual campaign contributions from $2,000 to $250, part of a new focus on policy ideas aimed at rescuing his battered candidacy. Advisers to Dean said he would announce the proposal on Thursday before a candidate debate in the hotly contested Democratic primary.

Dean is trying to recoup his loss in Iowa with a win in New Hampshire on Tuesday, although tracking polls show he's losing ground to his rivals. The former Vermont governor has been trying to paint his foes as Washington insiders beholden to special interests.

Dean, who opted out of the public financing system for the race, said special interests have bought both parties and that Washington lawmakers look after big donors instead of ordinary people. The average donation to Dean's campaign is less than $100.

snip

"One of the reasons they don't stand up for what's right is because they're always looking at who contributed money to their campaign and figuring out whether they're going to be angry or not," he said during a speech at his New Hampshire campaign headquarters. "So if we want people to stand up for what's right, we have to have real campaign finance reform."


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=2043&e=15&u=/ap/20040121/ap_on_el_pr/dean

[LuminousX]

1. It's interesting but a lot like trying to fix a flat while driving the car

[blm]

2. Aren't they giving 50-100 per month?

From what I've gleaned here at DU.

[LuminousX]

6. The average is probably like me, giving $10 a month

[blm]

23. There were lots of posts here, IIRC,

with people saying they were sending another 50 or 100 all the time.

Hmmmm....maybe those were campaign people stirring up the board.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. That's an excellent idea

Who can afford to give $2,000 to a political campaign? Who can organize 50 rich people who will bundle $2,000 each? Who can get all their employees to pony up to Bush? Not me, and not anyone I know.

This is a great idea. Dean should propose equal access to the public airwaves for all candidates as well.

We also have to find a way to keep wealthy cranks from financing their own campaigns.

[spooky3]

7. But Bush has already collected tons of $

Whatever Dem is nominated needs to be able to collect as much as he can under the current law, to have any chance in the general election.

I do like your equal access to airwaves proposal. For months I have been sick, sick, sick, of seeing * and hearing all the pundits praise what he's said, with nary an opposing Dem view to be heard or seen.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

10. well it's not going to go into effect until it's passed by Congress anyway

It's an proposal that plays to Dean strengths. Good idea politically, and it's a good idea to promote in general.

[bearfartinthewoods]

12. she bear and i saved for a year to get 2000.00

no meals out or movies or new clothes or new anything, actually.

[Renew Deal]

4. Dean is making a play for McCain voters

He is taking a shot at the campaign finance crowd.

[hellhathnofury]

11. Excuse me.

Anybody seriously interested in campaign finance reform would already be with Dean or at least be strongly considering him.

Our average contribution is less than $100.

This is about returning government to the average American.

[KittyWampus]

5. Excellent Idea Though Curious Coming From Dean Now.

Campaign Finance Reform- the Holy Grail of politics.

[Jerseycoa]

8. I don't think it's an excellent idea

$250 total for a year? I'm not getting why this is good. Can anyone enlighten me?

[hellhathnofury]

13. Good for America, good for Dean.

Bad for everyone else who enjoys the wonders of $2000 checks.

We're never going to outraise Bush with these rules, so we shouldn't try to be Bush-lite in our fundraising.

[sangha]

9. Good message

Wrong messenger. Dean opted out of campaign limits.

[hellhathnofury]

14. And has an average donation of less than $100.

What's Kerry's average? Clark's?

[bicentennial_baby]

15. Let's see..

Take the current fundraiser as an example, with a current total of $1,519,890.00 divided by 12,815 donors, and we get an average donation of $118.60.

[KittyWampus]

16. Clark's Average WAS One Of The Lowest

[hellhathnofury]

18. And Kerry's?

[andym]

17. History: Jerry Brown 1992=$100 limit

For those of you who remember, one of the cornerstones of Jerry Brown's 1992 Presidential bid, known as the "We the People" campaign was a $100 limit for any one contributor. He would not accept more.

I think it was a brave stand, but he had the misfortune of going up against a "natural", Bill Clinton.

Trippi and Dean are taking one from Brown's playbook.

[andym]

19. Brown was creative, too bad he was painted as flaky

BTW,
Jerry Brown was one of the most creative of all Democratic politicians before he became an independent and Mayor of Oakland.

His career as a major politician was over early because he was painted as "Governor Moonbeam", ie flaky early in his career. Too bad becuase he was/is very dynamic. The media and the American public trivialized him before he really reached his potential.

[carpetbagger]

20. He was flaky.

I know someone who personally knew him. Way flaky.

I'd take him any day over that robot guy (did he balance the budget yet?), but this was one time the media was right.

[andym]

21. Re:He was flaky

Too bad, he seems like an interesting fellow. I bet he would have done well this election cycle with his ideas, his idealism and his passion.
He sure could get worked up on the campaign trail. I'm pretty sure he would have come out against the war as well.

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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[Julien Sorel]

24. Utterly meaningless gesture.

No one buys anything with a $2,000 contribution. This is just Dean with his usual 'Washington insiders' nonsense. He just got a vicious slap in the face because all he did was campaign on negativity, and he goes right back to do more of the same. If this is all he has, he really is done for, and good riddance.