A couple of years ago, Glenn Greenwald got together with Markos Moulitsas and Jane Hamsher and discussed how we can get a more progressive Congress. That conversation is still worth reading, because it contains a lot of home truths, like this one from Kos:
So, we’re not going to go after representatives, congressmen, that are conservative just because they are quote “conservative.” We’re going to look at those districts, with representatives that elected officials that have lost touch with their constituents, and not providing their constituents service, are not voting in a way that helps the well-being and the welfare of the people who are in those districts. So, it’s not a left versus right sort of thing; it’s really more of a corporatist versus populist approach to governance. We think that elected officials should represent their constituents and not corporate interests.
Around that time, Greenwald and Hamsher announced Accountability Now, a PAC that intends to fund primary challengers for corporatist Democrats. They were recently part of a successful effort to recruit a credible primary challenger for the Senator from Wal-Mart and Tyson, Blanche Lincoln.
But that’s it — one recruit. When you look at Charlie Cook’s map of the Senate, you can see why. Of all the toss-up states, Arkansas and Pennsylvania are the only ones where the incumbent is arguably too conservative for the state, and Specter already has a declared, credible primary opponent.
There are plenty of opportunities in the other 34 races, like David Vitter in Louisiana, or the open seat in Indiana, where Democrats are going to need a good candidate. But that’s not Accountability Now’s mission — they recruit primary challengers. And no doubt we have some Stupaks that need to be primaried, but does anyone still think the main problem is in the House?
Hamsher and Greenwald picked a hard target, one that will require many cycles and a lot of dogged effort — it should have been called “Accountability at Some Future Point”. When I see long-term projects like that, I assume that the founders realize the problem they’re trying to solve isn’t going to be fixed quickly, and that they won’t freak out the first time they don’t get exactly the outcome they desire.
Mike Kay
I would like to thank Hanoi Jane Hamsher, Tailgunner Glenn, the Firebaggers, the PUMAs, Shitty Sirota, and the rest of the JunkBloggers for helping to Kill the Bill.
Woo Hooo!
Hippies rule!
Tim F.
At least since he switched, Arlen Specter is absolutely not too conservative for Pennsylvania. Specter has stood emphatically on the right side of every legislative initiative since then. Whether he means it or whether the primary did it, IMO Specter has effectively neutered Sestak’s narrative.
General Egali Tarian Stuck
So that explains Hamsher’s anti corporatist union with Grover Norquist to appear on Fox News together. Cool, Maybe it’s 11 dimensional chess Firebagger style. Scratches head.
Did you know Obama is bad as Bush, how populist is that?
dr. bloor
A quick trip through Firedogtantrum these days makes it pretty clear that your assumption is without merit.
beltane
In the Arkansas case, there was apparently a lot of local disgust with Blanche Lincoln. While Accountability Now might have supported Halter’s primary challenge, I do not think they were the moving force behind it.
Now how’s that primary challenge to Bernie Sanders going…
FormerSwingVoter
@Mike Kay: Hey! Just because they’re doing everything in their power to defeat this bill specifically and our President and the entire progressive agenda more generally, that doesn’t mean you can call them on it! That’s hippie punching!
mistermix
@Tim F.: Agreed. Specter is a great example of how the strategy of primary challenging conservadems in Democratic states is a good one.
@dr. bloor: I was trying to go light on the hippie punching, but you’re right.
dr. bloor
@Mike Kay:
I suspect what stings them more than being hippie-punched is their irrelevance to the debate.
Mike Kay
@General Egali Tarian Stuck: you’re such an obot. doncha know, Obama is WORSE than bush.
Brian J
I know getting better, more reliable Democrats in states where we already have less-than-stellar ones is important, but why can’t the focus also be on getting Democrats elected to Republican-held seats when opportunity appears? Take Arizona, for instance. If J.D. Hayworth is the nominee, and maybe even if he’s not, there could very well be a tremendous opportunity to pick up the seat.
And why aren’t we trying to field candidates in traditionally red areas, too? This might even be more of a crapshoot, but why not give Democrats around the country a morale boost by having someone step up to the plate in Utah and South Carolina and then have the president visit them?
No, it’s not always easy to do get candidates, but there will always be someone willing to run, even if the person is fairly obscure. And if they aren’t well know, introduce them early, and supply them with the resources so they can travel every corner of the state in question. In the end, there’s no guarantee that success will come, but if it’s September and there’s been no movement, resources can be devoted elsewhere. But an early, involved, well planned effort, like those for Obama in Virginia, North Carolina, and Indiana can sometimes yield the results you want.
Brien Jackson
As far as individuals go, yes, I do think the bigger problem is in the House. The main problems in the Senate right now are institutional. Those are problems the House doesn’t have, so there’s fewer excuses, for lack of a better way to put it. House members are also much easier to campaign against, so if you’re actually looking to be effective, concentrating on the House is much better than going after Senators.
