But… but… I thought GEORGE SOROS was entirely responsible for funding EVERYTHING on the Left! I hear he singlehandedly pays the salaries of everyone on the Stephanie Miller Show except that Right-wing tool Chris Lavoie. C’mon George, make with some scratch!

Done, gladly.

Want sumpthin done right? Do it yerself.

I Dugg it.

I figger this post fits into the “by any means necessary” category.

wow. can i get a donor gatekeeper?

They’d rather create their own “astroturf” blogs.

Besides control of the message, what does this get them? The whole idea of blogs like this one is that they’re independent voices, and so people will know that whatever opinions are expressed, at least they’re the views of the people who write them, rather than filtered through the PR lens of the sponsoring organization.

Blogs of the sort these folks seem to want are little more than badly edited editorials. It’s hard to imagine that people would make a serious effort to read them.

I just donated $50.00 – wish it could be more but finances limited. This amount in no way reflects the value of Marcy’s work…that can’t be counted in dollars.

Yeah, uh…George Soros’s check must’ve gotten lost in the mail.

Nope, no billionaire money. Not a dime.

I’m in! :) Business is a bit slow, but I can part with a few bux to support real journalism!

WTG Marci!

Figures that it would take reporting a “detainee” getting tortured 183 times for the MSM to finally credit a blogger for breaking a story!

Shorter Cheney: “No one ever reports the good news coming out of Iraq torture.”

Just signed up for a monthly contribution — Marcy’s more valuable to me than all the newspapers left standing combined.

It is like they just can’t get past their narrow circles. Thanks to everyone who donated and shame on the non-profits who don’t know a good thing when they see one.

I paused briefly to figure out how much to donate?

Fifty? Not enough. Five hundred? My wife would kill me.

One Hundred and Eighty Three Dollars seemed just about right?

Gladly done; wish I could give more.

certified organic, i like that :)

Count me in, Jane. Keep the ‘wheel rolling.

Attention aspiring Democratic candidates: donating and raising money for Marcy would be a GREAT way to build good will.

Finished torture memo thread.

EW and bmaz have developed good relationships with a few outside sources such as the ACLU and people in the auto industry. She should take not getting the outside money as a badge of honor because they are afraid she is too independent.

I’m in.
Marcy leaves everyone else in the dust.
The. only. real. journalism. there. is.

I’m in. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Marcy actually has other employment, as well. Once we get her full time, reading her output will be a full time, but highly productive, job.

(Can’t be in. Remembers that funding source is a Chase Mastercard)

Have to tell this quick story about the other night.

Get home from work late late and dog tired.
Eat cold pizza that’s two days old.
Open FDL.
Say to hubby: “Boy Marcy’s really onto the bank fraud now.”
Hubby: “They’ll be sorry.”
Fall into bed.

There you have it: Marcy vigilantly and geniusly punching out the bad guys day and night.

Marcy got great coverage on Rachel last night.

I’m in for $50 to start.

Awesome! Thank you so much.

will hit the till as soon as i get paid.

will help with research if she wants. glad to.

bbl

Despite being such a drag on the Lake I have once again contributed when asked.

That is just too funny.

What really got my goat was that one of the organizations I approached to fund Marcy decided to sent up their own blog instead — millions of dollars — about that very subject. Instead of paying Marcy, they’re using people you’ve never heard of.

I went through the roof.

I’m afraid I can’t contribute much, either, but Marcy’s a treasure, and certainly deserves support.

I’m in.
With vibrant investigative journalism on the revival with the likes of EW, aspiring miscreants may start paying attention to the adage “crime does not pay.”

no cry, raven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5Qo4Pnc94we’re jammin’

fighting the rival
fighting for survival

If you run into Soros, tell him my check hasn’t arrived, either. You’d think these billionaires could afford to hire people to send out the checks.

Done. We kick butt!

okee-doke, I’m in for $50 and a lotto ticket.

business has been bleak – layoffs barely avoided so far – but things seem to be picking up. If it turns out to be the calm before the storm, we’re screwed anyway, so might as well….

fight the good fight
don’t give up the faith.

Christafari

bbl. gotta go.

I’ve got some dental, and vision expenses coming up. After September, I’ll know better where I stand. At that point, I’ll want to commit to something monthly for Marcy, in addition to what I already kick in monthly to FDL.

You rock, Boo. Thanks so much. You’re such a tireless supporter, we really appreciate it.

As You Wish

Thank you very much.

count me in. will do when i return from airport run.

the blurb on rachel darn near knocked me off the couch.

congrats Marcy! bluejeansntshirt

$150,000 sounds like a lot of money to me.

266

ha.

and add 34 for valerie.

I have just popped $50 for Marcy and her fine work. However, I do not see why I have to provide my telephone number to make the contribution. I do not need my phone number to use the credit card at other locations on the web. I think someone needs to rethink this requirement.

