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Obama Campaign Deploys New Cellular Weapon
Hugh Pickens writes "Michael Scherer writes that the Obama fundraising machine has deployed a new cellular campaign weapon designed 'to trigger the campaign finance equivalent of an impulse buy' during key political moments in the campaign. The tool links two familiar technologies, SMS and one-click purchasing, by sending out an SMS message to cell phones and smart phones of tens of thousands of previous campaign donors giving them a one-click option to give more money. 'Campaign officials hope to be able to return to donors in key moments of emotional excitement,' writes Scherer. One person familiar with the ask says that the response rate has been more than 20 times greater than any text message solicitation Obama has sent out before and and the reason is simple: Even with an iPhone, it remains an arduous hassle to enter all the information that is typically required to buy anything online with a credit card. The trick is that anyone who gives even a few dollars to the Obama campaign is asked if they want to keep their credit cards on file to participate in what the campaign calls 'Quick Donate.' Now donors just need to write '25,' or '10,' and that amount of dollars is immediately drawn from their credit cards. One of the Obama campaign's best fundraising days in 2008, for instance, came right after Sarah Palin's convention speech. Now partisans can 'vent their outrage or enthusiasm by simply typing one number into their phone.'"
One button donate sounds great, but what about One Button Bribe or Quick Graft? I tell you, corruption is the future!
Obama is not better or worse than anyone else who's served as president. Might as well spend your money on other things, since whoever the successor is will be no better or worse no matter what you do.
I wonder what would happen if you tried to donate $-50...
And is it still April 1 AM in Slashdot land? It ended 12 hours ago here...
I don't think many people are willing to trust politicians with their card information.
Why collecting donations, when you can create your own money? The LibreOffice approach is compelling.
will sue!
Poines? Omg..
I hate you.
the money factor needs to be removed from campaigns and restrict all politicans running for office only one hour of television time and a single youtube channel for all the politicians to share and upload videos via an impartial third party so the politicians dont start trolling eachother on it,
what obama is doing should be illegal, what they all are doing is immoral and should be illegal
Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
This appears to be a genuine story, no fooling involved. Grandparent was at least on topic, despite being AC. If you're going to cuss out Slashdot for posting fake stories then at least wait for them to actually post a fake story.
Spimming/spamming me; robocalling me, even calling me unsolicited, are not ways to get me to vote for you, no matter the party.
http://swampland.time.com2012/03/30/the-obama-campaign-tries-out-a-new-cellular-weapon/
TFA is actually dated March 30, 2012.
On a side note... Why even bother with credit cards?
Even with an iPhone, it remains an arduous hassle to enter all the information that is typically required to buy anything online with a credit card.
Pre-paid or on a contract, one still pays to some company for the privilege of using one's phone.
So, why not simply send an SMS or call a number which would charge your number with either a prearranged sum or which would let you to type the sum in?
Sure, such practice may delay the money flow in case of all those phones which are on a contract - until the bill gets payed.
That is, unless the phone company is willing to take the risk of "non-collection" on itself.
But it seems a far safer practice than "entering all the information that is typically required to buy anything online with a credit card" or "keeping [their] credit cards on file".
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
PONIES!!!
So, if we assume, as pundits say, that big donors are not going to Obama because he wants to transfer all wealth to the lazy people, and the only people who support him are the young people who don't know any better, kids that are hoping for a socialist government so they do not have to work, how does Obama capitalize on that demographic? By using the one tool all these kids know. The phone. These kids, while they are in their drug induced stupor on payday, can click to donate a few bucks. They would never actually be able to write a check and address an envelope. But over a few months, they can donate $50 bucks.
Really, all kidding aside, this is the way a modern politician needs to collect funds. The maximum donation to a politician should be $50 a month. Anyone can do that. This idea of stealth funding of campaigns by a few large donors need to go. In the republican race, this has resulted in our choices being a polygamist in spirit, a polygamist in reality, a jihadist, and a one that wants to promote the idea that we should pay our troops to sit around the base playing video games and get high. Not a great list for a party that claims to be pro america.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
I think it's safe to say, many tens of thousands of Americans have died under a Democrat than any Republican. Refer to WWI, WWII, Korean and Vietnam wars. When your lesson is over, come back for a test.
They make me hate you.
