Ain't no other way around it...MONEY TALKS...and how can WE Compete?

[KoKo]

We can and SHOULD raise money here on the "Internets" (as Bush calls us) but in the end...don't the "Abramoff's and Cunningham's" waiting out there speak louder than our "postage stamp thousands?"

If the Abramoff's and Cunninghams DO speak louder...(and let's throw in Tom DeLay and his Repug sychophants and a few in the Dem Party, too) THEN...what does this mean for US going FORWARD?

:shrug:

[NoodleBoy]

1. advocate clean (publicly funded) elections for every level of government

in every campaign.

Not only is it good for government free of special interest money, it's a surefire votegetter that hardcore Repbulican won't touch with a ten-foot-pole. Why not? The answer's easy: they loves them their special interest money.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Elections

[TreasonousBastard]

2. We can't. Even Democratic...

big money donors are often enough looking for something not necessarily in all of our best interests.

I'm not sure what we can do besides hoping for the highly unlikely election reform that means no campaign donations at all. The best we can do now is donate to our own lobbying organizations and try to support candidates that will listen to them.

[KoKo]

4. That's what worries me...without the BIG GUNS..even our "internet coins

and small paper" pales before the BIG MONEY....:-(

If only we could give the way Tom DeLay's Machine gave....but the deck is stacked against us.

Doesn't mean we should quit ...but OMG, would I like to see real LEGISLATION that would allow us "piggy bankers" to compete with the "Big Bucks" thosand a tablers.......:shrug: I sure would like to see that in my lifetime...where the "little folks" can compete.....

[NoodleBoy]

7. yes, you can see it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x582529#582627

[AndyTiedye]

3. They Own the Networks, the Newspapers, the Churches, The Voting Machinez

As we saw in 2004, even the biggest fundraising effort in
history (i.e. Kerry 2004) is pocket change in comparison to
the billions they have at their disposal.

They can blanket the airwaves because they OWN the airwaves.
Even our tiny AAR is being systematically run off the air
by buyouts, one station at a time.

Every major newspaper does their bidding.
Some throw us a bone now and then (only in their online edition
so as not to alienate the freepers who read the print version),
but they always come through for the regime when it counts.

Even bones are too much to hope for from cable news, their sole
function is to rally the freepers behind the regime.

The role of the right-wing churches is enormous in some areas,
and the addition of the Catholic church to those actively working
for the Republicans has greatly added to our woes.

We need to pry this monsterous coalition apart.

Surely the Abramoff scandal should help some in this regard.
He was USING the Fundies to benefit his casino clients. I should think
that some of the "religious right" would be a bit upset about that.
The Abramoff scandal is the gift that keeps on giving because so many
of the big Pubs are involved in it, including the biggest one of all.
We've got pictures.

The wealthy Republicans who generally support Republicans out of habit
may find the activities of the NSA to be a bit disturbing. Those whose
competitors seem to be a bit too well-informed about their activities
might start to wonder, especially if that competitor happens to be a
Bush** "Pioneer".

Surely the good old boys who admired the image of Cheney the hunter
may not be so admiring now, between his brazen carelessness and refusal
to accept responsibility, and the "canned hunt" he was engaged in.

Those who flock to Bush** because of national security ought to find
the whole Valerie Plame affair most disquieting. Whose side are these
guys on?

I think that accounts for ALL of the real, breathing American citizens
who might consider voting for Bush** or someone like him.
Now we have to work on

[Random_Australian]

5. whoah andytiende looks

like you were just waiting for the opportunity to post something like that.
Good points though.

[AndyTiedye]

6. actually it just sort of grew