Match game: 1000 dollars

Hi, let me introduce myself, I am the exec. director of a charity, the African Health Fund, we are a small and growing program that treats infectious disease, mainly HIV/AIDs, in Sub-Saharan Africa ... and, um, nevermind, um,

RED SOX ROCK!!

[ahem, pardon the interruption ...]

I want to do what else I can to get Kerry and the Dems in, and having a bit of trouble deciding who to contribute to right at this late stage, SO ....

The $1000 works like this: (yes, you have to read the extended copy, rules, ya know? ;-)

I've got $1K for Democratic candidates, House or Senate, whatever you like, as a match.

Go give $10.01 to $100.01 to the candidate of your choice, RIGHTNOW [GONG;-], as a NEW contribution. You are on your honor as kosovars: this must be a contribution that didn't think of until you saw this ...

... then tell us in a comment, and I will match it.

(you might also go to the African Health Fund and contribute, but this is OT and NOT my point; but, you know, I feel obliged to at least offer the opportunity, I'd be negligent elsewise.)

I will shamelessly ask that you recommend this diary entry; both to get it done and encourage others to do the same!

Thanks,
Robert
(did I mention?: RED SOX ROCK!!)

•  Recommended

  Mad props to you, Robert.  $1000 is a LOT of money.  Just for clarification, does your deal only apply to House or Senate candidates?  ie, doesn't apply to ACT, MoveOn, DNC, KE04 GELAC, etc?

  by Fran for Dean on Wed Oct 20, 2004 at 11:55:05 PM PDT

  •  Individual candidates, I think

    I've contributed a lot (more than this) to DNC etc on this cycle, I'm interested in races we can win with a little more name ID or whatever. E.g. I gave some money to Seeman.

    There's definitely some races we can push over the top. No one thought we could come back from 0-3 either, never done before. (Silly Yankees, screaming "1918". Yeah! it IS 1918!)

    Thanks.

    by Robert Ullmann on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:10:55 AM PDT

•  Ok, I've recommended your diary, now I need

  you to tell me where the $ can, realistically, best be used.  

  DNC called me today and I said I'd be giving to the causes that bring the most bang for the buck.  

  by 2lucky on Wed Oct 20, 2004 at 11:55:44 PM PDT

  •  Call me silly, but

    wouldn't $1,000 in Sub-Saharan Africa provide treatment for, like, 3,000 human beings? I can't imagine that $1,000 would make more than a proportionate difference in any race, especially the way you've set up the "contest," which seems to favor smaller contributions to more races, as opposed to one $1,000 contribution to one race.
    How can you justify spending $1,000 on an American political campaign instead of care and treatment for the African people your organization serves?
    Am I being too literal or something?

    by doorguy on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:10:54 AM PDT

    •  Yes, $1000 would go a long way

      Okay, $1000 would pay for HIV treatment for one person for 3 years. And I put a lot into the fund: serious contributions, ALL the admin overhead (so if you contribute, 100% goes to the programs) and ALL of my time (except maybe at 3:00 AM ;-)

      But Bush's FIRST act as president was to re-institute the so called "mexico city policy" cutting funding to any agency that dared mention abortion, most notably Marie Stopes and the UNFPA. A reasonable esimatate is that he killed 160,000 women in the 3rd world with the 1st stroke of the presidential pen ...

      Getting rid of him and his is cost-effective.

      ---
      Mind you: this is my personal statement, position, and political contribution, it is not an action of the Fund. (Which doesn't do politics.)

      ---
      So contribute?

      Whereever you like? If you give to the fund we can get it to SAIDIA to replace some of the UNFPA funding ... ;-)

      [sorry about length, ought to be my bedtime]
      

      by Robert Ullmann on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:20:59 AM PDT

      •  If it costs $1,000

        to pay for one person for three years in Sub-Saharan Africa, where I expect the average annual income is about the same amount, then we should attack the drug companies with guns and clubs, it can't cost that much to manufacture and profits from such trade are sinful and ought to be criminal.
        But that's not my point. Already I've seen a $10 contribution to a local candidate, which you'll match, so the candidate gets $20, what difference will that particular contribution make? It won't get that candidate elected, although you'll certainly score some karma, but someone's going to go without medication (with a much more definitive result) in order to accommodate that karma boost, how can that be justified?

        by doorguy on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 01:19:52 AM PDT

        •  and let me express great respect

          for what you are doing in Sub Saharan Africa, I don't mean to be argumentative, but this offer seems, well, maybe a little more complex than my feeble little brain can accommodate.

          by doorguy on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 01:23:15 AM PDT

        •  $1 a day

          norm say in Nairobi metro area, about USD$35 month for ARV drugs, and about 10,000Ksh (USD$134) for a comprehensive treatment program.

          Median income is $2-$5 a day, depending on assumptions and what area you choose; income in a subsistance farming area can be much lower than in a slum like Kibera or Dandora/Eastlands and still be a higher standard of living.

          real cost of the drugs to the generic manufacturers is something close to $1/day (two combined doses). Nothing wrong with that.

          Mind you, for a tenth of what Bush's Iraq war has and will cost ...

          (check to David Dill campaign cut, sent AM 21st ...) (thanks Tim, got email)
          

          by Robert Ullmann on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 01:30:24 AM PDT

    •  you could think of it another way

      If we win back the house/senate/white house, then we'll have a federal government who realizes that their exists a world outside of Washington, DC, and even outside of North America.

      I'm not trying to say that donating to for the Sub-Saharan Africa medical treatment is not a wise donation.  It is definately a very noble cause that deserves those donations, and one that I'll consider donating to... after Nov 2.

      by Fran for Dean on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:21:45 AM PDT

    •  Huh??? I'm contributing to American political

      campaigns in the hope of electing leadership that will support humanitarian efforts throughout the world (whih includes us here in the USA).  

      There are countless causes, here in America and across the globe, that are infinitely more worthy than campaign contributions, but we contribute to the campaigns that we think will help humanity.
      We're supporting leadership that works with us, not against us.

      by 2lucky on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:22:04 AM PDT

•  I'm in for another $10.01

  to Dr. David Gill, running for 15th CD of Illinois.

  by Fran for Dean on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:24:54 AM PDT

  •  *sigh*

    Oh bother, this is why I didn't follow up on the Kos ACTblue things, ACTBlue just won't work in my browsers (Imac 8.5/IE/NSCP). I fought with it for a bit, but it may or may not have taken the credit card.

    (#@$&$^$^@##!!!)

    Matched, I'll mail money in the morning unless someone has a brighter idea. (Why not paypal, it takes 30 seconds to set up?)

    Sorry, it is 4 AM. Deep sigh here ;-)

    Anyone else? $990 to go ...
    

    by Robert Ullmann on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 12:53:53 AM PDT

    •  Yes.

      Check your email.  The one provided in your user details.

      Thanks,

      Tim

      by ttagaris on Thu Oct 21, 2004 at 01:02:35 AM PDT