Here's what Bush/Cheney '04 campaign director Ken Mehlman had to say about us on Tuesday: "MoveOn.org is a huge threat and has hurt the president."
Just a few years ago, no one would have believed that millions of real Americans, working together, could have such an effect on the political landscape. But events like our bake sales last Saturday have proved them wrong. In one sunny spring afternoon, over 1,000 bake sales from Seattle to Syracuse pulled in $750,000 -- mostly in $2 or $3 cookie-sized chunks. (There's a full report below.) MoveOn members are re-writing the political rule book, and, together, we're leveling the playing field against the wealthiest Presidential campaign in our country's history.
That's why we're so excited about 50 for the Future -- a plan to raise $50 million from 500,000 of us to take back the White House, elect new progressive leaders, and prove forever that progressives are a force to be reckoned with.
$50 million sounds like a lot of money, and it is. But if we can get 500,000 people -- 1/4th of the MoveOn base -- to give $100 each between now and the election, we'll make it. The details are below; it's clearly the most ambitious thing we've ever attempted. But MoveOn's never set a fundraising goal we didn't meet, and if this election isn't a time to pull out all the stops, we don't know what is.
Would you join us by pledging to raise $1,000 from yourself, your friends, and your community before November 2nd? With about 200 days until the election, this would mean finding a way of raising around $5 a day until the election. We'll give you ideas -- from house parties to bake sales -- and provide you with tools and tips to help raise the dough.
Help get 50 for the Future rolling by pledging now at:
http://moveonpac.org/50forthefuture/?id=2724-3646104-JGeYoM_TQaU0yQJPG75Ujg
Here's how 50 for the Future breaks down:
$10 million to support the biggest get-out-the-vote drive in American history. MoveOn members have already pledged over seven million hours of their time to help get out the vote and win back the White House. Now we're hiring staff in battleground states to help folks get involved in canvasses and other on-the-ground activities. We're partnering with America Coming Together, which is doing the largest and most systematic get-out-the-vote drive our country's ever seen, as well as other local groups. Together, we'll deliver hundreds of thousands of volunteer canvass days. And for folks outside of the battleground states, we're developing a phone-banking program through which MoveOn members across the country can make tens of millions of calls to swing-state voters.
$20 million for advertisements to reach millions of voters in swing states -- ads that will cut through the spin and set the record straight. Through the MoveOn.org Voter Fund, MoveOn members raised $10 million to run swing-state ads that challenged President Bush's policies and put him on the defensive. From polling, we know these ads made an enormous impact, demonstrating powerfully how harmful those policies have been for our country. President Bush is now fighting a defensive battle on the air in these states with vicious and sometimes just plain false attacks on John Kerry. $20 million will allow us to systematically confront President Bush with the truth. He can run, but he can't hide.
$20 million to support candidates -- from state senators to John Kerry. We'll make direct contributions to candidates together to give them the resources they need to compete, and to remind them who they're working for. Over the next six months, we'll highlight progressive candidates for office, focusing especially on folks who are running in the key "battleground" states. It's a way of doubling the impact of our money: not only will we help good candidates get elected, but strong local grassroots campaigns in the battleground states will help turn out voters for Kerry as well. And we'll raise money for John Kerry, giving him the resources to articulate his vision for our country and take President Bush to task. This support will also remind our future President and future members of Congress that we helped put them there.
All this will help us win on November 2nd. But the Plan is also focused on November 3rd. On November 3rd, we'll have built a strong movement. We'll have helped to register millions of new voters. We'll have helped to elect fresh and exciting leaders to state and federal offices. And we'll have armed swing-state voters with a wealth of information about President Bush and his policies.
And one other thing: on November 3rd, we'll have changed American politics forever. To bring together $50 million directly from real Americans -- doing it without rubber-chicken dinners or high-donor cultivation programs -- is a transformative act. It'll demonstrate that politicians can't afford to ignore their constituents. It'll demonstrate that democracy can really work.
So are you in? We know it's a stretch, but it's time to think big. What can you pledge to raise, between yourself and your friends and colleagues, to take back our country? $1,000? $2,000? $10,000? Pledge your support at:
http://moveonpac.org/50forthefuture/?id=2724-3646104-JGeYoM_TQaU0yQJPG75Ujg
Sincerely,
--Adam, Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Laura, and Wes
The MoveOn PAC team
April 22nd, 2004
P.S. If you need any more inspiration, here's a report from our bake sales on Saturday:
Our initial bake sale goal was $100,000, but MoveOn members always surprise us -- we not only brought in $750,000, but we gave out 40,000 flyers on John Kerry and registered thousands of voters. We estimate that over half a million people baked, bought, or sold food. One sale in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, raised more than $1000 in just a couple hours, and one in Washington had so many bakers they split into four satellite sales around the area.
You can check out a great map -- with photos -- of the bake sales across the country at:
http://cdn.moveonpac.org/bakesale/flash/
And participants had inspiring reports:
"For a town of only 26,000 (in Kentucky!), we raised a total of $433.82--4 times our initial goal! Also, we had press coverage from two newspapers.People came out in droves, and were just so happy to be able to do SOMETHING to help change the political climate"-- Pernell, Frankfort, KY
"We had a couple who brought us 40 loaves of home baked bread, still warm!"-- Jenifer, Gloucester, MA
"We held the sale in my driveway in a staunchly Republican neighborhood. Folks were glad to see TX still had Democrats."--Barbara, Austin, TX
"Janet and Doris went to a strip mall locally with 'bake sale on wheels' in a baby stroller."--Doris, Milwaukee, WI
"Restored my faith in democracy...and in my neighbors."-- Jeannette, Cullowhee, NC
"I am proud to be an American today!!!"-- Jennifer, Wethersfield, CT
MY ADVICE endeavors at keen.com. The number is 1-800-275-5336 (800-ask-keen) + ext. 0329063 for tech stuff, 0329117 for running a small business, and 0329144 on investing. Want to CHAT, I use Yahoo's IM as the_web_ster. View me in the Friends & Family part of webcamnow.com, just click on "view cams", then in the Java window click on WebcamNow Communities drop down arrow & select Friends & Family. Under the live webcams look for & click on me "the_webster".
send comments via Email to me, D
