Those of us writing letters and making telephone calls and marching, can’t write a check like the Koch Brothers for $100 million or like some Republican donors, one for $100,000. But we are millions of individuals and we do have some money. Bernie Sanders raised over $209 million dollars from seven million donors. Many had less money than most of us do. The typical donation was $27 or less.
The LA Times analyzed and catalogued who they were. One out of every four dollars given came from people who were unemployed or retired. A woman interviewed by the Times was totally disabled and on Social Security but gave three times, $5 each time. The Times found it was true that the typical donation was $27 or less. They also found that most donors gave an average of three times. The total per donor averaged $96. 20% of Hillary’s donors were also small dollar givers.
It is a crime that we don’t have public financing of elections. But we don’t and won’t until we break the Republican stranglehold. If we want to take back Congress in 2018, we have to give $$ for everything from billboards and lawn signs to radio spots and TV spots. This is the year we can do it.
Penny and I have set a budget for what we can give including how much we can charge to plastic and pay-off after the election. A retired friend in Wisconsin told us he and his wife have budgeted $200. It is not $200 total but $200 each month until the election.
Putting our money where our mouth is matters. We need everyone giving. The individual donations add up quickly. What will matter even more is if millions of people like us who care, get involved. It is not enough to vote on election day. It is not enough to march. It is not enough to write a letter occasionally. We are millions strong and we will win if we engage fully.
Please consider giving this year. Be strategic. Decide who you want to support. Who most needs your support? How much you can afford to give to all those you support? A favorite joke of ours is that if you can afford the insurance you have you don’t have enough. The same could be said for giving this critical year of 2018. Give until it hurts and we will WIN!
Jerry Scribner January 2018
