What Sheldon Adelson Wants

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"No American is dedicating as much of his money to defeat President Obama as Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate who also happens to have made more money in the last three years than any other American. He is the perfect illustration of the squalid state of political money, spending sums greater than any political donation in history to advance his personal, ideological and financial agenda, which is wildly at odds with the nation’s needs.

Mr. Adelson spent $20 million to prop up Newt Gingrich’s failed candidacy for the Republican nomination. Now, he has given $10 million to a Mitt Romney super PAC, and has pledged at least $10 million to Crossroads GPS, the advocacy group founded by Karl Rove that is running attack ads against Mr. Obama and other Democrats. Another $10 million will probably go to a similar group founded by the Koch brothers, and $10 million more to Republican Congressional super PACs.

That’s $60 million we know of (other huge donations may be secret), and it may be only a down payment. Mr. Adelson has made it clear he will fully exploit the anything-goes world created by the federal courts to donate a “limitless” portion of his $25 billion fortune to defeat the president and as many Democrats as he can take down.

One man cannot spend enough to ensure the election of an unpopular candidate, as Mr. Gingrich’s collapse showed, but he can buy enough ads to help push a candidate over the top in a close race like this year’s. Given that Mr. Romney was not his first choice, why is Mr. Adelson writing these huge checks?

The first answer is clearly his disgust for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, supported by President Obama and most Israelis. He considers a Palestinian state “a steppingstone for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people,” and has called the Palestinian prime minister a terrorist. He is even further to the right than the main pro-Israeli lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which he broke with in 2007 when it supported economic aid to the Palestinians."

more

[TeamPooka]

1. I wonder what the ROI is...

on a $60 million dollar political investment?

[Scurrilous]

2. Hopefully bupkis.

[ohgeewhiz]

5. If Romney wins, probably anywhere from ...

120 to 600 million in tax breaks, opportunities to make more money overseas, etc.

[BeyondGeography]

3. It's about Israel and protecting his billions

In that order.

Perhaps.

[ohgeewhiz]

6. I would reverse the order, but they are both...

close firsts, in his mind. He would probably like to lower his taxes, too.

[monmouth]

4. I'm amazed he's in the casino business, he's a poor gambler..n/t

[Capt.Rocky300]

7. There are efforts.....

to organize a boycott of Koch Industries' products. I haven't heard anything about boycotting Adelson's casinos.

[oberliner]

8. There are 3 different Facebook pages dedicated to boycotting Adelson's casinos

Las Vegas Sands Boycott | Facebook

Boycott Las Vegas Sands Corporation | Facebook

Boycott Sheldon Adelson & Las Vegas Sands | Facebook

[Capt.Rocky300]

12. Thanks....

I'm not a Facebook guy so missed it.

[Swede Atlanta]

9. With no offense intended to my Jewish friends.........

but this mentality has got to stop.

Conservative Jewish secular and religious leaders can opine about the grant of land given to Israel in the Bible. They believe the Bible is literal truth and must be recognized by everyone.

As a Christian I don't believe everything in the Bible as literal truth. I recognize the Bible is an inspired document but a document used tactically and strategically toward goals over time. I believe the land grant story and prophesies in the Bible are an expression of the vision an hope of the Patriarchs. Who wouldn't want to promise a great nation with a firm and stable homeland?

But the reality is the Jews were expelled from Palestine first by the Babylonians and then by the Romans. The land of Israel was not under even nominal Jewish control until 1948. Arabs and others have inhabited those lands for the past two thousand years.

So to suggest that the Jews deserve a national state but that the Palestinians don't just ignores history (a strong suit of hateful Republicans) and denies our humanity. I don't condone the violence perpetrated by the PLO and Palestinian terrorists against Israel and its people. But I also don't condone the terror that was waged by Jewish terrorists in their attempt to oust the British or the continued war Israel has waged on the Palestinian people.

Both sides have to recognize the need to peacefully co-exist and work toward that end. Adelson may die a happy man because a two-state solution has not been achieved but he will roll over in his grave when the two-state solution finally happens. It will happen.

