Right-Wing Groups Pledge $400 Million

The mainstream media is still talking about the Republican Party making significant gains in the 2010 elections -- maybe even enough to take over one of the houses of Congress. That may or may not be true, but if it is true, it will not be for the reason being touted by the media.

The media still, for some reason, believes the teabaggers will be a significant force in determining how the November election comes out. I believe that is wrong. The teabaggers are Republicans -- angry Republicans, but still Republicans. They voted Republican in 2008 and had little effect on that election. There is no reason to believe they will have an effect on the 2010 election. They would have to have a significant membership of people who either didn't vote in 2008 or who voted Democrat in 2008, and I don't believe that is the case. Their membership is predominately Republicans upset over their loss in 2008.

But there is another factor which could help to push Republicans over the top in the upcoming election -- money. The Republican Party will not be able to outspend the Democratic Party. The Democrats have more money than Republicans do and are raising enough to keep the parties at least equal (if not give Democrats a slight edge) -- and this is true of the national party committee and both the House and Senate campaign committees.

But the Republicans may not have to outspend Democrats because there are many right-wing and conservative groups who will do their own spending to support Republicans. And these groups, thanks to the misguided Citizens United Supreme Court decision, are planning to spend a massive amount of money to push the right-wing agenda. There are at least 22 right-wing organizations who have pledged to spend about $400 million in the 2010 campaign. Here are the groups and the amount they have pledged to spend to support the right-wing agenda:

– Chamber of Commerce has pledged to spend $75 million
– American Crossroads has pledged to spend $52 million
– Americans for Prosperity has pledged to spend $45 million
– Republican State Leadership Committee has pledged to spend $40 million
– American Action Network has pledged to spend $25 million
– American Future Fund has pledged to spend up to $25 million
– Club for Growth has pledged to spend at least $24 million
– National Republican Trust PAC has pledged to spend at least $20 million
– An unnamed health insurance industry coalition has pledged to spend $20 million
– National Rifle Association has pledged to spend $20 million
– Faith and Freedom Coalition has pledged to spend $11 million
– FreedomWorks has pledged to spend $10 million
– Americans for Job Security has pledged to spend $10 million
– Susan B. Anthony List has pledged to spend $6 million
– Our Country Deserves Better (Tea Party Express) has already spent $5 million
– Tax Relief Coalition has already spent $4 million
– Republican Majority Campaign has pledged to spend $3 million
– Campaign for Working Families has pledged to spend $2 million
– Heritage Action for America has pledged to spend $1 million
– Financial Services Roundtable has already spent $0.5 million
– Family Research Council has raised $0.5 million
– Citizens United Political Victory Fund has pledged to spend $0.2 million

Can this huge amount of spending by right-wing groups convince Americans to vote against their own interests? It's very possible. You know they won't be telling the economic truth. They'll be pushing the same old "trickle down" theories that got America into this recession in the first place. Americans were fooled once into believing that if rich people are given more and more money they'll eventually share some of it with the rest of us. It's not true, but people who were fooled once can be fooled again.

Frankly, this massive spending by rich right-wingers through conservative organizations is a little scary. They want to buy a government that will allow then to continue to fleece ordinary Americans. And it is unlikely that liberal or progressive organizations will be able to match this right-wing campaign spending to tell the truth.

The Republicans could make significant gains in this election, but it won't be because of the teabaggers. It will be because $400 million can finance the telling of a lot of lies.