Reacting to this article on TPMCafe, "NRCC Spends Nearly $40 Million In Seven Weeks!" I started to wonder about the convergence of current planned spending by the party, the campaign committees, the PACs, 527s and candidates, the party's willingness to borrow funds for a final push, along with our new push to get 'safe' candidates to throw some extra cash into the fray, plus the obvious signs of K Street begining to hedge their financial bets with outlays on our side:  Can we spend the GOP into looking up the financial hill at the Democrats?

The GOP fundraising has been hit hard, and they seem to be digging deep into their reserves, the money George Bush et al having been conjuring up since Nov 2004.  Meanwhile most of our fundraising has been accomplished this calendar year, and sometimes at traditionally slow periods, like the Netroots August push.  I believe the netroots retain an advantage in 'instant' fundraising for a candidate or issue of note.  We don't need to bring out the big-wigs or hired guns to drive funding...we have to present clear concise reasoning and ask a lot of people for a little help.

If we succeed in forcing the GOP to spend spend spend NOW, we can turn the tables on them heading into '08.  Especially if K Street starts sending more money to us, and less to them.  And also especially if the GOP 'leadership' continues to discourage their own supporters in both governing and campaigning.

According to Josh Marshall, the race in PA-04 is in play:

CQ has bumped the race from Republican Favored to Leans Republican. So Hart is still favored. But it's a real race.

[Steve Gilliard's post on this caught my attention, but Kos wrote it-L] Kos has some fun at - no not Chris' - Stu Rothenberg's expense:

I'd forgotten about this Stu Rothenberg column from early January 2005:

Blogger Chris Bowers at MyDD perhaps is the best example of how clueless some bloggers really are about politics.

Last summer, he penned a piece, "DCCC Not Aggressive Enough," in which he complained about his party's House campaign committee. Now, in a two-part series called "Taking Back the House," he insists "we need to attack everywhere."
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But some Republicans didn't have Democratic opponents because they were unbeatable, and no Democrat wanted to waste his or her time (to say nothing about money) by running. You can't make a race competitive simply by putting a name on the ballot, and the Democrats would not hold even a single additional seat had they put a name on the ballot in every district during the past two cycles.

cross posted at Lutton Square; come visit, I'm lonely!

The more I think about it, the more I find it ironic that people would walk away from the democratic party now, as the party is poised to make significant gains at state and federal levels. You'd think that you would want to influence this process, get the issues that are priorities to you heard. To improve the quality of the party, its cadidates and its elected officials.

Raw Story has headlined a Roll Call article which sumises that "Voter Anger May Not Result In Anti-GOP Tsunami"

How do they reach that conclusion:  an "unscientific poll...of state capitol reporters from around the country."

Wow, how craptacular is that?

Then there's this gem from looney-toon Florida:  "There is clearly a feeling against incumbents, but not much chance to vote against them in state legislative races — too many are unopposed — and very little opportunity in Congressional races," said one Florida reporter.

Is that Chris peeking out from the back row at a meeting with Bill Clinton?

from talk left

former President Bill Clinton invited a group of progressive, Democrat bloggers in for a 2 hour roundtable meeting at his Harlem office. It was awesome. More later, including a list of all the bloggers there

Since trust has become an issue in the Net Neutrality debate, consider that the entertainment industry (MPAA, broadcasters, etc) are again trying to sneak the 'broadcast flag' into the current telecom bill.

According to engadget.com:

After having their Broadcast Flag thoroughly trounced in court, and die many deaths in Congress, they've managed to hide it in a 151 page telecommunications bill. They've even gone with a particularly egregious version, since they were hoping nobody would notice. Not only is it paired with the Audio Flag, but it makes no real exceptions for fair use...

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/22/broad cast-flag-sneaks-into-telecom-bill/

Come say congrats to Chris, who has now crashed the gates in both the City of Philadelphia, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  You're all invited:

"Crashing the Gate" book tour and signing
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 (6:00 PM - 8:00 PM)

Drinker's Tavern

124 Market St (Yahoo! Maps, Google Maps)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106-3015