[madrchsod]

10. that certainly sums up the problem and the solutions

the problem is in the hearts and minds of those who are afraid of what they could lose.

[Bradlad]

11. I think you need to read some history.

Last edited Sun Jun 24, 2012, 09:35 PM - Edit history (1)

I think you need to read some history. Your whole comment is absurd. Israel was created because the UN believed it would benefit (all) the inhabitants of Palestine at the time. It had little or nothing to do with the God of the Jews. It was about creating a state on a stateless territory where Jews could be safe from persecution. It also happened to be land where the Jews had a long history. That doesn't justify their state being placed there. It explains why some Jews believe it should be there. Other Jews - such as secular Jews - had other reasons. But the UN made it possible for the Palestinian Jews (and Arabs as well) to create a legally recognized state for themselves if they did the hard work to make it happen.

Here's an amazing sentence: So to suggest that the Jews deserve a national state but that the Palestinians don't just ignores history (a strong suit of hateful Republicans) and denies our humanity.

I don't know what "Republicans" have to do with this but have you heard about the Partition Plan? Look it up. It "suggests" that both the Jews and the Arabs deserved to have a state in areas where each held majorities of the population. From the start the Arabs were given equal treatment (actually favored treatment) and it was hoped they'd move to establish their own state. As it turned out destroying Israel had a higher priority for them. And its been that way ever since. Statehood means living in some form of peaceful coexistence with your neighbors. The Arabs have never accepted that condition and have instead started several wars to destroy Israel.

Your saccharine words about "both sides have to recognize the need to peacefully co-exist and work toward that end" completely ignores the whole reality of the conflict: Israel has never attacked the Palestinians or any other Arab confederation except in self-defense. Israel has repeatedly offered to trade land for peace. Israel has traded land for peace (at least a temporary peace) with both Jordan and Egypt. Israel has evacuated Arab territory acquired in defensive wars without conditions attached (Gaza). To suggest there's some moral equivalency between the two sides reveals a total ignorance of history. There's only one side that needs to learn to peacefully coexist in this conflict. To suggest otherwise shows of certain lack of humanity in those who cling to such distorted and hateful narratives.

Go read some history and then give it another try.

[shira]

14. It's the MSM. If that's someone's main source of info. on the mideast, it's no wonder...

...they don't know a thing about the situation there.

[Bradlad]

15. You got that right.

I used to believe that liberals had a real advantage when it comes to thinking for themselves and not attaching themselves to "feel good" beliefs that have no basis in reality. I used to think that only Republicans and conservatives were susceptible to such willful self-delusion. After spending time in forums like this I now see that the great majority - liberal or conservative - desperately want to be fed whatever BS makes them feel like they belong to the group. Important questions that each person in a democracy should understand as thoroughly as they can are reduced to a matter of fashion - the memes of the day - and reinforced by the MSM as you say. The sad part is that breaking through the wall is impossible. But at least there's a small satisfaction in speaking sense to "group think". Some of us can say we didn't just ignore it as as the world's brief experiment with democracy, personal freedom and rule of law was rejected. Sorry to get all philosophical on you but I get this way after reading some of the comments here.

[shaayecanaan]

21. The thing that amuses me...

is the one post that was made in GD. I am guessing it was probably one sentence or less.

Bradlad
Account status: Active
Member since: Sat Oct 8, 2011, 06:28 PM
Number of posts: 37
Number of posts, last 90 days: 37
Favorite forum: General Discussion, 1 posts in the last 90 days (3% of total posts)
Favorite group: Israel/Palestine, 36 posts in the last 90 days (97% of total posts)
Last post: Mon Jul 2, 2012, 05:14 PM

Alerts
Alerts sent by me: coming soon
Successful alerts (post was hidden by Jury): coming soon
Success rate percentage: coming soon

Jury
Willing to serve on a DU Jury: Yes
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Number of times served on a Jury: 0

[King_David]

24. Strange post ,

shaayecanaan
'Favorite forum: General Discussion, 6 posts in the last 90 days (3% of total posts)
Favorite group: Israel/Palestine, 169 posts in the last 90 days (91% of total posts)'



6/185 = 3.24 %


Bradlad
'Favorite forum: General Discussion, 1 posts in the last 90 days (3% of total posts)
Favorite group: Israel/Palestine, 36 posts in the last 90 days (97% of total posts)'

1/37 = 2.7 %



(0.54% variance )



You guys have almost exactly the same posting habits .

