Dean's campaign finance vote maneuver = dropping the hammer

I believe this will totally change the race.

assuming the vote is in favor of opting out, which it undoubtedly will be, the candidates that aren't in a position to even consider opting out (read: everyone but Kerry & possibly Clark) can't really be considered viable opponents to Bush.

the vote will have acknowledged a general consensus that we can't compete with Bush through the matching funds system, and so why would we choose a candidate who's forced to.

I don't know about this matching funds issue.

thanks!

like many here, I was assuming that the announcement was that he was going to opt out. But the voting thing? Outrageously brilliant!

It gives him cover for changing his mind (which wasn't a concern of mine -- if he can exceed limits by raising donations that average $70 from ordinary people, more power to him!).

It is completely consistent with the people powered theme of the campaign.

It will generate media buzz.

I am way behind on this one

Dean Considers Plan to Forgo Public Financing


By JODI WILGOREN
Published: November 5, 2003

BURLINGTON, Vt., Nov. 4 — Howard Dean is planning to poll his supporters in an unusual online survey this week about whether he should become the first Democratic presidential candidate ever to abandon the 30-year-old public-financing system in the primaries.

<snip>

Dr. Dean initially promised to participate in the public-financing system, which sets $45 million spending limits during the primaries in exchange for matching funds. But Dr. Dean started switching his stance this summer, when his campaign first proved the fund-raising prowess that has netted more than $25 million.

Echoing several independent advocates of public financing, Dr. Dean argues that President Bush's plan to raise and spend up to $170 million during the primary season, even though he lacks a Republican opponent, makes it difficult for any Democrat to compete while adhering to the spending limits. Democrats would probably use up their money during the primaries and then face a spending spree by Mr. Bush that would last until the Republican National Convention in September.

Because of the intentions of Mr. Bush, some advocates of limiting money in politics seemed almost resigned to the Democrats' following suit.

<snip>

Many campaign-finance experts say the system, which matches individual contributions up to $250 and restricts state-by-state spending through the primaries, then gives each party's nominee about $75 million for the general election, is underfinanced and outdated.

<snip>

The 480,000 people who had registered on Dr. Dean's Web site before the polling was announced will be invited to cast ballots through a secure online server. Another 89,000 will receive telephone calls asking their opinions, and 25,000 more, for which the campaign only has street address, will receive telegrams instructing them how to call in their choice, complete with security code.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/politics/campaigns/05DEAN.html?hp

today, the campaign sent out an email saying that they had a big announcement that would transform the campaign. People here speculated that it was that Dean would opt out of matching funds. If he does that, he won't get Federal money but he won't have to adhere to spending limits either. If he can raise more than he'll give up (which is likely), then he'll be better able to compete against bush (who will also opt out).

He risks some criticism if he opts out because he earlier said that he wouldn't. Republicans who opt out do so because that way they can take corporate cash (I'm fuzzy on the details here).

Tonight, the Dean campaign sent out an email announcing that they would let supporters vote on whether or not he'd take matching funds or opt out.

Dean is outsmarting everyone.

He won't be strapped by the limits setup by Republicans which they know how to get around.

This will change everything,

To put Dean on a level playing field is to give Democrats the advantage!

Notice Clark is trying to do something similar. Now think what would happen if Clark is on the ticket with Dean!

when he mentioned a while back that some big stuff was coming in October that would primarily effect Dean's campaign, but would also effect other Dems? (Okay, so it's not exactly October, but it's close enough for government work...)

My guess, based on nothing more than a close examination of my toenail clippings, would be that the vote will be in favor of telling the Fedz to keep their money, and the campaign (AKA "the people") are prepared to go toe-to-toe with Commander Codpiece without the matching funds (and therefore without the attached spending restrictions).