Comments on: Banks Having Hard Time Buying Democrats — But Republicans? No Problem! http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/ Firedoglake weblog Sat, 18 Feb 2012 06:37:49 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: robspierre http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897808 robspierre Tue, 12 May 2009 19:10:48 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897808 <p>So the big banker bucks are going to the Republicans because the Democrats who did the dirty work can’t be seen to take the bribes. This is beautiful. </p> <p>It would be poetic if we could only get some primary challengers for these corporate Semicrats. We could direct all of our unruly grassroots money to the challengers and leave the incumbents to gnash their teeth in the cold and dark.</p> So the big banker bucks are going to the Republicans because the Democrats who did the dirty work can’t be seen to take the bribes. This is beautiful.

It would be poetic if we could only get some primary challengers for these corporate Semicrats. We could direct all of our unruly grassroots money to the challengers and leave the incumbents to gnash their teeth in the cold and dark.

]]> By: alank http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897761 alank Tue, 12 May 2009 17:44:49 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897761 <p>Can you really trust the word of Steve Elmendorf? There has to be actual independent proof of what he says, I should think.</p> Can you really trust the word of Steve Elmendorf? There has to be actual independent proof of what he says, I should think.

]]> By: Jane Hamsher http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897756 Jane Hamsher Tue, 12 May 2009 17:32:27 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897756 <p>Dunno, but Elmendorf gave $30,400 the DCCC:</p> <p><a href="http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_ind/2009_C00000935/A-E/" rel="nofollow">http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-b.....00935/A-E/</a></p> Dunno, but Elmendorf gave $30,400 the DCCC:

http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-b…..00935/A-E/

]]> By: Jane Hamsher http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897754 Jane Hamsher Tue, 12 May 2009 17:25:01 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897754 <p>Oh you’re right, absolutely. It doesn’t mean the Dems are taking any kind of moral stance, they’re simply being responsive to bad optics and an angry public. There will be ways around it.</p> <p>The bigger point of the piece — the Republicans aren’t even concerned with optics, they know their base doesn’t really give a shit about banks or the influence of bankers. The entire tea bagger argument is, once again, incoherent.</p> Oh you’re right, absolutely. It doesn’t mean the Dems are taking any kind of moral stance, they’re simply being responsive to bad optics and an angry public. There will be ways around it.

The bigger point of the piece — the Republicans aren’t even concerned with optics, they know their base doesn’t really give a shit about banks or the influence of bankers. The entire tea bagger argument is, once again, incoherent.

]]> By: alank http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897753 alank Tue, 12 May 2009 17:19:39 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897753 <p>It’s a good thing Congress is conducting careful oversight of TARP monies and Fed credit beneficiaries making sure said loot is not being used to influence Congresscritters, for one — among many misappropriations conceivable or likely.</p> It’s a good thing Congress is conducting careful oversight of TARP monies and Fed credit beneficiaries making sure said loot is not being used to influence Congresscritters, for one — among many misappropriations conceivable or likely.

]]> By: Sufilizard2 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897752 Sufilizard2 Tue, 12 May 2009 17:14:50 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897752 <p>It’s a good sign that there is a point where shameless politicians can be pressured into refusing money. Banks have become such a pariah in the public mind that they can’t give their bribes away.</p> <p>I have no delusions that it’s some sort of strong ethical stand by Democrats, but at least we now see how much public outrage is needed to get Dems to refuse the money.</p> <p>We still haven’t figured out if there’s a limit for Republicans.</p> It’s a good sign that there is a point where shameless politicians can be pressured into refusing money. Banks have become such a pariah in the public mind that they can’t give their bribes away.

I have no delusions that it’s some sort of strong ethical stand by Democrats, but at least we now see how much public outrage is needed to get Dems to refuse the money.

We still haven’t figured out if there’s a limit for Republicans.

]]> By: Mauimom http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897750 Mauimom Tue, 12 May 2009 17:11:15 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897750 <p>I’d like to see the figures of how much $$$$ the DSCC is raising from “ordinary” individuals — those who gave to it in the past. </p> <p>I know <strong>I’m</strong> not giving them a penny [I’m giving through ActBlue and BlueAmerica instead].</p> I’d like to see the figures of how much $$$$ the DSCC is raising from “ordinary” individuals — those who gave to it in the past.

I know I’m not giving them a penny [I’m giving through ActBlue and BlueAmerica instead].

]]> By: JEP07 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897749 JEP07 Tue, 12 May 2009 17:11:04 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897749 <p>Remember the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_banking_scandal" rel="nofollow">House banking scandal in the 90’s?<br /></a><br /> SOME knew better, and refused to indulge because they suspected that using those extremely lenient overdraft allowances could come back and bite them in the posterior at election time.</p> <p>Consider the rage the public displayed at our tax money (aka “bailout”) being spent by the bailoutees on lobbying against EFCA and against re-institution of Glass-Steagall-type oversight, among other issues. </p> <p>When election time rolls around, any candidate who took contributions in any way connected to that bailout bonanza will suffer the same inglorious rejection that many Congressmen suffered because they abused their congressional overdraft account so flagrantly.</p> <p>Vilsac beat Lightfoot for IA Governor in 1998 partly due to Lightfoot’s overdraft habit. And that was in an era of Republicans rising. Imagine what will happen to anyone who gladly takes our tax money as campaign contributions from one of the bailoutees in this current atmosphere? </p> <p>My guess is that the bailouters (We, the People) will exercise their democratic rights and oust these political profiteers. </p> <p>If it just so happens that they are predominantly Republicans, all the better. In 92′, Gingrich engineered the banking scandal to forge his 1994 power grab, because so many more Democrats got caught up in the scandal than Republicans.</p> Remember the House banking scandal in the 90’s?

SOME knew better, and refused to indulge because they suspected that using those extremely lenient overdraft allowances could come back and bite them in the posterior at election time.

Consider the rage the public displayed at our tax money (aka “bailout”) being spent by the bailoutees on lobbying against EFCA and against re-institution of Glass-Steagall-type oversight, among other issues.

When election time rolls around, any candidate who took contributions in any way connected to that bailout bonanza will suffer the same inglorious rejection that many Congressmen suffered because they abused their congressional overdraft account so flagrantly.

Vilsac beat Lightfoot for IA Governor in 1998 partly due to Lightfoot’s overdraft habit. And that was in an era of Republicans rising. Imagine what will happen to anyone who gladly takes our tax money as campaign contributions from one of the bailoutees in this current atmosphere?

My guess is that the bailouters (We, the People) will exercise their democratic rights and oust these political profiteers.

If it just so happens that they are predominantly Republicans, all the better. In 92′, Gingrich engineered the banking scandal to forge his 1994 power grab, because so many more Democrats got caught up in the scandal than Republicans.

]]> By: SanderO http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897748 SanderO Tue, 12 May 2009 17:06:13 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897748 <p>How is this not bribery? Seriously… what are they giving these guys money for?</p> How is this not bribery? Seriously… what are they giving these guys money for?

]]> By: Hugh http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897747 Hugh Tue, 12 May 2009 17:03:26 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/banks-having-hard-time-buying-democrats-but-republicans-no-problem/#comment-1897747 <p>The banksters co-opted the Democrats into giving them trillions. Now they are paying off Republicans to spike any reforms. All this is as expectable as the sun coming up.</p> The banksters co-opted the Democrats into giving them trillions. Now they are paying off Republicans to spike any reforms. All this is as expectable as the sun coming up.

]]>