Hint to the Democrats: Follow the money toward insanity, or broaden the base.

It looks like some of the far left blogoshphere have become big money raisers for political campaigns. Since much of the money is spent on ads at these same websites, there has been some pseudo-scandal about. (No crimes, it just looks 'icky' to some)

But another effect is that they have been gaining a disproportionate level of influence with the Democratic party. But these "netroots" don't go very deep, and fall apart in the face of actual voters. The big money donors that make up the bulk of the Democrats funding is going to the "netroots".

I think that this could be a positive for the Democrats over the long haul, or it will doom them. If they try to win back the big money donors, they'll have to pander to them, making the Democratic party even more unelectable than ever. Or they will have to act more like the Republicans by relying on a wider field of donors, and not as much of the deep pocket donors.

Having a wider fundraising base would help keep any political party better in touch with the voter. It would make a dip in fundraising act as a "canary in a coalmine" signaling that something is wrong. But so long as the less numerous and more out of the mainstream donors have the greater influence with the DNC, There will be more candidacies like Howard Dean, a darling of the Progessives, who can't get past Iowa.

And there'll be more John Kerry candidates too afraid of the "Dean"s before Iowa Caucuses and New Hampshire Primaries, try to pander to the "netroots" in the primaries and losing the general election.

This is all inspired from an article at Riehl World View, Why Is The Grass-Roots So Green?

Now Hillary and the adults at the DLC have decided to start to play. Many genuine Liberals feel cut off from the grass roots because Armstrong and Moulitsas have been as heavy-handed as they both have been erratic. And it's possible they too will start to moderate their message lest they lose the financial support of their masters. That could leave the real, or perhaps more dedicated Liberals of the blogosphere with nowhere to go. It basically depends on who wins the war in messaging between the old DNC and those who would hope for something new. Only now, the same elitists who have always taken a back seat to the politicians after giving them money, hope to more directly be pulling the strings.

via Kausfiles

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