Writing Campaign to Senator Kerry:

[King of the Americas]

The basic message is this:


***Use Campaign Donations for IMMEDIATE Community Improvement Projects***

People give money to you Senator Kerry, because they believe you know what is best to do with it. Well, do you honestly believe that the BEST thing to do with it is to pay for T.V. ads that don't change anyone's mind anyway???

What I suggest is that you go into places of President Bush's strongholds, and fix what is broken. SHOW the people what government is capable of when a well-oiled machine is well funded. Build gymnasiums and concert halls, improve road and walkways. Use what campaign donations that are sent to DIRECTLY affect change in people's lives.

---

I have discussed further the details os such an initiative on Kerry's own Message Board System, but I don't expect to hear from the Senator until I get more people involved...

I would appreciate any support you could offer-

http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=32788

 

[Tmy]

Illegal use of funds.

Might as well spend the money on hired goons to rough up Republicans.

 

[The Don]

Is there a w@nker smiley ? Could someone please create one ?

 

[King of the Americas]

To Tmy:

To date, I haave seen NO list of forbiden items to buy with campaign donations. The Senator just purchased a plane a plastered his name across it. Why not a wing on a library, or a plack at a fire station?

Since wehn it is ilegal to pay people to repair or upgrade facilities before the arrivial of a Presidential Candidate???

 

[wjousts]

A nice sentiment, but surely not pratical. There isn't enough time to really have an impact before the election. I don't see people going to the polls and voting Kerry because of the half completed (and that's probably too optimistic) library in their neighborhood.

 

[RandFan]

Re: To Tmy:

To date, I haave seen NO list of forbiden items to buy with campaign donations. The Senator just purchased a plane a plastered his name across it. Why not a wing on a library, or a plack at a fire station?

Since wehn it is ilegal to pay people to repair or upgrade facilities before the arrivial of a Presidential Candidate???

I'm not sure if it is legal or not.

See http://www.fec.gov/law/feca.pdf section 439a.

 

[varwoche]

Why just Kerry?

 

[Tmy]

Ithink theres a difference tween his own campaien funds and the Fed funds.

Right now Kerry is thinking of delaying the nomination so he can have use of his money a little longer. Once he accepts the bid he gets $75 mill of taxpayer blood money to use. I'd doubt if he has free spending reign over that cash.

 

[Nasarius]

Re: To Tmy:

To date, I haave seen NO list of forbiden items to buy with campaign donations. The Senator just purchased a plane a plastered his name across it. Why not a wing on a library, or a plack at a fire station?

Since wehn it is ilegal to pay people to repair or upgrade facilities before the arrivial of a Presidential Candidate???

Actually, I think that's a great idea. Use half your campaign money to make big charitable donations instead of mass mailing crap.
Make a statement that you're not quite the usual slimy politician.

 

[Sundog]

Re: Re: To Tmy:

I'm not sure if it is legal or not.

See http://www.fec.gov/law/feca.pdf section 439a.

I started to flame this as a stupid idea until I thought about it a minute. Isn't it true that the MoveOns and Media Funds (I forget the IRS label) could legally do anything they want to, as long as it isn't coordinated by the party? Let the GOP freedom police splutter all they want then.

I'm not sure this isn't a wonderful idea.

 

[Tmy]

The point is to win elections. You wont win a by handing out money. (Ask Forbes).

Its proven that a media blitz of dumb ass commercials can swing thousands of votes to your side.

 

[King of the Americas]

The Main Idea...

...is to inspire people think and act differently.

By giving money to those who need it, rather than spending it trying to make yourself look good on T.V., you might just inspire a movement of community involvement and volunteer work among the masses.

Like I said you wouldn't try to start something that was impossible to complete, but rather just fund local initiatives already in the works that have been stalled due to financial hardships.

You GET media play you are looking for as a side-benefit of doing quality works for the people.

The people get the funding they need, and the usual campaign contributers are inspired to give more, seeing the direct result their giving causes.

