A time to give . . .

Well, June is almost over. You know what that means: Beer and explosives for everyone! The second quarter fund-raising reports are almost due for candidates. There's an old saying that it takes money to make money. A slightly newer saying is that money collected early in a race is like yeast--it helps to raise the dough.

So I'm asking you to give just a little, as a favor to me. You'll notice that, unlike some bloggers I could name *cough*Atrios*cough* I never ask for money for myself. I have no PayPal tip jar and no Amazon wish list. I haven't even made enough from the BlogAds to make it worthwhile for them to pay me.

So consider this the 2004 folkbum pledge drive. If you like me, and like what I write, and want to encourage me to continue, please give. But instead of giving to me, give to the candidates. And, to signify that it's coming from my site, add, oh, 29 cents (I'll turn 30 just ten days before the federal primary here--unless I start lying). So for a donation you might make of $10.00 you'd do $10.29 instead. Or $25.29. Or $2000.29. It's up to you.

The candidates I'm shilling for:

Tim Carpenter is running to replace retiring Democrat Jerry Kleczka in Wisconsin's fourth congressional district. Despite the fact that Tim replaced Jerry in the state legislature when Jerry got promoted, Kleczka has endorsed one of Carpenter's opponents. That just makes my job a that much harder, I guess. Tim is a Dean Democrat, willing to do anything for health care, education, and jobs, and with a legislative track record to prove it. (This opponent of his has never been elected to a single public office!) With the election of Carpenter, Wisconsin would have the highest-percentage of openly gay federal office holders (with Tammy Baldwin, that makes two of eight, or 25%!). But beyond that, Tim is the hardest-working and most personable legislator I've ever met--he remembers names, faces, and issues of the constituents he meets like no one else, and he is constantly walking his district. He's a policy wonk in a good way--he cares about crafting legislation to better people's lives. We need that in congress. Please help us get there.

Russ Feingold is Everyone's Favorite Senator™. But he is also a senator with a reputation for narrow wins. His potential opponents this time around are not as strong, though, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't appreciate your help!

Last up is Bryan Kennedy, out to unseat Jim Sensenbrenner in Wisconsin's fifth congressional district. I already did a spiel for him here.

I'll run this fundraiser for a week or so; I'll even try contacting the campaigns later to see if anything has turned up. That's right--I'll be checking on you!

UPDATE: My GMail has been flaky--I have browser compatibility issues--but I think I've figured it out and got in for the first time ever today. So I have two invitations to GMail for the first two people to contribute to one or more of the "folkbum three." Leave me a comment with an active email address and, Gmail willing, I'll invite you.