[shaayecanaan]

25. Its not a comment on posting habits...

an account that gets created, does nothing for four months and then appears on I/P with a flurry of posts.

[shaayecanaan]

20. I definitely think that you should read some history...

a book almost universally well-regarded on this forum is Avi Shlaim's "the Iron Wall". Others you might look at are Benny Morris' "1948" and also his book about Pasha Glubb and the road to Jerusalem, which I'm reading at the moment.

I think anyone who read any of those works would have a hard time uttering a sentence such as:-

It "suggests" that both the Jews and the Arabs deserved to have a state in areas where each held majorities of the population. From the start the Arabs were given equal treatment (actually favored treatment) and it was hoped they'd move to establish their own state.

Actually, under the partition, the "Jewish" part held large swathes of territory where Arabs were a substantial majority - and despite even the expulsion of 750 000 Arabs in 1948, much of the Northern Districts and the Negev remain majority-Arab to this day.

The "Arab" partition was solidly Arab - at least 97% of the residents were Arabs. The Jewish partition on the other hand was only 55% Jewish, meaning that it had a Jewish majority in only a very threadbare sense.

In contemporary politics, we call this "gerrymandering" - making your own constituents votes go as far as possible by redistricting so that you carry a bare majority in as many seats as possible, while minimising the impact of opposing voters by confining them to as few seats as possible, where obviously they will win in a landslide, but only in those few seats.

Israel has never attacked the Palestinians or any other Arab confederation except in self-defense. Israel has repeatedly offered to trade land for peace. Israel has traded land for peace (at least a temporary peace) with both Jordan and Egypt.

Israel never traded land with Jordan (or at least not on any significant scale) when it signed a peace agreement with them in 1994. You'd probably know that if you read some history.

And there are certainly clear-cut examples of Israel attacking the Arabs while not in self-defence. For example, Israel attacked Egypt's Third Army in 1973 on several occasions in breach of the ceasefire that had been brokered by Henry Kissinger. The Israelis alleged that Egypt was breaching the ceasefire, although Kissinger himself pours scorn on those suggestions in his memoirs, noting that he had certainly not seen any evidence of Egypt breaking the ceasefire.

Again, you'd probably know this if you read some history.

[Bradlad]

26. OK

In contemporary politics, we call this "gerrymandering" - making your own constituents votes go as far as possible by redistricting so that you carry a bare majority in as many seats as possible, while minimising the impact of opposing voters by confining them to as few seats as possible, where obviously they will win in a landslide, but only in those few seats.

Actually the Partition Plan was formulated under UN direction by UNSCOP, a UN committee given the task of coming up with a plan to resolve the many issues that had arisen. The committee was chosen for their neutrality and there were no members of the major powers on it. So I think your comments about gerrymandering are a bit irrelevant since Israel was not a "constituent" of anyone on the committee. Besides, the goal was to provide for the UN approved possibility for two states for two peoples that would provide each with at least some chance of success. There was no attempt to equalize the Arab/Jewish population ratios of each proto-state. It was only necessary that each had a majority of its own.

Israel never traded land with Jordan (or at least not on any significant scale) when it signed a peace agreement with them in 1994. You'd probably know that if you read some history.

You are correct. I was referring to Israel's attempt to trade land for peace at the end of the Six day War. My wording failed to say that. I was correct in saying that Israel has repeatedly offered to trade land for peace. It was the "offering to trade" that I was trying to highlight.

