Yeah, yeah, optimism is complacency and dangerous, only terror can save us now…
But I will agree that I wouldn’t go much further than “encouraging data point.”
This limitation applies to 501(c)(3) nonprofits, which are prohibited from engaging in direct political activity but can get away with “issue advocacy.”
I live in Washington State. It’s a solid blue state. Harris is going to get our electoral votes. It’s not really a contest.
We see Harris ads on TV every now and then. I can’t recall seeing a single Trump ad.
This tells me that Trump can’t afford to have ads anywhere and everywhere and is targeting them where it matters. Harris can afford to spread ads everywhere because she is sitting on a pile of cash.
I don’t know how that will translate to the election itself, if having money to spend in non-critical areas gives Harris a bit of a boost or is wasted money. I really don’t know.
The other nice thing about having more money, particularly if, as with Harris, it comes from a lot of small donors is that this indicates enthusiasm among the voters. If you are willing to write a $50 check submit a $50 Applepay then you are probably willing to show up at the poll in November and call text your friends to do likewise.
That’s been very helpful for me to understand PACs, thanks. Together with what @Johanna said I’m getting a better picture of the whole thing.
It’s pretty mind-boggling for me - in New Zealand, the six political parties in Parliament spent a combined total of under $12m at the 2023 election. Very small potatoes!
While having more money is almost always a good thing in politics, it can create its own problems. Swimming in campaign funds can undermine the sense of urgency to spend funds as effectively as possible, since the campaign can just throw money at every situation.
When I am placed in charge of rewriting the Constitution I will establish a hard limit for how much any individual, corporation, or other group may to contribute to political advocacy in a given year, pegged to the value of a stable commodity to make it inflation-proof.
Also, Thursday will be Ice Cream Day. Details to follow!
It’s great to have the fundraising machine because they can do a lot of media buys for the Presidential ticket but the team is also giving money to down ballot races so that you have a party share of needed funds.
As far as winning, a strong ground offensive knocking on doors, putting up signs and giving campaign offices resources will always help but it comes down to turn out.
Harris is going to handly win the popular vote. There’s no question she has the momentum and people have a reason to vote for her.
But she is tied with Trump in the battleground states. There are those who will never vote for her regardless of her excellent candidacy. They have to get out the vote because the country is so polarized. The pundits say she has Obama momentum and charisma, but she’s facing misogyny in unprecedented droves on-line, there’s even going to be roast of her at the University of South Carolina and hosted by the Proud boys.
Unfortunately for her 60% of the voting public is white and close to half of that number is white males who are overwhelmingly voting MAGA. She has to get the majority of black and brown and female white voters to win this.
She has the black female vote sewn up they will vote for her in greater numbers than they voted for Biden. However Brown voters are not a monolith, and there are white females who will vote for Trump.Black males are hesitant to vote for Kamala and may stay home.
Obama had the black male vote which helped carry the country, she hasn’t got it at this point.
I am worried for the ticket even though she’s done everything so well so far. The mainstream media will not fact check Trump and we won’t hear his delusions and raving at a woman because his Mike will be off. He will have the benefit of the media, who will in turn scruntinize the ‘woman’. Hillary Clinton wiped the damn floor in her 3 debates against this prick but the media ignored it and decided the allusive emails were the story. So I don’t have a lot of hope that this will move the needle, but at least people will get to know her and hopefully vote despite all the crap she will get.
Whatever gets people to the polls to vote. The more people who go vote, the better…whatever motivates them.
Really? Do you have more detail on this?
It seems a thing that would backfire on Proud Boys and republicans.
Terror causes despair and shuts people down. Why would you donate and work to GOTV if that’s all you have?
You said optimism and complacency is dangerous and also terror and despair.
Not sure why you think anyone votes.
Not difficult to find:
Stranger
That’s not really a roast.
It’s a rant.
They are different things.
Thanks for your unsolicited lesson in semantics.
Stranger
You are welcome. Semantics is a study of meanings. A Roast is not the same as a Rant. Different meanings. I am happy I could educate you on this. These distinctions are important.
You’re right normally roasts have the permission if not the blessing of the roastee to tear them apart. This is just more of the same disgusting banter from those who will shit in the Rotunda and fashion a noose for Pence. It will likely turn out to be another fundraiser for the GOP
My thinking is Harris is doing ads in strongly blue states to stoke Democrats to vote. Even if the Presidential race is considered safe and locked up, getting Dems to vote in downballot races is still important, and many of those candidates wont have the deep pockets. If they show up to vote for Harris, they’ll likely also vote for other Democrats.
It’s hard to know what ads people are seeing in other states. Here in CA a few Harris ads and yes, even a few Trump ads.
Any Presidential ads seen in deeply red or blue states are national ad buys. Purchasing advertising during some kinds of programming requires signing up for nationwide buys, but for the campaigns the runs in red/blue states are largely incidental. Not to say the campaigns don’t care about the down ballot races, but there are more effective ways to assist them (particularly through the candidates’ Leadership PACs which allow for spending on behalf of other candidates).
Makes sense. Thanks!