Money in politics.

[BigRedBuster]

A very interesting conversation on this very topic.

 

LINK

[BigRedBuster]

One myth in politics is that only Republicans gain huge amounts of donations from Wallstreet and big business.

 

LINK

 

Two top figures at Renaissance were among the 10 biggest spenders on federal elections for the 2012 cycle.Renaissance's founder, billionaire James Simons, spent $9.8 million to help Democrats — and this year, he'sgiven $2 million to the main Super PAC trying to help Democrats retain control of the Senate. Meanwhile, the firm's co-CEO Robert Mercer spent $5.8 million to help Republicans, and funded ads criticizing the planned "Ground Zero mosque" in 2010.

 

[carlfense]

I'll see your $2-10 million and raise you Charles Koch's $40 million or David Koch's $20 million pledge to defeat Obama in 2012.

 

 

Sure, there is big business money on both sides. They can read a poll as well as anyone else. IIRC, the GOP still has a significant lead on those dollars.

[BigRedBuster]

I'll see your $2-10 million and raise you Charles Koch's $40 million or David Koch's $20 million pledge to defeat Obama in 2012.

 

 

Sure, there is big business money on both sides. They can read a poll as well as anyone else. IIRC, the GOP still has a significant lead on those dollars.

Meh....and the Dems have Soros.

 

LINK

 

VERDICT: Given the difficultly in tracking donations to nonprofits and charitable organizations, it’s almost impossible to quantify whether the Koch brothers or Soros dominate this political realm. That said, both the Kochs and Soros have spent incredible riches in this area with no sign of stopping.

 

[BigRedBuster]

LINK

 

You're a lot likelier to contribute to a political campaign if you think the fate of the nation rests of your guys defeating the other guys. You're a lot less likely to contribute to political campaigns if you don't much care which party wins.

But what happens next makes sense, too: politicians have to appeal to the people who fund their campaigns. The people who fund their campaigns really believe the other party is terrible. And so spending a lot of time working across the aisle or questioning your party's political strategy is not going to make your donors very happy.

 

 

 

I know it is pretty much common knowledge but it is interesting seeing it in graph form.

[BigRedBuster]

I found this decision and article interesting on this topic.

 

LINK

 

Here is one part I found particularly interesting.

 

Roberts's rationale was that judicial fundraising should be treated very differently than political fundraising. "A judge's role differs from that of a politician," he writes. "Unlike a politician, who is expected to be appropriately responsive to the preferences of supporters, a judge in deciding cases may not follow the preferences of his supporters or provide any special consideration to his campaign donors."

 

Do you agree with the bolded part?

 

It struck me as interesting that he views politicians are expected (and obviously protected by law) to be responsive to people who donate to their campaigns.

 

Isn't this the crux of the entire issue? Isn't THAT the main problem with politics? Do we really want our politicians believing their responsibility is to do what their donors want?

[Bigred_inSD]

I found this decision and article interesting on this topic.

 

LINK

 

Here is one part I found particularly interesting.

 

Roberts's rationale was that judicial fundraising should be treated very differently than political fundraising. "A judge's role differs from that of a politician," he writes. "Unlike a politician, who is expected to be appropriately responsive to the preferences of supporters, a judge in deciding cases may not follow the preferences of his supporters or provide any special consideration to his campaign donors."

 

Do you agree with the bolded part?

 

It struck me as interesting that he views politicians are expected (and obviously protected by law) to be responsive to people who donate to their campaigns.

 

Isn't this the crux of the entire issue? Isn't THAT the main problem with politics? Do we really want our politicians believing their responsibility is to do what their donors want?

Whenever an election cycle roles around and SD has judges on the ballot I elect not to vote, simply because I believe a judge should make their rulings based on how they interpret the law, and not how they feel what will get them elected.