Spam Texts, Scam PACs, and the Burn-and-Churn Fundraising Machine (news)

overly rely on small dollar grassroots donors.

It began with Obama with an incredible, kind of the first digital campaign ever run.

Of course, you know, coinciding with a real ground campaign going door to door.

But George, this is a... key part of a winning strategy for progressive candidates at the national, local, state, and federal presidential level.

And it's been completely cannibalized by low quality, excuse my language, shitty spam texts.

That's the scene.

George, what do you think is most important to pull out from the research that we did here? I want

to start high level with why this is drawing increasing frustration.

And at the highest levels, when you look at it, it's about three to four X in spending.

If you look at the FEC data on Who, like which groups, politically affiliated, are paying for text messaging fundraising and services? And it's 4X, basically, the Democrats looking back to the most present numbers in 2026, depending on which swath of time it ranges.

It is anywhere from three to four X in spending on these SMS services to be sent.

So this isn't a both parties are doing it.

It's really, really the Democratic, you know, the democratically affiliated parties involved.

And there's a really good quote we got for this article from Civic Shout CEO Josh Nelson.

Democrats are sacrificing long-term trust for short-term fundraising dollars while grassroots supporters grow increasingly frustrated and disengaged.

A cottage industry of consultants, vendors, and scam packs continues to profit from a system that rewards sending more spam and scam texts and emails, not building stronger relationships with voters.

And I think we are going to see a new historic high for this activity.

in our election year right now in terms of the midterms.

And I dare you, if you are unfortunate enough, as I am, to be on just one of these lists at one times, because I have donated full disclosure to a number of progressive campaigns and candidates, if your number's on it, you will never get off of it.

And I know because I've tried.

And I really try, actually.

I'm a parent of three young children.

When my phone buzzes, that could be the school, that could be a doctor, that could be the nanny.

I have to respond to it.

Now, if my phone is nonstop buzzing from numbers that I can't opt out of, and I'm going to get into the technical reasons.