Sheldon Adelson Vows To 'Double' Donations To GOP After Huge 2012 Election Failure

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson spent nearly $150 million on Republicans during the 2012 elections, almost entirely in support of candidates who did not win. But his cold streak hasn't left him at all discouraged, he told the Wall Street Journal in a recent interview.

"I happen to be in a unique business where winning and losing is the basis of the entire business," Adelson told the Journal. "So I don't cry when I lose. There's always a new hand coming up."

In fact, Adelson, whose personal wealth is estimated at $20.5 billion, says he's ready to literally double down on the GOP when those new cards are dealt.

The GOP's up-and-comers have already begun to position themselves for a share of the billionaire's largess. Politico reported this week that a number of GOP governors thought to be gearing up for potential 2016 presidential bids recently stopped by Adelson's Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas to kiss the ring.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/05/sheldon-adelson-gop_n_2244070.html

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This is a man who must enjoy the taste of spit (and worse) in the food prepared by 99%ers for him.

[hlthe2b]

1. Sure.. he can afford it....

I assume he already has controlling interest in whatever company makes his bizarre shade of red hair dye, so what more does he need to spend money on?

[DreamGypsy]

44. Yup, I can already hear the sound of saliva flowing from Republican lips.

He can double for at least 6 more presidential election cycles until he runs out of money...

...assuming he still wants to spend $9.8 billion on the 2036 outcome, when he'll be dead.

[roguevalley]

74. its -20 here and if he could give it to me, I could make more use of it

than the dorks he's donating too. Nothing speaks of republican than giving three hundred to six hundred mil to the same people who lost the first 300m.

[kelliekat44]

50. Well he sure can't tke it with him. Might as well do all the evil he can while he can. nt

[Aviation Pro]

2. As long as there are enough rubes....

...to gamble in his fucking casinos he will have enough money to spend on walking bags of dicks to fuck up this country.

However, you worthless fuck, the definition of insanity is to continue to do what you're doing and expect different results.

Go fuck yourself, assclown.

[dmallind]

3. Great - all spending stimulates the economy

Voiceover talent, junk mail printers and the like stay employed, and it's not like more money would have helped. The ads already were wall to wall.

[Lint Head]

4. Do it Sheldon! You're a gambler. Put it all on the loser.

[jtuck004]

5. Ok. And if your opponents do their job, it won't matter much. Again.

Must be a drag to have $24 billion and not be able to buy enough people to like you.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. A fool and his money....

When a wealthy guy steps into a casino and spends money wantonly he is known as a whale or a mark. Adelson's a mark for the GOP.

[riverbendviewgal]

7. he is 79

That is very old.

[HughBeaumont]

9. And not a youthful 79 either.

I don't see him lasting (or at least being coherent) for another election.

[Panasonic]

45. I have read his face, bleached my eyes, and determined that fates has decided.

He will not live to see 2016.

[Auntie Bush]

34. Wish he was 99!

[wordpix]

80. He doesn't have long, looks unhealthy

[BainsBane]

8. Idiot, he has know idea how the game works

If he were smart he'd be giving money to Democrats to influence their votes.

[cstanleytech]

40. Who says he hasnt? After all if he gave it to some PACs that supported some democrats

there isnt any way to really know since the PACs are being allowed right now to hide who gave the money.

[BainsBane]

41. He wouldn't continually announce his determination to get Republicans elected.

He would instead quietly give to both parties.

[ck4829]

10. The $150M could have paid teachers or fed the poor. Sad, just sad.

[KamaAina]

29. Or his taxes.

[sofa king]

31. Or his back taxes.

[kelliekat44]

48. +++1,000 nt

[tularetom]

60. Or the high powered lawyers he's gonna need to keep his wrinkled old ass out of jail

Apparently the justice department is taking a serious look at some of Mr Adelson's casino operations and has uncovered some questionable practices.

Which could of course explain his eagerness to get the Obama admin out of there and put some friendlier folks in charge.

[cstanleytech]

42. It would not feed the poor much though.

Assuming there are say 20 million people roughly (though I believe I read it was closer to 40 a year ago) if we divided it up among them that would average $7.50 for each person.

[cliffordu]

11. If he lives that long. He really is an OLD creep.

Time is the great equalizer.

Get horizontal, Sheldon, you useless, gutless shitsucking cretin.

[frazzled]

12. Keep flushing your money down the toilet, Sheldon

Be my guest.

If there's really anything that this last election taught us, it's that a massive donation from a single source is not worth nearly as much as a million small donations from many sources. Why is that? My theory:

(1) Getting people to give even a small amount is worth more than just another advertising dollar: it buys loyalty, enthusiasm, follow-through on voting, and even sometimes footwork. When people put skin in the game, they want to protect their investment. The huge number of foot soldiers the Obama campaign got were largely also small contributors. You had to wait in line in many places just to volunteer!

This strategy worked down the line. For instance, though I don't live in her district, I gave a small donation to Tammy Duckworth's campaign to defeat Joe Walsh in IL-8. A very savvy campaign got right out on asking me (and presumably all the other not-too-distant voters) to volunteer to phone bank and canvass. It works.

