How Republicans are ripping off their own donors

[DINGO Joe]

They've made pre-checked boxes standard on their campaign fundraising sites.  Unless the donor manually unchecks the boxes, their donations become recurring.  It's a known internet grifting techinique called "dark patterns"  Of course, the trailblazer of adopting the trend for political fundraising was Trump himself. 



actual boxes are apparently smaller on the websites and there were multiple boxes to uncheck.

Prior to the Trump's campaign adoption of the pre-check boxes their campaign and Biden's had the same refund rate 2.18 to 2.17%  After the option and through the rest of the campaign to refund rate for Trump's campaigned soared to 12.29% to 2.24% for the Biden campaign.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/03/us/politics/trump-donations.html

Of course much of the money had to be refunded after the end of the campaign and the "Stop the Steal" fundraising was funneled to fill refunds. 

The Republicans liked it so much they used it for the Senate races in Georgia and the refund rate for the Rs was again massively higher than for the Ds, and there is some suggestion that the Loeffler campaign is lagging in providing refunds.

So, why piss off your donors?  Well, Trump was behind in fundraising and some people don't even notice or complain when they're getting ripped off.  Plus some of them managed to die before they or their family realized what was going on.  And, of course, he's Trump.

And the Times notes at the end of the article that all the Republican committees and Kevin McCarthy's and Mitch McConnell's  web sites all use prechecked boxes now.

Of course, there are legal efforts afoot to reign in dark patterns

https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/3/22365952/trump-dark-patterns-trick-supporters-recurring-donation-winred-gary-coby

California just passed a landmark privacy bill banning dark patterns last month. Washington state is attempting one as well. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) planning to reintroduce the DETOUR Act in the next congressional session, according to our sister site Recode — and Recode spoke to acting FTC chair Rebecca Slaughter about her plans to address dark patterns as well.

[Joe Biden 2024]

Pretends to be shocked.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

What else is new, there is no blue ribbon commission on Insurrectionist

If D's want to make a bold statement about 2022 and improve on their PVI 3.1 pass HR 1 but also start the commission

The Rs have gone back to QAnonon support

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I think Act Blue usually takes 10% if you don't uncheck on top of their normal 3.95% fee that pays for the credit card fees.

[PSOL]

I think Act Blue usually takes 10% if you don't uncheck on top of their normal 3.95% fee that pays for the credit card fees.

Well that's a bit new from when I donated in 2019. Source?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I think Act Blue usually takes 10% if you don't uncheck on top of their normal 3.95% fee that pays for the credit card fees.

Well that's a bit new from when I donated in 2019. Source?

I don't know if it's the case any more.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I think Act Blue usually takes 10% if you don't uncheck on top of their normal 3.95% fee that pays for the credit card fees.

Well that's a bit new from when I donated in 2019. Source?

I don't know if it's the case any more.

I've donated via ActBlue since Biden's inauguration and  my recollection is that they request a "tip" to support ActBlue. It was its own step in the donation process, and it seemed very obvious to me that you could bypass it entirely if you chose. The "no tip" option was given equal weight, although one (and I think it was 10%) was automatically selected. There was an option at the end to make it a recurring monthly donation, but it was opt-in rather than opt-out. I believe the same process was in place prior to the election, but my memory isn't as clear.

[darklordoftech]

Pretends to be shocked.

I’m SHOCKED

[LtNOWIS]

I think Act Blue usually takes 10% if you don't uncheck on top of their normal 3.95% fee that pays for the credit card fees.

Well that's a bit new from when I donated in 2019. Source?

I don't know if it's the case any more.

I've donated via ActBlue since Biden's inauguration and  my recollection is that they request a "tip" to support ActBlue. It was its own step in the donation process, and it seemed very obvious to me that you could bypass it entirely if you chose. The "no tip" option was given equal weight, although one (and I think it was 10%) was automatically selected. There was an option at the end to make it a recurring monthly donation, but it was opt-in rather than opt-out. I believe the same process was in place prior to the election, but my memory isn't as clear.

I've donated a bunch through both ActBlue and WinRed this year. ActBlue is like that, or occasionally asks you if you want to make it one-time or monthly. WinRed make you check a bunch of boxes asking "would you like to double this donation?" or whatever, and upsells you on other candidates. So they're pretty comparable at the congressional level, but maybe the Trump campaign pushed the envelope in 2020.

[Joe Biden 2024]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/us/politics/republicans-donations-trump.html

On a related note.

[DINGO Joe]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/us/politics/republicans-donations-trump.html

On a related note.

“If you UNCHECK this box, we will have to tell Trump you’re a DEFECTOR.”

Stay classy Rs

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

I am not a fan of any donations, there should be public financing of all Elections in a Covid Environment, no one should have to donate, even Act Blue

When HR 1 passing in 2023 and D's can Crt pack, public financing of all Elections including donate 3 on your taxes to Prez campaign

Just remember every campaign get govt subsidizies from the Govt anyways