Outside the Beltway

PIONEERS

James Joyner · Monday, May 5, 2003 · 1 comment

Bill Quick points to a NYT report that implies Bush has been dishonest about fundraising, going with the typical overreaction to the “Pioneers,” people who pledge to raise $100,000 for the GOP. The continued handwringing over this puzzles me, especially since we’re still operating under idiotic rules from the 1970s that limit individual contributions to $1000*. So, all the Pioneers are doing is soliciting, at a minimum, 100 people to donate the maximum or getting more than 100 people to donate some amount up to the maximum. The press accounts all make it sound like it’s fat cats giving $100,000 themsleves but it’s really just an efficiency issue.

*For the record, I’ve never given anything close to a $1000 donation to any political candidate or party. Hell, I’m not sure I’ve given a combined $1000.