34.5 million vs. 5.5 million!?!?!?!?!?!?

[Max Cherry]

How in the world did this happen? Is this Dean's fault or are we just not raising enough money fast enough to keep up?!?! I'm very very upset!

[BR_Parkway]

4. We don't have an Ambrohoff

[Debi]

5. He's spending the money NOW instead of hoarding it to look good

in the press. If the D.C. elite are so pissed tell them to give more money to even up the CoH discrepancy!

[The Straight Story]

6. Hey max, a few tips (and I might have posted this had you not)

Include the source, even if it is sludge report. Not putting the source when it is obvious where it is from (many of us do check drudge and the site that shall not be named) and so it simply seems a coy attempt at slamming the deanster.

That said I had thought about posting the thread and asking people to debunk/debate it since we know, in general, when such stories hit some sites people will come here to see what we have to say and usually they get an education on the truth of it (or at very least a second opinion).

Welcome to DU.

[VADem11]

7. 50 state strategy

Most of the money has gone to reinvigorating the state parties for the 50 state strategy. Most of them are in crappy crappy shape and revitalizing them will help far more than an ad buy could. The repubs have better local parties and we need to catch up in order to win. We raised something like 51 million dollars last year which is a record for the dems in a non-election year. Plus, we spent millions in getting Corzine and Kaine elected. Calm down. The republicans have always outraised us and the other committees are doing fine. The DSCC for example is kicking the NRSC's ass.

[gratuitous]

8. Daily Kos has this up now

With a link to the original Roll Call story. Kos makes the following salient points:

Of the sources in the Roll Call story, the only ones identified by name support Dean and the work he's doing. The complaints are all registered anonymously. You think there might be a connection between someone's disaffection with Dean's raising money locally in the states and the bottom line of their own little DC fiefdom, which now might have to do some actual work to receive party funds? Kos certainly thinks so, and the fact that the carpers are anonymous, venting their little squirts of bile to the itching ears of the likes of Matt Drudge, supports this contention. Why not register a complaint and put your name on it? Because it would be too easy to expose the complainer's self interest.

Dean's strategy is to build a national party by building nationally, not just inside the Beltway. It's surely worked for the GOP, which has parlayed its minority status into ruling power by building locally and keeping the ground troops well-trained and disciplined. Former small-timers have risen with great rapidity by showing results locally: Where do you think the likes of Ralph Reed, Jack Abramoff and Karl Rove came from? Making hay in the minor leagues of state politics, and then getting their grimy mitts on the levers of real power, where their ruthlessly corrupt ways were even more successful. Democrats haven't been very kind to the hardest working people in their precincts and districts. It's easy to get discouraged when an activist contacts the national office for a little help and is told over and over again that the national party is keeping its powder dry for some unspecified struggle that might come down at a later date, so they don't have any money or starpower to spare on your piddly little election.

When that changes, the folks who have done so well under the old system are sure to squawk. Anonymously. To Drudge.

[WhiteTara]

9. welcome to Du and don't forget to donate

we are the party.

[tsuki]

10. what are you talking about?

[bryant69]

12. One can guess from the context it's the size of the parties respective

war chests.

But It could be more clearly worded, and it would be nice to have a source.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Max Cherry]

15. money in the bank.....

I've read a report saying we as a party only have $5,500,000 in the bank. The repubs have $34,500,000. Thats almost a $30 million dollar difference!

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Max can do math

How special.

[Stephanie]

33. Max is no more

RIP

[dogday]

34. I don't even pay attention to post without reference

I remember not too long ago reading Dean has raised more money for the party than anyone else so I am not in the mood for this poster's nonsense....

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. welcome to DU

I am assuming the figures you used in your title refer to money raised. My question is what the figures represent. Is the larger figure what has been raised by Democrats in the past versus what Dean has raised now? Or is it the amount of money the repukes have raised versus Dean? Please clarify. I am at work and don't have access to radio or TV.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. It comes right from the top of today's Drudge Report

Where else would such an asinine post come from?

[bostonbabs]

1. anyone with a brain would understand

the difference is all the money from Big Business...oil companies...media companies
Pharma etc.......payoffs for legislation. H-e-l-l-o.....???Bush is taxing corporations at a 7% rate....Clinton 27%........that's a whole lot of cash.......Their WAR CHEST is just that war money...People don't see this????..what a disgrace we are!

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Max Cherry]

21. Is my hunger that transparent.........

by the way...I'm a 'Pizza Hut' man if you're buying. :-)

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kentuck]

14. Yeah, but our dicks are bigger...

:) Money is not as important as message.

[wtbymark]

16. decieving to smear Dean

Dean is letting the local districts keep a lot of funds

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. It's interesting that a lot of new DUers have taken to bashing Dean.

Very interesting. Have fun on DU.

[ProfessorGAC]

22. This Is A Post Without A Point

The Professor

[alcibiades_mystery]

24. Oh, it has a point

Just no substance.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Rose Siding]

26. This might help you put things in perspective-

snip>
So, let's put all of this into context, shall we? The DC establishment Dem party bigwigs are peeved that Dean has been working hardest at state party/local fundraising -- you know, where it can actually do some serious good -- Because it cuts into their cocktail weenie events. And they are griping to the press about it, helping along the Mehlman fax machine journalism storyline, because it's about them and not the good of the party. Nice.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, state party chairs actually have cash in their coffers due to Dean's work which is not only new, its more effective. The story is not that Democrats have no money -- because, frankly, the DNC is still doing better this year than Terry McCaullife's presidential election fundraising numbers, according to Kos. The story really is how much better the state party establishment is doing.

