What Party Leadership Looks Like

Just another reason I support Hillary Clinton:

Clinton's move last year to lock in fundraising alliances with 33 state Democratic parties has already added $26.9 million to the mountain of hard money she has raised so far, a Bloomberg analysis of Federal Election Commission filings shows. Bernie Sanders, her competitor for the nomination, has inked one such deal, netting a total of $1,000.

The agreements, thanks to a 2014 U.S. Supreme Court decision, make it possible for major donors to give hundreds of thousands of dollars in hard money to a candidacy, amounts far greater than the $2,700 limit on contributions directly to a campaign.

At least 24 donors have given $300,000 or more to the fundraising vehicle, known as the Hillary Victory Fund, including Haim and Cheryl Saban, George Soros and Daniel Abraham, longtime donors to both Bill and Hillary Clinton's political campaigns and the Clinton Foundation. The only other way to make such large contributions is through outside groups, such as super-PACs, which can take unlimited donations but can't coordinate with the candidate.

Under the agreements, the first $2,700 of a contribution goes straight to Clinton's campaign, the next $33,400 to the Democratic National Committee, and the remainder is split evenly across the 33 often cash-strapped state committees. Unlike super-PAC donations, the money can be spent to directly support her campaign on anything from get-out-the-vote efforts to TV ads. 

Clinton and her campaign raise the money, spend some of it to raise more, and decide when to distribute the remainder. The only other way to make such large contributions is through outside groups, such as super-PACs, which can take unlimited donations but can't directly coordinate with the candidate.

You don't change law and policy by having your "revolution" sweep legislators off their feet. You change law and policy by electing like-minded legislators that are going to the capitol to enact the change you voted for. That costs money, and takes coordination up and down the ticket. This money will make that happen. This is why we need her as our party's leader.