Money

[fadedrose]

People talk about getting money out of politics, but actually more money is needed.

Progressives need to support candidates with small and numerous donations who do not receive funding from the 3rd Way (DLC, DNC). I used to support DFA (Dean's group) but since Howard came out strongly for HRC, I do not send money anymore.

Warren not running, and Sanders scares people who confuse socialism with communism, and 3rd Way blames progressives with being the cause of losses to republicans. What is the motivation for 3rd Way politicians to abandon democratic beliefs? Money, power, what?

Don't know much about Wall Street, but am wondering if the decline in stocks helps progressives when rich donors can't afford to stake "Democrats." It'd be nice if they could share our worries about high prices, threats of cuts to SS, low wages, crummy jobs, un-affordable health care deductibles, etc.

I wish we had a party reminiscent of our roots, and particularly, the Roosevelt's. Call it "New Deal, Part II," or something like that...

[Cosmic Kitten]

1. How does this apply to the Populist group?

You discounted the top two Populists in Congress
and are here advocating perpetuation of the status quo?

Why should Populist consider this?

[Jackpine Radical]

2. I found this comment interesting:

"Don't know much about Wall Street, but am wondering if the decline in stocks helps progressives when rich donors can't afford to stake "Democrats." It'd be nice if they could share our worries about high prices, threats of cuts to SS, low wages, crummy jobs, un-affordable health care deductibles, etc."

Not sure i agree with it, though. I could maybe see Wall St. responding to lowered stock prices by pouring MORE money into the Blue Dogs in order to get the (lack of) regulations that they want. Even in a bad year, the billions they contribute to political campaigns are minuscule in comparison to their total profits.

[sabrina 1]

3. We need less money in politics overall. But I understand the dilemma. Eg, it costs

an obscene 1 Billion Dollars to get to the WH, or did last time, now it will probably be even more.

Rather than join this abomination by saying we need 'more money', how about campaigning on the issue, educationg people on the corruption of our system by all this money flowing in to politics?

Maybe we could take one state and pour all of our small donations into all of its Progressive Candidates for Congress and all energy and effort to begin the process of changing Congress, which we know is going to take a long time.

One group did that in the midterms. They didn't just work on one state, but supported 16 Progressive candidates 11 of whom won. It is a new organization which will now try to expand those efforts in the next election.

They didn't have much money, but used other means of getting support for their candidates.

Because the truth is, we can't get the money OUT of Congress until we get those money has bought OUT and replace them with people who will work to end this 'Best Democracy Money Can Buy' system we are currently struggling under.