Some good news...

[whometense]

And god knows, we could all use some about now.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/7951.html

Democracy Alliance and a long overdue infusion of cash
Posted 1:19 pm | Printer Friendly

The WaPo had an interesting front-page item today on an alliance of very wealthy Democrats who are investing heavily in the party's infrastructure right now. There's some concern about secrecy and the investments, but overall, I'd say it's about time.

An alliance of nearly a hundred of the nation's wealthiest donors is roiling Democratic political circles, directing more than $50 million in the past nine months to liberal think tanks and advocacy groups in what organizers say is the first installment of a long-term campaign to compete more aggressively against conservatives.

A year after its founding, Democracy Alliance has followed up on its pledge to become a major power in the liberal movement. It has lavished millions on groups that have been willing to submit to its extensive screening process and its demands for secrecy.

These include the Center for American Progress, a think tank with an unabashed partisan edge, as well as Media Matters for America, which tracks what it sees as conservative bias in the news media. Several alliance donors are negotiating a major investment in Air America, a liberal talk-radio network.

There are Dems cited in the article who expressed "unease" about anonymous millionaires with undisclosed influence financing a progressive cause. I like transparency as much as the next guy, but isn't it far more important that these investments happen, and less important to know the identity of the donors right now? For years, the right has enjoyed infrastructure investments from the Scaife and Olin foundations. The Democracy Alliance is finally taking steps to help the left catch up — a little, after a 25-year conservative head start. If that means keeping the donor list under wraps, so be it.

What's more, readers may be pleased to know that when the Democracy Alliance is making funding decisions, the DLC wing of the party is being left behind....

[Blaukraut]

1. Overall it is good news, but..

It still shows that our democracy is broken. The right has used big money to fund think tanks, and thereby effectively shutting out the left for a long time. Finally, there is a coherent movement on OUR side to fund liberal think tanks and thereby influence politics and public opinion.
But the question remains; when will the rest of us who aren't millionaires get a voice in the process? As usual, policy and infrastructure is shaped by the moneyed interests, no matter which side they belong to.
Still, I'll take it for now :-)

[TayTay]

3. We have to play the hands that's dealt us

This is the world we live in right now, we have to play in this world. These money people are scared that the current imbalance between rich and poor is very destablizing to a democracy. They understand that the lowest rungs of the economic ladder can uset everything above it. They are taking the long term steps to find a balance again in America.

There are a lot of reasons to be scared right now. We have to build a long term infrastructure that nurtures progressives. Right now, it is a financial hardship for a lot of the 'bright, young, talented' things to get involved in Dem internships and such. We need a way to get and keep talent without making these people live poverty-stricken existences.

[Blaukraut]

4. I know, Tay

That's why I said I'll take it. Maybe someday, things will equal out again, and if it happens by the hands of the wealthy liberals, so be it :-)

[ProSense]

2. Excellent!

That part about unease is interesting. I can understand that, but the comment about the GOP enjoying such infrastructure investments for years neglects to mention a key fact: part of the infrastructure the anonymous GOP billionaires have invested in is the American media. Since I have to dig to find out who owns our so-called free press, I can absolutely live with wealthy individuals supporting progressive causes.