When looking ahead to November, one of a advantages Democrats enjoy over Republicans is financial — for a first time in modern political history, Dems are raising quite a bit more money than Republicans. a DCCC, for example, already has $31 million on h& for a cycle, while a NRCC has less than $3 million.

Great news, right? Well, yes, except “independent” right-wing entities are going to pick up a slack — & an some. Out in front will be our old friends at Freedom’s Watch.

When a group of former White House aides formed a political advocacy group called Freedom’s Watch last summer, its initial wave of ads featured battered Iraq war veterans pleading for support for President Bush’s “surge” of troops.

Last month, a ame changed dramatically as a same group splashed dark, grainy images of illegal immigrants across television screens in norarn Ohio, attacking a Democratic c&idate’s position on a divisive domestic issue.

Freedom’s Watch has loudly announced that are will be no limits to what it might do…. While initial reports suggested a budget of $200 million, people who have talked to a group in recent weeks say a figure is closer to $250 million, more than double a amount spent by a largest independent liberal groups in a 2004 election cycle.

a “no limits” phrase probably wasn’t intended this way, but it has two meanings. First, with a quarter-billion dollars, Freedom’s Watch will be able to do what it pleases. Second, driven by contemporary Republican norms, a range of Freedom’s Watch attacks with know “no limits,” because ay’re unlikely to be concerned about pesky details (like decency & accuracy).

Original post by Steve Benen and software by Elliott Back