Online organizing example: MoveOn.org

[colist at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  every once in a while I send out an example message from 
MoveOn.org, because it is such an interesting case of online 
organizing.  I thought you might be interested in this message on their 
progress.]

From:  "Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org" <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>

It's only been three weeks since we launched our $10 million
grassroots fundraising campaign.  In that time, over 70,300
people have pitched in to run ads that highlight President Bush's
failed policies.  If all the checks come in, together we've given
a whopping $3.6 million.

That's why this campaign to expose President Bush has attracted
the attention of some heavy hitters.  Today, George Soros and
Peter Lewis, two of the country's leading philanthropists, have
announced their strong support of our effort.  They've pledged to
match every dollar given by those of us in the grassroots with 50
cents of their own.  In other words, if we raise $10 million,
they'll put in another $5 million.

Politicians, pundits, and the press are watching this effort
closely to see what happens.  President Bush is raking in
millions in $2,000 checks.  For the first time, we're in a
position to show that small donors working in partnership with
the big ones can counterbalance the influence of rich
Republicans.  We can do it, but we'll have to dig deep and bring
in more people.

Please help however you can.  Remember, every dollar you give
today will be matched with 50 cents from George Soros and Peter
Lewis.  You can give online at the links below:

By credit card:
https://www.moveonvoterfund.org/donate/creditcard.html?id=2110-32
9548-gAz_k5DV6aWE4iJH2S2Trw

By check: 
https://www.moveonvoterfund.org/donate/check.html?id=2110-329548-
gAz_k5DV6aWE4iJH2S2Trw (Check contributions cost us processing
time and money, so credit card contributions are preferred if
possible.)

Your gift won't just help run ads.  In the next week, we'll also
be launching a great new PR campaign to make sure the ads'
message gets free news coverage all across the country.  We'll do
this the MoveOn way -- engaging hundreds of local volunteers to
hold press conferences and talk to reporters about the effect of
President Bush's policies in our communities.

Together, we're changing the way politics works.  Thanks for
being a part of it.

Sincerely,
--Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack
  The MoveOn.org Team
  November 11th, 2003

P.S. For more on the match announcement from George Soros and
Peter Lewis, check out today's article on MSNBC:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/991865.asp

George Soros is also the founder of the Open Society Institute,
one of the country's largest foundations.  Open Society works to
"promote open societies by shaping government policy and
supporting education, media, public health, and human and women's
rights, as well as social, legal, and economic reform." Their
webpage is: http://www.soros.org/about

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