To reiterate, buzz words like small donors, and grassroots, really are meaningless in this election cycle. Even the Center for Responsive Politics conflates donor and donations in this article below. Individual contributions are counted by the FEC when a person has donated one or more times for an amount of money that reaches or exceeds $200.
Many people, myself included, sent donations via credit card on a monthly basis. As soon as the $200 threshold is reached, every donation thereafter, whether $10 or $1000, is counted as an individual contribution. Yet, those amounts still come from one donor.
Even so, they make a good point. Based on the published FEC records, they estimate that less then one half of one percent of all adult Americans contributed this year. To see the Records for Obama and McCain through Oct 15h, check back HERE.
U.S. Election Will Cost $5.3 Billion, Center for Responsive Politics Predicts
Last update: 12:04 a.m. EDT Oct. 23, 2008
[WASHINGTON, Oct 23, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ — 2008 contests for White House and Congress add up to the most expensive U.S. election in history
The 2008 election for president and Congress is not only one of the most closely watched U.S. elections in years; it’s also the most expensive in history. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimates that more than $5.3 billion will go toward financing the federal contests upcoming on Nov. 4….]
To see how these monies articulate, check out the recently released FEC summary of financial activity for the parties of Democrats and Republicans. The RNC has received more and donated more to McCain. This may help to explain how the perceived superiority of the Obama campaign financing may be smoke and mirrors. Why else am I still getting donation requests?
For Immediate Release Contact: Bob Biersack
October 29, 2008 Mary Brandenberger
FEC RELEASES SUMMARY OF NATIONAL PARTY FINANCIAL ACTIVITY
[WASHINGTON – National committees of the two major political parties have spent $865.1 million, during the 2007-2008 election-cycle, according to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) summary released today…]
http://www.fec.gov/press/press2008/20081029party/20081029party.shtml
Money and those who have it are running our elections. When we submit to this power, we lose our democracy. Compare again, the large donors with the players in the current financial crisis. Think about what Dennis Kucinich had to say recently. The time to voice our thoughts to our representatives is NOW! Not after the election! Not after January!
Don’t know how to find them? For the US House of Representatives, go HERE. For the US Senate, go HERE.
I Own My Vote, PUMA, The Denver Group, Just Say No Deal
Grab and Keel 
[…] More on Campaign Finance The 2008 election for president and Congress is not only one of the most closely watched US elections in years; it’s also the most expensive in history. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimates that more than $5.3 … […]
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