Money and Politics

How much do you really know about Art Pope?

Pope has been a fixture in North Carolina conservative politics since the 1970s, pouring millions into political and conservative organizations, campaigns and programs promoting libertarian programs at North Carolina universities. Now, as Governor McCrory's Budget Director, Pope has a direct role in our state government. Many McCrory appointments have direct and indirect connections to Pope or one of his foundations and political action groups.

I'll be putting up a series of blog posts about figures in the McCrory administration and legislature with unanswered questions that liberals and progressives should be asking about our new Republican public officials. Winning elections is more than just getting feet on the ground or participating in a protest - it's also about research, strategy and holding public officials accountable.

Let's start with the one man who has taken this lesson seriously.

James "Art" Pope, North Carolina's newly appointed Budget Director, heads up the Office of State Budget and Management. Governor McCrory calls Pope his "assistant budget director", minimizing Pope's role and declaring that the Governor himself is the "state's budget director".

However, the Office of State Budget and Management is a government agency that does much more than just keep books and pay the state's bills. There's more responsibility to Pope's new job that the simple title of "Budget Director" implies.

I just received yet another invitation to a candidate fundraiser. I know this is the season for these and it is expected. One thing that bugs me about all these fundraisers is the "minimum" donation that is expected to attend them. Most have a $100 minimum and for someone who has not had a steady paycheck in three years, this is just not affordable. Multiply this by 8 or 9 fundraisers and we are talking serious money.

Just about every candidate out there claims to be the "grassroots" candidate, how about having a fundraiser that the grassroots can afford to attend? It can be done, I know because I have put them on. Most of us are not impressed with fancy venues and catered food.

First of all, sorry about not posting for so long. I’ve been ill, and I’m just getting around to pretending to be normal.

Sociologically speaking, the American Dream is a religion – a civil religion, but a religion nonetheless. We have the Bill of Rights taking the spot of the Ten Commandments; we have heaven and hell in the form of wealth and poverty; and our politicians and pundits are our clergy. (Does that make the President the Pope?) Hell, we even have witch hunts of “socialists” as enemies of the religion who are, much like the original witch hunts, entirely innocent of the accusation.

The FEC recently came out with its 1Q09 fundraising reports for the members of Congress. North Carolina's is as follows:

GK Butterfield: $61,080 raised, $147,144 CoH
Bob Etheridge: $156,711 raised, $772,489 CoH
Walter Jones: $16,050 raised, $9,170 CoH
David Price: $11,088 raised, $284,161 CoH
Virginia Foxx: $64,132 raised, $942,195 CoH
John Coble: $17,407 raised, $487,904 CoH
Mike McIntyre: $64,159 raised, $633,090 CoH
Larry Kissel: $164,960 raised, $137,257 CoH (with $20,000 outstanding debt)
Sue Myrick: $49,876 raised, $96,557 CoH
Patrick McHenry: $68,521 raised, $64,936 CoH (with $245,500 in outstanding debt)
Heath Shuler: $189,744 raised, $1,052,214 CoH
Melvin Watt: $14,500 raised, $100,378 CoH
Brad Miller: $43,912 raised, $37,310 CoH (with $16,506 in outstanding debt)

What does all of this mean? Probably not a whole lot.

http://www.andrewjacksondem.com

The 14th Amendment in the United States Constitution allows for each American citizen to receive due process of law. This principle of our democracy is of the most fundamental because it provides each American with equal access to the rights and responsibilities given to them as citizens of this great nation.

The most important responsibility for any American is to vote in each election. Our government receives its power from the consent of governed. Without participation of the people, our governing institutions lose legitimacy amongst the our people.

Each year, unfortunately, our political process seems to become more beholden to the special interests who can generate millions of dollars to buy influence with our nation's elected officials. Money is tainting our politics, causing many to abandon their civic responsibilty to vote because they feel their participation means little.