Hey everybody, the folks at Voces de la Frontera found us a match
for up to $25,000!
All contributions since DougJ’s post went up yesterday will be matched!
All donations of any amount will be matched – up to a total of $25,000.
Voces de la Frontera Action
Sadly, the fight to control our bodies and make our own decisions has now be on the legislative front, and we need to win every seat we can.
Remember, the relational organizing at Voces de la Frontera in 2020 resulted in a turnout that was more than the margin of victory in Wisconsin, and every penny of these funds will go directly toward the relational organizing efforts at Voces.
Your matched donations will help us keep the House, increase our slim majority in the Senate, and hopefully put more Dems in the Wisconsin statehouse and other elections up and down the ballot.
For this particular match, we will match any amount, and you don’t even have to tell us about it in the comments. Still, I hope you’re willing to share your donation in the comments – it’s not bragging – it helps inspire other people to give.
When the thermometer hits $48,935 we’ll be at the $25,000 for this match.
Let’s do this!
WaterGirl
There have been $5,031 in contributions to this thermometer since DougJ put up the post yesterday, and all of those donations are included in the match.
So if you gave $100, it turned into $200, and so on.
banditqueen
!Voces y votes azul en todas partes! Thank you again for doing this.
WaterGirl
For those who don’t have time to read the whole post:
Remember, the relational organizing at Voces de la Frontera in 2020 resulted in a turnout that was more than the margin of victory in Wisconsin, and every penny of these funds will go directly toward the relational organizing efforts at Voces.
eachother
Atta Way.
This is the spirit of Blue Fire. Two matches. One that lights the fuse. And one that matches the donation fire it lights.
Wapiti
Dropped 50 in. Hope it was the correct thermometer.
WaterGirl
@Wapiti: Duh!
I should have put the thermometer in the post!
Voces de la Frontera Action
Was this the one that you donated through?
stinger
I have to save most of my contributions for races in my state, which isn’t Wisconsin, but I just dropped in $10 for Voces.
pat
$250.
On Wisconsin!!
WaterGirl
@stinger: Thank you!
What state are you in?
WaterGirl
@pat: Thank you, Pat! On Wisconsin, indeed!
edit: That’s $500 for a key state.
MisterForkbeard
I’m in. $100. Couldn’t go to a better group, especially now.
WaterGirl
@MisterForkbeard: Thanks, MisterForkbeard! That’s $200 for Wisconsin.
I especially love that we are helping groups who serve disenfranchised populations.
Wapiti
@WaterGirl: Ya, it is on the lower right sidebar as well
WaterGirl
@Wapiti: Yeah, that’s why I forgot to include it, because it’s in the sidebar on the right. But that’s not the case for mobile users, so I have to be sure to always include the thermometer in the post.
Thanks for the nice reminder.
banditqueen
The total has increased in a short span of time–really awesome! WaterGirl, do you know which states Voces will work in?
dkinPa
Watergirl, DougJ, and everybody on Balloon Juice — you guys are the best! I know when I donate through this site that every dollar gets maximized. I’m furious at the Supreme Court, but also happy that the brief was leaked. Hoping that people stay motivated all the way through to the midterms this fall.
Hungry Joe
I haven’t been commenting much recently because I can’t seem to find anything useful, funny, or even mildly diverting to contribute. But I can contribute $25. So I did.
Ms. Joe and I went to the rally at the Fed building in downtown San Diego yesterday. Two of our pretty-damn-good Congresscritters, Sarah Jacobs and Mike Levin, we’re there, and were on fire. Maybe 300 people. One of the other speakers said to the crowd, “So glad you could all make it here! And if this one thing, this turning up today, is the one thing you do … we lose. You have to get friends, neighbors, family, to VOTE! We have to work — canvass, phone bank, volunteer in any way possible!” Crowd went wild. Seemed sincere, real. I was, and remain, encouraged. Feels good.
lifeinthebonusround
$100 from Massachusetts
evap
In for $100!
Jesse
Does VdlF also work outside Wisconsin? I mean, the fight is pretty much everywhere now.
Barbara
I donated. Looking forward to seeing posts on your activities this election season.
MazeDancer
In for 10. Well done getting such a sizable match!
WaterGirl
@Hungry Joe: Thanks for the contribution, and for letting your congress critters know that this is important to you. That’s $50 the will go a long way to turning out disenfranchised people in WI.
