April 23, 2009

After 100 Days of Obama, Optimism Returning

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A new AP poll shows that more Americans believe the country is moving in the right direction (48 percent) than those who think it is moving in the wrong direction (44 percent). According to the AP, this marks the first time since Saddam Hussein’s capture in January 2004 that “right direction” has out-polled “wrong direction.” NB: The “right direction” number was just 17 percent in the fall of 2008.

The AP makes it clear that Americans are still deeply worried about the economy and unemployment; for the first time in a long time, though, many of them have faith in our leaders’ ability to fix the country’s most pressing problems. One might even say it is morning in America.

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WE CAME UP SHORT.

We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

So we urgently need this specific ask, what you're reading right now, to start bringing in more donations than it ever has. The reality, for these next few months and next few years, is that we have to start finding ways to grow our online supporter base in a big way—and we're optimistic we can keep making real headway by being real with you about this.

Because the bottom line: Corporations and powerful people with deep pockets will never sustain the type of journalism Mother Jones exists to do. The only investors who won’t let independent, investigative journalism down are the people who actually care about its future—you.

And we hope you might consider pitching in before moving on to whatever it is you're about to do next. We really need to see if we'll be able to raise more with this real estate on a daily basis than we have been, so we're hoping to see a promising start.

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