So I was thinking this morning, when I saw the newest musings from the one and only Glenn Beck: how can a few crazy people be so influential? It isn't like they use reason to make their arguments, or even that they are somehow more informed. They are simply given a platform to be louder than everyone else (a la Stephen Colbert's persona). Then, I see this article, courtesy of Nate Silver: apparently the Protect Marriage campaign (i.e. anti gay marriage) has gotten 83% of it's funding from two donors:
This is because Stand for Marriage Maine is exceptionally dependent on just two large donors: the New Jersey-based National Organization for Marriage, from which it has received $1,622,152, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland (ME), from which it has received $529,666. Collectively, these two group's represent 83 percent of Yes on 1's fundraising. In addition, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland accounts for 81 percent of its in-state fundraising; without its contributions, Stand for Marriage Maine would have received just $127,218 in contributions from Mainers.
Pretty appalling, but I don't see any clear answers. It is just way too easy to get the masses to respond to the suggestion that they are somehow disenfranchised. Unfortunately you can't call the loud voices out on their unfounded view like the white house tried to do, or the rest of the media will cry foul. We're just stuck with a system of those with the voice (and/or the money) pushing the country where they want it to go.
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