I became a big fan of Marcy during the Scooter Libby trial.
Contribution gladly made.

The new information on the number of waterboarding episodes came out over the weekend when a number of bloggers, including Marcy Wheeler of the blog emptywheel, discovered it in the May 30, 2005, memo.

w00t

bout time the NY Times quoted somebody who has a clue

not to mention using PayPal for their political fundraising! I can never resist hitting that PayPal button when Jane or Christy puts it up.

But I don’t say out here what amounts I give, some old fashioned squeamishness, I guess.

Truly one of the best there is. She has been on the front lines of some very important stories. We know who the national news uses to get their facts. FDL is the place where the facts matter.

Sent some dough- hope it helps.

WTF?

Marcy’s literally irreplaceable.

Since the CIA leak investigation, she’s repeatedly scooped every U.S. news and wire service.

Now, all those reporters read/steal her stuff.

$150,000 is 3,000 doggies chipping in $50 A YEAR.

If Marcy were on Wall Street or an attorney she’d be getting paid closer to what she’s really worth. Her assistants would be getting base salaries of $150,000/year, BEFORE bonuses.

For every lead that pans out into a post, you can bet there were three or four dead-ends. Do you have any idea what she has to spend on Pacer and for new books, just to stay current. You think you can get reporting such as March provides by waiting for your local library to get the book?

Just because something/someone produces a public value, a social value, does not mean it’s not worth anything. It means we haven’t yet figured how to fairly compensate those who provide this desperately needed service. This goes back to why she’s so valuable. We have too many nice, uninformed liberals/progressives. Too many of the really smart people are too busy turning their brains into their own compensation.

Marcy’s been allowing us to read her stuff without a subscription for years. It’s time she got paid.

Name names.

Citizen Hamsher:

Having happily contributed to Marcy’s blogging efforts, I have a question or two for you about the “business” of the web and more specifically blogs. What exactly is the current “business model” for blogs that offers the most hope of success? Must a blogger’s operation grow structurally like Kos or TPM in order to survive? Is there a model that would allow individual “investigative” blogger-journalists to remain active with what they do best and not hafta rely on “donations” or become business managers over a vast sweat shop of daily bloggers and be more involved with editing, personel and advertising sales than blog-journalism?

…jest a few questions that I hope might generate a post or two about the current state of blogging and maybe ideas about the future.

I am embarrassed that I missed Marcy’s attribution in NYT on Sunday. So cool.

BTW, I so totally *heart* the 100% organic logo. The Fire Dog Lake Chair of Investigative Blogging, endowed by one hundred percent organic donations from the organic grass roots.

But we can raise this endowment at other locations, can’t we? Couldn’t some of us put up a bat on a personal DFA page? Or, once we have over ten grand, couldn’t we actually run some paid ads on other blogs like HuffPo, ACLU, TPM?

Today Obama softened his position on punishing torture supporters. Now he says that it’s really up to Holder to decide who to prosecute.

I’m confused.

Wasn’t it up to Holder YESTERDAY too?

So apparently, the pres shouldn’t be saying squat about who will or will not be prosecuted. It’s an obstruction of justice. So why has he been mouthing off about it – and what changed from yesterday?

Inquiring minds and all that.

hehehehe…..$183. is a nice round number…besides being totally appropriate; think I can squeeze out enough of what’s left in the ol’ socialistic social security check to match ya on that one.

Too late to make today’s mail but check heading in your direction tomorrow, Jane.

think locally, act blogally.

Im in. And I’ll trade ya a Marple, two Holmes and a Poirot for one Wheeler.

I paypaled Marcie.
Why is Digg back? Did I miss something?

In my line of work, that would amount to the cost of hiring a senior engineer or computer scientist full time. That they’re using that money to fund Marcy, plus two people who are at least part time, strikes me as a bargain.

Citizen rwcole:

In the “old days” of our democracy, that is before Nixon, it was always up to the Attorney General as to whether or not to proceed or even initiate investigations. And I believe that is what Obama has had in mind these last couple a months, that is, he has taken the position that he as the Executive wants to move forward and insure that the laws are faithfully executed and that we do not torture, he has never indicated that he would interfere with anything that the AG or the Congress decided to do with regard to these matters. And Holder has not, to my knowlege, ever said he would not move forward if circumstances warrented.

I think that all the heavy air that is bein’ blown up Obama’s ass over this is jest that…a lotta hot air. Obama is playin the politics of this jest right as the Chief Executive and the heat bein generated would best be directed at Holder and, more importantly, at the Congress (Senate and House) to advance investigations and requests for special prosecutor(s) and provide the space and cover for Holder to move.

