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Citizens United 
Mon Oct 29, 2012 at 08:50:47 AM MST
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Ho boy:
The boxes landed in the office of Montana investigators in March 2011. Found in a meth house in Colorado, they were somewhat of a mystery, holding files on 23 conservative candidates in state races in Montana.
They were filled with candidate surveys and mailers that said they were paid for by campaigns, and fliers and bank records from outside spending groups. One folder was labeled "Montana $ Bomb."
The documents pointed to one outside group pulling the candidates' strings: a social welfare nonprofit called Western Tradition Partnership, or WTP.
And Western Traditions Partnership was a plaintiff in Montana Supreme Court's ruling against big money in politics.
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Tue Jun 12, 2012 at 13:03:26 PM MST
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Large version here.......is it true that this message it too radical for our purple state? I know it's too radical for the kind of Democrats we have elected to office lately - none seem to have the guts, or the political savvy, or the populist sense that Elizabeth Warren does.
(h/t Digby)
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Sun Jan 15, 2012 at 10:35:25 AM MST
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Republican candidates for President can say almost anything these days and it will get repeated with a minimum of fact-checking by our press. Here's another Republican leader sending around the prayer for Barack Obama's death. The Google Machine will never run out of examples of their blatantly false statements and hateful rhetoric....and lies.
Mitt Romney said corporations are people, and Stephen Colbert has taken the statement to its logical conclusion.
I'm thinking Colbert is the smartest candidate around this year.......for either side.
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Wed Jul 21, 2010 at 06:12:55 AM MST
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In a tasty little bit of schadenfreude, Rep. Joe "I apologize" Barton of Texas has lost some $154,000 of his campaign funds that were invested in the stock market. A big part of that loss was due to the Representative's penchant for buying funds that go long on energy stocks. With BP's value falling, it took some of the investments into the tank. I guess when you are willing to supplicate yourself before a big oil company on national T.V. then you are going to stick with investing with them.
The thing that startled me about this story is that you can invest campaign funds at all. The intent of the donor is to give you money to fund your campaign, not for you to take risks with it in the stock market. I can understand the desire, when you are gathering a million dollars or more in a year to maximize the interest you can get, after all no political campaign ever has too much money. Still there is something really not right about being able to put it into the stock market.
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Mon May 31, 2010 at 12:56:59 PM MST
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( - promoted by Fong)
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. As a result of the war, corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war. God grant that my suspicions may prove groundless."
-- U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864
(letter to Col. William F. Elkins)
Ref: The Lincoln Encyclopedia, Archer H. Shaw (Macmillan, 1950, NY)
ratical.org
Bold text added by the diarist
(Note: The authenticity of this quote has been disputed, but I believe it is worthwhile to discuss nonetheless. The link I have provided is my proof of the validity of this quote, but I leave it to you, the reader, to decide.)
Almost 150 years later . . .
More below the fold
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Sat May 22, 2010 at 13:27:52 PM MST
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( - promoted by Fong)
THE Question - Is America a Democracy or an Oligarchy?
Sen. Sanders: "Right now, what ends up happening, is Big Money interests, whether in fact it is in oil and energy, whether it's in prescription drugs . . ."
Dylan Ratigan: "BP"
Sen. Sanders: "Whether it is in banking, these guys have huge amounts of money, and the situation gets worse with the recent Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and anyone who stands up to the big money interests can expect a huge amount of 30 second ads against them. That's the reality. Are we a Democracy, or are we an Oligarchy where the very powerful special interests exert enormous influence over our Government?"
Ratigan: "What's your answer to that question?"
Sen. Sanders: "I think we're an Oligarchy and I think it's getting worse."
Much more, plus video and transcript below the fold.
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Tue May 18, 2010 at 15:29:51 PM MST
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( - promoted by WeatherDem)
Small Online Contributions Add Up to Huge Fund-Raising Edge for Obama
~ NYTimes Feb 20, 2008
In 2008 Americans fought and beat Corporate Lobbyist sponsored politicians like John McCain (Drill,baby,drill & Bomb,bomb,Iran) and elected Barack Obama to be the President of the United States.
Just imagine if we could harness small contributions like this all the time to elect politicians who will stand up for people and against the special interests!
Well, the Corporatists can imagine that, and it scares them out of their minds! That is why, with the help of the recent Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court that allows Corporations to flood the American election process with millions and millions of Corporate money to fund Republican politicians and Corporate Democrats.
And their goal is to make sure that no one like Barack Obama ever wins a major election again, but you CAN fight back.
How to, below the fold
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