BR
Man, when is Al Giordano going to write up his investigation into the Greenwald/Hamsher PAC? I know he’s been busy with other things, but I really want to read it…
JGabriel
Brian J:
We do. You’re about 5 years behind the times. This argument was current way back when Dean was arguing for the 50 State Strategy at the DNC, and, as we saw in 2006 and 2008, Dean won.
.
Redshift
@Brian J: Yes, we need to work to continue the 50-state strategy, even if the DNC isn’t. If teabaggers in many districts can figure out how to file to run for office (not a given), there may be some real opportunities. I know that in the VA legislature, quite a few of our gains over the last few years have come when GOP incumbents were challenged (and in one case, defeated) by purity trolls from the right who turned out to be complete nutcases.
eemom
“When I see long-term projects like that, I assume that the founders realize the problem they’re trying to solve isn’t going to be fixed quickly, and that they won’t freak out the first time they don’t get exactly the outcome they desire.”
You funny, dude.
Brien Jackson
@JGabriel:
Jesus…..
I give up.
El Cid
Clearly we should contrast these less-than-stellar efforts with all the prior, enormously successful grassroots efforts to recruit & run electable, yet effective Democratic politicians more in touch with their average constituent’s interests.
Mike Kay
The Pen!s of doom, Rahm, appears on 60 minutes tonight.
Here’s a clip and OMG1 he doesn’t seem to be evil ({{{{{{{{{shock}}}}}})
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6315700n
eemom
@Redshift:
What’re we gonna do about Kookinelli, Red? God, WHAT a disaster.
Hey, what’s you’re take on the debacle of last year’s election? I’m not of the Deed-basher crowd, myself — think he was unfairly maligned by a lot of firebag types.
mistermix
@Brien Jackson: I’m all for getting some tough challengers for the Stupaks, but real change is going to go at the speed that we can change the Senate, because anything more progressive in the House is stripped from bills in the Senate.
@others: Yes, we need better Democrats running against Republicans in all these races. That’s a hard problem, too, and one that the 50 state strategy, another long-term project, is aimed at. Glenn and Jane picked one small facet of the overall problem of getting better Democrats elected.
SiubhanDuinne
At last an answer to the great Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Robin G.
Personally, I think primary challenges are extremely important — but there’s no reason that multiple groups can’t be coordinating to get ride of Stupak and Vitter at the same time.
Warren Terra
There was a recent 500 comment thread on Accountability Now: almost all their spending goes to a few bloggers, with large and equal shares for Jane and Glenn – with Glenn hiding behind a fake company.
freelancer
@SiubhanDuinne:
But what is the question being asked?
Violet
Love the new tagline! 42!
@mistermix:
Yep. Nothing like a primary challenge to keep conservadems from drifting even further right.
Warren Terra
@Mike Kay:
“Obama is worse than Bush” is the old Firebagger meme. Now it’s “Obama is worse than Obama”, the worst charge they can level.
beltane
@Warren Terra: What is the source of the funding? That is the real question.
mistermix
@Warren Terra: Here’s what their site says:
Accountability Now — 2009 Statement of Expenses:
Executive Directors (J. Hauser & B. Tribbitt) $67,615.00
Travel $ 5,579.24
Bookkeeper $ 1,476.75
Legal fees $ 2,046.00
PAC Managers (J. Hamsher & G. Greenwald:
$2,000/month) $48,000.00
Management Consultants (in between
Executive Directors: D. Mayer & M. McNee) $34,000.00
Public Relations $11,500.00
Website and Development $ 5,221.24
TOTAL 2009 EXPENSES $175,438.23
http://accountabilitynowpac.com/index.php?view=article&catid=1%3Anews&id=17%3A2009-expenses&tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=&option=com_content&Itemid=5
jayackroyd
@mistermix
markos certainly realizes this is a long term strategy, requiring patience and persistence, in line with @redshift’s [waving at redshift http://ctgproject.blogspot.com/%5D comment on the fifty state strategy, and the GOP death spiral that the teabaggers represent.
But do keep in mind that even one primary a cycle is valuable. Donna Edwards scared corporatist Dems in other districts. Stupak getting a primary opponent will scare others, in seats that are less safe.
mr. whipple
@Warren Terra:
There’s good money in ‘activism’.
Joel
@mistermix: To be fair, your argument is that they’ll come back around, and I agree. It will just take a while. This incident is more about personal ego than anything else, and if Jane is the person John claims she is, she’ll get past that.
L Boom
@mr. whipple: No kidding. Between two executive directors, two PAC managers, and management consulting, $150k out of a total budget of $175k goes to administrative costs.
I’m certainly no expert on non-profit finances, but I’m thinking 85.3% of a PAC’s expenses going to administrative costs isn’t going to get them a four star rating at Charity Navigators.
