WAPO - Bernie Sanders is burning through cash

[Alfresco]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/20/bernie-sanders-is-burning-through-cash/

By Matea Gold February 20 at 10:56 PM

Sen. Bernie Sanders drastically ramped up his campaign's spending in January as the Democratic primary contest engaged, racing through nearly $35 million as he worked to try to match the infrastructure that former secretary of state Hillary Clinton built over the course of last year.

As a result, even though he outraised her for the first time, Clinton expanded her cash lead by the end of the month. After spending $21.2 million in January, Clinton ended the month with nearly $33 million in the bank. Sanders had almost $14.7 million.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

1. Time to donate again. Thanks!

[BlueCaliDem]

7. Just make sure it doesn't exceed $2700! Bernie2016 is in hot water with the FEC for $23m and they

don't need anymore headaches.

[Impedimentus]

19. Are you saying the $23M given to Sanders is under FEC investigation?

Will the Sanders campaign have to return $23M?

Does that mean my $10 donation could land me in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary ?

I'm quaking in my boots.

[BlueCaliDem]

62. Read for yourself:

https://gobling.wordpress.com/2016/02/13/fec-hits-bernie2016-with-campaign-finance-violations/

Will the Sanders campaign have to return $23M?

I don't know. Will it? I don't know how that works.

Does that mean my $10 donation could land me in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary ?

Don't be ridiculous.

I'm quaking in my boots.

No need to. Your $10 donation is well below the $2700 FEC limit. So no worries.

[hedda_foil]

39. Oh puhleeeze. Every candidate with lots of grassroots donation has the same issue.

People who donate in small increments over time can wind up going over the limit without anyone realizing it for a while. The excess funds are given back by the campaign. That's it.

I accidentally did it myself when Howard Dean was running in 2004. Wish I had some more of that back now,but they sent me a check k for a little over $50. That was when I realized how much those $10-$20 donations added up to.

[MrMickeysMom]

123. Oh, but they'd be on g-r-e-a-s-y street with more Citizen's United stealth money deliveries!

Ooh boy! Ooh boy!

Limitless cash! Who the fuck needs democracy when you can cave in to corporatism?

Yay! Legally fascist financing! It's the BEST!

[Alfresco]

18. ...

[oasis]

37. Meanie.

lol

[Karma13612]

44. I am wondering who actually flushed that money down the turlet?

Since my funds are rather meager and I watch every dollar, it's hard to watch that gif

[TimeToEvolve]

101. the ironic thing is that Hillary can actually do that and still afford anything.

the Banksters, Polluters, Private Imprisoners, and Warmongers will step in if the cash-pile gets too small...

us lowly proles, on the other hand....

[Karma13612]

120. So true! Eom

[MADem]

117. It might be fake--printed only on one side. nt

[Karma13612]

119. Ahh! Ok, makes sense! Eom

[MADem]

122. I remember toilet paper with money printed on it, too....

Ah, yes--the MONEY roll!!!!

[Karma13612]

124. Too funny! Eom

[jonjon]

125. must have been

a Hillary or Bush supporter!

[Impedimentus]

63. That video is rather sophomoric

I suppose at the 5th grade level is might garner a few laughs.

[artislife]

103. I am sure that gif is for donating to the DNC. nt

[brewens]

52. Did last night. Just like I don't mind being taxed when the money is used for worthwhile

purposes, I don't mind funding a candidate that I can trust to make that happen!

[GreatGazoo]

105. It will buy "the most effective ads of the 2016 campaign"

Here are the top-ranked 2016 presidential campaign ads as determined by Ace Metrix:

Mixed Field

"Social Security," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 550
"Real Change (Revised)," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 532
"Works For Us All," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 523
"Mari," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 519
"We The People," Carson America. Ace Score: 517
"Real Change," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 514
"Working Families," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 512
"Never Quit," Draft Biden. Ace Score: 512
"America: Never Give Up," Kasich for America. Ace Score: 508
"The Bottom 100 Million," Bernie 2016. Ace Score: 504

http://www.campaignlive.com/article/bernie-sanders-effective-political-ads-2016-presidential-race/1379312

[djean111]

2. That's okay. We will give him more. It is for a fantastically good cause. n/t

[Skwmom]

3. Clinton has her SuperPacs to expend money on her behalf. n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

10. Bernie has Republican SuperPACs to expend their money on Bernie's behalf.

See how that works out?

