Can small donations on the Internet cut both ways?

[NNN0LHI]

Let me begin by saying that I would truly prefer that all donations for all candidates came this way rather than from large corporations, unions, etc. But does this method of raising money also leave room for mischief from one party hoping to decide who our candidate is, and therefore leaving us with the weakest candidate to beat Bush in November?

If the situation were reversed and I thought I could help sway the process of nominating the Republican least able to beat the Democrat in November I would donate money to that weaker Republican candidate. And then I would still be able to send the maximum amount to my candidate after I had helped accomplished the job of allowing the weaker candidate to be nominated by the other party who was opposing my candidate. Yes I would.

Don

[Larkspur]

1. People can donate to any candidate of any party now

The Internet is just another tool but it doesn't force people to donate.

Most people who vote do not donate.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Does it leave room for mischief when the majority of a candidates...

...funding comes this way which could be coming from the opposing party though?

Don

[Larkspur]

7. Both the Internet and non-Internet fundraising tacts leave room for

mischief.

It's not the tool -- Internet -- it's the people who make the decision to donate or not.

[NNN0LHI]

8. What about when a campaign is mostly relying on small donations from...

...people who don't have to declare their party affiliation or their reasons for donating to a candidate though? When a large bundled donation comes from a union we know that the protection of workers rights was the main motivation for those donations. See what I mean?

Don

[revcarol]

2. To NOT address your question...

it has hurt Kucinich. Many of his supporters are not on the net.

[ibegurpard]

3. Are you sure we're talking about the same cheapskate Republicans?

The ones that would sell their mother's gravesite for a tax break?

On edit: messing with an open primary is one thing...actually sending your money to someone is quite another.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. What cheapskates?

Bush raises $150 million, starts February with $104 million in the bank

By Sharon Theimer, Associated Press, 2/20/2004 10:55

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush has raised at least $150 million since beginning his re-election effort last May, according to a campaign finance report filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission.

Bush raised about $12.9 million last month, the report showed. The campaign said it added 50,000 new donors in January.

Although it has spent millions preparing to face the Democratic Party's nominee, the Bush campaign still began February with $104 million in the bank.

Bush has raised more than $4.5 million so far in February, donations through Feb. 11 listed on his campaign Web site show. The fund raising continues: The campaign sent an e-mail Thursday urging supporters to donate money or campaigning time to help Bush avoid an election as close as the 2000 contest.

more: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/051/politics/Bush_raises_150_million_starts:.shtml

[NNN0LHI]

6. Yes. It is the same republicans who know their huge tax breaks...

...will go bye bye if a Dem gets elected in November. Not a bad trade off. Spend a few hundred bucks now to skew our primary so they can keep their tens of thousands of dollars worth of tax breaks after the GE. I would do it if I were a rich republican.

Don