Yet Another Money & Politics Thread
#1
So who needs it? We've talked this stuff to death.

Yet, it remains a problem that threatens our system. And one that can be fixed.

George Will has said that we spend more on Halloween candy than money to elect our politicians, and that the real danger is not the money spent but that we don't know who is spending it.

I think that's the case.

The link below is from an editorial in the NYT today (Sun, 11/9). It repeats the same old stuff, but in my view does not go shout loudly enough about full disclosure of where the money is coming from. We need laws with teeth.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/opinio...pan-region
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#2
The folks who won those decisions don't consider that a problem. That's a problem.
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#3
First, pass the Disclose Act. Throw light on the dark money. The only way to really take that money out of politics is to substantially raise taxes on the 1%, you know like during the Eisenhower years.

Second, enact publicly funded elections. Give ever voter a voucher which can be contributed to campaigns. Let candidates posture to win that voucher money. That's all they get.

Third, enact vote by mail nationally. Include automatic voter registration when a person gets a drivers license or lists personal information with any government entity. People can opt out if they want, but everyone basically gets auto-registered.

High participation trumps money every time.
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#4
...but republicans lose if more people vote, hence all the suppression.
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#5
Quote:Wonky... So who needs it? We've talked this stuff to death.

I agree. So who why make the thread?
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#6
(11-09-2014, 03:05 PM)tvguy Wrote:
Quote:Wonky... So who needs it? We've talked this stuff to death.

I agree. So who why make the thread?

Because as Tip O'Neil said, "All politics is local". If you don't care enough to somehow get involved nothing is ever going to change. If nothing changes, your liberty is going to continue to be compromised. When you liberty has been degraded to a point, you will be living in a society you will fear.

And I don't agree with some of the above sentiments. I'm not "opposed" as such, just think there is a simpler answer.
Make EVERYONE who donates reveal his/her name. Even if it's to a PAC or whatever, if we know where the money comes from we can know who expects to influence those in office.

And...influence is not a bad thing. I have no problem with really rich folks (The Koch brothers for instance) putting lots of money into stuff they believe in. I just want to know about it so I can vote for the guy not taking their money if I don't like those ideas.

So, TVg, want to make a difference? Join Common Cause. One of their ongoing concerns is making transparent the money given to politicians from whatever source. Send a weekly email to Congressman Walden; if he gets enough of them he will bend and vote the right way when it comes to "the floor". Many things we can do other than throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

But nothing is an option. For too many of us, it's our default choice.
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#7
(11-09-2014, 04:11 PM)Wonky3 Wrote:
(11-09-2014, 03:05 PM)tvguy Wrote:
Quote:Wonky... So who needs it? We've talked this stuff to death.

I agree. So who why make the thread?

Because as Tip O'Neil said, "All politics is local". If you don't care enough to somehow get involved nothing is ever going to change. If nothing changes, your liberty is going to continue to be compromised. When you liberty has been degraded to a point, you will be living in a society you will fear.

And I don't agree with some of the above sentiments. I'm not "opposed" as such, just think there is a simpler answer.
Make EVERYONE who donates reveal his/her name. Even if it's to a PAC or whatever, if we know where the money comes from we can know who expects to influence those in office.

And...influence is not a bad thing. I have no problem with really rich folks (The Koch brothers for instance) putting lots of money into stuff they believe in. I just want to know about it so I can vote for the guy not taking their money if I don't like those ideas.

So, TVg, want to make a difference? Join Common Cause. One of their ongoing concerns is making transparent the money given to politicians from whatever source. Send a weekly email to Congressman Walden; if he gets enough of them he will bend and vote the right way when it comes to "the floor". Many things we can do other than throw our hands in the air and do nothing.

But nothing is an option. For too many of us, it's our default choice.

Darn I was after your goat and didn't get itLaughing

Quote:So, TVg, want to make a difference?

Um let me think a nano micro second.. NO! Razz

And yes regarding this..
Quote:If you don't care enough to somehow get involved nothing is ever going to change. If nothing changes, your liberty is going to continue to be compromised. When you liberty has been degraded to a point, you will be living in a society you will fear.



I know.. I know, but I have always been involved more than many. And now I simply don't believe my single efforts to make any significant difference with letters or votes will matter.
I still vote and I still make my opinions open to many people. But I simply don't believe that anyone here posting a thread on this tiny forum will make any difference in ANYTHING. And I doubt too many people who come here do so to change the world.Smiling

Especially since I don't see anything here any different than what I see on news , news talk radio or TV.