[unc70]

30. No it doesn't. Nice try.

[BlueCaliDem]

31. Just sticking to the facts, unc70. Just the facts. eom

[frylock]

78. As you perceive them.

[UglyGreed]

11. And the DNC

[NMontana]

95. Hillary Clinton will need the youth vote in November; keep in mind when you throw shade at Bernie

[MohRokTah]

4. Yep, the end is nigh. eom

[noretreatnosurrender]

88. lol

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

5. I donated yesterday

and will continue to donate even after I finish my March 1st caucus.

Clinton has hit a firewall of her own: Funds are running low.

[BlueCaliDem]

6. I wonder what Bernie2016 is going to do about the $23 million unitemized donations that have been

cited by the FEC? Does he intend to have his treasurer return the donations? That's a huge gap. $23 million dollars is not something to scoff at, especially with a campaign that's burning through cash the way the campaign has.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. They'll get through it with gumption, stick-to-it-iveness, and Groundswellian enthusiasm

It's like his college plan: don't worry - it will all come together!

Forward, Groundswellers!

[BlueCaliDem]

20. Yeah, because that "gumption" worked out SO WELL for him in Nevada.

And that dreamy college plan of his would entail Governors like Snyder and Walker to invest billions in their State's educational system to make happen. Now that's a dream!

[alcibiades_mystery]

25. Something something groundswell

Political revolution!

I want to believe.

[hedda_foil]

55. That's outrageously distorted. And every donation is itemized.

[BlueCaliDem]

68. Not according to the FEC, they aren't.

[hedda_foil]

74. As you are no doubt aware, the amount you are quoting is the total of January donations.

The IRS is hardly questioning that. All they did was tell the campaign that a small number of their small donors had exceeded the limit. This happens all the time. The campaigns write refund checks to the over supportive donors of the amount over the limit only.


Again, I'm quite certain you know this.

[BlueCaliDem]

75. I believe it was the total for 2015.

The campaigns write refund checks to the over supportive donors of the amount over the limit only.

Then Bernie2016 has nothing to worry about.

[hedda_foil]

84. Nope. The total he's raised is close to $100,000,000, almost all in small donations.

The $21 million figure was just for January.

[BlueCaliDem]

86. No, I meant, the unitemized $23 million that the Bernie campaign has been cited for was for

2015. It's for his year-end report that covers 2015.

[hedda_foil]

94. I believe I've found the reference for your dumbfounding statement.

This is from Bain's Band's (Clinton supporter) post of February 12. I can't find anything else online in any way pertaining to your claim.

FEC requires Sanders campaign to account for contributions

exceeding legal limits. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/02/12/f-e-c-tells-sanders-campaign-that-some-donors-may-have-given-too-much/?_r=3

The Federal Election Commission has asked the presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont to re-examine contributions from more than a hundred donors who appear to have given more than the legally permissible amount.

The vast majority of the donors gave several small contributions to Mr. Sanders for the Democratic primary that eventually totaled more than the $2,700 limitccording to a letter the election commission sent to Mr. Sanders on Thursday.

Such glitches are common in political campaigns, which are required to track small donors and begin itemizing their contributions when their total reaches $200. That can be harder when donors use slightly different variations of their names or contribute from more than one address. Mr. Sanders’s campaign may choose to refund the excess contributions or re-designate the excess for use in a general election campaign, when candidates can accept another $2,700.

This is where I found the post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511219624

[artislife]

104. Maybe we'll ask h supporters to pay it...

what goes around, comes around...but instead of stiffing small businesses this will be returning money into the pockets of the donors.

[mythology]

66. There is a 0% chance he will be required to return 23 million dollars

There might be some small amount, but the overwhelming majority will be fine.

[BlueCaliDem]

69. That's what I thought, too. eom

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

8. We don't donate it for him to just sit on it. It's there to be spent. nt

[flowerpetal]

9. That means he will need more $$$

I am all in! Feel the Bern!

[alcibiades_mystery]

28. Save some for tuition

[BlueCaliDem]

32. Hah!

[CorkySt.Clair]

107. ...

