Political Pop-ups, and Follow the Money

finelinebob writes "Now we know why Bush wants broadband for everyone: The Republican National Committee plans on bringing the campaign to Internet pop-up ads. From the article: 'Internet experts said that Republicans have entered a new realm of campaigning. Pop-up and pop-under ads of any variety haven't been around long, and little data exist to suggest how voters might respond to uninvited interruptions.' Okay, folks -- get your pop-up blocking browsers now!" While you're waiting for your first pop-up, pop on over to a website that tracks campaign contributions: vVF4N writes "Fundrace 2004 lets you enter any street address and see what people at or near that location have contributed to a presidential candidate, along with their addresses and occupations. The data is based on reports that campaigns regularly file with the Federal Election Commission. You can also look up a name and get the same information. The Washington Post (registration required) has more. Find out who your friends and neighbors are contributing to."

Comments

Pop ups

[krymsin01]

So instead of using the Internet to rally and energize the American public into voting for them, they are going to use it to furthor alienate and annoy us with pop-ups? Are they that out of touch that they believe pop-ups are actualy going to give them some sort of edge?

now i know who my neighbors vote for

[jtcm]

I had a knee-jerk reaction to browsing this database filled with no less than a dozen of my friends', families', and aquaintances' political affiliations with corresponding addresses. My inner-self cried "INVASION OF PRIVACY! ABORT! ABORT!"

I then took a mental step back, collected my wits, and clicked the "Privacy" link. lo and behold:

All the information presented on Fundrace.org is part of the public record and provided by the Federal Election Commission of the United States.

Anyone who contributes "hard money" to political campaigns must provide personal information. This requirement limits the political influence of wealthy, anonymous individuals and allows the public to track financial contributions that may influence the political process.

Upon further investigation it becomes apparent that this site is a Very Good Thing(tm). It is a bastion of democracy.

Fundrace, I salute you.

Re:How about let's cut out the political speech he

[Deslock]

This is at least the 4th story in 2 days; that has jabs at the Republican party or at George Bush. I understand that the majority of people here at /. are liberal or democrat, but this is NOT a political website - to polarize readers. It's starting to get on my nerves.

You're overreacting. This story simply links to articles that describe how the RNC plans to use pop-up advertising and tell of how anyone can easily look up who's contributed what. That second article applies to both parties, so I assume it's the pop-up portion of the story that bugs you. Frankly, I don't see how it takes jabs at Bush or republicans. If the the DNC had announced that they were going to use pop-ups, I expect /. would've posted about it as well (along with the standard "time to change your browser" remarks).

Republicans and conservatives (on slashdot) are traeted like the Klan treated ... well ... I'll lket you fill in th rest.

I don't think comparing something as trivial as political bias to the KKK is going to help your case. On the contrary, it makes you look like an overly sensitive partisan who can't keep things in perspective.