Thursday - August 09, 2007

Show Me Da Money

Dr. Jeff found this on the Puffington Host.

FundRace 2008
Arianna Huffington

“There is nothing quite as wonderful as money,” sings Monty Python’s Flying Circus. “There is nothing quite as beautiful as cash. Everyone must hanker for the butchness of a banker. It’s accountancy that makes the world go ‘round.”

Truer words were never spoken—or sung—about what makes the world of politics go round. Which is why we are so pleased to announce HuffPost’s FundRace 2008, an exciting new feature that lets our HuffPost community explore the details of exactly who is funding—and influencing—the 2008 presidential election.

Full public financing of campaigns remains, of course, our ultimate goal. Sadly, however, it looks like it will take even longer than ending the Iraq war. So until then, what we can do at least is explore, catalogue, and follow the money. And FundRace is the perfect tool. Use it and pass it on to your friends.

Our goal is to promote transparency and public debate on how money is influencing public policy. FundRace makes it easy for anybody interested in how our political system works to find out who is contributing to whom and to break down donations into a wide variety of categories.

You can access the site here.

I’ve seen other tools like this in the past and actually think its a great idea.  I have no problem with someone using technology to make donor records, which are public, available in an easy way.  It cuts both ways.  I just searched and found a prominent orthodontist in the area who gave piles of money to the Donks.  Luckily, he is one of two in town and we picked the other one

As long as the puff-hosters behind the software don’t start monkeying with the results and allow full transparency, I say: use it and use it often.

Posted by Drew458     on 08/09/2007 at 08:23 AM   
Filed Under: • Politics •  
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