Mine too. Or a junior engineer and an admin person (salaries plus benefits plus employer taxes).

Jane, I’m in.

Well, I sent a C-note for the special prosecutor yesterday. So I think I can scratch out another one for Marcy. That’s a bargain considering she, along with Hersch, GG, Palast, and Amy Goodman, does the peoples’ work. There are still quite a few heroes left and a lot of work left to do.
Excellent idea, Jane.

punaise, I’m stealing that: “think locally, act blogally”

It seems right to me that the decision should be Holder’s and that Obama shouldn’t have anything to say about it one way or the other- but then that makes his pronouncement to the CIA yesterday strange. He was apparently promising what he can’t deliver.

Jane, I’m in, but after I hit the process contribution button, a petition to JPMorganChase came up. Just want to mention it so that you make sure the contribution goes to EW as intended. Thanks!

start adding in travel expenses and document costs and software to handle the information and the other two people and it’s not much. on a shoestring.

Citizen rwcole:

Read the statements carefully, Obama reassures the CIA that CIA officers acting in “good faith” under cover of lawfully issued OLC memos, memos that the CIA demanded to inbsure at least that the executive and DOJ would also be on the hook if and when the shit got out. Obama specifically DIDN’T reassure contractors or others acting beyond the pale…he did what was necessary to protect the CIA from the crimes Cheney and Addington forced ‘em to undertake.

Let’s put the heat where it belongs, on the AG and the Congress, specifically the Senate…and in this I refer you to Sen. Whitehouse on Rachel last night.

back for more today huh?

Raven:

I’m in for the long haul…the bastards at my place of employment are goin’ all-in against the older workers so I gotta have someplace ta dump my frustration or I’m gunna hurt a whole bunch a walls and plants and shit.

Being retired there isn’t much for donations. You have mine. It’s not much but collectively it may turn into enough to flush out the snakes hiding under the rocks from the former administration. And if that little prick Emanual would get bounced from the WH I would be a happy camper. He is to close th Israel and the DLC. The DLC being worse. They work to gain money for themselves not to help Democrats and are closer to the right than left. Harold Ford and Carville are as gaggy as it gets. Why President Obama wouldn’t put Dean in the WH as an advisor is beyond me. He is as good or better than all his previous appointees and nominees except for those to the DOJ.

Funny, I think it doesn’t sound like enough. :)

I will contribute this week. Great idea, Jane!

In for a little now; hopefully more later.

What BooRadley said.

please do

I kicked in $25. I’ll try to bring more to the table later.

Just a small criticism: I love Marcy’s reportage, but I sometimes get frustrated when her posts lack a clear topic paragraph (a “lede”). I find myself skipping down a few paragraphs looking for a terse summary of what the issue at hand is. Case in point: Today’s “OLC + CIA = CYA” post. There’s a lengthy blockquote to wade through before we get to delayed lede. Jane’s posts, in contrast, usually have a clear lede up front that tells me exactly where she is going.

Don’t get me wrong: I love Marcy’s reporting and analysis and think she is doing extremely important work. But I’d just love to see the presentation of the data she uncovers and analyzes a little more reader-friendly. I’m not suggesting that she dumb down the posts with a flat USA Today-style lede. But a little more journalistic concision up front would make her work even more valuable and accessible, IMHO.

David Brooks spends $150,000 on travel and entertainment. The amount is peanuts, and every professional funder knows that. They don’t seem interested in independent journalism, only in selling the news that supports them.

One hundred fifty thousand for Marcy AND another writer AND a researcher for them both is pocket change in the news business. As an investment in informed citizenry, it’s the biggest bang for the subscription buck going.

Compare these annual subscription rates with an investment in Marcy Wheeler & Co.:

Financial Times – $348
Washington Post – $101
Wall Street Journal Online – $119
Miami Herald $217
Dallas Morning News – $189
New York Times – $254

I’m in. The work that is done at the Lake is amazing and Marcy is very special. Her attention to detail is beyond compare. Thanks, Jane.

when i did my reoccuring pledge the message
to email that came up was about Chrysler & JP morgan

Marcy is more than awesome….glad to be able to help!If my refinance goes through I will send more!

Think about it. Marcy has bills to pay and a career to build. She has a degree from Amherst and doctorate from Michigan. She’s worked for a Fortune 50 company, has been a successful consultant, published a book and has a loyal blog following.

When the Washington Independent or Rachel Maddow or the NYT comes calling, what will encourage EW to stay? (Besides Jane’s priorities, her management expertise, and style, and the like-minded team she’s put together?)

So you’re going to write the grant application for funding Marcy?? ;-)

I think you’ve already done a big part of the cover letter.

Question for Jane: any consideration of a 501c3 for this, perhaps a research entity? It might make a difference.

in for 183

I thought that 501c3’s couldn’t engage in political advocacy. That might be tricky here. There’s another non-profit category (501c2 ?) that applies to organizations that do political advocacy.

