We have to replace the money that the NRA uses to support candidates

[ehrnst]

It's not just that they won't give money to a candidate who supports sensible gun safety laws, the NRA will pour money into a candidate that will challenge them.

We have to have resources to fight theirs, because they have Russia behind them now.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/19/technology/russian-bots-school-shooting.html

If you haven't donated to a Democratic candidate, and you can, do it.

It's going to take a whole lot more than small, individual donations, but every bit helps.

[Exotica]

1. The 3 Richest Americans Hold More Wealth Than Bottom 50% Of The Country

https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2017/11/09/the-3-richest-americans-hold-more-wealth-than-bottom-50-of-country-study-finds/#6fcc7d193cf8

Most dramatically, it found that the country’s three richest individuals—Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos—collectively hold more wealth than the bottom 50% of the domestic population, “a total of 160 million people or 63 million American households.” Roughly a fifth of Americans “have zero or negative net worth,” the authors wrote.

Bezos, Gates and Buffett held a combined fortune of $248.5 billion in mid-September, when numbers were locked in for the 2017 Forbes 400 list. Since then that figure has risen to an estimated $263 billion, thanks largely to Bezos, whose worth has jumped more than $13 billion as the result of a surge in Amazon’s share price.


snip

I think they now have over 280 billion

and that doesn't even count the 150 to 200 billion usd they have in foundations

surely, with close to half a TRILLION dollars

and a huge deep and talented Hollywood pool or world class artists/actors/directors/marketing geniuses (who HATE the NRA)

they could bankroll a steamroller of a multi-media holistic campaign to CRUSH the gun fuckers at every conceivable level and by every conceivable method

[ehrnst]

2. If we dismiss all wealthy donors as shady, we will never have the resources to

fight back.

And I really think that our entertainment industry has a large role to play in cultural movements.

One could say "The Cosby Show" paved the way for the normalization of high powered black families in our national consciousness, helping to open the door to the Obamas.

"Will and Grace," "Ellen," and "Modern Family" opened the door for acceptance of unapologetically out. mainstream, and happy gay people in our living rooms, and then to marriage equality.

But there is no replacement for cash when it comes to campaigns, and until we get in enough of our people to overturn Citizens United, we can't unilaterally disarm.

[Exotica]

3. who dismissed anyone? I think the combined forces I listed could do wonders

[ehrnst]

5. Not you - I agree with you.

I should have clarfied - many here on DU have stated that big money in politics must be banished first in order to ensure the ethical cred of candidates.

All wealthy people are now suspect....

[Exotica]

6. We have to play by the rules assigned

To go purity is to capitulate before the game is even commenced

[lagomorph777]

4. We have to use the #NRAROUBLES scandal to DESTROY the NRA.