Prog Blogs, Orgs & Alumni
Bank Slate
Betsy Devine
birch paper
Democracy for NH
Granite State Progress
Mike Caulfield
Miscellany Blue
Pickup Patriots
Re-BlueNH
Still No Going Back
Susan the Bruce
New Hampshire Labor News
Chaz Proulx: Right Wing Watch
Politicos & Punditry
The Burt Cohen Show
John Gregg
Landrigan
Pindell
Primary Monitor
Scala
Schoenberg
Spiliotes
Campaigns, Et Alia.
NH-Gov
- Maggie Hassan
NH-01
- Andrew Hosmer
- Carol Shea-Porter
- Joanne Dowdell
NH-02
- Ann McLane Kuster
ActBlue Hampshire
NHDP
DCCC
DSCC
DNC
National
Balloon Juice
billmon
Congress Matters
DailyKos
Digby
Hold Fast
Eschaton
FiveThirtyEight
MyDD
Open Left
Senate Guru
Swing State Project
Talking Points Memo
50 State Blog Network
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
It's been almost a year since I posted a diary although I comment occasionally and lurk often. Politics has had to take a back seat to paying the bills and other energy draining activities that I never anticipated having to struggle with as I approached my 60th year. However, as the primary and the election approach the intensity of the fund raising has increased from the usual constant drone to a deafening cacophony. I hate it!
Really it's so wrong to put our candidates in the position of generating money constantly. The time could be better spent generating ideas and meeting constituents. Think of all the talented, creative, dedicated people who never become candidates or fall by the wayside because of the money requirement. I'm not saying that our candidates aren't talented, creative and dedicated. I am saying that a different system would give us more to work with and would raise the bar for everyone. Money or the ability to raise it should not be the defining characteristic of our elected officials. But it is and I hate it. So what?
Another aspect is how does one decide where to spend their "charity dollars" if lucky enough to have a few to spend? There are races all around the country that I care deeply about thanks to the connectedness of the internet. Should I send $5.00 or $10.00 to each? How about the humane society? Animals are suffering in this down economy and need to be fed. The local food pantry is often in trouble. Then there's the homeless shelter. And since we won't shop at Walmart and we spend more on locally grown produce we have less money to spend. I hate that lack of money is the source of so much misery.
Now, here in NH I already know that I will put my money and time (little as it is) to help Paul Hodes and Carol Shea-Porter. My rep, my senator. So I have ignored the e-mails and phone calls from the other race as if they were from another state. I comfort myself that Annie will win the primary and go on to win the election without me. I'm small fish in a puddle when it comes to campaign contributions. I hate that I don't have enough to give everywhere I want. But I don't.
But I happened to pick up the phone last night and it was Annie herself. I'm sure I'm on the list as a supporter. I hate that she would have to spend even a second talking to me about the need for money. But she did, because she does. Even though she has raised lots of money the primary has turned into one of those TV battles that sucks up money. What a waste. I hate it!
But I hate the idea of her opponent who is, in my opinion, more connected to the corporate republican philosophy than the progressive democratic one I prefer, buying the nomination. Because I do prefer her over Charlie Bass, but not by much and either way we all loose. I hate this situation.
So I'm making a contribution http://www.kusterforcongress.com/