It would be nice if there were a truly non-profit news agency in this country – one that was independent of both the government and the corporations. That would be an ideal place for folks like Marcy to work, I think.

Could be tricky, but is the work done here always pro-party? Nope. just ask some of the Dems who’ve gotten spanked here.

Is it progressive? yup — just like Heritage Foundation, a 501c3, is pro-conservative.

It can and has been done.

Heck, once you start looking at it from this perspective, why doesn’t FDL consider setting up a think tank which promotes better public policy based on the research it obtains and reports? That’s 501c3 territory, too.

Just ask the folks at Heritage.

Okay. I didn’t say she isn’t worth it. I didn’t say what other people pay for international travel.
To me, that is a lot of money. That’s all I said.
I surely wish I had a job, had some dough to put into the kitty.
So, I’ll just leave.

in for 100. i love Marcy’s work. she is sharp as a tack.

Many non-profits are composed of BOTH a 501(c)(3) AND a 501(c)(4), like the ACLU and its ACLU Foundation; NAACP and its legal defense & education fund (not sure which is which); like MALDEF. But I think what Jane may be thinking of is more like MoveOn or DFA, which are “unaffiliated” PACs, which essentially means they are totally political but not “partisan” and/or not linked to a specific candidate. Like Accountability Now!, which was a PAC set up by FDL last year.

as someone said earlier, no cry demi. stick around.

Marcy’s not full time? Are you fucking kidding me? That makes her exponentially more bad ass. Wow.

At some point, maybe we don’t need to know how much FDL just raised, and it should be kept private. No critiques, no crowing. I mean, if you get a phenomenal sum, it’s big news. It’s gossip. Anyway, the New York Times is foolish for not advertising on your site.

Compare these annual subscription rates with an investment in Marcy Wheeler & Co.:

Financial Times – $348
Washington Post – $101
Wall Street Journal Online – $119
Miami Herald $217
Dallas Morning News – $189
New York Times – $254

You forgot to include the cost of the beer that will need to be drunk to erase the memory of the WaPoo, WSJ and NYT from one’s brain.

Stuart jogged my conscience. In for a 100 from retired income. Yeah, Marcy!

If it’s worth $1 a day to get rid of Norm Coleman, it’s worth $1 a day to have Marcy here. I’m in.

I couldn’t count that high.

It’s a sad day for journalism when a rightwing poster boy like David Brooks is paid about ten times the amount Jane just asked for, plus expenses, for two columns a week for the New York bloody Times. Mr. Brooks also earns five figures plus from his speeches, his appearances on PBS’, The NewsHour, and from worthy neocon causes.

I hope FDL and its friends have the resources to make available a fraction of that amount to help FDL keep Marcy and to get her work researched and published. She’s a rugby-playing Izzy Stone.

No knock on your comment – different strokes for different folks, but…*g*

I’ve come to appreciate EW’s way of doing things. Her ledes are often a dry and sardonic humor that I like.

Some folks like to get their toy before eating the Cracker Jacks, and some like to enjoy the treat before they get to the surprise.

Thanks for the link.

Same with me, Boo. I bet we make it!

scout

rw, there’s a new diary over at Oxdown that explains a lot of the position Obama is in. Written by a lawyer; goes by the handle of Seventhson. It is a powerful summing up. All of ya’ll drop by if you find the time.

Rayne, Since I’m a political orphan so we can say we’re not pro-party. I’m no dem or repub, don’t like labels. Didn’t know such people as you folks existed until I got this magnificent machine.

Haven’t seen any comment by Adie lately. Anyone know anything about her? I miss her saucy sayin’s.

That Marcy is upstairs with The Senate Armed Services Report on Torture (SASR). And there’s a thermometer of that shows over $8000 raised so far.
YeeeeeDoggies!!

I have made a contribution and will contribute more when I get back to work!! She is a national treasure whose skills MUST be directed toward full analysis of what is presently going on!

T

She was on the latest Toby thread over at Oxdown.

Just sent my donation by US mail – PayPal has not been good to me.

Keep up the great work, EW – I’ve been a huge fan since your epic Judy Miller series.

Thanks, Acquarius, for the props.

Obama is in a tricky position but I think the prospects for prosecutions and convictions is pretty good based on all the blowback from his comments.

I read somewhere (probably democratic underground) that Holder is pissed about Rahm and even Obama’s comments.

BTW, for what its worth, there is an occasional campaign to impostor me and my name and attempts to discredit me (I found one on CommonDreams but it also happened at DU) so be advised.

I support Obama. I am way to the left of him. But I still have hope. I do NOT believe that he has sold out to the BFEE and the NWO (not yet anyway).