I tend to think Dean opting out of matching funds is a good idea

I know how controversial this is and I have some problems with it as well. But to me we have no greater responsibility than to remove George W. Bush from the white house. For this reason alone I, as a Dean supporter, will vote with having Dean opt out of federal matching funds.

The reason is this. Bush has no primary opponent and has tons of money to spend next year. The Democratic nominee if they are dependent on federal matching funds will be out of money by the time the primary calendar ends. That means in the spring and early summer up to the convention that the prospective Democratic nominee will have no money to spend to counter the huge ad blitz that Bush will begin--and we know he will. Clinton, had no opposition in '96 and he was able to begin heavy advertising after the primaries against Dole who had accepted matching funds and thus was not able to compete.

Dean has proved to be an effective fund-raiser with his supporters. Raising more money than anybody in two consecutive quarters and nearly $15 million in the third quarter. If Dean is the prospective nominee he will be able to go to his supporters to keep him alive during the long Spring and early summer. As the prospective nominee Dean will also attract other rock solid democrats who could donate to his campaign.

In the end, I want a Democrat who will be able to compete against Bush's fat cat money and get his message out and not have four months of non-stop Bush advertising.

...we'll be opting out. Not only does it carry forward the revolution in fundraising and getting supporters personally invested in the future of our country, it's the only way we're going to be able to face the Bush machine and its benefactors.

Because of Dean's comments early when he said all the candidates should stay within the limits and that any who didn't would pay a heavy political price, it appears opportunistic and hypocritical of him to now opt out. It will add more fuel to Dean's flip flops on other issues for the other candidates to use.

Also, he may be overestimating the amount of money his supporters will contribute, and it could turn out to be a blunder.

Lastly, it is dangerous because of one of his principle opponents, Kerry, has said he will do the same if Dean does this. And Kerry is a very wealthy man, so it might open up a box that the Dean campaign might find to be fatal.

Unless we like losing that is.

as Dean admits in his e-mail that if we vote to opt out then we have a responsibility to do our bit to keep the campaign alive financially. I think we will do it, but time will tell.