can $15 change the course of history

I have been reading this novel called The Appeal by John Grisham, it was a best seller in say March-ish. It has been so interesting and inspiring that I donated $15 to the Obama '08 campaign. Now I don't think my $15 will change the course of history but I do see how money has the potential to run absolutely everything in a political race- and if my $15 donations can help secure that another white upper crust conservative will not get appointed to the oval office so be it then bring it on.

I don't want to give away the book, but it is basically about a small time law firm that wins a large case against a large chemical corporation that has been polluting the ravines of a small town in Mississippi. Think Erin Brockovich meets Michael Clayton. I mean a lot of issues are touched on, although race hasn't overtly factored in the fact that it is a small town of working class, supposed ignorant, southerners plays a significant role up against the designer suit wearing corporate, well-educated, business (men) putting forth a butt load of cash to change the guilty verdict during appeals.

The fact that a "crazy liberal wielding feminist" judge (who is actually moderate but opposes the death penalty) becomes the target of heated campaigns trying to elect the perfectly purchased opposing candidate with perfect family values.

But what this narrative has shown me is that candidates can be purchased with specific intentions of upholding certain laws, certain agendas, even to turn certain verdicts that are not in the interest of big corporate environmentally destructive business. And if this is the case I think Mccain is certainly someone bought and paid for by those "family values" folks being used to uphold the morally conservative way of life.

I was going to stay out of it-this whole election business until it came time to vote, but this book has really shown me how those people with resources (money) are able to win. The people with money are more likely to be white, middle class, hetero, men. Boo! The people with less money (generally speaking) are school teachers, working class people, and the people who often (though def. not always) support more liberal or progressive candidates. So while I may be a poor hippie student with little to give and debt up to my ears (thanks to getting sick and that lovely thing called education) I am donating my $15 in hopes that if anyone who supports can give what they can that we can change the "face" of this country to something new and different. It may be a stretch but one I have come to realize I kinda sorta have to make...