So, I gotta great idea. Just killer. If only the GOP can run their MyGOP contest again, I can get myself a cheap iPod, make the DNC money, and get the RNC to pay a few hundred bucks to make it happen. I'm telling you, there hasn't been a win-win like this since peanut butter offered to get together with jelly.
Wait, what's MyGOP? What does it have to do with iPods?
Jump below the fold for the details, or to see the real point of the diary, which is to ponder the question: if a political party launches a slick new solution in the cyber-forest and no one comes, does Ken Mehlman make a sound?
OK, first, the background, from dday's diary on
MyDD and xposted at his
site:
The Republican National Committee set up MyGOP as a next-generation social networking and team leading site. This was going to be the Republican entryway into the small-dollar donation phenomenon that has fueled the rise of the progressive blogosphere. They announced a May 22 fundraising date where their grassroots supporters could set up house parties to raise money for the RNC. The top 5 fundraisers would win, no lie, a "special Republican edition" iPod. I think that means that no songs with the words "gay" or "Constitution" will load on it.
So, you're wondering, I'm sure, what the winners were. How much cash they raised for the RNC. Well, as you can guess from the lead-in, the numbers are pretty damn funny. You can head over to the MyGOP home page and see and be afraid.
1. $498
2. $426
3. $150
4. $100
5. $50
Yes, kids, for 50 bucks, you, too, could've had a brand-spanking new GOP-edition Apple iPod. Amaze your friends with the hip factor! Listen to days of music without hearing the same song! Cost the GOP $250 bucks in the process!
Unfortunately for Mr. Larvick in fifth place (or Ms. Nolan in third and Mr. Gill in fourth for that matter) you needed 10 contributors to get that iPod. Yes, possibly even funnier than the amount raised is the number of contributors, the top five being 17, 11, 5, 2, 2. That's some serious networking there!
OK, so here's my idea, based on a comment in that MyDD diary ... I get 20 friends and acquaintances together, each one contributes 5 bucks, I chip in $20, then just pay off the $100 bucks to my friends (hey, if CEOs can do it with their employees to become a "Pioneer" I can do it for an iPod!) ... boom, I got two $60 winning house parties! Then, I keep one iPod just because, and the other one I auction off and give the proceeds to the DNC! Huh? Not only would it be fun, but the large proceeds from the auction would graphically demonstrate the vibrancy of the left side of the netroots as compared to the, um, well, not so much vibrancy of the right side.
Sure, sure, the GOP gets $120 bucks out of the deal, but they'd have to spend $600 on the iPods! I'd actually be taking money from them.
Now, if only the GOP would run that contest again soon ...