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TOAD6147 · 12-02-2003, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Just Watch.

That's what President Bush said July 30 in response to a question about how he planned to spend $170 million on a primary campaign with no opponent.

Common Cause is watching.

Not only are we watching what the President is raising for the 2004 election, but we also have watched to see how his big fundraisers - the Pioneers - prospered from their investment in the 2000 campaign. Have the last few years been kind to the Bush fundraisers?

Go ahead, tell me the last election wasn't bought.

MTAtech · 12-02-2003, 06:57 AM

I have this in another thread but it is also appropriate here.

This is the epitome of legal corruption.

The Politics of Payoff

By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, December 2, 2003; Page A27
Washington Post

It's also forgotten that redistribution to the poor is not the only way to shift money around. The government's coffers can also be run down by redistribution to the wealthy and to favored interest groups. And when it comes to the politics of payoff, the president and his allies are nothing short of brilliant. Disgorging public money to your friends makes political sense. By recycling a small fraction of the cash back to Bush and his party in the form of campaign contributions, those friends are financing the construction of a mighty political machine. It's a weird form of public financing of campaigns -- confined to one party.

Bush's first tax cut distributed just enough to middle-class families to give cover for a plan that largely helped the best-off Americans. Next came the dividends tax cut, an even more naked transfer of cash to the wealthy. At least a fifth of the benefits of this year's tax package went to a mere four-tenths of 1 percent of taxpayers, those making more than $500,000 a year. One-third of Americans got nothing, and half got less than $100 a year.

Full op ed: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2003Dec1.html

TOAD6147 · 12-02-2003, 07:09 AM

What's sad (and makes me MAD) is the "Joe Paychecks" in this forum and all around the US that are ready to go to fisticuffs for this idiot while he's got his hand in their pockets and his **** up their *****! But, hey, he's got BIG ONES and he sure knows how to throw a "good war"! But I can't imagine who's reaping the benefits of THAT fiasco. Oh, I almost forgot: It's the Iraqi people...NOT!

I sure hope it feels good, you POOR suckers.

MTAtech · 12-02-2003, 12:13 PM

Actually, I know a Bush pioneer, Richard Gelfond. I went to college with him, now he owns Imax. I remember him as a short, arrogant, a-hole. He's likely now just a short, arrogant, rich, a-hole.

But the people get the government that they deserve. Most don't pay more than a surface interest in politics. If they paid attention, they'd realize that the federal government is bought and paid for by the monied class through legal bribery.

John Prophet · 12-02-2003, 12:41 PM

Do yall remember "the rest of the story"? what was his name? Paul Harvey??

anyway, he did a radio spot about a candidate who bought his way in...told of the partys he thru, blah blah blah, corruption..this and that...you are thinking "nixon"? turns out it was "george washington"..lol.

Of course it was a long time ago that I heard that, maybe some facts arent straight...but I doubt there's EVER been an election where $$ didnt come into play......or do you mean you guys JUST noticed our value system is bent?

MTAtech · 12-02-2003, 01:38 PM

No, you are wrong John, it has never been as blatant as it is now. Bush plans to raise twice as much as he spent in 2000, which was the record amount to date. Money has always mattered to run campaigns. The difference is that Bush and the GOP have now created an industry which trades favorable legislation for campaign contributions. This entirely undermines democracy. The word is out that if you raise $100K for the party you get favors worth many times more than $100K, courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer.

John Prophet · 12-02-2003, 10:08 PM

hehe, if all that is true, its definitely not the only thing that has never been as blatant as now....frankly in the light of other things it would be low on my list of sad things in our society to notice.