GOP bill would expand power of corporations in presidential elections

www.rawstory.com...

Legislation that is expected to reach the House floor this week would give corporations and other large donors a greater role in presidential elections by dismantling the public campaign finance system.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced a bill that would end public financing of presidential elections on the anniversary of the infamous Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision. The bill, HR 359, would eliminate the Presidential Election Campaign Fund and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account. It currently has 18 cosponsors, all of whom are Republican.

I'm curious as to how our ATS conservative GOP members are going to defend this.

The Citizens United decision overturned nearly a century of restrictions on campaign spending, allowing corporations, unions and other groups to spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns without having to identify themselves. In a 5-4 decision last year, the US Supreme Court ruled that restrictions on spending amounted to a violation of First Amendment rights.

It took awhile but 1984 has finally arrived in full force with Big Brother dressed in a Brioni suit, a polo dress shirt and Berluti wingtip shoes.

Companies should have never been given these rights in the first place. All companies care about is the profit motive not what's best for the country.

Unbelievable! The corruption just gets better and better, faster and faster. I really can't believe this could pass. It is just so blatently against a Representitive government. But, if they want it, it will pass. And you know our reps want it! They already are working with the corporate Lobbyists, so this is just another money deal they can get in on. Actually the coorporations may not need as many Lobbyists if this passes, or their job description will just change a bit.

reply to post by whaaa


The 'system' that is now in place is growing in power and complexity every second. It monitors, manipulates, and controls a great number of things and people. One day, it will be given 'breath', that is it will become conscious of itself, appearing as a living entity, looked up to in a godlike way by those who created it. It will be given the ability to 'speak', that is commune directly to those humans who worship it. I choose to refuse to become a part of it. Will you?

Originally posted by LanMan54
reply to post by whaaa

 

The 'system' that is now in place is growing in power and complexity every second. It monitors, manipulates, and controls a great number of things and people. One day, it will be given 'breath', that is it will become conscious of itself, appearing as a living entity, looked up to in a godlike way by those who created it. It will be given the ability to 'speak', that is commune directly to those humans who worship it. I choose to refuse to become a part of it. Will you?

No I won't! But can there be any escape where the tentacles of Fascism won't reach?

reply to post by LanMan54


Exactly! Both parties for the most part are pro corporation, anti individual. They squash free-will of the individual through controlling the government through corporations. Who the hell voted for these people? They are going to justify corporate funding of politicians under the belief that it will save tax payers money, without realizing it encourages politicians to seek more of lobby monies?

Your OP stated unions as well. I thought they gave unlimited ammounts to democrats already.
Now an even playing field is bad?

Originally posted by beezzer
Your OP stated unions as well. I thought they gave unlimited ammounts to democrats already.
Now an even playing field is bad?

How is distancing the voters from elections; regardless of where the money comes from; making an even playing field?

Don't let your ideology get in the way of your common sense.

Originally posted by whaaa

Originally posted by beezzer
Your OP stated unions as well. I thought they gave unlimited ammounts to democrats already.
Now an even playing field is bad?

How is distancing the voters from elections; regardless of where the money comes from; making an even playing field?

Don't let your ideology get in the way of your common sense.

edit on 26-1-2011 by whaaa because: (no reason given)

I must be slow. I don't understand your answer. So, unions as well as corporations are the bad guys here? Or is it just corporations?

reply to post by whaaa


US of corporate America has been in power way before our time, first behind the table now no so much

I have to agree that most Republicans in power love corporate America and have no problemwhoring themselves to their money

But look what our present Democratic government or any other democratic government has done to stop this corruption . . .no a darn thing because it also enriches their dirty pockets.

Common people don't be so foolish is not such thing as honest politics coming from any of our elite parties in power. . .

Originally posted by beezzer
Your OP stated unions as well. I thought they gave unlimited ammounts to democrats already.
Now an even playing field is bad?

Even playing field with the unions indeed!!

Case in point SEIU

In pursuit of his vision, Stern has turned the SEIU into a massive grassroots army that can mobilize in behalf of candidates and legislation. The scope of its activities in 2008 was epic. Stern bragged that “we spent a fortune to elect Barack Obama — $60.7 million, to be exact — and we’re proud of it.” Ironically, SEIU spent so much in 2008 that it had to take out massive loans to keep operating, including $10 million from — you guessed it — Bank of America. The cash crunch also forced SEIU to implement a round of layoffs, leading to a surreal hall-of-mirrors moment when the Union of Union Representatives filed a complaint against SEIU with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Undaunted, SEIU has set aside $85 million to spend over the next two years on political advocacy. The union started the year with three major objectives: a union-friendly stimulus, a union-friendly health-care bill, and a bill that would make it easier to organize workers into unions. It has brought its influence to bear on all three of these debates, with varying degrees of success.

$60.7 million spent on Obama alone!!!! How much will be spent on the 2012 election??

Back in 2004, SEIU wasted $64 million on John Kerry.

nrd.nationalreview.com...

reply to post by jibeho





Just the point I was trying to make.

reply to post by whaaa


There is no 'escape'. You have two choices. Become part of the 'beast', or refuse to become a part of '...it...'. Multitudes in the valley of decision, eh!

reply to post by whaaa

You have conveniently overlooked the fact that Obama secured the democratic nomination in large part through his pledge to accept only "public funding," which he promptly abandoned in favor of undisclosed (to this day) donors and sources at large.

Even before Citizens United, public employee unions and private unions were pouring hundreds of millions of $$ into campaigns, without comparable offsets from conservative sources. Now that corporations generally have been allowed to match the left-leaning union money, it all seems somehow "unfair?"

This is the fearful response of the protected and self-serving liberal interests to real opposition.

The "fair" response would be for the OP and the unions to abandon private contributions and wholeheartedly endorse public financing ONLY. That will never happen. Until then, why not leave the floodgates open? Scared?

reply to post by whaaa


We have not had a free Democratic Government in decades. The corporations have been calling the shots.
Depopulation has already started, the quality of our health is going down, and it is the most expensive in the world, look at all of the fast food adds on TV, the birthrate is going down.
It isn't the governments, and religion that is the problem, it is in the corner offices, and boardrooms around the world. That is where the real villains are located, congress and the senate have just sold there souls.
So wake up

Originally posted by jdub297
reply to post by whaaa

 

You have conveniently overlooked the fact that Obama secured the democratic nomination in large part through his pledge to accept only "public funding," which he promptly abandoned in favor of undisclosed (to this day) donors and sources at large.

So two wrongs make a right! We need to stand around in our Elephant and Donkey costumes while our country
is gutted.

Even before Citizens United, public employee unions and private unions were pouring hundreds of millions of $$ into campaigns, without comparable offsets from conservative sources. Now that corporations generally have been allowed to match the left-leaning union money, it all seems somehow "unfair?"

Are you promoting whole sale Fascist intermingling???And I thought greasing the market place is anti free market, is it back to NEOCON 101 too?

This is the fearful response of the protected and self-serving liberal interests to real opposition.

The "fair" response would be for the OP and the unions to abandon private contributions and wholeheartedly endorse public financing ONLY. That will never happen. Until then, why not leave the floodgates open? Scared?

This is common sense,,, did you miss 2008 and the last couple years??? You want to give corporations more opportunity to wield and control this nation like a drunken tart?


Do you trust politicians and like big government or what??? Claim Freedom - but sure do have an undying love for that Fascism - Bush is back! at least yall aren't hiding anymore, open the floodgates!