WaterGirl
@banditqueen: Voces in only in Wisconsin, but of course Wisconsin is a key state. They made such an impact in the Milwaukee area that groups around the state want them to help in their areas, too.
WaterGirl
@lifeinthebonusround: $200 for Wisconsin, from MA! thank you!
WaterGirl
@evap: Thank you, that’s $200!
WaterGirl
@Jesse: The fight really is everywhere now. They work exclusively in Wisconsin. They are based in Milwaukee which is where a lot of the BLUE action is in Wisconsin, but they are also being called on to help around the state.
WaterGirl
@Barbara: Thanks. We’ve been planning a post with Voces so they can tell us what our field organizing position has allowed them to do. But everyone gets busy…
That will probably happen sooner rather than later since we are raising funds for them again.
AJ
Ty for rallying us WaterGirl & DougJ!
In for $75 to Voces just now.
Fight on.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: Thanks, MazeDancer! After the experience with our last fundraising for the group with no external matches, I am going to push harder for groups to find us an external match if we are going to give more them than, say, $10-15,000.
An offer from us provides them with leverage to possibly get a sizable donation they might not have gotten otherwise, and it’s surely motivating to us here. Using leverage to maximize the impact. :-)
WaterGirl
@AJ: Thanks for the $150 for this effort in Wisconsin!
MazeDancer
@WaterGirl:
B!j has a very impressive track record when it comes to meeting matches.
Any org that doesn’t see this as a golden opportunity to lure a big donor in for another ante and, win-win, get money from BJ knows nothing about fund-raising.
In a year where so many are going to be wanting donations, and everyone is not rich, don’t think any orgs should approach a proven provider like BJ without a match. Even if it’s just a small one.
Matches work here. Double matches work twice as much. Which is why BJ Angels have been so generous. (And thank you!)
Candidates don’t need matchers. But think you are wise to say orgs do.
Omnes Omnibus
For people concerned about Voces being limited to WI, if Dems do well in WI, we will re-elect a governor who is solidly pro-choice, pro-voter, and pro-education. He and his veto have been a strong bulwark against a crazed GOP legislature. In addition, success in WI means that Ron Johnson is replaced by a solid Dem (probably Mandela Barnes). That would diminish the power of Manchin and Sinema. There is no way these are not good things. #Bucksin6
ETA: I will donate when I get home from work.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Seriously! Who doesn’t want to get rid of Ron Johnson????
Everything we can do to give some of these states a solid chance of getting/staying blue is going to be crucial in 2022.
WaterGirl
@MazeDancer: I am SUPER excited about our next group after this. I mean really excited.
They are fun, inspiring, and passionate about their work. They are getting set up with ActBlue for the first time, and that process should be done by Friday or Monday. And they are working their behinds off to find matching funds for us.
Can’t wait to introduce them to all of you guys. That will be one zoom that everyone should want to attend. They are really great.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Is there any chance of Dems taking more seats at the state level?
If this week has taught us anything it’s that the state legislatures are everything for some issues we are facing.
bjacques
Oh, damn. Kicked in $ 50 two days ago. At least it’ll still do some good.
KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
Just donated $25.
WaterGirl
@bjacques: Kicked in $50 to voces 2 days ago? Not yesterday?
PHinSD
Just put $25 in
WaterGirl
@KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager)): @PHinSD:
Thank you both! That’s $100 for more relational organizing in Wisconsin.
la caterina
Okay, I’m in for another $100. Gave to a less favored thermometer yesterday (harrumph).
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: There is always a chance, but I would not bet the farm.
Almost Retired
@Omnes Omnibus: This! A thousand times! I want to pour our efforts into what I call the salvageable states, and Wisconsin and Michigan are at the forefront. I’ve given up on my birth state of Iowa as well as Ohio, and probably Florida. But Arizona and Georgia give me hope. The map is changing, and I think the BJ fundraising efforts are changing – strategically – with it.
Omnes Omnibus
@Omnes Omnibus: In addition, donating to this will make me happy, and who among us does not want to make me happy. Also, mousebumples will cut you if you don’t donate.*
*Not intended as a factual statement.
la caterina
@Omnes Omnibus: Thank you for explaining Wisconsin’s significance in this cycle. You had me at Ron Johnson.
