October’s just-announced $11.5 million take for the Democratic National Committee brings the party’s year-to-date collection plate to a nice score of $66.3 million — all in a non-presidential election year. But how will the gay community’s boycott impact things?
It’s going to be hard to tell. With the November elections already over, the major push for fundraising has come and gone — though it’s not over yet.. Which means the GayTM shutdown, launched just a few weeks ago, may not have measurable results any time soon.
But with the Republican National Committee out-earning the DNC so far this year with a $69.2 million take, there’s more pressure on the DNC and chairman Tim Kaine (pictured) to drum up cash, if only for bragging rights. But for now, the DNC is relying on supporters’ outrage over Sarah Palin; the org just email blasted a fundraising appeal pointing specifically to Palin in a year-end effort to raise funds. The DNC has its goals set on raising another $500,000 by next week to flood the airwaves with health care ads.
Will you be donating?
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Attmay
As long as anti-gay Dixiecrat Tim Kaine is head of the DNC, then not one gay penny should go to that party on state or local levels.
Mark
They’ve not gotten a single cent from me since September 08 and sure as hell won’t be getting any in the foreseeable future. My money will go to green / independent candidates. Buh bye dems!
NIZARA
see above
ditto
not one cent to those fuckers
Green/Indies pro-gays
Rainfish
More important than your cash donations is a boycott of homo-antagonistic or homo-apathetic Democrats in all Federal Elections. That will get their attention more. Plus any money they lose from the GLBT community during any election cycle is a big loss — no matter how you cut it. Joe Lieberman is a third party elected Senator. We can get a few of our own (GLBT-civil rights/positive representatives) if we work hard enough to support more liberal third party candidates.
wondermann
Honestly, the boycott will have any real effect on the DNC. Most supporters will stick with the DNC. John and the gang were foolishness to think they could be LGBT game changers
Andrew
If the LGBT community doesn’t give money to the DNC, the other side will. Either way, the DNC will make promises and collect money. If not us, then the religious nuts/conservatives. But, be certain, these politicians WILL collect money – that’s their job.
Keith Kimmel
They still need to get congressional and house candidates elected. With few exceptions, we need to avoid supporting them at all. Brittany Novotny (the transwoman running against Sally Kern) is a notable exception to that rule.
Steve
I give hard money directly to incumbents who have actually voted for my issues. But, if the incumbent has not, I give hard money directly to challengers who make explicit promises to vote for my issues.
I gave money to the party for a lot of years, and got absolutely nothing in return. After they repeal DOMA, I might think about it again. But, I really believe that giving hard money directly to candidates is more productive.
Brian Miller
The announced boycott is far too late. The “leaders” of it now were the ones passionately defending Obama and the Democrats back in Election 2008, when we actually had power.
Now that the Dems are securely in office, they don’t need gay voters and don’t give a toss about them. The Aravosis tantrum will go nowhere because it’s closing the barn door after it caught fire and burned to the ground.
Brian
Good idea Steve. Get the commitment first.
dontblamemeivotedforhillary
I gave to Hillary because I knew that Barack Obama was lying out of his ass. They will lose in 2012 because of the economy and then immigration will rear it’s xenophobic head that we Gays will feel like Wall-flowers at a Race Meltdown. The Black Mega-churches better start shaking down their parishioners now as Reverend Wright will get a Second Act per Palin.
wondermann
dontblamemeivotedforhillary, thanks for the conspiracy theory. You can join the teabaggers now.
Fitz
I don’t see why it matters who wins elections. One side blindly appeals to the people who use the bible as confirmation of their bigotries, and the other side uses fear of these people as an excuse to throw it’s own under a bus. So money? No.. But also, I have made it clear to my friends and kin, and especially to the queer ones, you have no place at my table if you are still supporting Obama and his followers.
InExile
NO MORE MONEY UNTIL ALL PROMISES BECOME LAW!
InExile
dontblamemeivotedforhillary, we sure could use her leadership now. This man is not leading.
christopher di spirito
John Aravosis screeching about a DNC boycott is just his latest ploy to try to drive his traffic up. All those expensive ads aren’t reaching many Ablog readers these days because no one reads Ablog anymore.
In any event, where is the LGBT community going to go? The GOP?
MacH
I believe in the boycott. Money is power in politics – and to the people that say not giving money to the DNC only hurts them, and helps the other guys… what difference does it make? I could have John McCain not working for a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, or Barack Obama.
At least this way, I’m saving my money to spend it on me, rather than just throwing it away by giving it to a political party that never intended to keep its promises in the first place.
Attmay
@16 Christopher:
“In any event, where is the LGBT community going to go? The GOP?”
The GOP became dominated by the Religious Wrong because we allowed it to. They need to be marginalized not only within the party but throughout the United States. And how can we do that from the outside?
Meanwhile, the Libertarian Party has been pro-gay and pro-freedom since its inception. We are fighting for our own liberty and freedom, and we would be hypocrites to oppose it in other aspects of American life. The Green Party is a watermelon: green on the outside, red on the inside. But if you think leftist authoritarianism will actually work, historical evidence notwithstanding, then it’s still better than the Democrats.
Same Crap
The boycott is futile and won’t make a difference. Do you know the next item on the administration’s agenda is for 2010? Immigration(i.e., the Hispanic vote).
Sure, the gay community in terms of per capita is quite well-off and tends to have a great deal of discretionary wealth, but face it, our numbers are not that big to make a difference in electoral politics. The gay community is vastly overstating its perceived influence and political power.
Mark
Brian Miller – don’t forget, there are congressional elections in 2010 – someone is running for elected office in the States nearly continuously. My senators and congressman know they’ve lost my financial support because they wont’ stand up and be counted. Yes, the Dems and the Repubs will continue to gather funds, but, and this is the big one, every penny we withhold and donate to another candidate who does support us is one less they have. Now, that said, if a Dem or even Repub is supporting gay equality, then by all means, donate to them and let them know it’s from the GayTM.
Kurt
“Will you be donating?”
Yep.
And there is no gay boycott. There are some whiners who never gave a dime now claiming they are boycotting.
Cam
No. 21 · Kurt
“Will you be donating?”
Yep.
And there is no gay boycott. There are some whiners who never gave a dime now claiming they are boycotting.
________________________________________________
Yeah you keep thinking that. And you know, women in abusive relationships keep going back because (Gee, he was sorry, I mean look he gave me this pair of earrings and some flowers!)
So enjoy your flowers.
MacH
I’ve given plenty, but I won’t give more to people with empty promises. I get called again and again by both Republicans and Democrats for donations, and while I used to give to both kinds of candidates, I refuse to donate anymore based on this sole issue. Yay for single issue voters!
Or I might just go full Libertarian, and never give a dime to the two political parties ever again.
tjr101
A donation to the Libertarian party is a donation to the GOP. A vote to the Libertarian party is a vote to the GOP. Vote independent/libertarian and you get a Republican president… it always happens. What progress?