This is certainly not an idea of Obama himself, this is very close to a business idea. And as we all know, he has no business experience and actively trying to destroy businesses. I frankly don't understand why people would want to donate every time some hyped up situation comes up. I guess this why democrats make stories up like republican "war on women". It never existed, but I'm sure they tricked a lot of donors that is was real to get some money from them.
Surprise! A new high-tech way to launder money into Obama's campaign! Those unaccountable credit-card donations are just so 2008.
Isn't it wonderful how safe, efficient, and effective the systems are that are constructed by the macroparasites and their familiars in government for scooping dollars out of your pocket? But electronic voting on issues nationwide -- nah, not possible.
E Proelio Veritas.
He said : "There's a sucker born every minute."
How is that pertinent to this article, you might ask ?
Because only a sucker donates money to ANY politician.
I'll be pressing the de-elect button hard this November.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver --Proverbs 25:11
Imagine you weren't such a retard.
So you are saying that the US is a different country under different political parties. I'm surprised that you dont get rid of the enemy within with a bit of genocide just like the Syrian government. How can you live surrounded by such traitorous scum? I suppose you havent found a big enough hole to bury two hundred million people in yet. I wonder how many tons of meat that is?
Facts are history now plebs have politics for religion on social media.
Some of the voices tell me to hate you.
FACT: Obama got millions from donors during the past election. In fact, 80% of his political money was backtracked to just 6 individuals.
Problem: Obama is no longer liked by intelligent people. He turned out to be a completely incompetent idiot and we are in WORST shape today than we were 4 years ago.
Give 'em a pellet.
Watch 'em press a button.
Genius.
It wouldn't matter if Obama was the choice against human candidates but it seems to be that it is going to be Obama against a republican. None of them are sane or human. Obama needs just one slogan, (nixons voice) "I am not a republican".
There seems to be a large movement in the US that wants to tear the country apart with some kind of weird idea that you can turn back the clock to somekind of fantasy land from the past that never existed.
Let a republican win and the US will let the bankers run rampant again, let healthcare spending grow out of control while getting less healthcare in return, let the infrastructure collapse because who needs roads anyway and burden the average family with more kids then the family can support or the nation needs.
So far, Romney is the most sensible republican NOT because he is actually sensible but because he is the least crazy. The only risk of a republican winning the election is if Obama gets lazy and people think they can savely vote republican as a balance mechanism since surely everyone else will vote Obama.
Mind you, this is assuming that voters don't actually hate themselves and their country. In America, this is not a given.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
The system ideally leads to opponents being funded almost equally, meaning the process incurrs the biggesst cost on the public with the least effect...
Waaaah waaah, boo hoo, your precious Slashdot is only running 364 days out of the year. Whiiiiiiiiiinneeee
"I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
designed 'to trigger the campaign finance equivalent of an impulse buy'
He also wants to get the voting equivalent of an impulse buy. Sadly, too many people vote like this as well.
You're either delusional, or expecting a kickback... or both. Either way, you're a fool, or a corrupt bastard. These politicians should be jail, not in any high office. Just vote for the craziest bastard you can find, so we can put the country out of its misery as quickly as possible. Nobody should desire this lingering, painful death.
What happens if I send -2000000? Will I receive 2 million in my account?
This are the choices we get when every low grade moron is allowed to vote.
We should have a test and the top 1/3 can run for office, the top 2/3 can vote and the bottom 1/3 can go study and try again next year.
... or in the Coma Ward. Emotional mugging, facilitated. Since it's done by several people and groups acting in accord, I do suppose it qualifies as - at least - gang or mob activity. Since politics is involved, it probably qualifies as a full-bodied Conspiracy. Oh, something like " ... to emotionally incapacitate and plunder ...", or something like that. One of the definitions of Politics, according to some.
Essentially, it's a proposal for preying upon the momentarily (yes, I'm being nice) weak and helpless. Just the USA-Way, I suppose. I'm surprised televangelists (or their present incarnations) haven't done that already. Is Goldman Sachs, or JPMorgan involved, perhaps?
-1500000
than your beloved political party!
"The trick is that anyone who gives even a few dollars to the Obama campaign is asked if they want to keep their credit cards on file to participate in what the campaign calls 'Quick Donate.' Now donors just need to write '25,' or '10,' and that amount of dollars is immediately drawn from their credit cards. "
Neat idea! What could possibly go wrong with that?
After he's re-elected he'll just take all the money he wants right out of their paychecks.