And the next President JFK fortifies, HIMSELF with his own hands and finances, our American Camelot.

 

[Sundog]

Here's an objection, playing devil's advocate:

I posted something here not long ago that analyzed the difference between liberals and conservatives when spending money. The conservatives spend on infrastructure - think tanks, tv studios, etc. - while liberals try to make sure the money gets used for helping people and are philosophically against using much for infrastructure.

The point could be made that this is just more of the same, and a mistake, if you go along with the idea that liberals desperately need to catch up in the infrastructure area.

 

[King of the Americas]

To Sundog:

Tanks and T.V. studios are NOT "infrastructure".

What I am suggesting is that Senator Kerry spend the money ON like road repair, building moodifictions, equipment upgrades to first response teams, and the like.

Each community/area would have different requests, and given the recent tax cuts, local and state budgets are experiencing financial shortfalls. You don't have to fix or funf them all, you just have to show people what is possible when people work together to full fund government programs.

Do we need to hear campaign propaganda, or do we need to fix what President Bush left broken?

 

[Sundog]

Re: To Sundog:

Tanks and T.V. studios are NOT "infrastructure".

What I am suggesting is that Senator Kerry spend the money ON like road repair, building moodifictions, equipment upgrades to first response teams, and the like.

Each community/area would have different requests, and given the recent tax cuts, local and state budgets are experiencing financial shortfalls. You don't have to fix or funf them all, you just have to show people what is possible when people work together to full fund government programs.

Do we need to hear campaign propaganda, or do we need to fix what President Bush left broken?

Let me try again.

Think tanks and TV studios are most certainly infrastructure when we're discussing the political world.

I understand perfectly what you're suggesting. It's the classic liberal "mistake" of spending ALL your money helping people and not enough building your party infrastructure so that the right doesn't roll right over us every time.

I like the idea; of course I do, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool liberal. But at the same time I think some of the above criticism is justified.

 

[wjousts]

I still feel that your idea is a nice sentiment, but there is a danger that it'll look like trying to buy votes and I'm sure that would be what the GOP would claim. Plus, $117 million (or whatever it is now) sounds like a lot of money and buys a lot of TV air time and bumper stickers, but I don't think it'll go very far in terms of public works.

 

[Sane]

The point is to win elections. You wont win a by handing out money. (Ask Forbes).

Its proven that a media blitz of dumb ass commercials can swing thousands of votes to your side.

I read an article somewhere that 3 in 10 voters are undecided. That's a possible 30% swing in one direction or the other.

 

[Tmy]

Ever think that this idea is well..........unethical.

People donated and taxpayers were raped for the express purpose of campaining to win. Not to shell out moneyto Haliburton for Humanity. (as noble as that may be).

Remember the bru-ha ha over the Salvation Army using 911 donations forother projects.

 

[Jocko]

The "King" has been dispensing his assets (unsolicited nonsense being the chief component) around his home town for years. Yet when he ran for mayor, I believe he garnered 1% of the vote (give or take, I don't remember, but it was about a dozen people).

Yet, he thinks it's a genius idea for someone else to do the same thing on a multimillion dollar scale, never once remembering how far it got him when he tried it.

Truly a stroke of genius, KOA. And to think I was under the impression you supported Kerry. I guess you learn something every day.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

The basic message is this:
Build gymnasiums and concert halls, improve road and walkways.

OK, back to reality. I believe I heard on the news last night that he is limited to $70 million or something. Let's see, at todays prices, that should build you, oh, say, about half a concert hall. So he should go into 1 Bush stronghold and build half a concert hall? Yeah, that'll work.

I have discussed further the details os such an initiative on Kerry's own Message Board System, but I don't expect to hear from the Senator until I get more people involved...

Why do I get the feeling that you'll hear from the Secret Service first?

I would appreciate any support you could offer-

You know, I would. But I have to organize my sock drawer first.