One Less Month of Richard Pombo

It’s been one month since I started this blog. Since then we’ve gotten almost 1,500 visits and 3,000 page views. But perhaps most gratifying is the sheer diversity of the visitors we’ve had at this site. I consistently get hits from the House of Representatives and from other governmental bodies. I even got a hit from someone at the EPA who found this site after googling “Pombo hate club.” Also, simply having this blog has put me in contact with a diverse array of anti-Pombo activists who are all committed to kicking Pombo out of office in 2006.

I have a lot of goals for this site. Becoming an internet hub for anti-Pombo activism is one of the main goals I have. But one of the goals, something that has been somewhat lacking, has been getting donations through the ActBlue link on the right side of the page. Despite the widespread and vocal animosity towards Pombo, many readers have not taken the simply step of giving money to help kick him out of office.

I think everyone who really wants to see Pombo out of office needs to step up to the plate and donate what they can to make it happen. We know Pombo is going to be extremely well-funded and we know that money means a lot in races like these. Although we individually might not be wealthy, we at least have strength in numbers. Donating via ActBlue is a way of showing and magnifying that strength.

To understand this, first you need to understand what ActBlue is and why I chose it. ActBlue is a PAC that bundles internet contributions for Democratic candidates. In this way, ActBlue allows you to make a donation over the internet to a specific candidate. There are three reasons why donating this way is better than donating through a candidate’s website.

1. ActBlue has established “general election funds” that go to whoever wins the Democratic primary for a particular race. A lot of people do not want to worry about supporting one Democrat over another in the primary. If you donate to the CA-11 General Election Fund, you can donate now without worrying about picking sides. As soon as the primary is over, the Democratic nominee will receive all the money in the fund. Donating to the CA-11 General Election Fund is a great way to say “No!” to Pombo.


2. Unlike many campaigns, ActBlue allows automatic monthly donations. A lot of people cannot afford a large lump sum donation. By setting up monthly donations, you can spread out your giving over time. It’s automatic so you don’t have to remember to send in a check and the campaigns don’t have to waste volunteer time reminding you to donate. The general election is just under one year away. Everyone who is serious about ousting Pombo ought to donate at least fifteen to fifty dollars per month.


3. If you donate through the Say No to Pombo ActBlue page, we can track the amount and type of donations this blog has generated. Right now we have generated $200 in donation (plus an additional $50 from me). I am hoping that we generate at least $4,200 by the end of the race. That amount equals the maximum donation allowable by law from an individual to a candidate running for the House ($2,100 is the maximum for the primary, and an additional $2,100 is allowed during the general election). We might not individually be high-dollar donors, but collectively we can be just as important as the richest person in this country.

So please visit the Say No to Pombo ActBlue page and make a donation.