AP: Gore: Web may affect campaign finance...interesting

[catgirl]

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Former Vice President Al Gore said the rapid expansion of information flow on the Internet could change the future of campaign finance, but that hunger for campaign cash will continue as long as political TV ads remain effective.

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The 30-second TV ad isn't going away anytime soon, Gore said at a media conference at Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday evening.

"The Internet is a great source of hope, and I believe its importance is growing every day," Gore said. "But I think it's important to have a sense of perspective on where we are at the present time. Television is still completely dominant."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070228/ap_on_re_us/gore_campaign_finance;_ylt=AjAQZVHmPDUPU_JNHRNgAdbMWM0F

Interesting that he's talking about this. It doesn't mention when this conference took place.
"the internet is a great source of hope, and I believe its importance is growing everyday".
Are we talking about the growing movement?

[NYCGirl]

1. The conference took place, according to the article, Tuesday evening.

And it is interesting.

[Uncle Joe]

2. I'm probably guilty to some extent of

losing the perspective Al is speaking of. I just want the internet to catch up fast so bad, because it seems to me television has failed us so miserably, especially over the past decade or so. It seems like all they want to do now is dumb the people down as to what's really important, and hypnotize us with shiny things, while the world goes to hell in a hand basket.

[blogslut]

3. In simple terms

...and without reading what Gore said, here's what I believe he's talking about:

The old way to raise money is by courting a few big money donors in real life, face-to-face. The flaw of course is that the candidate is beholden to those few donors and pressured to promote their (corporate) interests. At $1000.00-$1,000,000.00 a pop, the pressure is strong.

The new way is to open a website that can be reached by millions of individual citizens. Those millions of individuals can donate directly to the candidate. When millions of people donate at $25.00-$250.00, it adds up. The web candidate can theoretically raise just as much money and the old school glad-hander.