Wolvesvalley
Just put $100 in. I’m happy to make Omnes happy! And if this happens, I will be happy, too:
dnfree
I checked my emails, and my monthly contributions seem to go in on the 11th. So the last one was April 11, and the next should be May 11. I hope they’re still showing up on the thermometer.
CCL
In for $50.
DarbysMom
In for $25.
WaterGirl
@la caterina: Thank you, that’s $200 for the favored :-) cause of the moment.
West of the Rockies
It’ll be very interesting to see what Dems have raised nationally in the last 48 hours.
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: I want to make you happy! In fact, I thought you would be pleased to see WI up to bat again.
JeanneT
$25 from me!
WaterGirl
@Wolvesvalley: Thank you, that’s $200 to hopefully help boot Ron Johnson out the door.
WaterGirl
@dnfree: They should be showing up in the thermometer. If you want to remind me on May 12, I check to make sure they have one from you on May 12 and that the money is going into this fund.
Also, if you want to write to me and let me know your monthly amount, I’m sure we can count this month toward the match.
WaterGirl
@CCL: Thank you! Keeping the Dem governor for $100.
WaterGirl
@DarbysMom: Thank you, $50 to say goodbye to Ron Johnson.
Omnes Omnibus
@WaterGirl: I am. I am pretty sure you are not on mousebumple’s list of people to cut.
WaterGirl
@JeanneT: Thank you so much!
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: Pretty sure you are right! :-)
WaterGirl
We’re not quite 1/3 of the way to the $25k match amount yet, but with the match we have already raised over $15,000 for Voces since yesterday morning.
sixthdoctor
Donated $25.
jnfr
$25 from Colorado. Thanks for putting this together.
buggrit
In for $50.
WaterGirl
@sixthdoctor: @jnfr: @buggrit:
Wow, you guys, together that’s $200 to help keep the Dem governor. Or to hopefully show Ron Johnson the door.
randal m sexton
I try not to even think about it now I just click on the Thermometer, and away I go. In for $25
WaterGirl
@randal m sexton: that made me laugh. thank you
WaterGirl
$37.00 more and we will be 1/3 of the way to $25,000!
close enough for government work. :-)
Omnes Omnibus
$50.00
emrys
$25
Joy in FL
In for $55.
Thanks to whoever is matching these donations, wherever you are!
WaterGirl
@Omnes Omnibus: I guess somebody got off work for the day! :-)
thank you
WaterGirl
@emrys: @Joy in FL: Together that’s $160!
susanna
Happy to offer $50, wish it was more. Maybe next time.
WaterGirl
@susanna: Hey, $100 is not nothing! Not even close.
Percysowner
$25 from Columbus, OH.
Nora
$50 from me. On Wisconsin!
mac8
Chipped in 100.
Kropacetic
Just did what little I could, first time to a Balloon Juice sponsored cause.
Jess
Just $25 from me this time–I have big expenses this month. Although I’m in Massachusetts now, and from Calif. originally, I spent much of my childhood in Madison WI. I’ll be visiting there in early June for the first time since 1980!
Omnes Omnibus
@Kropacetic: Thanks.
Jesse
In for $25, in addition to the monthly $10 I set up for Voces a couple days ago!
Jesse
@WaterGirl: Looking forward to finding out more! You’re doing great work and I’m happy to support it.
WaterGirl
@Percysowner: @Nora: @mac8:
I turned off the computer kind of early last night, so I am catching up now.
Between the 3 of you, that’s $350 to help give a voice to voters that are often under-represented!
WaterGirl
@Kropacetic: Thanks so much for that!
WaterGirl
@Jess: thank you so much! Every donation helps!
Fun that you get to visit in June.
WaterGirl
@Jesse: Happy to hear that! Thank you.
Also, recurring donations show up in the thermometer that was used to set them up, so they count toward this, too.
mousebumples
@Omnes Omnibus: LOL. I would just be all sadface if you don’t donate. There are lots of good places to give fundraising $$ – but Wisconsin is definitely among them.
Re: can we gain seats at the state level (legislature) – Like Omnes said, it’s possible but considering that the new map (thanks, SC) is as bad or worse than the last set of maps, I’m not super optimistic.
Things in our favor, however:
We’ll see what happens, I guess. But trying to help do our part to make this happen! *fingers crossed