Ever wonder why we send you so many emails asking for grassroots donations? I know it's a lot -- but let me describe for you what the alternative looks like:

We just learned that Mitt Romney collected an astounding $X million from lobbyists during the last fundraising quarter, including lobbyists for pharmaceutical companies, big oil, and one of Switzerland's largest banks.

From the day that Barack Obama decided to run for president in 2007, he has refused to accept campaign contributions from special-interest PACs and Washington lobbyists. Instead, he relies on you to build this campaign -- and is accountable only to you.

We're in a dead heat with Romney and there's very little time left. Help make sure ordinary folks decide this election -- not big banks and oil companies.

Please make a donation of $X or more to re-elect Barack Obama today:

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When we get into talk of lobbyists, PACs, and super PACs, it's easy to just want to tune out and give up completely on what feels like a hopelessly broken political process.

But here's why we can't: Mitt Romney not only accepts big checks from these lobbyists, but as president he'd hire those same lobbyists in top-level positions. A report just this week said: "Industry insiders believe that Mitt Romney will unshackle the revolving door and give lobbyists a shot at the government jobs their Democratic counterparts have been denied for the past four years."

We could get the head of the junk food industry as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. An oil executive as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

I'm damn proud of the fact that President Obama implemented the strictest rules ever to close the revolving door between government and special interests and restrict the money-for-influence machine that too often dominates Washington.

It was the right thing to do -- and unless we do what we need to do these next 19 days, we'll see a return to the same old way of doing business.

This year's election is a test of the idea that ordinary people can still be the most powerful voice in our democracy. We've come too far to fail now.

Think about that -- and please make a donation to this truly grassroots campaign today:

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Stephanie

Stephanie Cutter Deputy Campaign Manager Obama for America

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