I know I’m a little late on this, but in case some folks hadn’t heard, a new political organization is being formed with the financial help of billionaire investor/speculator/philanthropist George Soros.
As the Washington Post reported on Friday, Soros is providing the backing for the creation of an organization called Americans Coming Together (ACT), by working with unions, environmentalists, and women’s groups to develop “a massive get-out-the-vote operation” to defeat Bush next year.
The Post explained that ACT “already has commitments for more than $30 million… including $10 million from Soros.” The group is reportedly preparing to spend as much as $75 million in advance of the election just to defeat Bush.
Let’s all say it together: Thank you Mr. Soros.
The importance of an effort like this cannot be overstated. The left, in general, has lacked the infrastructure that the right has enjoyed for years. It seems, slowly but surely, that the left is doing something about this by creating activist groups like ACT, think tanks like the American Majority Institute, legal organizations such as the American Constitution Society, and umbrella groups such as America Votes.
Efforts from organizations such as ACT will be all the more important under new campaign finance laws that ban “soft money” to political parties. With the GOP already outraising Dems in every election cycle, independent groups committed to getting people active and involved on Dem issues will be critical.
Soros apparently agrees and he’s putting his money ($10 million worth) where his mouth is.
“I believe deeply in the values of an open society,” Soros said in a statement explaining his investment in ACT. “For the past 15 years I have focused my energies on fighting for these values abroad. Now I am doing it in the United States. The fate of the world depends on the United States and President Bush is leading us in the wrong direction.”
The Post explained that ACT plans to concentrate its activities in 17 key states that are expected to be competitive in the 2004 presidential election: Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wisconsin, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and West Virginia (which combine for a total of 177 electoral votes, about two-thirds of the votes needed to win).
Now all we need to do is pick a nominee who can survive the primaries and beat Bush in the general election. Piece of cake, right?