Donations Pooled Online Are Getting Candidates' Attention

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Donations Pooled Online Are Getting Candidates' Attention
By Matthew Mosk
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, March 11, 2007; A07

In a political fundraising world traditionally dominated by lobbyists and wealthy business executives, small-dollar donor Hrishi Karthikeyan found a way to make his own splash, right from his desk.

With tools offered free on Barack Obama's Internet site, Karthikeyan, 28, created his own "South Asians for Obama" Web portal to gather money from friends who were inspired to support his favorite candidate. Within days, he was able to forward to Obama's presidential campaign $1,600 -- more than he ever planned to give on his own -- in bundled contributions from those who saw the targeted site.

"I started hearing from people I never met," he said in wonderment.

Karthikeyan is part of a movement that political strategists hope will transform Internet fundraising from a spigot, capable of providing candidates quick spurts of cash here and there, into an around-the-clock supplier of major dollars.

Doug Kelly, a consultant who served as the Democratic National Committee's technology director, said he believes that by November 2008, "the Internet will be the single largest source of revenue for most presidential campaigns -- far outdoing direct mail and other sources."

The growth in online fundraising has been dramatic since 1994, when candidates' Web sites offered only a mailing address where visitors could send checks....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/10/AR2007031001185_pf.html

[draft_mario_cuomo]

1. Good

Anything that shifts the balance of power more toward average Americans and away from big corporations and the wealthy is a wonderful development.