Foreign Contributions

[BigRedBuster]

This is something that just rubs me the wrong way and I believe should be outlawed. If you do not live here and are not a citizen of the US, you should not have an influence in our elections.

 

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2012/08/foreign-money.html

 

In July, Mitt Romney headed to London, then onto the Middle East and Poland to celebrate the opening of the Olympics, burnish his foreign policy credentials and raise some cash. It's not an unusual step for a presidential candidate, and President Barack Obama has tapped into his popularity around the world to bring in cash for his own campaign. While only U.S. citizens and green card holders can make contributions to political campaigns, the expat community does contribute a significant amount of money -- about $1.1 million in donations greater than $200 through the end of July -- and so far this year, they're absentee voting with their dollars for Obama.

[Moiraine]

This is something that just rubs me the wrong way and I believe should be outlawed. If you do not live here and are not a citizen of the US, you should not have an influence in our elections.

 

Perhaps I read it wrong, but if I read it right, the article said they were all citizens.

[carlfense]

This is something that just rubs me the wrong way and I believe should be outlawed. If you do not live here and are not a citizen of the US, you should not have an influence in our elections.

Eh? You even quoted this part . . .

 

While only U.S. citizens and green card holders can make contributions to political campaigns. . .

[BigRedBuster]

While only U.S. citizens and green card holders can make contributions to political campaigns, the expat community does contribute a significant amount of money -- about $1.1 million in donations greater than $200 through the end of July -- and so far this year, they're absentee voting with their dollars for Obama.

 

I took this as meaning expats...as in people who used to be citizens but are no longer. Am I wrong on that?

[knapplc]

I think this is more along the lines of what's alarming BRB. It alarms me too, and it's one of the main reasons why Citizen's United must be overturned.

 

A million-dollar donation by a foreign-owned corporation to a Republican super PAC has raised legal concerns and opened up the controversial Citizens United Supreme Court decision to new criticism.

 

Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Republican Mitt Romney’s run for president, received a $1 million donation in mid-August from reinsurance company OdysseyRe of Connecticut, a “wholly-owned subsidiary” of Canadian insurance and investment management giant Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited.

 

Fairfax Financial’s founder is Indian-born V. Prem Watsa. Watsa serves as CEO and chairman and owns or controls 45 percent of the company’s shares. He is also the chairman of the board of OdysseyRe, the American subsidiary.

 

The law says that any foreign national is prohibited from “directly or indirectly” contributing money to influence U.S. elections. That means no campaign donations, no donations to super PACs and no funding of political advertisements.

But campaign finance law is not as clear for U.S. subsidiaries of foreign companies as it is for individuals.

 

LINK

[knapplc]

While only U.S. citizens and green card holders can make contributions to political campaigns, the expat community does contribute a significant amount of money -- about $1.1 million in donations greater than $200 through the end of July -- and so far this year, they're absentee voting with their dollars for Obama.

 

I took this as meaning expats...as in people who used to be citizens but are no longer. Am I wrong on that?

 

An Expat is any citizen of any country who lives in a foreign country. My sister-in-law lives in France and is a U.S. expat. She's a citizen, can (and does) vote, pays taxes, etc. She just lives elsewhere.

[BigRedBuster]

This is the definition I have always thought of as an "expat".

 

1. To give up residence in one's homeland.

2. To renounce allegiance to one's homeland.

 

Knapp is correct on the issue that I am concerned about. I didn't find that article.

[BigRedBuster]

Here is another article on the subject.

 

 

LINK

 

In the weeks leading up to the midterm elections, Democrats have assailed Republicans for taking money from outside interest groups they allege are funded by secret, foreign donors. However, the Democratic Party is taking its own large share of financing from groups backed by foreign companies, according to a new analysis.

 

 

Democrats this election cycle have received about $1.02 million from political action committees affiliated with foreign companies, according to The Hill and the Center for Responsive Politics. The contributions come from U.S. employees of subsidiaries of foreign companies, such as pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and aerospace contractor BAE Systems. The donations do not violate any campaign finance rules.

[zoogs]

The contributions come from U.S. employees of subsidiaries of foreign companies, such as pharmaceutical manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and aerospace contractor BAE Systems. The donations do not violate any campaign finance rules.

 

Pardon my ignorance on the subject, but so far all you've highlighted, it seems, are US citizens giving money. Well, aside from the alleged secret, foreign donors.

[knapplc]

This is the definition I have always thought of as an "expat".

 

1. To give up residence in one's homeland.

2. To renounce allegiance to one's homeland.

 

 

Ah. Homonyms.

 

Expatriate is not the same as expatriate, just as rose is not the same as rose. Same pronunciation, same spelling, but different meaning. One is a flower, one describes how you got up when sitting on the floor.