(2) Just having the money to buy up big ads is no longer the solution in contemporary electoral politics. Social media and ground work, especially, are equally important. And as I argued in (1), above, the key to a good ground game, for campaigns up and down the ticket, is an active volunteer corps, often brought in by small donors.

[Panasonic]

46. I have donated to Grayson and Powell

I'm 1-1, but heck, as long as Grayson's ready to kick ass and take names and call out these fools for what they are - then I consider my money well-spent.

[frazzled]

70. Well, Grayson's district was very safe (via redistricting)

Just as Tammy Duckworth's had been made far more Democratic by a recent redistricting, and there was never that much question that she would win it. Neither one of these candidates really needed our money. But you can never take anything for granted.

This is the problem most are talking about in this thread. Elections and the electorate are not really the issue very much in House races. It's how the districts are drawn. Without redrawing, most districts are very hard to "flip."

[NYC Liberal]

72. Agree with #1. Adelson may have lots of money, but he still only gets one vote.

A million small donations means a million people have committed to supporting you and voting for you.

One man may give a lot of money, but he can only vote once.

[HughBeaumont]

13. All the money on the planet isn't going to make a guy like Mitt Romney any more appealing.

Nor his anti-everything-helpful platform; which, from the sounds of it, is destined to get worse and MORE cruel with the next plutocrat schmuck they run, hard as THAT is to believe.

This is what Sheldon doesn't seem to be processing in that rattletrap upstairs.

[alp227]

14. Won't be surprising to hear about a Chapter 11.

Here's Cenk's take on the story:

[hamsterjill]

15. Yo, Sheldon!

You still just DON'T get it, do you?

P.S. We still won!!!!

[Deny and Shred]

16. Special Dividend will yield him a one-time $1.2 Billion

Many companies who are worried about future higher taxes on dividends resulting from the 'Fiscal Cliff' have declared "Special Dividends" to their shareholders. These will be paid before the year ends. As far as I know, he stands to take home the most.

$1.2 Billion ion top of any other income. He can pay for this type of thing for a long time. He must think votes are assets that can be purchased. In too many cases, he is right.

[Coyotl]

17. Compare the two numbers

When a government decision effects him to the tune of one billion, small wonder he tries to influence government to the tune of 150 million!

[DemoTex]

18. Double down, Adelbrain!

Baby needs a new pair of shoes!

[sinkingfeeling]

19. Shouldn't that be, "Sheldon Adelson Vows to Buy the Government He Wants"?

[louis-t]

20. Fool and his money, blah, blah....

[The Wizard]

65. Those who spend millions

to save thousands are known by one word: Nuts.

[louis-t]

69. I think it's more like he'll save billions.

IF, and it's a big IF, he can buy a president. Dudn't look too good for him so far.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

21. "So I don't cry when I lose. There's always a new hand coming up."

BS statement. He doesn't cry when the casino loses because the casino has the game rigged in its favor. The casino never loses in the end. But here in the game of politics he's found a game he'd like to rig in his favor but can't. It's got to be killing him, especially with his gigantic ego.

[Zoeisright]

22. Sheldon Adelson is a complete waste of oxygen and water.

He's also proof that only the good die young.

[heaven05]

23. your

money cannot steal democracy fool!!!!! Triple it, quadruple it dummy, snake, idiot! We'll stand in line for 10 hrs to defeat your bought politicians. I hope the DOJ finds something smelly on you!

[tomm2thumbs]

24. NO amount of advertising will overcome a defective product like the GOP

They are swimming upstream to a waterfall of change that they'll never be able to rise up to.

[Roland99]

25. But if Soros or Buffet donated $5, the M$M would be all over them

[Cali_Democrat]

26. Looks like GOPer politicians are positioning themselves to see who can be Sheldon's favorite whore

Last edited Wed Dec 5, 2012, 08:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Sad and pathetic.

[The Magistrate]

27. What A Mark, Sir

He should know better than to run a Martingayle....

[Cary]

28. This just means we cannot allow ourselves to be complacent

If we vote, we win. Adelson only matters if we don't vote.

[City Lights]

30. What a cheapskate!

Why stop there, Sheldon? Just spend it all! Easy come, easy go!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

83. Yes, someone needs to convince him they can go back in time and make Romney the winner, but

only at the cost of every penny he has.

[graham4anything]

32. Thank God we have Mayor Mike on our side. To beat them, we have to do what we have to do

winning is the only thing- Vince Lombardi

a winner does what a loser won't-from the Clint Eastwood movie

[robinlynne]

33. why not jsut pay taxes? it's probably cheaper, and could do so much good.

rhetorical question, guys.

[The Second Stone]

35. Please proceed to stimulate the economy

Hoarding it all doesn't get it in circulation.

[Zambero]

36. A fool and his money are soon parted

He says "Winning and losing is the basis of the entire business...". Well, it seems to be more about LOSING these days! Given Adelson's collosal record of failure in both the 2012 GOP primary and general elections, his targeted contributions seem to be a jinx for those GOP candidates that he supports. I say to him, since's it's just fun with gambling away a few bucks, "stay the course" and keep those dollars coming!

