Think Progress: Conservative groups to have spent ~$400mil by November

[alp227]

Via The Washington Independent is a list compiled by Think Progress of right-wing groups that collectively will spend near $400 million by the November elections. Examples:
– Chamber of Commerce has pledged to spend $75 million
– American Crossroads has pledged to spend $52 million
– Americans for Prosperity has pledged to spend $45 million
– Republican State Leadership Committee has pledged to spend $40 million
– Club for Growth has pledged to spend at least $24 million
– An unnamed health insurance industry coalition has pledged to spend $20 million
– National Rifle Association has pledged to spend $20 million
– FreedomWorks has pledged to spend $10 million *Tea Party!!!!
– Americans for Job Security has pledged to spend $10 million
– Susan B. Anthony List has pledged to spend $6 million *Women's org against abortion
– Our Country Deserves Better (Tea Party Express) has already spent $5 million
– Tax Relief Coalition has already spent $4 million
– Campaign for Working Families has pledged to spend $2 million
– Heritage Action for America has pledged to spend $1 million *yes, this is run by the Heritage Foundation
– Family Research Council has raised $0.5 million
– Citizens United Political Victory Fund has pledged to spend $0.2 million *Huh, the original goon squad behind the corporate spending Supreme Court case couldn't afford more than 6 figures??

(Links suppressed here; some orgs I deleted for the sake of summary and space and not to infringe copyright; the sources of these numbers please open the Think Progress or Washington Independent links.)

Comments by Think Progress:

Given the number of progressive accomplishments in the 111th Congress, including health care reform, the economic stimulus bill, and Wall Street reform, it’s no wonder that conservative groups are fighting tooth-and-nail to prevent a repeat next term. Chris LaCivita, a Republican strategist who has also been involved in many independent-expenditure campaigns, told Politico, “If there is a time for independent groups to step up, this is it. This is the year for independent groups to put up or shut up.” Indeed, with conservative special interest groups putting it all on the line this November, their $400 million pledge may even increase before long.

Partial comment by Washington Independent:

Again, these numbers, while staggering, represent what these groups say they will spend, rather than what they have or necessarily will end up doing. There’s an interesting irony here in that both the conservative groups in question and left-wing blogs like Think Progress have an interest in touting these numbers. The groups’ spokesmen brag about them as a means of signaling strength and popular momentum being on their side, while liberals view them as further evidence that conservative special interests are buying the election.

This $400 million total is four times what rapper Birdman and his crew boasted about in Birdman's 2007 single "100 Million".

[doc03]

1. Gee I have been reading how the GOP wasn't getting any

donations because of Micheal Steele. Don't ever think they will be hard up for money.

[metapunditedgy]

2. So why isn't more attention paid to the Chamber of Commerce, at the top of the list?

"American Crossroads?" "Americans for Prosperity?"

Why all the focus on the smaller donors?

[ToppleTheTeaParty]

3. fools! They are FOOLS!!

With grassroots action, townhalls, phone banks, canvasing & good old fashion networking, WE can win the ground war. They may win the airwaves war, but we can beat them. Who's with me?