And the fact that Dems have actually worked on state party strengthening, after years and years of neglect, is big news. When you add in fundraising number changes from state party work along with the DNC's increases, you get a much broader picture. But the WaPo fails to do this...again. But there is one thing they don't fail to do -- kiss Mehlman's ass.
....
Do they talk about the fact that Dean has been to all 50 states and done substantial party fundraising for state coffers? Or that state party chairs love Dean for doing this -- after years of being ignored by the beltway establishment? Oh sure -- they get a whole sentence. "The Democrats -- led by DNC Chairman Howard Dean -- spent considerable resources in 2005 on resuscitating state parties and now have operatives on the ground in all 50 states." Nothing like portraying the Democratic party as being on life support and in need of oxygen while the GOP is a well-oiled machine (Of course, no mention that's it's been built on a foundation of corruption or Abramoff and his ilk or anything. Nope.)

Oh, and a quote from Dean or someone else from the DNC? Nonexistent. But you knew that without even looking at the article, didn't you?

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_01_22_firedoglake_archive.html#113794207979880924

If that doesn't go right to the correct info (sometimes fdl links mess with me) you're looking for the post that's currently next to last on the linked page

Welcome to DU :hi:

[peacetalksforall]

3. This reminds me of a lesson learned from Repugs - many years ago they

targeted local politics and went after very important jobs that when combined with all others across the state or nation became important. They started finding and grooming people to fill as many civic jobs as possible. The transformaton of people from Democrats to Repbulicans did not come about solely on what was happening inside the beltway. These people had a voice whether a judge, lawyer, behind the desk manager, to school board member or leader- they had a voice. As to judges, they groomed and then they picked.

I see a parallel.

How do we get an honest vote? Locally and within the state.

Are you disgusted with your reps? How did they get there with the agenda and attitude they have?

The Republicans know the value of local. How do they steal votes. Inside the beltway they tell them how many to steal and what tricks to try - but the work is at the local level.

Thanks for your insight about the money. We need to keep learning because everything we were taught about our status as a citizen has become a lie under Republicans and enormous amounts of energy are going into trying to turn back the lies. We need for energy and greens. And Greens.

[SoCalDem]

31. That's why they have been so "successful"..local level is vital

republicans saw themselves out of power for a long time, and they were willing to wait, and build their power base slowly and carefully. Patience always pays off. No office was too small for them to pass on.. School boards, city councils, state govt.

They built a farm team and they have lots of pre-trained, well-indoctrinated people just waiting on the assembly line.

The dems have tended to focus on the "stars"..but not all stars burn brightly for a long time..some burn out fast..some never measure up..

republicans don't mind lurking in the shadows, hiding in the weeds..predators are like that..they wait and then strike when the time is right. their mascot should be a cobra/..not an elephant

[Max Cherry]

27. Thanks......

Thats good information. I guess I should have worded my question better, but I was just upset when I read that this morning.

[Rose Siding]

2. You're welcome. Here's some more good news-

Snip>
Dean has cut the RNC's traditional 3-1 advantage (or more) in fundraising to a 2-1 advantage and raised $11 million more than McAuliffe raised in 2003. Not to mention that Dean's numbers come the year after a presidential election -- the worst political fundraising time possible, while McAuliffe's came during the presidential cycle. Meanwhile, the RNC has remained static.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/11/14/125530/33

And the *best* news, imo, is that Dean isn't just fawning over fat cats with deep pockets, but is restructuring the party to localize control.

[Demit]

29. Thanks, Rose S. Yes, Dean is building up the farm teams, instead of doing

the front-office flashy stuff. If that was a sincere post by Max, perhaps he is less upset now that someone has furnished him with the (easily look-up-able) facts.

[no_more_rhyming]

28. Welcome to DU maxcherry

[lakeguy]

30. more propaganda to make dean look bad.

he is clearly out raising his predecessor but this crap is reported instead. does it ever end?

btw, how much of the rethug money came from big oil? with exxon alone rakin in 10 billion in three months, there is a TON of money to funnel right back to their pals so they can write the laws as they see fit.

[ComerPerro]

32. We can't fly around for free on Air Force One. And we don't have the pull

that Bush does, since slack-jawed yokels can pay and hear the president speak.

Plus, our base doesn't have the same resources as the GOP.

[JohnWxy]

35. Well, what do the Democrats have to offer to the Oil and Natural Gas

industry, the Pharmaceutical industry, the Coal industry, the wealthiest in our society? The republicans sell them the Government. Their tactics pay well!

[stepnw1f]

36. Corporate vs. Personal Donations

Does this surprise you. Welcome to the GOP, UNEQUAL Amewrica.

[Capn Sunshine]

37. This is old news, and Bullshit to boot

It's a rehash of that old cnard that came out last December planted by Dem beltway lobbyists upset with Dean's refusal to kiss corporate ass and take money without strings.

While Dean has actually outraised any DNC chair in history, and EVERY State in the union has a functioning DEM party with money, these lobbyist guys get no groove on from that; they want to write off lunch at Le Cirque.