What We're About

by: 21st Century Democrats

Tue Oct 20, 2009 at 16:41

21st Century Democrats is focused on building a progressive movement from the grassroots up.  Our goal is to promote populist values, activists, and candidates.

Rethinking Democratic Party Revenue Flows

by: Matt Stoller

Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 16:58

At any rate, this got me thinking about why progressives have almost no leverage right now, with a Congress operating like the corrupt Congress did in 1993 and three major party Presidential candidates running on centrist platforms that favor insurance companies, the coal industry and defense contractors.  I mean, progressives do provide a lot of money, right?  Well, maybe not.

In the 2006 election cycle, business political action committees (PACs) gave 66% of their $234 million in donations to Republicans. This year, though, corporate interests have rewarded Democrats for taking back control of Congress for the first time in 12 years by funneling 58% of their $7 million in early money to them, according to an analysis of Federal Election Committee data by PoliticalMoneyLine. "Money follows power realignment," says Bernadette A. Budde, senior vice-president of the Business Industry Political Action Committee. "We're telling [business] people, 'Be prepared to do business in a town that continues to look very different.'"

Among the businesses that have given a majority to Democrats this year after backing mostly Republicans in the 2005-2006 cycle: Aflac (AFL ), Anheuser-Busch (BUD ), ConocoPhillips (COP ), General Dynamics, Harrah's Entertainment (HET ), Home Depot (HD ), Honeywell International (HON ), MGMMIRAGE (MGJ ), Miller Brewing (SBMRY ), and United Technologies (UTK ), which switched from 62% Republican to 59% Democratic after the election. UTC spokesman James DeFrank says the change "reflects in part the new Democratic majority in Congress and changes in leadership on key committees." Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT )spokesman Jeffery Adams says his company's Democratic contributions are "part of the ebb and flow of our overall budget within the election cycle." The Maryland defense contractor, which has given 62% of its donations to Republicans over the past decade, has contributed to 11 Democrats and 3 Republicans this year, including new Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.)...

Some companies caution against over-interpreting any trends. Home Depot has shifted its PAC contributions from 71% Republican in 2006 to 55% Democratic in 2007. But spokesman Ron DeFeo warns: "It is much too early to make judgments about the partisan balance of our giving." DeFeo says the PAC is nonpartisan and supports candidates "who advocate policies that promote a favorable business climate for the Home Depot."

To party committee leaders like Chuck Schumer and Rahm Emanuel, the money coming through Moveon and Actblue is nice but no longer necessary.  There's no reason to make any trade-offs to progressives to get it, unlike the period from 2002-2006 when business lobbyists had no reason to give to Democrats.  Progressives have limited leverage through the general election process, and Howard Dean has failed to create a place for progressives in the party structure as the DNC Chair.

The positive aspect of the corporate money flowing in is that it is partisan cash.  This stuff will be used to defend Democratic majorities, at least during the general election, and so we no longer have to care about seats like the one held by Chris Carney or Baron Hill.  Citibank, Lockheed, and Rahm Emanuel can worry about them.

What we have to do at this point is recognize that this is a game of leverage, and primaries are where we need to compete.  On the Blue Majority page, we're taking that seriously.  Seals, Franken, Edwards and Pera are all in primaries, and Darcy Burner and Eric Massa already won their primary fights. 

So throw a few bucks through the Blue Majority page.  If you want to get at Democratic leadership, give only to Pera and Edwards, who are going after Democratic incumbents.  And if you want to see more recruitment of primary challenges and support of progressive activists, throw in some cash to Blogpac.  Or make your own page or your own funding choices.  There's really a shopping cart of options at this point - we got the majority, now we should spend our time and money getting to the majority we want.