If You Are Outraged Over Unions Buying Elections..... - Jets Insider.com Forums

intelligentjetsfan · 06-30-2012, 08:51 PM

Then this should anger you too.......

[B]Trump, Koch brothers among megadonors looking down-ticket[/B]
By: Robin Bravender
June 30, 2012 04:33 PM EDT

Conservative megadonors Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers and Donald Trump aren’t stopping with their efforts to swing the presidential election. Now, they’re shoveling cash into down-ticket races.

Their big checks have helped state-focused GOP groups more than double the cash haul of their Democratic counterparts and open up another front that could help Mitt Romney beat President Barack Obama.

Many of the hottest gubernatorial races are in key presidential election states, including North Carolina, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin and the increased activity could and attention to conservative policies on critical issues like government spending, labor rights, voter access, gay rights and immigration could help tip the scales in Romney’s favor. Negative ads against the Democrats won’t hurt either.

“I think that you’ll see amazingly the same swing counties and swing precincts that will determine the outcome of the presidential race will also be determining the outcome of state legislative races — whether it’s suburban Columbus, Ohio, or the Orlando area in Florida,” said Chris Jankowski, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee.

Big conservative donors see the down ticket races as a wise investment.

Billionaire industrialist David Koch and Koch Industries — the multinational firm he runs with his brother Charles — have given more than $2 million to the Republican Governors Association this year, making them the group’s top donor, according to federal filings and the Center for Responsive Politics. Koch Industries has also donated more than $125,000 to the Republican State Leadership Committee this cycle.

Adelson has donated $1 million this cycle to the RGA and $150,000 to the RSLC.

Bob Perry — a Houston construction magnate and top donor to the Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads and the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future — gave $750,000 to the RGA so far this cycle.

Trump donated $100,000 to the RGA earlier this year.

“They’re investing in the RGA for the same reason they’re investing in the Romney super PAC or the Koch effort, and that’s because they are really fundamentally concerned about the future of the country and they see Republican governors taking on the tough challenges at the state level,” said Phil Cox, executive director of the RGA .

It’s a repeat performance for many of the groups’ big donors, who have poured cash into state-focused groups for years. Perry, for example, donated $8 million to the RGA in the 2010 cycle; Adelson and David Koch each donated $1 million during that cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

“More and more, it is governors who are forced to lead our country to prosperity largely because the federal government is struggling to fix what is broken in America,” said Perry spokesman Anthony Holm.

The RGA has raised more than $57 million thus far this cycle, more than twice what the $26 million the Democratic Governors Association had brought in by mid-April, when the most recent reports were filed.

The Republican State Leadership Committee, which participates in state races beyond legislative seats, has raised more than $17 million — more than triple the $5 million take of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

Cox said his group is planning to replicate its efforts that helped prop up GOP Gov. Scott Walker in the contentious Wisconsin recall.

“We put $1.5 million into get-out-the-vote efforts and it worked,” he said. “We’re going to be able to do that in states like New Hampshire, North Carolina and Missouri and others that are traditional battleground states and that are going to be important to the presidential race.”

By bolstering state-level candidates, Republican donors are also helping to cultivate rising GOP stars in the governor ranks. Party up-and-comers like Walker, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal have all benefited from the support of the RGA as they’ve rocketed to national fame.

The RGA is going after four seats left open by retiring Democratic governors in Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Washington. Only one Republican governor is retiring this year — Mitch Daniels in Indiana. Sitting Democratic governors in Missouri and West Virginia are facing re-election, as are GOP incumbents in North Dakota and Utah, who are both considered safe.

In 2010, the GOP picked up six governor’s mansions and 21 legislative chambers, and Jankowski said he expects Republicans to have a net gain of about four or five chambers across the country.

The RSLC will spend in about 40 states, but will focus as much as 75 percent of that money on 12-15 key states, Jankowski said. Among the biggest battles: defending chambers in New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio and winning back the Wisconsin state Senate.

Unlike the GOP, Democrats haven’t brought in the same kind of cash from party megadonors; they count on corporations and unions for much of their cash.

“While we would like to have raised the same amount of money as the RGA, the RGA I believe is becoming a super PAC with high net worth individuals giving a million dollars. We don’t have that,” said DGA Executive Director Colm O’Comartun.

Pfizer has been the top contributor to the DGA this cycle, donating $435,000. The Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees have given $325,000 and $300,000 respectively.

