The disclosure that the RNC has at least five times as much cash in the bank as the Dems can have huge implications for the 2006 election cycle.

consider: This means that the Republicans can mount a better PR campaign with paid advertising within targeted areas. This could be the tipping hand in certain races, as the party most able to get out it's message, may be the party best able to win the lion's share of elections.

Further: The Dems will be even more beholding to the Left Fringe 527 groups, which are a huge cash cow for the Dems. This means that their message is one that the Dems will be forced to adopt, which offers a severe liability to the main group of voting public.


The Wallet-to-Wallet Chasm


By Chris Cillizza and Peter Baker
Sunday, January 22, 2006; A05


Despite a lackluster showing in 2005 elections for the GOP, the Republican National Committee raked in better than $100 million last year and enjoys its largest cash-on-hand lead over its Democratic counterpart in more than a decade.

For the year just passed, the RNC brought in nearly $102 million -- give or take a few hundred thousand -- and had $34 million in the bank. The Democratic National Committee raised $51 million in 2005 but showed $5.5 million on hand at the end of the year.

That cash disparity, which has led to grumbling and fretting by some people in the Democratic establishment, will be a major asset come November, RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman argued.

"There's no question it's an advantage," he said. "We are in a position to be able to maintain majorities in the House and Senate by providing campaigns with the resources they need to be successful." Under campaign finance laws, the RNC can make unlimited transfers of campaign cash to other Republican national committees.

It is also, unfortunately, an indicator at how efficient the Republicans are at soliciting campaign contributions....

Stranger thing shave happened ... if something happens to make the campaign contributions a liability, (e.g. Abramoff) there will likely be a major overhaul without regard to political spending ....

Most democrats I know are not tan - something to do with living in a cold Blue state in the winter. And most republicans I know are money grubbing parasites if the current state of affairs is any indication considering the increasing list of corruption scandals that keep emerging.

Is this something we are supposed to be surprised at? We have the free liberal media on our side!

plenty of Dems are money grubing parasies as well. We need to reform 'donations' badly - and neither the Dems nor the Reps want meaningful change - they just want to at the top so they can milk the cow themselves.

As I have stated in other places, the best thing to do is simplify the law. One paragraph would be enough. Simply state that only individuals be allowed to contribute to political campaigns, or causes. And that they must be publically recorded within 24 hours of receiving the contribution. That should eliminate 99% of the problem within 24 hours.

Do you disagree?

Hmmm... Good idea - I wonder if we could do that with wiretaps - get the government to get FISA to to approve a search in such a short time too, like maybe in under 24 hours after they started wiretapping a set of suspects!

Here is the Latest.

DEAN UNDER FIRE FROM PARTY DEMS; NEARLY ALL CASH SPENT
Mon Jan 30 2006 10:52:31 ET

Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are privately bristling over Howard Dean’s management of the Democratic National Committee and have made those sentiments clear after new fundraising numbers showed he has spent nearly all the committee’s cash and has little left to support their efforts to gain seats this cycle, ROLL CALL reports.

Congressional leaders were furious last week when they learned the DNC has just $5.5 million in the bank, compared to the Republican National Committee’s $34 million.

Senate and House Minority Leaders Harry Reid (Nev.) and Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), along with the Senate and House campaign committee chairmen Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), have made their concerns -- directly or indirectly -- known to Dean, claims the paper.

Emanuel was particularly upset last week upon seeing the latest DNC numbers.

“A lot of people are scratching their heads as to what’s going on,” said one senior Democratic aide.

Another Democratic source familiar with the party fundraising apparatus said there is “obvious displeasure” among the leaders.

Developing...