As a freelancer in the creative field, I have to guard every penny against the next long stretch of nothing-much-coming-in-through-the-mail-slot.
I guard those pennies. I guard those dimes. When I give to a political campaign (my first one ever was a $10 donation to Jimmy Carter when I was a college student) it really matters to me.
But I am not Sheldon Adelson. I am not Mitt Romney. Hell, I’m not even Matt Romney. Just a poor inkstained wretch who remembers a childhood in a more liberal America. And while I don’t long to go back there - I do long to go forward into a liberal future.
I want to give. To counteract the billionaires. But dammit. I am so lucky to be self-employed. I am not poor. But I'm pretty sure I'll never be rich.
Then I got an email from the campaign. My President made a suggestion. I did as he asked. I tried something new. Follow me below the Citrusy Feminine Mousetrack to find out what I did.
I used my computing device to call up the web page of the Obama campaign...and I set up an account.
From this account, I set up a Personal Fundraising Page.
Then I went to my Facebook page, and wrote a heartfelt plea to all my friends. I told them that advertising time for October is being bought now, and said: if you plan to give to the campaign this fall, now is the best possible time to give.
I gave the most I could possibly give. Fifty bucks. Hard earned bucks that I might well need for the bills in a month or two.
And guess what? My friends gave. They gave. And gave. And gave.
The most I’ve ever been able to donate on my own was a hard-earned and painful FIFTY DOLLARS. But at the end of two days, my friends had donated THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE DOLLARS to re-elect President Obama.
And I felt just like a billionaire. I was able, by the power of a simple Facebook posting, to give SEVEN TIMES MORE MONEY than I was ever able to give on my own.
I suggest you try it. It felt awesome!
(Or if you're looking for someplace to donate and just can't decide, you could always drop a dollar or two at my Obama page.... right here! Thanks!