Before I start, I wanted to comment here on the recent news that Elizabeth Warren is doing a high dollar fundraiser for Joe Biden. In my own campaign, I’ve sworn off big money and PAC money. And I’m generally against the big money model of political fundraising in general. Even though it’s legal, I think it presents an access issue. The people who donate big bucks get catered to. Their issues are the ones that candidates and elected officials see and get exposed to. I think that works on the little stage here in Knox County as much as it works on the big stage in Washington.
But. I also realize there is a big difference in running for one of eleven seats on a county commission and running against the Republican juggernaut (and the worst president of my lifetime). Trump, Inc., will spend a billion dollars in his campaign for reelection. Joe Biden won’t come anywhere near that number. But he does need money to run in the current system. And, until that system is changed, I’m not going to get upset if national Democrats have to take big money, even though I’m not going to. Donald Trump is an existential threat and he needs to be defeated. That is the bigger problem than campaign finance.
And, no, putting Bernie Sanders at the top of the ticket and letting him run with his small dollar army isn’t the answer.
So, now I need to catch up with my backlog of donations. Not that you care necessarily, but it’s easier for me to go back and look at these posts I’m writing to see to whom and how much I’ve given.
I gave $50 to the Tennessee Democratic Party. I gave $100 to the Knox County Dems. In May, we were scheduled to do our one big fundraising event for the year. Since that was cancelled for the pandemic, they asked for donations in the amount of the tickets. I obliged. I also gave $25 to Feeding America.
Now, on to my end of month donations.
I’m going to give $10 again to Joe Biden and to Renee Hoyos, like I did last month. I’ve already given to the party orgs, so I’m thinking $10 each to three more Senatorial candidates. This month it’s Mark Kelly in Arizona, Cal Cunningham in North Carolina and Sara Gideon in Maine.
Stay safe out there!