What are the best places to give donations?

[2bfree]

We are wanting to donate more money this year (and in the future) to political causes we believe in. What groups are the most efficient with there funds and what groups are the worst? We want our money to be put to good use. I am going to be writing out a check to the DCCC as I think it could really make a difference this year. There is also a local state rep that I would like to support as well. Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thanks. :)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

1. Local

Give to your local, grassroots candidates - the ones without big organizations and large overhead (which is where your $$$ goes when you give to national or state-wide outfits).

Give local, and you'll be helping to build the Democratic foundation we so desperately need.

Great question, by the way. Thanks.

[Tesha]

2. A few suggestions...

A few suggestions:

o Give directly to candidates you support

o The ACLU or its local affiliate in your area

o Doctors Without Borders

o Physicians for Social Responsibility

o Amnesty International

Tesha

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. We have almost exactly the same list.

With the exception of Scientists for Social Responsibility we give to the ones you mentioned and SEVA (a group that funds doctors to restore sight to poor people in 3rd world countries.

We much prefer giving to people who actually do something than politicians.

[2bfree]

5. I agree but.............

I also want to give to political groups and politicians because they are the people who make and vote on the laws that change how people are treated in this country and around the world. I think that they have a huge effect on the everyday lives of all of us.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. So do I. Unfortunately, the ones I give to never get elected.

McGovern, McCarthy, Dr. Spock, The Greens, etc.

[revgerry]

9. Send money to anti-war veterans on ACTBLUE.COM

On Actblue.com you can give to Democratic congressional (or other) candidates who may not be receiving corporate or DLC support ( and our heartfelt thanks to them for being the kind of fighters that don't attract corporate funding) and so their fundraising figures may not look like as roibust as the corporate candidates - yet. It is up to us to put our money (and time) where our mouth is - if we want independent progressive Democratic candidates, we MUST give them money to run their campaigns. Otherwise, we can look to ourselves when we have a do-nothing, spineless Democratic congress that looks just like a Republican congress.

One group of candidtes that especially desrve funding, in my opinion, are veterans who are running for congress to fix our foreign policy mess and bring our troops home safely. They are listed ton ActBlue.com under Band of Brothers, and you will find many other progressive groups to help fund on ActBlue.

I myself am working hard for a decorated anti-Iraq-war veteran and Democratic candidate Lt. Col. Jeff Latas (USAF ret.), who is fighting for a sustainable energy policy that ends our US addiction to war and unfair trade policies, and is running in AZ's CD 8 for an open seat (Kolbe retired) that Democrats plan to pick up. www.jefflatas.com or find him under AZ-8 at http://www.actblue.com/directory/federal/house-af

A vote for Latas is a vote for the Conyers investigation, for bringing our troops home, for no permanent bases, for single-payer health care, for sustainable energy. Please join me in supporting Latas for Congress in AZ-8.

[newyawker99]

14. Hi revgerry!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[cally]

3. I also give locally and

to PFAW and a little to the DNC. When we have a Presidential candidate, I will donate to them. I also support local homeless shelters, counseling centers, the NRDC, and ACLU.

[KaryninMiami]

6. The Clint Curtis for Congress Campaign could use support right now!

I can assure you that any contribution to the Clint Curtis Campaign will be put to immediate use. Supporting this campaign will also help propel the election fraud (and rigging of electronic voting machines ) issue into the face of the mainstream media because of the high profile of his opponent, Tom Feeney,a Bush insider and one of the most corrupt people in Washington. As you can imagine, Feeney's campaign is extremely well funded. Funding support for the Clint Curtis Campaign, which as you can see is of national interest, would be greatly appreciated.

If you are not familiar with Clint Curtis, he is the computer programmer/whistle blower who was asked by Tom Feeney (a FL State Rep at the time), to design a software program that could flip electronic voting machines without detection. Clint has since given a sworn testimony before Congress (and signed an affidavit) and passed a lie detector test on his story. He also reported additional information about his former employer about illegal exporting of top-secret information to China, harboring illegal immigrants, etc., all of which have been investigated and shown to be true.

You can read more (and contribute) at www.clintcurtis.com or http://www.bradblog.com/ClintCurtisSummary.htm.

You can also contribute to the Clint Curtis for Congress campaign at www.actblue.com.

Feel free to PM me for more info!

Thanks!

[GregD]

7. Consider this group

http://www.takebackredcalifornia.org/

This group is targeting 3-4 districts in California where it is believed that the incumbent is vulnerable and can be pushed out. One example is that fine environmentalist Pombo.

[LiberalEsto]

10. One group I won't give to:

the ACLU.

I respect their work, but when I donated to them, they sold my name and address to dozens of other groups that hounded me for money for years. It was easy to pick them out, because the ACLU misspelled my name and the other groups copied the misspelling.

I give to DU, to progressive local candidates, to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, and Maryland Clean Water Action. My husband donates to UNICEF and Mercy Corps. If there's a good Democrat running for state or national office, we usually contribute a bit, but more likely we will volunteer for the campaign.

[patriothackd]

11. I donate to orgs who make change

also to bloggers who get the news that makes its way into mainstream.

I was unemployed for a spot there and held off on donations but that was short, thank God. I donated to:

o Raw Story (like, how many times has it been this group scooped the MSM?)
o Cindy Sheehan (she put the most effective face on the Iraq War)
o BlackBoxVoting.org (I'm suspicious of the disconnect between hysteria and evidence. Made up my own mind and yes, I believe in Bev Harris. So sue me.)
o Alaska ACLU and every single legislator who passed the toughest anti-Patriot Act legislation in the country (see http://talkleft.com/new_archives/002702.html). The day that happened was my biggest single day ever on the PayPal donation button
o Why-War (Anti-Patriot Act coverage and actions)
o Truthout (because of their Anti-Patriot Act actions)

[Kelvin Mace]

13. Hysteria and disconnect

May I politely inquire what evidence you reviewed on this?

I would think Bev's own words trashing fellow activists, cozying up to FreeRepublic.com, and being banned from DU twice for threatening other DUers and threatening DU with legal action would be enough evidence for most folk.

Failing that, I would think that publicly admitting that she cooperated with police in confirming the name of her source for documents proving Diebold was breaking the law so he could be charged with THREE felonies would cause a reasonable person to pause before giving her any money.

Also, to date she has not filed a single financial disclosure document with the IRS, even though they were due back in November.

David Allen
www.blackboxvoting.com

[stray cat]

12. progressive patriots fund

http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/

[2bfree]

15. This looks good.

Thanks for the links and ideas!

So does anyone here give to the DNC?