Reddit-based PAC takes aim at SOPA-sponsor Lamar Smith

Test PAC, the Reddit-based PAC founded to raise money to support opponents of Lamar Smith, the author of SOPA, has placed its first billboard and is set to run its first advertisements. The materials direct people to unseatlamar.com. Ajpos from TestPAC explains:

Analytics take a few days to come in, and the billboard has been up for only about three hours.

I want to stress that the PAC has about 300 members right now and we have plans to air two commercials, so the billboard serves a few other purposes besides getting Texans to visit the website:

1.) This is an example of the internet flexing its muscles and showing that we can make political speech. This is Test PAC's first venture into the "real world" and shows that we have some teeth. The NYT, Guardian, and Forbes all wanted to do an article on us but ultimately decided not to until we've grown a bit. This is the first example of how we're growing.

2.) We hope this will generate some publicity nationally so people from other districts and states can generate more public support for the campaign. 300 members is not enough, in my opinion, to air two commercials.

3.) It also gives both Mack and Morgan something to use in their own campaigns. They can show how people besides their campaign staff are interested in them. We are a "tertiary" campaign, so we cannot do their campaigning for them, but this certainly helps.

Of course, we would absolutely be thrilled if we start getting hits from San Antonio, and I'll be disappointed if we don't, but it's not the end of the world.

That Reddit-funded billboard in Lamar Smith's district is up (i.imgur.com)

• [Cowicide]

  Donate here:
  https://secure.piryx.com/donate/EKph3wRp/Test-PAC-Please-Ignore/

• [John Thacker]

  Beautiful  Thank goodness that the Supreme Court recognizes the importance of shadowy outside groups commenting on issues, no matter how much incumbents hate the idea in the name of “campaign finance reform.”

• [rightcoast]

  Mack could prbably beat this SOPA-crafting fool Lamar Smith. He has the tolerance of progressive PACs like this one, and is liked by the libertarians (who, let’s be honest, can be funding *machines*, look at Paul’s “moneybombs”) … This guy could probably do this if people came together and figured he’s better than the alternative instead of the usual “perfect is the enemy of good” both progressives and libertarians are usually known to do. 

• [Marc Mielke]

  I’d never heard of this McEnsored guy before. 

• [hughstimson]

  I wish I could be excited about the rise of crowd-sourced PACs, but the entire campaign influence system has become a smoking disaster and heralds the the downfall of the American democracy.

  • [decius]

    TestPAC is a true grass roots organization that has formed to get the word out that a vote for Lamar Smith is a vote for total Internet surveillance and censorship. People who are concerned about those things have a right to express those concerns to the general public. Since the early days of this republic, getting the word out has often involved paying to print pamphlets or flyers – think “Common Sense.” In this case its web sites and billboards.

    Campaign finance presents challenging problems but the activity TestPAC is engaged in seems a vital part of the democratic process. The right solution should make room for this. 

• [Scott Bartlett]

  The internet sets out to make an example of the man who spawned SOPA. I wholly endorse this.