The three biggest donors to the DLCC this cycle are AFSCME, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the National Education Association.

Like the super PACs that have flooded cash into federal races this year, groups like the RGA and DGA can accept unlimited cash from donors that can pay for advertisements, polling, direct mail and other expenses.

Democrats insist that they can make gains even when they’re getting outspent, and they don’t see it as their role to woo big donors with promises of securing the White House.

“Some of their donors just seem to be using the gubernatorial elections as a way to play in presidential politics, which is just not what we believe our mission is as an organization” O’Comartun said. “Over the years, this disparity has always existed and we believe that we are just as effective and we have spent our money in a smarter way. Over a lot of the races, it has not panned out that they have actually outspent us two-to-one in the races that matter.”

DLCC spokesman Dan Roth said Democrats will likely pick up eight or nine chambers this fall. Among Democrats’ top targets for flipping: chambers in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Oregon.

[url]http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=95430006-88E0-4474-BAA3-A5503D76F9E9[/url]

Warfish · 06-30-2012, 10:34 PM

I'm not outraged that Unions do what they do.

I'm not outraged others also do what they do.

As long as it's legal, it's fine by me.

End of the day, my view remains unchanged.

Money cannot buy my vote. If it can buy someone elses, thats on them.

Bonhomme Richard · 06-30-2012, 10:53 PM

Your vote doesn't matter anyway.

chiefst2000 · 06-30-2012, 11:01 PM

Public sector unions negotiate their contracts with the politicians that they purchase. The people then are on the hook for the outrageous contracts these purchased politicians dole out.

Citizens on both sides of the political spectrum donate to campaigns to gain influence and to push their political agendas. It's not the same thing in my opinion.

Winstonbiggs · 07-01-2012, 03:29 AM

[QUOTE]Pfizer has been the top contributor to the DGA this cycle, donating $435,000. The Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees have given $325,000 and $300,000 respectively.

The three biggest donors to the DLCC this cycle are AFSCME, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the National Education Association.
[/QUOTE]

Buying elections is one thing it appears to me that the Democratic donors did an excellent job in buying actual legislation. The Health Care legislation benifited the drug companies and Hospitals who are loaded with Union workers, It also exempted Unions who have the best health benifits in the country from paying any tax on their benifits while reducing the tax benifit for HSA's by 50%. The Auto industry was bailed out in a way which vastly favored Union employees over bondholders. The attempt to force Boeing to manufacture in Union only shops... What's even worse then efforts to influence voters is the reality of influencing governing.

palmetto defender · 07-01-2012, 08:49 AM

Pfizer's CEO is a foreign devil and soialist BTW. LOL.

Warfish · 07-01-2012, 08:55 AM

[QUOTE=Winstonbiggs;4504751]Buying elections is one thing it appears to me that the Democratic donors did an excellent job in buying actual legislation. The Health Care legislation benifited the drug companies and Hospitals who are loaded with Union workers, It also exempted Unions who have the best health benifits in the country from paying any tax on their benifits while reducing the tax benifit for HSA's by 50%. The Auto industry was bailed out in a way which vastly favored Union employees over bondholders. The attempt to force Boeing to manufacture in Union only shops... What's even worse then efforts to influence voters is the reality of influencing governing.[/QUOTE]

All absolutely true, and the kind of things our ranting anti-capitalist friends will gloss right over or try to rationalize away.

But with that said, my original point stands. Both sides do this too. Corporate interests buy plenty of legislation influence, and have more than a hand in crafting quite a bit of regulation for lazy ill informed politicians and regulatory agencies.

Right and Left like to think of it as different "sides", but the reality is it's all one giant suckling mammel mother of a Governing system, with Union, Business and other special interests all at their own individual nipple. All part of teh same system, the same side in reality, the side that works for more for "them" and less for "us", the taxpayers. Union, Business, makes no difference to me when it comes to our political system, their fiscal influence, and their intended purpose of "more for them".

JetPotato · 07-01-2012, 11:55 AM

My favorite lefties are the ones that now try to convince us that they're in the "middle" because they have tried to latch on to the "all politicians are the same" meme. Especially the ones that are so outraged about it that they occupy park benches for weeks on end.

Rant and rave about corrrupt politics, financed by corrupt corporations and unions. Then turn right around and celebrate when that same group of politicians incrementally grant themselves more power. "Yay! Health care for all! All we had to give was a Supreme Court ruling granting the government the power to mandate purchases!"