[Politicalboi]

108. Wow that's funny to you two

Figures you support HilLIARy. She laughs at the poor too.

[libdem4life]

116. That's what I thought, too. Ha ha. My niece pays her entire salary out for her MD degree loans.

They live on her husband's income. Ha ha, indeed.

[cleopotrick]

12. Enjoying my last day of being one of the many unemployed Sanders donors...

...tomorrow I start a new job.

Which pays $25k a year and expects 60-80 hours a week! Bahahahahahaha

God bless the USA--where I went to college & law school to earn $6/hr

[BlueCaliDem]

34. Ain't President Obama's economy wonderful! Our income rose by $25k last year and it's going to

rise another $25k (projected) this year! Woot!

[Karma13612]

48. wow, 25K a year.? eom

[BlueCaliDem]

58. For this year it's a projection. Last year has been verified through W-2s.

And, of course, I'd want the Obama economy to continue!

[cleopotrick]

60. Did you even read my post?

Congratulations on the raise (and the (projected) coming one!), but I was not celebrating my pittance. ~$6/hr hurts.

[BlueCaliDem]

65. Wait a minute. Fed. min. wage is $7.25 p/hr. Why are you about to make $6 p/hr?

That's against the law.

And thank you for the congrats.

[artislife]

106. Comprehension problems, don't pay it any mind. nt

[kath]

64. Wow. How heartless. That poster will be putting in 60-80 hrs/wk to make only $25,000, ($6/hr)

with two degrees, and you respond by bragging about your comfy income?

Disgusting, just disgusting.

Still shaking my head...

[BlueCaliDem]

67. Not heartless. That poster is making under the Fed. min. wage. There's something not kosher there.

I would NEVER accept a job that pays less than the Fed. minimum wage - or State min. wage, at that. And I don't have two degrees.

all you want, but there's more to that story that we've not privy to.

Federal Minimum wage: $7.25

California minimum wage since January 1, 2016: $10 p/hr, $15 in Los Angeles and SanFran and other cities.

[Curmudgeoness]

100. If that poster is hired as a salaried employee

who the company can classify as "management", they can indeed pay what would be equivalent to $6 an hour. He stated that he will be expected to work 60-80 hours a week, so it is quite possible that he is going to be some underpaid manager. And it is legal. There are many job classifications that do not pay overtime for work over 40 hours. But from your tower, you probably don't realize that.

[Mother Of Four]

127. Wow.. just wow.

When I read your bragging my jaw literally dropped.

At 25k a year in a salaried position 60 hours a week is 8.01 an hour, at 80 hours a week it's 6. But they can legally put on your paystub that you get 12. And yes, if they are salaried it's LEGAL for them to work someone so hard they drop below the minimum wage in hourly calculations.

480 dollars a week for breaking your back working. When my husband was civilian LEO that's about how much he made, after taxes and deductions it came to right around 385. 12 hour shifts, working rotating nights and days. With four kids all in public school the ONLY thing that kept us afloat was the fact that he was retired military. You're bragging about your income INCREASING by the same amount that person is earning.

Wow. Just F*ckin WOW. Empathy much?

[Oilwellian]

129. There are some pretty hideous people here n/t

[yawnmaster]

83. When did you graduate from law school? eom

[cleopotrick]

87. May 15, passed bar November nt

[nc4bo]

14. Plunked down a few bucks last night! nt

[BlueCaliDem]

36. Me, too. Only sent $50 since I've been consistently donating throughout the last two weeks.

For Hillary, that is.

[nc4bo]

46. She's fine. Doesn't need to beg and plead to her donors for a $1 anymore.

You could probably keep your change in your pocket.

She's got a few new BFFs to pump up the coffers

[BlueCaliDem]

59. That may or may not be the case, but I still want to contribute to be part of her election, however

small.

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

112. Give her a penny, save your dollar

Make sure you include it in the postage paid envelopes...

[livetohike]

49. Same here!

[BlueCaliDem]

70. I'm on the recurring donation list! And that won't stop me and mine from donating more in-between

and as she gears up to win the nom and have to face the Republican and their unlimited money machine, I believe I'll raise the monthly.

