#GoFundTheWall

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by em2nought

I'd like to think people have the right to spend "their" money in whatever manner pleases them without some sanctimonious input from others.

No-one has the right to be free from criticism.

Originally Posted by Gargamel

I'm not being sanctimonious at all. Just practical. As has been recently pointed out many times, this fund raiser is no more than a dead end.

I’d actually disagree with that. It’s a demonstration of how much support there is for a border wall. If it gets enough money, then that shows a lot of support, and Congress will be fools not to take that into consideration. When it comes to Democracy, the people’s voices need to be heard.

I believe that supporters will be getting refunds if 1 billion dollars isn’t reached, IIRC.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

I’d actually disagree with that. It’s a demonstration of how much support there is for a border wall. If it gets enough money, then that shows a lot of support, and Congress will be fools not to take that into consideration. When it comes to Democracy, the people’s voices need to be heard.

That's an Oligarchy, not a democracy. When a select few can spend untold amounts of money to influence government, then it's no longer a democracy.



In a true democracy, each person has one vote, and their vote should be counted equally, without weight or bias applied to it.


This is what I am most scared of here. Not the wall. But the precedent this fund raiser is setting. If enough money can be raised by a small group of individuals to influence the government, then it will just open the door for similar influences later on. Whether you are opposed to the wall or not, you should be opposed to buying government policy.

[August]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

his is what I am most scared of here. Not the wall. But the precedent this fund raiser is setting. If enough money can be raised by a small group of individuals to influence the government, then it will just open the door for similar influences later on. Whether you are opposed to the wall or not, you should be opposed to buying government policy.

Where did you get the idea that it is a small group? The target donation is $80 bucks and a quick check shows there are about a quarter of a million donors so far. No fat cats like Soros or Koch pumping billions into their pet social causes, just regular people who believe enough in the idea of a border wall to be willing to put up a little of their own money to fund it and maybe shame our congress into doing their job. So why shouldn't this have an influence on our elected representatives as an indication of the mood of at least some of the people who they're supposed to represent? Do public demonstrations also scare you? Their demands are a lot more direct and in your face than a gofundme account.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by August

Where did you get the idea that it is a small group? The target donation is $80 bucks and a quick check shows there are about a quarter of a million donors so far.

Trump got ~63mil votes in 2016, ~300k of that is under .5%.

Considering that it is much easier to show one's support on GoFundMe than trying to get a day off from work to go protest, I'd say it is a very small group currently supporting funding the wall through GFM.

EDIT: Also, can foreign individuals donate money to the US Gorvernment? As far as I know, Gofundme campaigns are international.

[Cybermat47]

Originally Posted by Dowly

EDIT: Also, can foreign individuals donate money to the US Gorvernment?

I imagine that Trump would allow Mexicans to pay for the wall

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by Cybermat47

I imagine that Trump would allow Mexicans to pay for the wall

The wall will pay for itself by reducing the cost to Home Land Security alone ...

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Mr Quatro

The wall will pay for itself by reducing the cost to Home Land Security alone ...

Isn't it the DHS who will fund the wall, and DHS can't take donations without Congressional approval? At least that's what I've read, I can't say I'm expert on US bureaucracy.


And again, I repeat my question from earlier post: What if there are foreign individuals contributing to the campaign? Is that legal? If it is, does it set a predecent for any foreign indiviual from country x with millions to try and steer the decisions of the US Government? How does it work? Are there limits etc.?

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by Dowly

If it is, does it set a predecent for any foreign indiviual from country x with millions to try and steer the decisions of the US Government?

I would advise that Canada also builds such a wall on its border with the United States.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by August

Where did you get the idea that it is a small group? The target donation is $80 bucks and a quick check shows there are about a quarter of a million donors so far. No fat cats like Soros or Koch pumping billions into their pet social causes, just regular people who believe enough in the idea of a border wall to be willing to put up a little of their own money to fund it and maybe shame our congress into doing their job. So why shouldn't this have an influence on our elected representatives as an indication of the mood of at least some of the people who they're supposed to represent? Do public demonstrations also scare you? Their demands are a lot more direct and in your face than a gofundme account.

Dowly pointed out most of my arguments.



But this should not shame anybody into doing their jobs. Congress needs to listen to their constituents and do their job, based on that alone. Some will be for it, some will be against it.



Yes, this is a public demonstration, in a new fashion. But this one does scare me, as there will be money used to influence our government. When we've had marches in the past, there wasn't a donation box on capital hill allowing the marchers to donate money.



Yes, there are PAC's and such, but those are governed by campaign finance laws. I'm pretty sure this falls into new territory that the laws don't cover. Particularly in regards to donation limits and foreign donations.