Say what you want about false agendas, lies, greed, etc.,etc., coming from both sides. And it's all true. But at the end of the day, there is one side that consistently lessens your ability to do something about it, while you cheer them on for "helping" the less advantaged :rolleyes:

intelligentjetsfan · 07-01-2012, 12:04 PM

12, 952 Lobbyists spent $3.5 Billion influencing Congress in 2010. That breaks down to 24 lobbyists & $6.5 million per member of Congress = Democracy?

:rolleyes:

intelligentjetsfan · 07-01-2012, 12:13 PM

[QUOTE=JetPotato;4504935]My favorite lefties are the ones that now try to convince us that they're in the "middle" because they have tried to latch on to the "all politicians are the same" meme. Especially the ones that are so outraged about it that they occupy park benches for weeks on end.

Rant and rave about corrrupt politics, financed by corrupt corporations and unions. Then turn right around and celebrate when that same group of politicians incrementally grant themselves more power. "Yay! Health care for all! All we had to give was a Supreme Court ruling granting the government the power to mandate purchases!"

Say what you want about false agendas, lies, greed, etc.,etc., coming from both sides. And it's all true. But at the end of the day, th[B]ere is one side that consistently lessens your ability to do something about it,[/B] while you cheer them on for "helping" the less advantaged :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

good, solid post. :yes:

You are 100% correct that one party more then the other "consistently lessens your ability to do something about it (end financial corruption).

Its the party of deregulation :yes:

[url]http://www.thenation.com/article/163921/gops-deregulation-obsession#[/url]

JetPotato · 07-01-2012, 06:48 PM

[QUOTE=intelligentjetsfan;4504949]good, solid post. :yes:

You are 100% correct that one party more then the other "consistently lessens your ability to do something about it (end financial corruption).

Its the party of deregulation :yes:

[url]http://www.thenation.com/article/163921/gops-deregulation-obsession#[/url][/QUOTE]

:rolleyes:

06-30-2012, 08:51 PM	#1
intelligentjetsfan All Pro Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,320	If You Are Outraged Over Unions Buying Elections..... Then this should anger you too....... [B]Trump, Koch brothers among megadonors looking down-ticket[/B] By: Robin Bravender June 30, 2012 04:33 PM EDT Conservative megadonors Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers and Donald Trump aren’t stopping with their efforts to swing the presidential election. Now, they’re shoveling cash into down-ticket races. Their big checks have helped state-focused GOP groups more than double the cash haul of their Democratic counterparts and open up another front that could help Mitt Romney beat President Barack Obama. Many of the hottest gubernatorial races are in key presidential election states, including North Carolina, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin and the increased activity could and attention to conservative policies on critical issues like government spending, labor rights, voter access, gay rights and immigration could help tip the scales in Romney’s favor. Negative ads against the Democrats won’t hurt either. “I think that you’ll see amazingly the same swing counties and swing precincts that will determine the outcome of the presidential race will also be determining the outcome of state legislative races — whether it’s suburban Columbus, Ohio, or the Orlando area in Florida,” said Chris Jankowski, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee. Big conservative donors see the down ticket races as a wise investment. Billionaire industrialist David Koch and Koch Industries — the multinational firm he runs with his brother Charles — have given more than $2 million to the Republican Governors Association this year, making them the group’s top donor, according to federal filings and the Center for Responsive Politics. Koch Industries has also donated more than $125,000 to the Republican State Leadership Committee this cycle. Adelson has donated $1 million this cycle to the RGA and $150,000 to the RSLC. Bob Perry — a Houston construction magnate and top donor to the Karl Rove-backed super PAC American Crossroads and the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future — gave $750,000 to the RGA so far this cycle. Trump donated $100,000 to the RGA earlier this year. “They’re investing in the RGA for the same reason they’re investing in the Romney super PAC or the Koch effort, and that’s because they are really fundamentally concerned about the future of the country and they see Republican governors taking on the tough challenges at the state level,” said Phil Cox, executive director of the RGA . It’s a repeat performance for many of the groups’ big donors, who have poured cash into state-focused groups for years. Perry, for example, donated $8 million to the RGA in the 2010 cycle; Adelson and David Koch each donated $1 million during that cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. “More and more, it is governors who are forced to lead our country to prosperity largely because the federal government is struggling to fix what is broken in America,” said Perry spokesman Anthony Holm. The RGA has raised more than $57 million thus far this cycle, more than twice what the $26 million the Democratic Governors Association had brought in by mid-April, when the most recent reports were filed. The Republican State Leadership Committee, which participates in state races beyond legislative seats, has raised more than $17 million — more than triple the $5 million take of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. Cox said his group is planning to replicate its efforts that helped prop up GOP Gov. Scott Walker in the contentious Wisconsin recall. “We put $1.5 million into get-out-the-vote efforts and it worked,” he said. “We’re going to be able to do that in states like New Hampshire, North Carolina and Missouri and others that are traditional battleground states and that are going to be important to the presidential race.” By bolstering state-level candidates, Republican donors are also helping to cultivate rising GOP stars in the governor ranks. Party up-and-comers like Walker, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal have all benefited from the support of the RGA as they’ve rocketed to national fame. The RGA is going after four seats left open by retiring Democratic governors in Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Washington. Only one Republican governor is retiring this year — Mitch Daniels in Indiana. Sitting Democratic governors in Missouri and West Virginia are facing re-election, as are GOP incumbents in North Dakota and Utah, who are both considered safe. In 2010, the GOP picked up six governor’s mansions and 21 legislative chambers, and Jankowski said he expects Republicans to have a net gain of about four or five chambers across the country. The RSLC will spend in about 40 states, but will focus as much as 75 percent of that money on 12-15 key states, Jankowski said. Among the biggest battles: defending chambers in New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio and winning back the Wisconsin state Senate. Unlike the GOP, Democrats haven’t brought in the same kind of cash from party megadonors; they count on corporations and unions for much of their cash. “While we would like to have raised the same amount of money as the RGA, the RGA I believe is becoming a super PAC with high net worth individuals giving a million dollars. We don’t have that,” said DGA Executive Director Colm O’Comartun. Pfizer has been the top contributor to the DGA this cycle, donating $435,000. The Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees have given $325,000 and $300,000 respectively. The three biggest donors to the DLCC this cycle are AFSCME, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the National Education Association. Like the super PACs that have flooded cash into federal races this year, groups like the RGA and DGA can accept unlimited cash from donors that can pay for advertisements, polling, direct mail and other expenses. Democrats insist that they can make gains even when they’re getting outspent, and they don’t see it as their role to woo big donors with promises of securing the White House. “Some of their donors just seem to be using the gubernatorial elections as a way to play in presidential politics, which is just not what we believe our mission is as an organization” O’Comartun said. “Over the years, this disparity has always existed and we believe that we are just as effective and we have spent our money in a smarter way. Over a lot of the races, it has not panned out that they have actually outspent us two-to-one in the races that matter.” DLCC spokesman Dan Roth said Democrats will likely pick up eight or nine chambers this fall. Among Democrats’ top targets for flipping: chambers in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Oregon. [url]http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=95430006-88E0-4474-BAA3-A5503D76F9E9[/url]

06-30-2012, 10:34 PM	#2
Warfish JetsInsider.com Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 35,000	I'm not outraged that Unions do what they do. I'm not outraged others also do what they do. As long as it's legal, it's fine by me. End of the day, my view remains unchanged. Money cannot buy my vote. If it can buy someone elses, thats on them.

06-30-2012, 10:53 PM	#3
Bonhomme Richard Board Moderator Jets Insider VIP Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Posts: 4,185	Your vote doesn't matter anyway.

06-30-2012, 11:01 PM	#4
chiefst2000 Champion of Common Sense All Pro Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 5,891	Public sector unions negotiate their contracts with the politicians that they purchase. The people then are on the hook for the outrageous contracts these purchased politicians dole out. Citizens on both sides of the political spectrum donate to campaigns to gain influence and to push their political agendas. It's not the same thing in my opinion.

07-01-2012, 03:29 AM	#5
Winstonbiggs Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 13,105	[QUOTE]Pfizer has been the top contributor to the DGA this cycle, donating $435,000. The Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees have given $325,000 and $300,000 respectively. The three biggest donors to the DLCC this cycle are AFSCME, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the National Education Association. [/QUOTE] Buying elections is one thing it appears to me that the Democratic donors did an excellent job in buying actual legislation. The Health Care legislation benifited the drug companies and Hospitals who are loaded with Union workers, It also exempted Unions who have the best health benifits in the country from paying any tax on their benifits while reducing the tax benifit for HSA's by 50%. The Auto industry was bailed out in a way which vastly favored Union employees over bondholders. The attempt to force Boeing to manufacture in Union only shops... What's even worse then efforts to influence voters is the reality of influencing governing.

