For Those to the Left of the Democratic Mainstream:

[zipplewrath]

18. It's a matter of money

A local pol that I know has chosen not to move forward out of local politics. She's been approached several times, but she knows, and has been told, that success only comes from working with the money. The money isn't all "bad", much of the civil rights movement happened because of monied people from the northeast funding much of the work. But those are the people that "move" the party. The DLC, for better or for worse, moved into power because of their ability to access money. "Bundlers" are the people that move the party. Money moves politics. The primary conflict between Dean and Rahm was over how money was spent. The only influence that votes have over money is when the money moves votes AWAY from a candidate. I suspect you saw a very small amount of that in the last election where Hillary got the reputation, on both sides of the aisle, as being too close to the money.

You want to influence the direction of the party? Influence the money.