[note: I may be on the verge of breaking rules, by publishing the same diary two days in a row. However, I think this is a really good idea, and it got washed away in a stream of evening diaries. I'm trying on a more EST-friendly time, to see if it can gain traction. Or tell me I'm high on crack if it's a bad idea.]
Comments in the Al Gore diary earlier inspired me to set up an ACTblue page to take advantage of a cool new feature they set up for this 2008 presidential cycle: you can donate to a "Draft [x]" campaign page.
I set one up for Al Gore, and it's already got $215.03!(now 10 people and $245.05!)
http://www.actblue.com/...
Here's the idea: far more than total dollars raised, thousands of small dollar contributions are a good expression of genuine interest in drafting someone to run for office.
In Arizona, the public financing system is specifically set up so that to get on the ballot, you have to collect lots of $5 contributions. It proves you have support, and are viable, but doesn't break the bank for your contributors and supporters.
ACTblue has a page for all candidates to be drafted from - you can raise money for anyone you want, it gets held for that candidate should they enter the race, and if not, it goes to the DNC.
Did you see that?! If the candidate doesn't enter, the money goes to the DNC! It's a no-lose proposition!
ACTblue says this about draft funds:
You can raise "...draft funds for prospective candidates as well. Money collected in the draft funds will be held until the prospective candidate forms a presidential campaign committee, at which point the funds will be transferred to the campaign. Should the candidate not enter the race by the time of the Democratic National Convention, funds will be sent to the DNC."
Hello, people - this is a fantastic way for us to show Al that he has support for 08. Thousands of small dollar donors would do more to make our case than all the petitions and websites we could ever set up....Come on people - we vote for him in polls all the time. This is a cheap and easy way to prove you mean it, and to create buzz for a draft movement.
Contribute $5 now! DO NOT contribute more than $5 - the total dollar amount isn't the point - the total number of donors is! Let's turn this thing viral and send it to everyone we can think of who has ever expressed interest in Al Gore running again!
http://www.actblue.com/...