[Politicalboi]

111. Donating to the rich

[UglyGreed]

15. Hope more people post this article

all around the internet.........

[workinclasszero]

16. Burn that cash Bernie!

Bern baby Bern!

[nc4bo]

24. Says Camp Corpodonors LOL!

She told Wallstreet to "cut it out" while her hand was out under the table.

[workinclasszero]

29. I'm sure Bernie's set to throw away millions in SC

where he doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of winning!

You would think his brain trust would forget about SC and try greener pastures but naw.

[nc4bo]

38. She can have SC. He would be apprecative of just a showing. No Democrat will win SC

in a GE.

[workinclasszero]

40. Whatever

You have to win the primaries first, then worry about the GE.

[artislife]

110. And if it is h is the GE, worry you will nt.

[JRLeft]

41. Corruption at its finest.

[bkkyosemite]

118. compared to HRC he has no where her expenditures.

[yourpaljoey]

17. Thanks for the heads up - let's send some money his way today!

All of us. Every Dem. Make that donation!

[DrDan]

27. good idea - a donation to Hillary is definitely in order after yesterday - thanks for the reminder

[yourpaljoey]

35. Why bother?

The forces of Evil supply Hill with all the dirty cash she could ever hope for.
Evil always works in the service of evil.

[DrDan]

45. too much RW radio

[HereSince1628]

21. Yes, and he had the money. The battle of the air-waves costs money

even in an era of social media.

This is why people thought Clinton's lock on the big donor money made her inevitable.

Sanders has shown an alternative works, when there is one well financed opponent.

If the dem primary looked like the Republicann primary, it's likely to not have worked. Until the R's get down to 2 or 3 candidates their collective spending will be astronomical with individually inadequate. That is Trump's advantage.

[Ellipsis]

22. Well I hope so... this is the time to spend it.

[nc4bo]

33. You mad?!

Most of don't mind one bit. What we despise is funding fucked up wars and rebuilding the countries we destroyed and watching companies slide their businesses to Mexico or paying zero taxes and hiding their profits in some foreign bank.

Time for a change!

[Karma13612]

42. good one!!!! and so accurate... eom

[malletgirl02]

47. Exactly

If we have not been involved in so many wars we would have plenty of money for Bernie's plans. I think it is telling that Clinton supporters say that Bernie Sander's plans is about "free stuff", but they have nothing to say about all that money we use to fund wars and Wall Street bailouts.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

77. Did you enjoy spending 6 trillion on Hillary's war?

What do you have to show for it?

[riversedge]

97. You mean the same one that Sanders keep funding--over and over.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

98. Making sure the troops are fed and have provisions is a bad thing?

Hillary sent them, there, Bernie made sure they had what they needed. BIG difference.

It's pretty sick that Hillary supporters think starting an illegal war is ok but it's a terrible thing to make sure the troops are taken care of once they get there......

[frylock]

79. Taxed Enough Already?

[Politicalboi]

114. If you support HilLIARy you'll love

Donald Dump as President.

[NurseJackie]

26. Well ... that's not a good sign (for Bernie).

Frankly, I've never fully understood why any campaign would want to cripple itself by rejecting any source of legal funding. Elections aren't won by NOT having enough cash to compete and advertize.

Oh, well.


Go, Hillary! We love you!

[oasis]

51. He might as well stick with his principles from now on because

he wouldn't be able to raise a big donor dime from this point.

[Joe the Revelator]

56. Yeah, the fact that you don't understand why is the trouble.

[Autumn]

43. Guess I better send an extra donation. Appreciate the reminder.

[democrattotheend]

85. I donated for the first time today

Not much, but since small donations actually seem to matter to him I am happy to do it. I have been wanting to for a while but funds have been tight. I regret that I can't give him as much as I gave Obama in 2008, but I am not in as good of a financial situation now.

[Eric J in MN]

50. Good. In 2004, John Kerry didn't spend all his donations.

Maybe Kerry would have won if he had.

Bernie Sanders understands that's what donations are for.

[brooklynite]

53. It's only going to get harder at this point...

...shorter intervals and bigger States, many at the same time.

[Rocky the Leprechaun]

121. Clinton has to fly to places to fundraise.

Cost money and time Clinton doesn't have.

