[Peace-discuss] MoveOn.org on the 2004 presidential race (fwd)

[C. G. Estabrook]

[We've all been reading the (I think generally good) material from the
MoveOn group, which apparently began in support of Clinton -- encouraging
people to "move on" beyond the crimes for which Clinton was impeached.
John Paul Schmit of the Prairiegreens has circulated the following note on
the present activities of MoveOn, which seems to me quite good. --CGE]


Hello,
 
I did a little bit of checking up on MoveOn to see what they actually do.  
They have two parts: a not-for-profit which does issue education type
things and the MoveOn.Org pac which donates to candidates. The PAC
(technically a multi-candidate committee in the eyes of the FEC) collects
money and donates to canidates, as well as channelling indvidual donations
to candidates. Chanelling is when someone donates to the PAC and says
"this money is meant to be sent on to so and so as a donation". The PAC
can only donate up to $5000 to a particular candidate in a particular
election (with the primary and the general counting as 2 different
elections), not including the channeled money.

Their web-site says that they are dedicated to electing candidates who
"embrace moderate to progressive principles of national government". In
the past all of their support has gone to democrats. I have no idea how
they chose who to support, their does not seem to be a board of directors
or anything, I think there are just 3 people who call the shots, but I am
not certain about that.

So, I don't know if they are going to get a lot of money, but I suspect
the idea is to use Bush as a tactic to raise money, which will then go to
Democrats running for House or Senate. Legally, the PAC cannot donate more
than $10,000 to the eventual Dem nominee ($5000 primary, $5000 general).
If you want to donate to one the Democratic candidates for President, with
the idea of influencing the course of the primary, you should probably do
it directly to the candidate rather than through MoveOn, as there is no
aboslutely no indication where the MoveOn money will go their website. If
you just want to help the Democratic nominee, regardless of who that ends
up being, I guess you should wait until March by which time that will all
be sorted out.

John Paul

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