If you follow the daily kos, you will find that you end up in the action network or some other list with a lot of emails from other causes you should support.
The problem I have is the tactic that is used by both parties or any pac. If you don’t support X then Y will happen. And Y is a terrible thing. The fear button is constantly pressed and the only solution is that we need money.
When they say sign this petition well, what happens to it? How long does that campaign go until the petition is presented. how is the petition presented? Is it just an email to every law maker that they just delete? Why not send us a copy of that petition via email and how many signatories there are. How much of the voting public and party members does it represent? How about some real data? Or is it just another way to ask for money? Nothing you click on does not end up asking for money.
I have enough anxiety just as I am without all the other things going on. It makes me tune out, but does not mean I would not vote. Quite the contrary if I have to wear a hazmat suit at the polls I will vote.
Decades ago I noticed that the news, even NPR, was less about issues and more about money raised. I guess the ‘horse race’ aspect has some appeal making politics a game. And I guess the amount raised is supposed to be some kind of measure of support. We do get how much comes from small donations which would indicate more grass roots, but that could be automated into bots to create a false sense of support.
Do we feel empowered when we give to a cause? I give to charities, but I refuse to do so for political reasons. I think if money was outlawed from politics, then lawmakers would be free to do what they think is best for the people/nation rather than pander to pacs and special interests. So they are pulled in a lot of directions. Pander to lobbyists and chase them down to make a party budget to stay in office, meanwhile don’t offend voters enough to lose support as compare to the other ‘devil’. GOP uses far more fear, but the democratic fund raisers do the same thing. And the President managed to side step support from the Party up until he had the party nomination, and then the party fell in line. Then the party became his goals with just enough to maintain some support.
Do we feel empowered when we contribute? What is the net result of that money? Feakonomics had an interesting article about the duopoloy of parties is just made to generate money with each carving out a position and using a wedge issue like pro-life versus pro-choice to maintain power for other goals. The GOP seems to do that better, uses fear better, and thinks that’s the way to stay in power. Democrats will turn the country into a socialistic nightmare like Venezuela and if the GOP is elected we get police as storm troopers.
I think the money issue has gotten out of hand. We are manipulated to give money by the news sources, by the pacs, by the parties as if those who shout the loudest the longest will get elected instead of the party platform and issues. It doesn’t always work. Over the past decade each party pandering to its base pushes the country too far in one direction, or some disasters hit, and the other guys win. Like in the movie ‘state of the union’ what is the difference between us and them — and the answer is who is in power. Of course with the polarization generated its not like it was decades ago when both parties were just a bit off of center from using mass media marketing machines to poll the populace for the most support. Now its wedge issues.
I am not saying don’t give as your heart or minds direct. But with all the yelling and begging I find myself only wound up more and the endless begging/cajoling for money is just one more tv commercial that is ignored or skipped through on the DVR. And then the question is has our democracy reached the point that money is the real vote? Is that what we want?