Bernie? We are raising the cash for him and we don't need no steenking SuperPAC to do it!

[PonyUp]

54. Thanks. I will ramp up my donations. nt

[cantbeserious]

57. Just Made Another Donation

eom

[Beowulf]

61. I am incredulous over the mean-spiritedness

being expressed by Hillary supporters in this thread towards people who are struggling to get by and find some hope in Bernie Sanders' message. It's one thing to disagree, but to do so in a mocking tone from a position of privilege, well, that's Limbaugh's M.O.

And what am I to make of some of the avatars and gifs Hillary supporters use? Are her critics no more than dandruff flakes to be brushed off, insects to be crushed and exterminated? I assume you are including me in this "joke." Suggesting someone needs to die is right out of Ann Coulter's playbook.

Is this what it means to be a good Democrat?

[LongTomH]

71. Thank you! My feelings exactly!

Yesterday, after spending the day canvassing for Bernie in Kansas City, MO, I stopped off a local cafe/bar for a burger and a couple of beers.

I struck up a conversation with another Bernie supporter, not actively volunteering yet! This was a young African-American man. We both agreed that, what we really like about Bernie is the fact that he can identify with the great majority of working and middle-class people.

So, we had me: old, white guy, retired computer programmer, from a small-town, working class family, first in my family to finish college, and a 27-year old black guy, from a middle-class family, working as a kitchen manager. His aspiration is to own a restaurant of his own. Two people, with our own history of struggles and we relate to Bernie because we both believe he relates to us.

Neither of us thought that was true of Hillary.

[A Little Weird]

72. Don't let them get you down.

They are trying to slow the momentum of Bernie's campaign. The mean-spiritedness is an indication of how far to the right the party has gone, but we have a chance to turn things around. Hang in there!

[Impedimentus]

73. There are still a lot go Blue Dog Democrats around ...

and former PUMAs. Perhaps they are the source of some of the mean-spiritedness you feel.

[frylock]

81. It really speaks to their character..

or lack thereof.

[Lordquinton]

109. I know what we should do

record it all, and send Hillary a big 300 page PDF of their postings!

[artislife]

113. The only silver lining to the total collapse

is that some of the screen names here will crash as hard.

I had a friend who was a single mom who was always just above the line month to month on her finances. She and other moms in the same boat had a round robin of childcare and food growing. Really cool. Anyway, when the bottom fell out in 2010, she said she and the others didn't notice any difference. It was just the same as it always had been.

We have to take the silver linings if that is all we get and ENJOY.

[redwitch]

115. It is really nasty.

But definitely not what it means to be a good Democrat.

[UglyGreed]

76. .

?w=300&h=249

[Gothmog]

80. The Clinton operation were built over a long period of time

Sanders tried to match these operations over a short period of time and burn though a ton of cash

[frylock]

82. Yep. For 20 years the Clinton Machine has worked on this.

[jillan]

89. No problem - Bernie supporters will continue to donate to his campaign.

[DCBob]

90. This doesnt bode well for the Sanders team with Super Tuesday coming up.

They may have focused too much on the early small states and now dont have enough for the big delegate rich states coming in the new few weeks.

[stevenleser]

91. The Sanders campaign seems to have made the mistake Hillary's made in 2008

Although in the defense of the Sanders campaign, they didn't have much choice. All that money was spent and it got him two close losses and one overwhelming win. Had he spent much less, he would have had two massive losses and one close win, and that likely would have pushed him out after Nevada.

As it is, Bernie will likely be out after Super Tuesday. So, in the end, all of that expenditure will probably buy the Sanders campaign 9-10 days of extra life.

[DCBob]

92. Yeah, it looks that way to me too.

It will interesting to see what happens around here when that day comes.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

93. I guess this will be the next talkingpoint

well that's not going to work we will donate more.

[grntuscarora]

96. Just sent some more.

Thanks for the reminder.

[mhatrw]

99. Well, the top 1% has as much wealth as the bottom 85%, so this is hardly a surprise. nt

[SusanCalvin]

102. Well,

I think I've given about a tenth of what I may. And ActBlue lets me keep track. So keep bernin'!

[dchill]

126. So?

We'll send him more.

[PonyUp]

128. That's why it was donated to him. n/t

[riversedge]

130. bern it