Big Liberal Bloggers Tee Off On Progressive Groups For Not Sharing Ad Wealth
File this under “be careful what you wish for” with the regaining of the House and Senate in 2006 and the election of Barack Obama in November 2008 it seems a reality is emerging on the online left, a reality that has some big time Liberal Bloggers upset with progressive groups and the Democrat Party for not sharing the wealth.
Some of the leading liberal bloggers are privately furious with the major progressive groups — and in some cases, the Democratic Party committees — for failing to spend money advertising on their sites, even as these groups constantly ask the bloggers for free assistance in driving their message.
It’s a development that’s creating tensions on the left and raises questions about the future role of the blogosphere at a time when a Dem is in the White House and liberalism could be headed for a period of sustained ascendancy.
A number of these top bloggers agreed to come on record with me after privately arguing to these groups that they deserved a share in the ad wealth and couldn’t be taken for granted any longer.
“They come to us, expecting us to give them free publicity, and we do, but it’s not a two way street,” Jane Hamsher, the founder of FiredogLake, said in an interview. “They won’t do anything in return. They’re not advertising with us. They’re not offering fellowships. They’re not doing anything to help financially, and people are growing increasingly resentful.”
Hamsher singled out Americans United for Change, which raises and spends big money on TV ad campaigns driving Obama’s agenda, as well as the constellation of groups associated with it, and the American Association of Retired Persons, also a big TV advertiser.
You see, now that they’ve won it seems the mega-dollars that have been fueling the online left machine for years is starting to dry-up. We all know that the online left has been dominant for years although there are some other factors involved in why that is the case, the reason they’ve been successful is funding — Funding, not only from billionaires, but from all types of entities that share a liberal philosophy.
But what happens when you’ve won? Does the money keep flowing? Apparently the answer from liberal bloggers is – not like it used too!
With the absence of George W. Bush and a President Obama with a Democrat controlled Congress I would say funding is not likely to return too anything even resembling what it once was.
Elections have consequences and the online Left is just starting to figure that one out as it gets hit in the pocket book!
As much as I can empathize with their new found situation they get absolutely no sympathy here. The online Right has struggled with this since its inception and despite valiant and hard working efforts by many continues to struggle getting center-right and conservative donors to invest in their philosophy online.
The fact is, online activist are now the front line in the fight for ideas in the new political landscape we find ourselves in today and these online warriors on both sides should be compensated and funded for the work they do. Although I find it amusing to watch these liberals get a feel for what it’s like on this side, I do share their concerns and agree that if we’re going to fight with and for you, you should help fund that fight!
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