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which business sectors support you Prez candidate?

Discussion in 'Elections & Political Parties' started by David Hilbert, Jun 19, 2012.

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  1. David Hilbert Member

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    I have set this for the oil & gas sector which favors Romney 5:1 over Obama, but you can select other sectors easily from dozens listed, some of which disproportionately give to Obama. In case you're unfamiliar with this site, www.opensecrets.org is a non-partisan website that very accurately reports political contributions.

    http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/select.php?ind=E01
    David Hilbert, Jun 19, 2012
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  2. Cruella Well-Known Member

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    Most businesses like my candidate. The business blood-suckers and communist anti-capitalists like the other guy.
    Cruella, Jun 19, 2012
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  3. dogtowner Super Moderator

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    It would be nice if citizens cared more about the platforms of the candidates than this sort of thing.
    dogtowner, Jun 20, 2012
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  4. David Hilbert Member

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    Especially oil and gas companies
    David Hilbert, Jun 20, 2012
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  5. dogtowner Super Moderator

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    considering the full frontal assault they've faced who can act surprised ?
    dogtowner, Jun 21, 2012
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  6. David Hilbert Member

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    That "frontal assault" is quite well deserved. This thread was about ridding our politics from the deleterious effects of money. Do you excuse the oil companies from buying politicians just because of their bad PR? Maybe they ought to spend that money correcting the causes of that bad PR instead of buying politicians to compensate from it.
    David Hilbert, Jun 21, 2012
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  7. BigRob Super Moderator

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    Maybe we should subsidize another green energy company into bankruptcy -- that seems to work well.
    BigRob, Jun 21, 2012
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  8. David Hilbert Member

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    I agree that the solar energy thingy was a failure, but why does that mean it's OK for oil & gas companies to buy politicians?
    David Hilbert, Jun 21, 2012
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  9. Cruella Well-Known Member

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    Why are politicans allowing themselves to be bought? Congress could stop it.
    Cruella, Jun 21, 2012
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  10. BigRob Super Moderator

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    So it is your assertion that the Presidency (or politicians in general) is for sale for $3 million (the total amount of contributions from oil & gas)? That is absurd -- especially when other sectors are contributing far more.
    BigRob, Jun 21, 2012
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  11. GenSeneca Well-Known Member

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    Do you have any problem with special interests you support "buying" politicians, or are you only upset because special interests you disagree are allowed to lobby?
    GenSeneca, Jun 22, 2012
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  12. David Hilbert Member

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    I would like to see any contributions of big money to political campaigns on either side be made illegal
    David Hilbert, Jun 22, 2012
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  13. dogtowner Super Moderator

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    including unions ?
    dogtowner, Jun 23, 2012
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  14. GenSeneca Well-Known Member

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    Why not make it illegal for politicians and government to show favor toward any individual or group? If government had to treat all people equally under the law, nobody would have a reason to "buy" a politician... They wouldn't be able to get anything for their money, no tax breaks, no subsidies, no special favors of any kind. Problem solved... Why do you oppose placing the ban on government?
    GenSeneca, Jun 23, 2012
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  15. dogtowner Super Moderator

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    just curious, how would you see this accomplished ?
    what process could you use to ensure the showing of no favor ?
    dogtowner, Jun 23, 2012
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  16. Cruella Well-Known Member

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    Get rid of the pork and ear marks. That should cut a chunk of it out. Also have blind bids on government contracts, so that when the bids are submitted and awarded, no one knows which companies are involved.
    Cruella, Jun 23, 2012
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  17. David Hilbert Member

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    Please restate your post. I cannot understand your question
    David Hilbert, Jun 23, 2012
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  18. David Hilbert Member

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    If it's BIG money, yep. You righties always bitch about union contributions, but they are dwarfed by corporate contributions.
    David Hilbert, Jun 23, 2012
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  19. GenSeneca Well-Known Member

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    With the law(s) of course. Rather than using the law to ban private individuals and groups from lobbying for political favors, ban government's ability to give favor - ban earmarks, ban subsidies, ban tax breaks, ban government from being able to provide any and all benefits an individual or group may look to aquire through lobbying. Once politicians and political parties are no longer allowed, by law, to grant these political favors, the money used to secure these favors will disappear.

    Lobbyist: Hello Mr. Politician, I have a giant pile of money here for you if you can use your political clout to get my company a tax break or subsidy to give us an advantage over our competition...
    Politician: Government is forbidden by law to grant any such benefits.
    Lobbyist: So I can't use this money to buy an unfair advantage from government?
    Politician: No, you cannot. Perhaps if you invested that money into your company and created a superior product or service, you wouldn't need government to grant you an unfair advantage.
    Lobbyist: I guess I'm out of a job...
    GenSeneca, Jun 23, 2012
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  20. GenSeneca Well-Known Member

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    You want to ban individuals and groups from making "big" donations while totally ignoring the reason they make "big" donations in the first place - to get political favors from government. It's like banning people from purchasing the service but keeping it legal for poiticians to provide and sell the service. Such a policy is doomed to fail because it does absolutely nothing to address the underlying cause - the ability of politicians and government to grant special privileges. Pursuing your policy would lead to an explosion in corruption and cronyism, the very things you hope to eliminate, because you would leave the disease unchecked while focusing on a mere symptom of the disease.

    So to reiterate my question... If you really want to cure the disease, why don't you support banning politicians and government from having the ability to grant special privileges?
    GenSeneca, Jun 23, 2012
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