Obama to Supporters: Brother Can You Spare $5

President Barack Obama is going small in an effort to fill his coffers for next year’s re-election campaign.

“I will be direct: Can you step up and make a donation of $5 to get us started?” he wrote in an E-mail sent to supporters Thursday and published by Politico. Obama has just finished a fundraising tour for much bigger bucks in New York City.

And why should his supporters give? Obama cites many of the same policies that Republicans find objectionable.

“You know that our victories so far have been hard won: taking the difficult steps necessary to put our economy back on track, reforming Wall Street excess despite an army of lobbyists against us, and making health care more affordable and accessible despite well-organized opposition by those who profit from the status quo.”