07-01-2012, 08:49 AM	#6
palmetto defender All League Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,850	Pfizer's CEO is a foreign devil and soialist BTW. LOL.

07-01-2012, 08:55 AM	#7
Warfish JetsInsider.com Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 35,000	[QUOTE=Winstonbiggs;4504751]Buying elections is one thing it appears to me that the Democratic donors did an excellent job in buying actual legislation. The Health Care legislation benifited the drug companies and Hospitals who are loaded with Union workers, It also exempted Unions who have the best health benifits in the country from paying any tax on their benifits while reducing the tax benifit for HSA's by 50%. The Auto industry was bailed out in a way which vastly favored Union employees over bondholders. The attempt to force Boeing to manufacture in Union only shops... What's even worse then efforts to influence voters is the reality of influencing governing.[/QUOTE] All absolutely true, and the kind of things our ranting anti-capitalist friends will gloss right over or try to rationalize away. But with that said, my original point stands. Both sides do this too. Corporate interests buy plenty of legislation influence, and have more than a hand in crafting quite a bit of regulation for lazy ill informed politicians and regulatory agencies. Right and Left like to think of it as different "sides", but the reality is it's all one giant suckling mammel mother of a Governing system, with Union, Business and other special interests all at their own individual nipple. All part of teh same system, the same side in reality, the side that works for more for "them" and less for "us", the taxpayers. Union, Business, makes no difference to me when it comes to our political system, their fiscal influence, and their intended purpose of "more for them".

07-01-2012, 11:55 AM	#8
JetPotato fermenting Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 12,209	My favorite lefties are the ones that now try to convince us that they're in the "middle" because they have tried to latch on to the "all politicians are the same" meme. Especially the ones that are so outraged about it that they occupy park benches for weeks on end. Rant and rave about corrrupt politics, financed by corrupt corporations and unions. Then turn right around and celebrate when that same group of politicians incrementally grant themselves more power. "Yay! Health care for all! All we had to give was a Supreme Court ruling granting the government the power to mandate purchases!" Say what you want about false agendas, lies, greed, etc.,etc., coming from both sides. And it's all true. But at the end of the day, there is one side that consistently lessens your ability to do something about it, while you cheer them on for "helping" the less advantaged :rolleyes:

07-01-2012, 12:04 PM	#9
intelligentjetsfan All Pro Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,320	12, 952 Lobbyists spent $3.5 Billion influencing Congress in 2010. That breaks down to 24 lobbyists & $6.5 million per member of Congress = Democracy? :rolleyes:

07-01-2012, 12:13 PM	#10
intelligentjetsfan All Pro Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 5,320	[QUOTE=JetPotato;4504935]My favorite lefties are the ones that now try to convince us that they're in the "middle" because they have tried to latch on to the "all politicians are the same" meme. Especially the ones that are so outraged about it that they occupy park benches for weeks on end. Rant and rave about corrrupt politics, financed by corrupt corporations and unions. Then turn right around and celebrate when that same group of politicians incrementally grant themselves more power. "Yay! Health care for all! All we had to give was a Supreme Court ruling granting the government the power to mandate purchases!" Say what you want about false agendas, lies, greed, etc.,etc., coming from both sides. And it's all true. But at the end of the day, th[B]ere is one side that consistently lessens your ability to do something about it,[/B] while you cheer them on for "helping" the less advantaged :rolleyes:[/QUOTE] good, solid post. :yes: You are 100% correct that one party more then the other "consistently lessens your ability to do something about it (end financial corruption). Its the party of deregulation :yes: [url]http://www.thenation.com/article/163921/gops-deregulation-obsession#[/url]

07-01-2012, 06:48 PM	#11
JetPotato fermenting Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 12,209	[QUOTE=intelligentjetsfan;4504949]good, solid post. :yes: You are 100% correct that one party more then the other "consistently lessens your ability to do something about it (end financial corruption). Its the party of deregulation :yes: [url]http://www.thenation.com/article/163921/gops-deregulation-obsession#[/url][/QUOTE] :rolleyes: