Email from Elizabeth Warren: "Big announcement"

[PBass]

42. A successful PAC gives you clout in the Senate.

Clout means you get prized committee appointments, your colleagues listen to you/cooperate with you, and you're considered by everyone to be a mover/shaker, and not a back-bencher. If you call a press conference, people show up.

Nancy Pelosi is the best fundraiser in the Democratic Party, even better than Barack Obama I believe. Ever wonder how she got to hold the Speaker's gavel? (I love Nancy Pelosi BTW, and consider fundraising part of the process, even if the process is currently distorted and needs adjustments). Ever wonder why Chuck Schumer is always on TV as a spokesman for Democrats? He is a huge fundraising machine, so he has clout inside the party.

With Elizabeth Warren's PAC she can build up a war chest for her reelection, she can shift funds to favored colleagues who need help getting reelected, and cultivate new talent. She can marshall people together and hold sway. It gives her leverage in Congress, in other words, political power. (Does this sound icky? Because this part and parcel of how our government process works).

I will definitely send Senator Warren's PAC some money, because I love her! I try to support specific candidates or liberal organizations now, rather than sending my money to the DCCC or DSCC... The Blue Dogs and big establishment groups like DSCC can cultivate the big spenders, they don't need my help. Consider it 'voting with your dollars' -- it really does matter a lot. We want Senator Warren to have clout!