Maybe you haven't noticed but the people who gravitate to these forums to talk politics are the last people in the world who will EVER change what ever opinions they already have.

The best thing I got from this forum over the years is my ability to type faster.
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#8
(11-09-2014, 04:11 PM)Wonky3 Wrote: I have no problem with really rich folks (The Koch brothers for instance) putting lots of money into stuff they believe in. I just want to know about it so I can vote for the guy not taking their money if I don't like those ideas.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/02/...-25-years/

Quote:The REAL Party of the Rich Guys: Top Dem Donors Have Outspent Top GOP Donors by $486 Million in Last 25 Years

Quote:“Evil” Koch Brothers Rank # 59

Quote:The arguments by Democrats that the RNC is trying “buy or rig elections” are utterly false.
The Republican Party is the party of the middle class.

What the party of the KKK, Jim Crow, Al Capone, Woodrow Wilson, Margaret Sanger, Robert Byrd, and Barack Obama really fear is legitimate competition.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials...licans.htm

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php

Those Koch brothers are really the problem, huh?
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#9
(11-09-2014, 05:44 PM)Hugo Wrote:
(11-09-2014, 04:11 PM)Wonky3 Wrote: I have no problem with really rich folks (The Koch brothers for instance) putting lots of money into stuff they believe in. I just want to know about it so I can vote for the guy not taking their money if I don't like those ideas.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/02/...-25-years/

Quote:The REAL Party of the Rich Guys: Top Dem Donors Have Outspent Top GOP Donors by $486 Million in Last 25 Years

Quote:“Evil” Koch Brothers Rank # 59

Quote:The arguments by Democrats that the RNC is trying “buy or rig elections” are utterly false.
The Republican Party is the party of the middle class.

What the party of the KKK, Jim Crow, Al Capone, Woodrow Wilson, Margaret Sanger, Robert Byrd, and Barack Obama really fear is legitimate competition.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials...licans.htm

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php

Those Koch brothers are really the problem, huh?

Holy crap!!! you mean to tell me Al Capone was a democrat?? OMG I'm never voting for anyone other than a republican from now on.
What people did a hundred fucking years ago really matters a LOT!!!LaughingLaughingLaughing
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#10
(11-09-2014, 05:44 PM)Hugo Wrote:
(11-09-2014, 04:11 PM)Wonky3 Wrote: I have no problem with really rich folks (The Koch brothers for instance) putting lots of money into stuff they believe in. I just want to know about it so I can vote for the guy not taking their money if I don't like those ideas.

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/02/...-25-years/

Quote:The REAL Party of the Rich Guys: Top Dem Donors Have Outspent Top GOP Donors by $486 Million in Last 25 Years

Quote:“Evil” Koch Brothers Rank # 59

Quote:The arguments by Democrats that the RNC is trying “buy or rig elections” are utterly false.
The Republican Party is the party of the middle class.

What the party of the KKK, Jim Crow, Al Capone, Woodrow Wilson, Margaret Sanger, Robert Byrd, and Barack Obama really fear is legitimate competition.

http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials...licans.htm

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php

Those Koch brothers are really the problem, huh?

Again, you have missed the point.

It's not about the Koch Brothers as such. It's about George Soros too at the other end of the thing.
This issue is about the very wealthy pouring tons of money into "non-profits" that can then spend on "issue ads" that promote their (and candidates) views.
As I understand it, when the wealthy pour money into PAC's, they must be listed by name as contributors. Not so with "non-profit" political/social spending. So, the Koch Brothers can set up a non-profit about energy independence to prevent a oil pipeline from running though the country. Or Soros can do the same about some climate change issue. We just need to know so we can then watch the votes of those who get benefit from that money. I think the word these days is "transparency".

We need to know who is sponsoring things that effect our elections (and so, our lives) so we can see if those same people are reaping political rewards as a result of that spending. That simple.
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#11
Who is we?
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#12
(11-10-2014, 11:22 AM)bbqboy Wrote: Who is we?

My family and I.

If you don't care, then don't.

By the way, questions are easy. Answers, not so much.

Maybe learn to touch type and provide some content.
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#13
Fuck you. Stop telling others how to act. Or write. Just because I choose not to fill up the forum with acres of florid prose is not my problem. And my point is that someone must enjoy the citizens United decision although you seem to think otherwise.
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#14
(11-10-2014, 11:41 AM)bbqboy Wrote: Fuck you. Stop telling others how to act. Or write. Just because I choose not to fill up the forum with acres of florid prose is not my problem. And my point is that someone must enjoy the citizens United decision although you seem to think otherwise.

Always get down to "fuck you", huh? Laughing
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