Taking Back Congress - Which Group to Donate To? ($100 poll)

With the possibility of taking back Congress and putting a nail in the coffin of the whole putrid Contract-On-America era, I'm ready to pull out my checkbook earlier than usual for the 2006 election season.  But which organization will use the cash most effectively?  Is it better to give to the party, the individual campaigns I care most about, or to independent groups?  Are these groups coordinated well enough so their election efforts won't overlap?

The poll below lists 10 worthy recipients culled from the directory at ActBlue.com.
I hereby commit $100 to whichever option is leading the poll below on Thursday 11/10 at 3pm EST.  Please explain your vote in the comments.  Vote early, vote often!

•  I feel that giving to

  individual campaigns would work best.  Especially in local races, they can really use the money.

  by Mz Kleen on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 07:50:21 PM PDT

  •  I agree with Mz Kleen

    and I recommend our campaign.

    :0)

    by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:08:54 PM PDT

    •  But in all seriousness

      If you give to any of those groups, especially your kids college fund, you can sleep well at night, so it is a win-win for you, and bravo.

      Barry Welsh In-06
      www.barrywelsh.org

      by Barry Welsh on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:12:01 PM PDT

•  Democracy for America

  of course.  Emily's list because they raise money for female candidates and Welstone action because they are doing great trainings amoung other things.

  Bit DFA first!

  by TeresaInPa on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 07:51:51 PM PDT

  •  Second that. n/t

    by greeseyparrot on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:11:57 PM PDT

•  Depends on your goal

  All those organizations are great choices.  You need to answer some questions before you can figure out what organization is best for you to donate your $100 to.

  Do you want to take back the House, the Senate, or both?

  Then you need to figure out what you think the best way of doing that is.  
  Do you think we need more fighting Dems who aren't afraid of standing up for what they believe, or do you want to support anyone with a D next to their name?

  Do you think it's best to spread money around, or do you want to focus it?

  Do you have more long-term goals for the Democratic Party, or do you just want to take back a chamber of Congress in 2006?

  Do you have any particular issues that you are very adamant about, or do you look for all-around good candidates?

  I think you need to answer these questions before you can decide which organization is best to donate to.  That's not to say that there are right or wrong answers to any of them.  Also, when answering them, please be mindful that I have my own answers to them, and therefore my bias may have slipped into the wording of those questions.

  by Fran for Dean on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:06:00 PM PDT

•  I plan on donating

  to

  (1) whoever is challenging in NY-13, (my district).

  (2) and to the 5 or so top individuals campaigns that Superribbie has been studying.
  

  by seanleckey on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:09:56 PM PDT

•  The Nearest Marijuana Legalization/Decrim

  Initiative effort.

  Getting one of these on the ballot is an easy and cheap way to motivate a considerable number of people to the polls who wouldn't normally go, and they are likely to vote overwhelmingly Democrat when they get there.

  I would like to see such an initiative effort on every college campus in the Country.

  by The Baculum King on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:10:11 PM PDT

  •  oh man

    now THAT is a good idea.  Do local governments have authority to regulate marijuana use?  I thought that was something state governments were responsible for.

    by Fran for Dean on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:12:17 PM PDT

    •  The One in Denver Gave Me the Idea

      It doesn't really matter if it has no practical effect, like in Denver where the cops say they'll just enforce State law.

      It got folks off their stoned asses and out to vote.

      Get it on local ballots, and once folks are there most will vote the whole ballot.

      by The Baculum King on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:19:45 PM PDT

  •  Spent the weekend in Amsterdam

    I'm too old to enjoy smoking joints in tatty coffee shops, but on a glorious Sunday afternoon we bought ourselves two Space Brownies from a coffee shop and hopped onto the canal boat that circles downtown Amsterdam.  Halfway around the city, just as the sun was beginning to set, the brownies kicked in.

    Now it's been many years since my youthful experimentation at university and my partner had never tried anything ever.  We both had the most marvellous evening!  

    We returned to London - which has all but decriminalised soft drugs - with somewhat adjusted views on legalisation and a powerful desire to return to Amsterdam as soon as possible!

    by LondonYank on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 11:51:46 PM PDT

    •  Marijuana Prohibition is the Dumbest Law

      in a Country full of dumb laws, it not only criminalizes a relatively benign natural substance it also denies us and the economy of a great source of high quality fiber and damned useful oil, and a biomass generator that will grow on almost any ground, but...

      The political effect of motivating this particular disaffected part of the population is heavily positive for Democrats, and these initiatives should be encouraged and supported for raw political reasons if not for perfectly logical Justice, economic and environmental reasons.

      by The Baculum King on Thu Nov 10, 2005 at 12:20:06 AM PDT

•  suggestion

  If you're planning on donating money, and it's not a donation done to show your support for a recent event (like donating to Harry Reid's PAC last week after he kicked Frist's ass), I'd suggest waiting until there's one of those matching deals for the organization you choose.  Last week, for example, Senator Wyden promised to match dollar-for-dollar every donation to the DSCC up until a certain date/amount.  I don't know whether or not Wyden would have gotten those contributions regardless of the individual donations, but it certainly can't hurt.  If it is true, though, then the power of your $100 gets increased, which is always a nice thing :).

  by Fran for Dean on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:18:28 PM PDT

•  move on from MoveOn?

  I'm intrigued that none of the first 15 votes was for MoveOn.  Certainly they are one of the most prolific at putting out email fundraising appeals.  Do you think they've lost effectiveness ever since being Swift-Boated for posting that user-contributed video that compared the Bush administration to the Nazis?  The ads they produce have sometimes seemed a bit shrill to me.  Then again, I like what they do with organizing anti-war vigils and similar local activities...

  by jab on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:24:21 PM PDT

  •  Still effective fundraisers

    They put out a hugely successful fundraising call for Senator Byrd earlier this year, and that was certainly after the swiftboating.

    by Fran for Dean on Wed Nov 09, 2005 at 08:31:47 PM PDT

•  it's a tie!

  Voting has closed; the final results are as follows:

  8 Democracy for America
  8 Individual campaigns
  5 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
  3 Other group
  3 MoveOn
  2 Wellstone Action!
  1 Democratic National Committee
  1 Center for American Progress
  0 New Democrat Network
  0 My kids' college fund
  0 Emily's List
  0 Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

  I have just given $50 to Democracy for America and will give $50 to either Sheldon Whitehouse or Matt Brown just as soon as I make up my mind which to support.

  by jab on Thu Nov 10, 2005 at 01:42:22 PM PDT