[Fuddnik]

37. somebody raise this fool's taxes.....significantly

He won't have so much to stir up trouble.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

38. any chance he could turn Dem?

[1StrongBlackMan]

39. Hey Sheldon ...

for 1% of what you spent in the last election cycle; I can deliver equal results. Deal?

[Ash_F]

43. One person should not have this much power through money alone. /nt

[JohnStJohn]

47. If there

was any reason needed for over turning Citizens United this is it. No single individual or corporation for that matter should be allowed to dump that kind of money into the political process in the United States. Frankly I wish the DoJ would launch an investigation into Adelson and his corrupt business practices.

[DaveJ]

49. This hurts us, even when we win.

It forces Dems to depend on billionaire donors. In doing so, the 1% vs 99% culture is perpetuated. He gets his way even when R's lose. Hate to say it.

[nolabels]

54. Yea, but it hurts them even more when they lose

The more they try to grasp and lunge the easier it will become for us to get things done. When your at the bottom you won't have far to fall but people at the top have got it scary because it can be a long way down.

on edit: In this last election we were way outspent and the corporate media went into the tank as much as possible for the republicans and they still lost badly. No I don't like that some us lower income people might be paying more taxes but those dollars (especially the poor peoples) being taken away will hurt the rich even more. And just remember karma is a ..........

[mikeysnot]

51. Doubling down on stupid.

..

[texshelters]

52. You wonder how some rich people

can be so stupid about the laws of economics.

Spending more won't help because of the law of diminishing returns. Money must be spent in a better way, and it won't change a terrible message.

PTxS

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec12/campaign_11-21.html

[julian09]

53. He can put a sign in my yard for one million dollars.

[madrchsod]

55. ......"all your money won`t a minute buy....."

[Third Doctor]

56. How much of that money could have been given to charity I wonder.

He just want to put the GOP in power so he can pay lower tax rates it seems. He thinks over time the money he spends will payoff. What I don't understand is that how much damned money does someone need in a lifetime? How old is this guy?

[grahamhgreen]

57. Time to start a conservative superPAC and gets us some money!

[jberryhill]

81. +1

[truthisfreedom]

58. Sheldon reminds me of one of those very bad drivers who leaves their blinker on for miles with no

intention of turning.

[JDPriestly]

59. He does not look well. I will be surprised if he makes it to the next

election. In his pictures, he looks so pale and weak.

Who stands to inherit his fortune? I wonder what his children and heirs think about what he is doing with his money.

[Veracious]

61. and..we will kick his Republican ass again!

Fuck these assholes we will beat them again, no matter how much they spend!

[Cha]

62. They didn't learn anything from their humiliating

defeat.

[jmowreader]

63. Adelson's problem in a nutshell

He just spent $150 million producing, distributing and marketing shit sandwiches to half the country - the ones who vote.

Of those people, 47 percent saw the ads about these and decided to try one. A few people liked them - cophrophagy does affect some small percentage of the population, right?

Fifty-three percent didn't buy them. They know shit sandwiches are bad without having to eat one.

Now Adelson plans to spend $300 million on his shit sandwich business, and he has a problem: he has to convince the non-cophrophage shit sandwich buyers from the last election that his sandwiches no longer taste like what they are.

It's a hard task, and eventually his customer base will be people who make their own shit sandwiches when none are for sale.

[The Wizard]

66. Life is giant shit sandwich

The more bread you have means the less shit you have to eat.

[The Wizard]

64. If he sends me a half a million

I'll run as a republican and deliberately defend Jerry Sandusky's right to sexually abuse children.

[dae]

67. Why go half-A$$? Triple or quadruple the amount,

then you are talking about real money!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

68. it is like a self imposed tax!

[marias23]

71. We can all double down..

and then he can go f*^K himself. Join me in a pledge to double your contributions in 2016.

[Tx4obama]

73. Kick! n/t

[theHandpuppet]

75. Just think the people who could otherwise be fed with all that money...

... or clothed, or be given shelter, or be afforded life saving medicines. That a man would spend a great fortune to deny another man a crumb of bread, yet not spare a penney to buy him a loaf... for all Mr. Adelman's wealth, he is morally and spiritually bankrupt.

[still_one]

76. not if you are in prison for money laundering

[Historic NY]

77. He is reaching the end of lifes usefullness...besides he might end up in prison

as a felon.

[deutsey]

78. No, that money couldn't have been spent for more worthwhile things...

Not at all.

[wordpix]

79. Sheldon, the way you look, I don't think you'll make it to the next election

Better to spend your money going to health spas where you can drink green juice. OTOH, I don't care if you leave the planet and sooner is better than later.

[Warpy]

82. Maybe he'll be making those donations from prison by then

In any case, fools and their money don't realize there are diminishing returns where the more you spend, the less you get. I think support for Citizens United has withered somewhat since it was far less effective and far more costly than the plutocracy was hoping.