I've been considering how to make my final donation to the Obama campaign. Originally, I thought about going to a fancy fundraiser for Obama where I might actually get to meet him. But, with a newborn at home, it's going to be difficult to find time to seek out a good fundraiser in the area - if one even happens before the election.
In addition, quite frankly, I think Obama needs the funds now rather than later. His gamble of declining federal funds may not be going as well as we all hoped (some hoped for $500 million...which was a little far-fetched), given the strong RNC fundraising. The money race is going to be even unless we pick it up.
So I'm going to try to maximize my contribution by matching all Daily Kos contributions on my personal Obama web page today...which happens to be my birthday.
More on the flip.
What I really want for my birthday this year is an Obama victory. My userID, VAAntirepublican, stems from the fact that, from being a political independent 8-10 years ago, the Republican party under George Bush has steadily outraged me. Whether it's the horrendous tax cuts for the wealthy just when we were starting to pay off our federal debt (which is not just a financial obligation, but a moral obligation), or the blatant lying about weapons of mass destruction that got us into the Iraq war, the idiotic mismanagement of the war (detailed by Thomas Ricks in Fiasco), the politicization of the Department of Justice, the firing of the U.S. Attorneys on political grounds, to the torture they conducted in our name...the list never ends.
The Republicans cannot be allowed to have the Presidency for four more years. And, in fact, I believe the Republicans cannot be allowed to have the Presidency again until they change their ways.
But more than that, we have the chance to vote for an inspirational Democratic leader, Barack Obama, who comes from the heartland, Illinois, from which Lincoln came. He understands the need to move the U.S. out of the political rut we are in...to be empirical and not ideological about what's right for the country. His victory will help heal some wounds - both old and new. And I can't be prouder to have his signs on my lawn - the first time I've ever done that.
So can you help me with my birthday present? I'm going to match all Daily Kos contributions up to $2300 (my legal limit) today. Make sure that you include the $0.01 to let me know how you got there.
Here's the link to contribute.
My contribution page
I will match the donations around midnight tonight, when I'm back from the White Sox game (my other birthday wish is that the Sox take two from the Orioles tonight).
UPDATE 12:45 p.m. EDT Thanks...I've matched $595 already....just $1705 to go!