Money, the Key to Politics

Apparently, the new golden rule is he who has the gold gets elected. To say the Obama camp is concerned about Mitt Romney’s ability to attract donation dollars would be a severe understatement.

My latest e-mail from Robby Mook takes the grim approach. “I won't mince words: If Mitt and his SuperPAC backers can bury us under a wave of corporate special interest cash right now, we will lose in November.”

Now I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “who the hell is Robby Mook?” Yeah, that was sort of my reaction.

Robby Mook is the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and I suppose he is tasked with attempting to win back the House of Representatives. I figure he has two chances, slim and none.

But that’s not the point. The point is Will Rodgers bit of wisdom. “I don’t belong to any organized political party, I’m a Democrat.”

I’m no expert, but I sort of have this impression that the problem with the Democrats is their fund raising is so chaotic. This are the e-mail requests I’ve gotten in just the last couple of days.

Robby Mook 7/8/12 – This is the grim message from the House Democrats.

Joe Biden 7/7/12 – Obama/Biden of course crying about Romney’s $100 million

Stephanie Cutter 7/7/12 – The Truth Team? I don’t even know who the hell the Truth Team is but apparently they support Obama.

Bob Menendez 7/6/12 – New Jersey Senate.

Convention Host Committee 7/6/12 – Buy convention stuff.

Jim Messina 7/6/12 – Obama/Biden also crying about the $100 million.

Diane Doukas – 7/6/12 – This is a good one. An invitation to a Westchester Brunch with Michelle Obama with tickets at $1,500, $5,000 and $25,000.

Joe Biden 7/5/12 – Obama/Biden, win a chance to come “hang out” whatever that means.

Kirsten Gillibrand 7/4/12 – New York Senate. This actually isn’t a request for money. It’s simply a Happy July 4th message. The problem of course is it got buried with all the donation requests so I figured it was one of them. I’m still a bit confused as to why I’m on her mailing list.

Nancy Pelosi 7/3/12 – Crowing about a fundraising record after the SCOTUS upheld the health care law. This is sort of out of sync with the rest of the panicky e-mails. Probably went out before Romney’s numbers came in but it makes you wonder how much of a fund raising issue there really is.

Jim Messina – 7/3/12 – A coupon code for the Obama store that I didn’t take advantage of.

Alan Grayson 7/3/12 – He’s running for congress in Florida. Why the hell he is sending me stuff is even a bigger mystery than why Gillibrand is sending me stuff.

Julianna Smoot 7/1/12 – An Obama shirt offer but it’s a really ugly shirt and, besides, I’d have to be gay to even think about wearing it. It’s seriously aimed at the under 30 female set.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz 7/1/12 – This one is from the Democratic National Committee. That reminds me, I don’t even know if I’ve paid my DNC dues for this year?

And this is just the e-mail. It doesn’t count the snail mail solicitations nor the phone call I got from the Democratic governors committee. That was a good one. I originally said “NO” since there is no governor’s race in New Jersey but they wheedled me out of $50 anyway.

I get so many of these things that the tendency is to just freeze and respond to none of them. I suspect the Democrats would do better to organize their fund raising rather than having such a free for all. I should talk, I don’t keep track myself. Ok, from now on I’m logging all donations.