This is ***NOT*** a debate about Obama, his policies, or whether or not you support him/the Dem party!!!!! I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to stir the pot, and I don't want us beating a dead horse here. I'm posting this (and I *really* hesitated to do so) because of an email I got today... I'm a little perturbed and wanted to see what y'all think. Let's please avoid any debate like the one we just had, so we can have a peaceful discussion, and not drive the mods nuts!! LOL

So, I got an email from the campaign manager for Obama for America asking me to donate (I donated during the campaign) and offering a "Change" t-shirt to anyone who donates $30 or more. This is actually the second email I have gotten about donating since election day. The text of the email states the DNC went into considerable debt when working to get Obama elected, and they are asking for donations to help offset that debt. It says they took substantial loans during the campaign, which they credit with helping win states that no one thought Dems could win.

Now, there are a few reasons this peeved me. One, I would really like Obama to use his fundraising abilities to help Hilary Clinton, I was originally a Clinton supporter, and I feel after that the way she campaigned for him, and the way we supported him after she lost, he should help her. That's really the only way I would consider donating again right now, if it was a campaign to help Clinton reduce her debt. Two, didn't we donate INSANE amounts of money to help get him elected?! Accoring to this he raised $640M, and only spent $573M, so how does the DNC have all of this debt? Am I not understanding something here? (That's very likely, I don't understand a lot about campaign fundraising and spending laws) Last, the way the email was worded really ticked me off. It made it sound like it was our obligation to help pay down these debts, and that it needed to happen before any work was done for America. I'm pasting parts of the email directly, leaving out the hyperlinks and pictures, obviously...

Crystal --

Our friends at the Democratic National Committee laid it all on the line to bring change this year.

We've been reviewing the books, and the DNC went into considerable debt to secure victory for Barack and Joe. It took unprecedented resources to staff up all 50 states, train field organizers, and build the technology to reach as many swing voters as possible.

It worked.

But it also left the DNC in debt. So before we do anything else, we need to help pay for this winning strategy.

The DNC's 50-state field strategy was crucial to our campaign's success, as well as victories for Democrats up and down the ballot. Their organizing infrastructure allowed us to compete -- and win -- in states that seemed insurmountable just four years ago.

They took out substantial loans to make it happen. The DNC didn't hold back, and now, neither can we.

You were there for this campaign when we needed to reach out to more voters and compete in more states. Now we're relying on grassroots supporters like you to come through for this movement once again.

We'll get to work transforming this country. But first, we need to take care of the DNC.

Please make a donation of $30 or more today and receive your Obama Victory T-shirt:

https://donate.barackobama.com/victoryshirt

Thank you for everything,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

(Me again)
Does that not sound really obnoxious? I know that campaigns are expensive, but we are in a serious economic crisis. I'm really struggling to get by (as so many are) and I made a small donation, plus purchasing a few small items from the official store, when it was really difficult to do so. Now they need more money?! They talk about the staff they had to hire, but a LOT of the work was done by volunteers as a grass-roots campaign, neighbor to neighbor, special interest groups were asked to call others like Hispanics to Hispanics, Vets to Vets, etc. I realize they still need lawyers, and pollsters, organizers, and many other paid positions, but I can't help feeling like this is a slap in the face.

Any of you who are Republican, and donated to McCain's campaign, has the RNC hit you up yet? Does anyone know where we can find the final numbers, or more details on the amounts raised and spent by the committees (both parties) and candidates? Is that completely separate, the candidate's fundraising and the National Committee's fundraising? I thought they were interchangeable because of the way the donation disclosures were worded, but I don't know. If you donated to Obama's campaign, how do you feel about this new fundraising effort, and will you donate to it?