Harris announces record-breaking $310 million July fundraising haul

[Ants!]

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/02/g-s1-14927/kamala-harris-fundraising

Two thirds of which are from first-time donors. And I assume none of it is wasted on legal fees.

 

[Ancle Suck]

The avalanche of contributions and grassroots enthusiasm for Harris heading into this month's Democratic National Convention has virtually erased a fundraising and cash lead that Trump held over Biden this summer, but the former president's financial picture is still strong.

Harris and Trump head into the final three months of the campaign with roughly the same amount of cash in the bank, with the vice president sitting on $377 million to Trump's $327 million.

They have an odd definition of "virtually erased" that somehow means "entirely, plus extra"

 

[Kat]

Do any of you consider donating to political causes to be worth it? I've never done it, but I've been on the fence about it this election. I don't like giving my money to rich people when there are charities that need it much more, but if it helps Harris win, maybe it's worth it.

 

[Ancle Suck]

Do any of you consider donating to political causes to be worth it? I've never done it, but I've been on the fence about it this election. I don't like giving my money to rich people when there are charities that need it much more, but if it helps Harris win, maybe it's worth it.

I only donated to the first Bernie campaign for anything beyond local elections in the state.

 

[Jon]

Do any of you consider donating to political causes to be worth it? I've never done it, but I've been on the fence about it this election. I don't like giving my money to rich people when there are charities that need it much more, but if it helps Harris win, maybe it's worth it.

I tend to avoid it. I don't like offering my money, of which I have so little of, to people under no real obligation to use it to promote my feelings.

Additionally, I may not share 100% of policy ideas with a candidate and I wouldn't want my money promoting an ideal I don't support.

Imagine all the people that donated to Trump's campaign just to have their money to to paying his obscene legal fees? No thank you.

 

[Ants!]

I only donated to the first Bernie campaign for anything beyond local elections in the state.

Same.

 

[Ants!]

I think it's a very worthwhile cause, I love the idea of politicians being funded by small donations from average Americans instead of oil companies and other super rich bad actors, I just haven't because my disposable income is almost nonexistent

 

[Fire Queen]

as a point of principle i do not donate to people who have access to more wealth than i will ever see in my entire life. i focus on mutual aid funds and organizations under fire like planned parenthood or UNRWA.

games done quick is currently doing their biennial speedrunning/fundraising marathon that benefits malala fund and features women and gnc runners as well:

Games Done Quick

Watch the stream with your best speedrun dinosaurs.

crowd.gamesdonequick.com

 

[VashTheStampede]

I donate to political campaigns in  response to them doing something i like.

So I did my first donation in a couple years after Walz was added to the ticket

positive reinforcement feels better than just donating for hope

 

[Jon]

I donate to political campaigns in  response to them doing something i like.

So I did my first donation in a couple years after Walz was added to the ticket

positive reinforcement feels better than just donating for hope

 

[VashTheStampede]

Is it the phrasing of the second sentence?

I had not donated to a political campaign in a few years, and broke that streak after Walz was added to the Harris ticket.

Sorry

 

[Jon]

Is it the phrasing of the second sentence?

I had not donated to a political campaign in a few years, and broke that streak after Walz was added to the Harris ticket.

Sorry

THAT makes more sense in my brain.

 

[Gloom-is-good]

I started donating here and there after Trump was elected in 2016 (both financiallyand volunteering). Back then it was to Bernie Sanders, AOC, Beto and Planned Parenthood. This year I put in a monthly donation so I could get the dark Brandon mug I increase the amount once it converted to the Kamala election fund. Also volunteering about once a week.

 

[Ben]

I believe I donated to Bernie, but that's probably my exception as far as politics go. I think money and how much you can fund-raise needs to get out of politics, and that they by in large don't need it to come from OUR pockets.

I tend to donate to causes rather than people, like Ukrainian aid, local animal shelters, Planned Parenthood, etc. I guess GoFundMe and other personal help requests are an exception to that, so better framing is that I don't generally want to donate to wealthy people just so they don't have to use their wealth.

Shouldn't like... The DNC/RNC be the ones funding their respective candidates campaigns? I'm assuming enormous organization has large coffers.

 

[Jon]

Shouldn't like... The DNC/RNC be the ones funding their respective candidates campaigns? I'm assuming enormous organization has large coffers.

This is... KIND OF what PACs do. There are several PACs that donations go to the RNC/DNC to distribute as they see fit. Most PACs exist for support of ideals. For example, a PAC may exist that support abortion rights and planned parenthood and will only release funds to candidates who support that ideal. Pretty sure Trump's America First PAC is essentially an RNC PAC controlled by him, and the one used to pay his legal fees in most part.

 

[Ben]

This is... KIND OF what PACs do. There are several PACs that donations go to the RNC/DNC to distribute as they see fit. Most PACs exist for support of ideals. For example, a PAC may exist that support abortion rights and planned parenthood and will only release funds to candidates who support that ideal. Pretty sure Trump's America First PAC is essentially an RNC PAC controlled by him, and the one used to pay his legal fees in most part.

Okay, suuuuuuuure. But I'd counter that with needing corporate money out of it. My problem with PACs and super-PACs are that they're just ways for Chick-Fil-A to funnel cash to candidates that will support their shitty ideals. So... Yeah, I don't support individual citizens having to fund campaigns, and I don't support them being funded by corporations. I guess I just don't want big flashy campaigns to begin with, with attack ads and all that shit.

 

[Jon]

Okay, suuuuuuuure. But I'd counter that with needing corporate money out of it. My problem with PACs and super-PACs are that they're just ways for Chick-Fil-A to funnel cash to candidates that will support their shitty ideals. So... Yeah, I don't support individual citizens having to fund campaigns, and I don't support them being funded by corporations. I guess I just don't want big flashy campaigns to begin with, with attack ads and all that shit.

I mean, nothing is stopping you from contributing directly to a candidate, which I would argue is probably the best way to do it if you are.

I simply don't because I can barely support my family. So I'm not in the capacity to support a political candidate who is already making hundreds of thousands or more.

But it does help that Harris hit on a couple points of direct importance to me personally (ideals aside on things like abortion, and the wars in Ukraine/Russia and Gaza/Israel). Whether they ultimately work, I don't know, but significant tax breaks for the middle class while taxing the elite and stopping price gouging on food costs are two extremely important ways I can help support my family better. I expect the Republicans to stop this without the Dems winning the White House AND Congress, but at the least, they are hot button topics of import to me personally.