Democracy for Vancouver

United States House of Representatives

Below is a fundraising appeal from Representative Baird:

Dear John,

The Primary election of last month brought good news and new challenges.

The good news is that with your help we prevailed in the primary in the 3rd Congressional District with a majority vote in a field of four candidates. I am grateful for that result and for your support in making it possible.

Our new challenges are two-fold. First, while the primary victory reflected a majority of votes cast, that majority just exceeded fifty percent, suggesting we have more work to do to get our positive, common sense message to voters throughout the district.

The other challenge we face is the proven fundraising ability and core group of supporters backing our opponent. A self described “Ron Paul” Republican, he is at the fringes of his own party in some respects, but he will also have an energized base of supporters and the potential to raise large amounts of funds in a short period.

Until now, I have focused virtually all of my time and energy on policy matters of importance to our district and nation. In fact, today I led the successful effort in the House of Representatives to extend for two years the sales tax deductability for Washington residents. As a result, our fundraising efforts have not been at full throttle. That has to change now and I will need your help.

Our projections suggest we need to spend at least two hundred thousand dollars in media for the general election. Beyond that, however, we need to be prepared to invest substantially more if the national supporters of our opponent choose to make this one of their specific targets.  In fact, it is possible that our overall race could approach the million dollar mark.

That is why I am writing to ask for your urgent and generous help.

We plan to make major purchases of television, radio, newspapers and mail pieces within the next few weeks. Your support today will make that possible.

If you have already contributed prior to the primary, let me thank you again for your support and ask you to lend a hand once again now that we are on to the general election.  If you have yet to send a contribution this year, let me ask you to do so today and let me ask that you be as generous in your support as the current economic times will allow.

Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

Brian Baird

With the most recent FEC reporting showing Brian Baird’s campaign fund balance of $969,203, it is rather difficult to take Representative Baird’s appeal for money seriously.

Representative Baird, I don’t care one wit about the sales tax deduction referred to in your letter.  If you think that is worth mentioning over the important issues confronting us, it is beyond comprehension why anyone would vote for you.  But then you and I both know that the majority of Americans are sleepwalking through life and just pull the lever for the “D” or the “R” regardless of whether either one of them deserves their vote.

How about instead of a sales tax deduction, giving me the money back from my bank stocks that just went in the toilet?  The Federal government, of which you are an employee elected to help operate, just failed miserably to properly regulate one of the hands that is unfortunately feeding you.  I will skip all the other reasons not to support or vote for you.  They are now as worn out as the reference to your sales tax deduction.

PS:  I know you are in good company with regard to the misdirection of our country and our government and therefore only deserve a tiny portion of the blame.