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In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders tells Democrats to back off primary attacks [View all]ehrnst
(32,640 posts)and snacks for volunteers, and expert consultants on issues that are relevant, and message marketing consultants, and good salaried experienced field staff, and accountants, and bank services to process the donations - both one time and monthly, and lawyers, and transportation to meetings and rallies, and printed materials, and meals for staff, and lodging for staff, and media buyers, and strategists, and other campaign necessaries that are too numerous to mention here.
Yes, it is a vital tool, if not a "weapon" as you put it.
To fight someone you need not only weapons, but resources. And those resources cost more than all the $27 donations you can squeeze out of people, no matter how many times one person may make a $27 donation. It requires the cash that groups, advocates, and yes, even lobbyists and the wealthy have to give. We want the 1% to pay their share of taxes, and I think they should be paying their fair share of campaign costs for those who represent the people. And no, it doesn't mean that they get their particular wants met - for example Barney Frank took money from Wall Street to get elected, and turned around and wrote legislation that limited them. It's like assuming that someone automatically sleeps with the person who took them to dinner.
It's interesting - those of us on the left have no delusions on how much funding is required for decent public schools, maintaining our infrastructure and a secure public safety net. However when presented with the realities of what a modern campaign costs, many suddenly sound like tea partiers who are told that teachers need a living wage.
Of course, there are always going to be those campaign staffers who abuse funds, using them for personal purposes. Even the most progressive candidates have dealt with that as recently as 2016. So, no, that potential can't realistically be a dealbreaker when a candidate is seeking funding.