From Roll Call (subscription required):
"A coalition of labor leaders, progressive activists and top Congressional Democrats have reached a final agreement on transforming the nonprofit group that helped lead the fight against President Bush's Social Security overhaul into a permanent, multimillion-dollar entity pushing a broader liberal agenda in the 2006 midterms.
The new group, a 501(c)(4), will shorten its name to Americans United and is expected to get an immediate cash infusion of $1 million in the coming weeks to ensure it will be fully operational by early next year, according to labor leaders and Congressional aides.
While the group will not have to disclose any of its donors because of its nonprofit status, the primary funders for Americans United will include MoveOn.org and a host of big unions, particularly the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees."
More below the jump.
The article also mentions that Americans United will attempt to serve as a counterpoint to Progress For America, a conservative organization which has promoted the Bush agenda.
It also appears as though the group will try to woo large donors of the George Soros variety, rather than the smaller donations which fuel organizations such as MoveOn.
What surprises me about Americans United is that it seems as though the Democrats are returning to the 501(c)(4)-type organizations, which, like America Coming Together in 2004, are only aimed at succeeding in the short term (in this case short term means 2006).
Americans United will try use the success of its predecesor, Americans United To Protect Social Security, as a blueprint for its future campaigns.
The Hill has an article on Americans United which can be read at this link: http://thehill.com/...