Show Me the Money
Who best to donate to? And does it matter?
So here’s the cold hard truth: the most effective form of grassroots activism is to donate money. I’m sorry, but it’s true. Donating to a progressive candidate and/or organization is the surest road to the future we want to see.
But does it really matter? Don’t the campaigns have tons of money already? Aren’t rich people giving millions? What difference does my $15 make?
It makes a huge difference. In the critical early hours of Kamala’s amazing surge, it was the flood of donations that caught the attention of the national media. Not the amount of money raised—the number of people donating. And the startling fact that two thirds of the donations were from first-time donors. My two-cents-worth counts just as much as a billionaire’s does, when you’re counting number of donations—a sure sign of depth of support.
So it’s best to give early. And it’s great to give often. And it’s good, of course to give a lot. But if you don’t happen to have millions of spare dollars, giving $10 once a week— as early as possible in the campaign—beats giving $250 on the day before Election Day.
Okay, I’ll give. But where? Who gets my hard-earned dough? If your inbox is anything like mine, it’s besieged by appeals. Swing Left, Mobilize, Indivisible, Vote Blue, the DNC and the ABC and the XYZ and of course every single candidate from Kamala on down the ballot wants our money.
Right now, I feel it’s probably best to give right to Kamala. Even if (may all the gods forfend) she doesn’t win, this fantastic surge of energy among Democrats could result in good news down-ballot for all progressive candidates. It’s so important to keep this energy going.
But if you want to be a bit more local, I recommend Josh Riley in NY-19, a very winnable district in downstate New York that’s key to winning the House. I’ve heard him speak, and I think he’s a hard-working, dedicated guy who is truly a good choice.
For a progressive organization that channels money where it’s most needed, I like Indivisible. They’ve been around since 2016, and did some stellar work organizing the Blue Wave of 2018, the big win in 2020, and the successful midterms of 2022.
You may have heard of the Environmental Voter Project, with brilliant strategies to nudge non-voters who care about climate change to get to the polls. If climate change keeps you up at night, these folks are well worth your attention and $$$$.
And here’s an interesting group, recommended by Chop Wood, Carry Water, a substack I’ve learned a lot from: Seed the Vote is one of the best organizations in the country supporting volunteer canvassers traveling to swing states. STV provides excellent training and also pays for housing and transportation for those who need it. This year it will be sending canvassers to Phoenix, Reno, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Milwaukee, Detroit and its suburbs. Donate - Seed the Vote, or if you’re really brave, you can sign up to canvass with STV here.
Money is tight, for all of us. And there’s certainly no shortage of worthy causes. But these days, I rarely open my pockets except to help fund a political candidate.
This seems heartless. How can I support a politician instead of donating to help endangered polar bears, hungry children, or homeless dogs? Because the best way of helping those polar bears is environmental legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which represents the single largest investment in climate and energy in U.S. history. The best way to feed hungry kids is to vote for politicians who will vote for an expanded Child Tax Credit that will pull millions of children out of poverty.
Even the homeless dogs will do better with a town council that supports a well-funded shelter.
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Dear Friends,
Are you worried, energized, jittery, and hopeful about the election of 2024—-all at the same time? I hope you’ll continue to check out The Optimistic Activist.
Every week I post some ideas for doing something. How to get out the vote, spread the word, and support progressive candidates. Ideas for simple but effective activism. As easy, as practical, as do-able as I can make them.
Together, I think, we could really make a difference.
“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future.”
--Noam Chomsky
