Policy Watch's Fitzsimon on democracy 2.0
Submitted by mbrock49 on Tue, 08/17/2010 - 3:28pm
From Chris Fitzsimon on Policy Watch today: on the 527 organizations that will fund "between now and November by Real Jobs and RightChange.com and whatever other right-wing groups that are created with conservative corporate money (and subsidized without any worry by Art Pope and friends).
"House Speaker Joe Hackney told AP that 'there will always be wealthy people who will try to buy elections with their money' and that he hoped that some Democrats would come forward to fight back."
Coming forward means wealthy Democrats funding groups and ads of their own and that's already happening and certain to happen more with big money from unions and trial lawyers and other wealthy interests."
Also as Fitzsimon says About the Democrats' response:
"That's just as troubling, but the Citizens United decision makes that battle tipped heavily in corporate America's favor. Nobody has more money than big oil, drug companies and the financial industry and they all seem ready to spend it to exert even more control over Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly.
"Welcome to democracy 2010 and the November auction (emphasis added) that is approaching.
Well, yes and no, Chris. It does not have to end here. Not if enough Democrats like the small crowd that met in Fayetteville at the Progessive Democrats meeting were to truly unite and work like hell. It would also require recruiting even some of the furious non-affiliated voters looking for a home, who are not too disgusted to even vote in November.
I am as afraid of the "Siamese twin" created at the Democratic Convention known as the "Coordinated Campaign," as I am of the free spenders like Art Pope.
Let's see: two of the three leaders for the Campaign (which in the words of the Wake Co. Executive Director "merges" the party and the OFA) are Mayor Foxx of Charlotte, Cal Cunningham, and Nina Szlosberg of Raleigh.
Foxx received over $700,000 for his campaign from the State Party and others directly connected to it. And we all know how Cal was plucked from obscurity to run for the US Senate by the DSCC in DC. Just coincidence that they are now chosen to lead the state's "Coordinated" campaign? I don't think so.
Good to have the Puppetmaster featured twice
on the front page. Reminds me of the good old days.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Considering the fact
it looks like Pope is determined to buy up General Assembly seats this year like a Monopoly player collecting properties, if he's not somewhere on the front page at any given time, we'd probably be remiss in our duties.
I've heard Pope bristles at
I've heard Pope bristles at the notion that he is "buying" anything, and maybe he's right. Maybe its more like betting. Toss a bunch of bucks into the kitty, rig the game with an avalanche of corporate money.
No doubt Mr. Pope sees himself as doing what any red-blooded Republican opportunist would do with millions inherited from daddy ... peddling influence (as opposed to influence peddling) ... now with the official seal of approval of the Bush Supreme Court.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Pope is old news; the "Coordinated Campaign" is not
I am as afraid of the "Siamese twin" created at the Democratic Convention known as the "Coordinated Campaign," as I am of the free spenders like Art Pope.
The use of Pope and others as foils for the big spenders in the Democratic Party bothers me greatly. There is a long tradition reaching back decades on this, where scare tactics have been used to scare Dems into contributing to the Party, allegedly to stem the tide of Republicans.
I don't buy it after this many years and this many versions of the same spiel. It makes money for the consultants and helps theParty's power brokers at the top of the heap, but what is it doing for the ordinary Joe Blows out in Podunk County? Or for that matter, folks like us in Wake County, who can't get the time of day out of Party Headquarters or our elected Chair(soon to be former-Chair), Jack Nichols.
For those of you outside Wake, Jack resigned effective tomorrow, leaving about $600 in the bank to wage the state's largest county's "GOTV" campaign in the fall. All the while he was sucking up donations for his own campaign for County Commission with big check from the big donors. He said there was no "conflict of interest in being County Chair and running for office."
Martha Brock