The Obama Model

[babylonsister]

The Obama Model
If you are trying to get large numbers of ordinary Americans to give money, they have to believe in the cause.

by William Schneider
Sat. Jun 14, 2008


Barack Obama has conquered the Democratic Party. Now he intends to transform it.

"Part of what this campaign has been about is changing how our politics is done," he said last week in Michigan. He does not take money from registered federal lobbyists or from political action committees. Now he's insisting that the Democratic Party follow the same rules.

Obama said in Virginia, "As the Democratic nominee for president, I am announcing that, going forward, the Democratic National Committee will uphold the same standard. We will not take a dime from Washington lobbyists or special-interest PACs.... They will not fund my party, they will not run our White House, and they will not drown out the voice of the American people when I am president of the United States of America."

The change is not likely to have a major financial impact on the party. According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, the lobbying industry has not been a major financial contributor to the DNC since at least 1999, when record-keeping began. In the past five campaign cycles, lobbying has not ranked among the top 20 industries that have donated to the committee. The center's executive director, Sheila Krumholz, notes, "PACs made up less than 10 percent of DNC contributions in 2004. And most of that money comes from labor unions, who will take the money and spend it on '527' activities," that is, on independent expenditures and groups. "So it's still going to be spent," she added. "It just won't go through the party."

Nevertheless, Obama's move is politically significant for another reason. He is trying to institutionalize a new model of political fundraising. The old model was fat-cat fundraising: a small number of large contributions from rich people and special interests. The traditional alternative--public financing--has never gotten very far. It's too easy to defeat. All you have to do is ask voters, "Do you want your hard-earned tax money used to pay for those hateful political ads?" Only about 10 percent of taxpayers check off the box designating $3 of their tax payment for the presidential campaign.

more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njmagazine/pl_20080614_3065.php

[Honeycombe8]

1. Well, actually, Howard Dean did this first. It is Dean's model that Obama picked up (wisely). nt

[babylonsister]

3. Yes, Dean is mentioned in the article...

The Internet has certainly made it easier for voters to give money to presidential campaigns. Howard Dean discovered the power of the Net when he ran for president in 2004. But something else is necessary to draw large numbers of $25 and $50 contributions over the Internet: passion. Obama is leading something more than a campaign. He is leading a movement. A campaign is a coalition of interests trying to get someone elected. A movement is a cause. If you are trying to get large numbers of ordinary Americans to give money, they have to believe in the cause.

[wvbygod]

2. Will Obama get the DSCC, DCCC and other holdouts to drop the lobbyist and PAC cash?

It would be wholesome to be able to honestly say the party of Democrats does not take
questionable money. I have found honesty to be the real winner in the end.

[babylonsister]

4. I don't know; they might be embarrassed into it. nt