Does anyone happen to know how much they’ve actually donated to campaigns since they’ve been in operations? Obviously those figures above are only part of the equation, but I’d be interested to see where the rest of the cash is going.
L Boom
@L Boom: Just to add my above post, I really don’t know what’s standard for this sort of operation, so if anyone would happen to know some figures as a baseline comparison I’d be very interested.
Likewise, if I’m jumping to conclusions, I would certainly appreciate someone with more knowledge of the subject correcting me.
Warren Terra
@mistermix:
When the thread happened, their site (amusingly) disclosed nothing; in their FEC filings Glenn’s share went to some nonexistent company that hid Glenn.
WereBear
I’m adding PAC Management to my resume today!
For the record: I’ve got nothing against people making money from blogging. It’s how they do it that is the issue here… and whether they disclose it in what they communicate.
indubitably
But … but … but … they’re on tv and stuff!
bystander
L Boom, I’m not precisely sure how dollars are organized. I think their approach is to steer donations to specific candidates through ActBlue, rather than through Accountability Now, but I could be wrong about that. Since there is an email address at the bottom of this link, I would encourage anyone who has questions to get their answers straight from the PAC by writing to them.
Martin
So, no primary challenger for Obama, then? Too bad Kucinich is now dead to FDL too. Probably Sanders as well. I think the only candidate pure enough for Jane is Jane herself.
the farmer
@#1 Mike Kay
Like the DFH Manson family.
*
gwangung
Yah. A substantive challenge for even a safe seat is good for the symbolic value of challenging a douchebag that is Stupak.
taylormattd
One target?? On what have they been spending the money they’ve raised? Haven’t they raised an enormous amount of money, allegedly to “primary” people? My god, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
taylormattd
@mistermix: Holy fucking shit. $2000 per month to Hamsher and Greenwald? For coming up with a single primary target? What a couple of completely douchebags.
booferama
I hate to throw water on the snarkfest, but Greenwald wants the bill to pass (last graf before the Update:
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/03/20/health_care/index.html
I think some of you need to distinguish between legitimate criticism of the bill and opposition to the bill; they aren’t the same thing.
BruinKid
@L Boom: Wait, it seems what mistermix posted in comment #28 was that the $175K is total expenses, and NOT their actual total budget. I think.
Elise
The entire point of Accountability NOW was for Glenn and Jane to collect donations so they could pay themselves a few grand each month for “consulting” and “managing.”
And Glenn was asking for donations on Salon.com without ever disclosing that he was being paid a cut of those donations.
The whole operation is seedy and this is why people should donate directly to candidates on their websites – that way there’s no mistake as to where the money goes.
Elise
I wonder – does Marisa McNee get paid by that PAC just for defending Jane all over the blogosphere? Or does she have other duties as well.
Elise
I wonder – does Marisa McNee get paid by that PAC just for defending Jane all over the blogosphere? Or does she have other duties as well?
Norbrook
@booferama: He’s doing what a number of the killbillies have done. Once they realized that there was no way they were going to be successful, and faced with becoming even more irrelevant, they suddenly decided the bill should pass.
Over at the GOS, there’s several of them who are attempting to rewrite their history, saying they weren’t really saying “kill the bill.” There’s a number of others who are calling them out on it too. That includes a few front-pagers who were lugging water for the FDL crew.
blogreeder
Isn’t a progressive a synonym of a communist?
booferama
@Norbrook: All you’re doing here is presenting your unsourced psychoanalysis of Greenwald and lumping him in with the others you (and I, fwiw) disagree with. But do you have any evidence that what you claim is true?
tammanycall
@Warren Terra:
Are you certain that Greenwald’s intent was nefarious? It’s not unusual for individuals to have a DBA (Doing Business As) identity for business purposes.
wmd
FDL is going to be an interesting place next week.
If Jane can put down bitterness and reach out to her fellow progressives it will be a miracle. Don’t hold your breath.
Over at FDL I’ve made a case that state legislative races are the key battleground for 2010, starting back in June 2009 or so. Redistricting of Congress and state representation happens after the 2010 census. Getting district boundaries that are more friendly to progressive candidates is important. Especially when you consider some of the Blue Dog DINOs will be out – if we find ways to make “safe seats” in Congress, let’s try to make them safe for the most progressive candidates possible. And in most states this means influencing the state legislature as they have the power over redistricting.
gwangung
@booferama: Actually, I think Glenn’s mentioned it, but only after being questioned about it. I think he sometimes forgets that his actions can be questioned on the same basis he question politicians’ actions. I don’t think he’s doing anything wrong, but he does rate higher scrutiny than a random commenter….
theylivebynight
Gawd, ya know what the worst thing in the world is? Being liberal and caring. We want your vote, not your opinion.
I hate mistermax