Even commentator Amy Goodwin, for example, understands the underlying link between the state deficit of $137 million in Wisconsin on the one hand and the $18.6 billion in war costs paid by Wisconsin residents on the other. One-half day's worth of the current Afghan war budget would eliminate the entire Wisconsin deficit.
<http://costofwar.com/en/state/WI/> http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_battle_of_the_budgets_new_fronts_in_the_afghan_and_iraq_wars_20110301/ http://costofwar.com/en/state/WI/
So what is the difference between donating to ActBlue and supporting the war and the whole Democratic party? Apparently very little. For example, ActBlue's largest recipient was Joe Sestak, a pro-war liberal who supported increases to both the Iraq and Afghan war, drone strikes, etc. On war issues, he was to the right of his former Democratic opponent in the primary, and indistinguishable from his Republican opponent to whom he lost.
"While Sestak does enjoy support from the progressive netroots, it’s impossible to cast the race as a left-versus-center showdown, especially since Sestak supported Obama’s surge in Afghanistan while Specter, trying to curry favor on the Democratic left, opposed it." http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/primaries_show_off_dems_diversity_20100516/
Sestak understood that war costs would result in cuts to federal and state budgets:
"The cost [of the war] is significant but justified: The president has provided an honest accounting of the cost of this increase -- approximately $30 billion this year. This cost is high but would be higher if we muddled along without a sufficient commitment or, worse, were compelled to return.
"*This cost should be paid for by reductions in programs elsewhere*, closing tax loopholes (such as the $79 billion loophole for fossil fuel industries) and/or by revenues. Unlike the previous administration, we will bring this cost into the budget process and pay for it without adding to the debt." [emphasis added] http://washingtonexaminer.com/node/141131
Another large ActBlue recipient is Barbara Boxer who, besides voting for the war in Afghanistan, supported Israeli war aid, the war in Lebanon and war crimes in Gaza.
"According to the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli occupation and other groups opposing U.S. support for Israel’s rightist government, however, Boxer is tied with lame duck Senator Evan Bayh as having the most right-wing record of any Democrat in the Senate. Even more significantly, only about a half dozen Republicans are as bad as Boxer; none are worse."
ActBlue seems to have no characteristics distinguishing itself from the rest of the Democratic party - that is, in opposing the best interests of the working class.
-PF
On Sun, Mar 13, 2011 at 11:40 PM, SA <s11131978 at gmail.com> wrote:
> [From a mass email I just got from the Dem/pwog fundraising outfit
> ActBlue]
>
>
> *Today, thousands of protesters are gathering in Madison, Wisconsin*.
>> They're gathering to welcome home the Democrats whose act of resistance
>> exposed Gov. Walker's (R) union-busting fetish. They're gathering to tell
>> the governor that the fight to protect working families has just begun. Most
>> of all, they're gathering to let Gov. Walker know that his bully tactics
>> have consequences for his political allies as well as the working families
>> he's trying to ruin.
>>
>> *But for some, those crowds are hundreds or even thousands of miles away
>> from home*. They can't drop everything and fly to Wisconsin to show their
>> support.
>>
>> *Thanks to ActBlue, they don't have to*. Here's Karen from California:
>>
>> All of us out here in the rest of the country appreciate how
>> you've made it easy for us to contribute to the forces opposing
>> the union-busting in the Midwest--keep it up!
>>
>> *ActBlue enables folks like Karen to participate in these defining
>> political moments from their home or office computer*. A $15 recurring
>> contribution <
>> https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/participate?amount=15&recurring=24&refcode=20110311>
>> to ActBlue is all it takes to ensure that channel will be there for the tens
>> of thousands of Americans who want to make a difference today, and in the
>> future.
>>
>> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>
-- Peter Fay http://theclearview.wordpress.com