Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

BMG PAC – a naming contest

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Ernie and others have been after us to do this for a long time, and we’re finally doing it.  Fasten your seatbelts:

We’re starting a Political Action Committee.

The goal, of course, like that of any PAC, is to help elect candidates we like.  We could just stick with our ActBlue page.  But, among other things, a PAC will let candidates know that they are receiving support from the BMG community of interested, well-informed, progressive, politically active individuals.  That might actually count for something.

We expect to form the PAC immediately, with the idea of converting it in six months to a “People’s Committee.”  That is a special designation under MA campaign finance law that permits us to accept donations only from individuals, and only relatively small ones (the max is $147 per year).  We think that’s in keeping with our goal that this be a truly grassroots effort.  (The six-month waiting period is required by state law.)

Now, the most important thing is what to call it.  We could just go with “BMG PAC.”  But that’s a little predictable.  We’ve also come up with “Mr. & Ms. PAC MAn,” “People’s Committee of the BMG Republic,” “PACs vobiscum,” “PACzilla,” “Go PAC yourself,” and “PAC the cah in Hahvahd yahd.”  So obviously, we need your help.  Clever is good, especially if it also reflects BMG’s identity.  Winner gets his/her choice of merchandise from the BMG store.

Go to it!

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Comments

    • Opens up a whole new world of possibilities:

      <

      p>We’ve got your PAC
      PAC to the future

      <

      p>Just for starters.

    • and the airline I worked for assigned me my first e-mail user name: SHACK.

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      p>Did I ever tell you all the TRUE story about the guy who shipped a prize-winning fish on our airline after a taxidermist had finished his work on it.  He sent the bass ack-wards!

  3. -Anti Hack PAC

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    p>PAChyderm (if republican)

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    p>-PAC mule (if democrat)

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    p>-Your CPA (for dyslexic contributors)

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    p>-Political Action Committee PAC (redundant?)

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    p>-CAP PAC (the Palindrome PAC)

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    p>-Send them PACing (term limits)

    • I like the “Political Action Committee PAC”.  I would also suggest to simply call it “the people’s PAC”.  

      • Or some variation. Is it already in use somewhere?
        Maybe the People’s Pac of MA.  

  5. True Blue PAC; or

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    p>Together We’re Blue PAC; or

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    p>Blue Money PAC.

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    p>It should have blue in the name somewhere.

  8. If it’s going to be the BMG PAC, then keep it identifiable with BMG.

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    p>If you’re out there seeking to create a progressive, mass netroots umbrella PAC, then go with the new name. We could always use the BlogLeft Mass moniker.  

  10. How about ImPACted till your Blue?  No?  Then I agree with the comments above that keep it clear and to the point:
    BMG PAC

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    p>But i did like PAC mule…

  11. The name BMG PAC promote BMG and vice versa. The BMG name is a firm foundation for building political influence. II hate to use the word branding, but that’s what needs to be done.

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    p>The question to ask is, why name the PAC something else?
     

  15. “Knick-Knack PACawhack gives the dogs a bone.”

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    p>Seriously though, I agree with others – keep it simple and easily identifiable.

  17. Question:

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    p>Better to make this strictly BMG, or to broaden it to lefty MA and be stronger due to the fans of .08, LinL, RTake, et al?  I can see arguments both ways, just food for thought.

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    p>If the former, just name it BMG PAC.  Enough with the cutesy.  If the latter, just name it something else equally serious and appropriate.

    <

    p>

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    p>Another question: Let’s say I want to donate $30 to DP in 2010.  Do I:
    a. Donate it myself (ActBlue, whatev) to increase DP’s count of small donors and grass roots, or
    b. Donate it through BMG to increase BMG’s recognition (and hence influence on progressive ideas), but pad DP’s numbers w.r.t. PACs — something I generally frown upon?

  18. …it seems your PAC would fit with an idea I’ve had rattling around in my head for the past couple of years.  Often, I’ve seen folks saying that they’re sacrificing their morning Dunkin or Starbuck’s coffee and making a contribution to their chosen candidate instead – they’ll drink coffee at home, or bring a thermos of coffee to work, and donate $20 or $25 a week to their cause.  So, I came up with Peanut Butter PAC – asking folks to sacrifice some little luxury and donate that money to the cause.  One day a week, pack a peanut butter sandwich and bring it to work, instead of eating lunch in the employee cafeteria, or out at a fast food joint.  Or carpool to work and save the gas money – buy generic instead of brand name – or a host of other small ways to save a few dollars a week and donate the savings.  If you can get a few thousand members, you’ll begin to move some real money around.

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    p>Carrying it further, I thought that a blog where folks could vote (weekly?  monthly?) on the worthy causes which would receive that period’s bounty would be a fun way to keep members engaged and participating.  Members can make blog posts in support of their candidates prior to the voting period, and previous recipients can be blocked from new votes for a period of time.  The low dollar amount folks can contribute means that you could ask for $3.00 per week and take three weeks off per year – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years weeks, maybe?  Whether members vote or not, their credit card is charged the $3.00 and the money goes where those folks who did vote say it goes.

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    p>So, PeanutButterPAC.org is available – good idea, bad idea?

    • I have no idea what the credit card cost is of charging

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      p>49 x $3
      vs.
      1 x $147

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      p>but it would be worth determining before getting folks on the $3/week plan.

      • Typically, a transaction costs $.25 to $.40, depending on your merchant account’s terms, and then a percentage of the total as well, so you’re right, a one-time payment of $147 would be better for the PAC.  I’d still like to have weekly or monthly “who get the money” polls, but a one-time large payment is much better than a series of small ones.

        • is for the PAC to give out 1/12 of its money every month.  Regardless of month, election cycle, or otherwise.  This way, the donation is about the same amount every month, which seems more fair.  It also helps to give money early and off-cycle, which can help.

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          p>The downside is that if the PAC was sitting on $12,000 in September of an even year, it’d only be giving out $1,000.

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          p>Also, does everybody get a vote, or only donors?  Do big donors get a bigger say?

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          p>

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          p>Still, I really like the elegance and simplicity.  The BMG PAC Board floats five names every month.  The PAC contributors get to vote.  Recipients limited to once per calendar year.  Recipient gets 1/12 of the kitty.

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          p>Sure, there are details to work out, but that seems pretty “clean” to me.

          • We could also dole out the money in ninths or tenths – that way, it’s all dispersed before election day, the PAC takes November and December “off” and the process starts again in January.

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            p>Thanks for kicking the idea around!  Anyone else have a thought?

          • I’d say that only donors could vote – and there should be no “big donors”, everyone contributes the max of $147 to become a member.  If you get 1000 members, you have $147,000 to spread around – that’s not chicken feed!

            • There’s no reason to crowd out the smaller donors.

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              p>I wonder: what if you could buy a vote for $14.70?  If there’s 10 recipients a year, then a donation of $14.70 pays out (on average) ten shares of $14.70 each.  So, what if each increment of $14.70 earned the donor one vote in a month?  Give $14.70, you get a single vote in 2009.  Give $70.35, you get five votes (in different months) in 2009.  Give $147, you get ten votes (one for each month) in 2009.

              <

              p>This way, anyone can join anytime, and for as little as $14.70 participate as a voter.

      • But fees on small transactions are higher.  Also if you have low transaction volume you’ll pay a higher rate.  That’s one of the advantage of using ActBlue.

  19. I agree with everyone who says serious is better.  We’ve had our fun.  Go with something simple.  I’m happy to share my thoughts off-line if you are interested.  Kate

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