I have been working a job since November. I have put countless hours of effort into this endeavor, and in that time I have received $300 in compensation. Over the 7 months I have worked with this organization I have been paid a little more than $40 a month. At about 30 days a month that breaks down to around $2 rounded up a day.
So yes, my job is totally taking advantage of me, and you know what? I LOVE IT.
In the interest of transparency I included this disclaimer to appear in my comments once our organization started soliciting funds and donation here online.
FULL DISCLOSURE - I'm a paid employee of PeanutButterPAC, a progressive PAC founded right here at DailyKos.com.
Now, to further the interest of FULL DISCLOSURE, here is the full financial report of PeanutButterPac as of this date.
More below the fold
Special thanks to our founding members, including AnotherMassachussetsLiberal, Something the Dog Said, pistolSO, Spedwybabs, Stranded Wind and myself, as well as the paying members of PeanutButterPAC and the many contributors who make our efforts possible!
The PAC currently has $918.33, of which $890 is earmarked for candidate donations, leaving $28.33 in working capital. We desperately need an infusion of cash with which to run the PAC - here's where we've spent money:
PAC business
$50 - DBA certificate
$72 - Mail drop
$125 - table at Mass Democratic Party Convention
$140 - web site hosting and domain registration
$150 - graphics
$300 - membership outreach (MinistryOfTruth, of which $150 was used to move from New York to Colorado, and another $150 was used to pay rent there until I found employment)
$20 - postage
$75 - glossy paper and ink for flyers (for convention)
Candidate Donations
$250 to Bill Halter for Senate in Arkansas
$250 to Elaine Marshall for Senate in North Carolina
As you can see, with each member donation PeanutButterPAC adds on a 15% fee for maintaining the PAC, but only part of that could be considered profit that goes to it's employees.
There are only two official employees of PeanutButterPAC, and that would be myself and AnotherMassachussetsLiberal, who is our founder.
I have personally put countless hours into this effort. Hours of Conference calls with our steering committee, months of planning and organizing, days of opposition research and time spent determining which candidates are best qualified for our candidate pool. For the amount of time I have put into PeanutButterPAC, I think PBPAC is getting a pretty good deal out of it.
Am I being taking advantage of? Maybe. Do I care? Not at all. In fact I love it.
In founding PeanutButterPAC, the vision I and our other founding members had was to build a democratic organization that gives a voice to our members and allows us to support Progressive candidates.
PAC members are asked to make a small sacrifice in their daily lives and send the money in as a donation. Maybe you like to buy coffee on the way to work, or you’re an an office worker who buys lunch every day in the office cafeteria, or a smoker who thinks one pack less per week would be a good thing. We ask that you sacrifice one day’s worth of this money (e.g. pack a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, hence the name of the PAC) and donate it. Once you’re a member, you’ll be able to nominate progressive politicians you like into the candidate pool, write blog entries promoting them into the PAC award system, and you’ll be able to vote for other candidates as well.
PeanutButterPAC
The fact is, progressives will NEVER have the money individually to compete with Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, BP or Blue Cross/Blue Sheild, but if we combine our efforts with enough like minded individuals we can support candidates like Bill Halter, Elaine Marshall and others who will challenge Corporate Democrats like Blanche Lincoln and Corporate Republicans like Richard Burr.
We have the numbers. Do we have the power? Yes, we do, but we will never use that power as effectively as we can until we organize and work together to achieve our goals and those goals are a thriving middle class, a social safety net that protects Americans, and a sustainable, just economy. Do you want Progress? Than get up and get involved. Put your money where your mouth is.
Our next goals are to get encourage more members to join PeanutButterPAC and to get registered with Salsa Labs, which is a technology tool that will further advance PeanutButterPAC's advocacy, as well as to register as a 501c(4) non profit organization. This will cost around $2000 to achieve. Until we meet this goal I will not be accepting any further compensation from PeanutButterPAC. I will work for free if necessary if it helps build a Progressive PAC that fights for Progressive policies and electing the most Progressive politicians in congressional and senatorial elections.
With that said, I would like to ask you, dear reader, a few questions.
#1. Where do you live?
#2. Which politicians do YOU want to support, and why?
#3. Are you willing to forgo that pack of cigarettes, that cup of coffee, or that one thing that you can easily do without in order to support Progressive candidates who will fight for Progressive policies.
Thank you for your time and support. I look forward to working with and for you in the future, even if it means I am working for free.
Why? Because it matters! And I LOVE IT!
Become a member of PeanutButterPAC by clicking this link here
Make a seed money contribution to PeanutButterPAC by clicking this link here
Peace.
I work for PeanutButterPAC! If you like my articles and want to support Progressive primary and general election candidates join PeanutButterPAC, the PAC that fights back!
Vote for me to get a DFA Netroots Nation scholarship!
You can follow me on Twitter at @JesseLaGreca
Crossposted at The Progressive Electorate.com