About Israel attacking Arabs not in self defense. I am not about to suggest that Israel never attempted to gain battlefield advantage by pre-emption or by attacking a military target that was not at the moment attacking them. That is about jus en bello (justice in war). I am only talking about jus ad bellum - the question of defense or aggression in the overall cause of war. I will repeat that in that regard Israel has never attacked an Arab people except in what Israel believed at the time was necessary and justifiable self defense. I understand that many of Israel's enemies can get very agitated when that statement is made and I can understand why. It's because it's true.

Although I have read a great deal about this conflict including most of the books you mentioned in another comment, I certainly don't remember everything I have read. And I am also very capable of mis-remembering what I did read, especially the small details. I appreciate any corrections.

[hack89]

13. In 1948 the Palestinians were given a state

they pissed it away by starting a war.

[Scootaloo]

27. There are four things wrong with your statement

Which basically means the only thing you got correct was punctuation.

1) Your year is wrong. The partition plan was presented in 1947.
2) Neither the Palestinian Arabs nor Jews were ever "given a state. In fact both factions' leaders refused the plan outright; teh Jewish leaders because it didn't give them enough territory, the Arabs because they were opposed to dividing the territory .
3) The potential for a Palestinian Arab state was never "pissed away."
4) The Palestinian Arabs did not start the war; The Egyptians were the ones who first declared war. Prior to that it was a "civil conflict" that was set off by the nascent state of Israel conducting ethnic cleansing; forced population transfers pushing Arabs out of the "Jewish territory." granted, at the time it was legal (the Geneva conventions being two years later), and since the Allies were doing the same damn thing in central Europe, nary a peep was to be heard from the UN on the subjec.

But good work on getting the punctuation correct.

[hack89]

29. The Palestinians have never neglected to make the wrong choice

they have always chosen war and violence. That only works if you win.

The potential was always there - too bad no one on the Arab side was serious about it. Their intention in 48 was to exterminate the Jews and divide the territory. They had never promised to establish a Palestinian state. Their actions from 48 to 67 make that very clear.

Pushing the ethnic cleansing canard I see. All the Arab states beating the drums for a war of genocide yet we know that the Jews were the only aggressors. All those Arab armies were really peace keepers. Got it.

[Scootaloo]

31. Interesting...

You can't seem to make up your mind if you're talking about Palestinians, Arab states in the region, or "Arabs" as a whole. You know what that's called, right?

Also, following up on posting four blatantly false statements with a handful of tired old talking points that are little more than hysterical nonsense... doesn't help your case much. Especially when your opening statement in this post is false, your second statement is irrelevant, and your closing statement hinged on hoping I buckle before your sarcasm.



Try harder next time please.

[hack89]

32. The Palestinians have been ill served by both

the Arab states and their own leadership - no one can question that.

15 years ago Palestinians were routinely commuting to Israel to work. Their standard of living was comparable to any Arab country. Then they decided the Intifata was the solution to their woes - a very bad choice wouldn't you say?

So the Israelis decide to hand back Gaza. And rockets were flying within minutes of them leaving - another very poor choice again. And that was compounded by choosing a fundamentalist terrorist organization as their government - we also know how that worked out for them.

BTW - there are others here that do the pompous faux intellectual better than you. Good first try though.

[Scootaloo]

34. Yes they have; but that's not what we're talking about

We're talking about how you got four facts completely wrong in a single sentence, which was your entire post, and are now trying desperately to talk about anything else.

Those flash cards don't cover what to do when you get caught, do they? Just keep launching the talking points and hope someone bites.

[hack89]

35. Ok - lets put it this way

the Palestinians were just as deserving to have a state as the Jews. But due to betrayal by their Arab brethren and their own habit of picking leaders who support violence they find themselves in their present position. And every day their decisions make it more unlikely to have their country.

The post I was replying to wondered why the Palestinians were not also deserving of their own country. My point still stands - they have never missed the opportunity to make the wrong choice. They have pissed away many opportunities.

[Scootaloo]

36. Now we can have a sort-of discussion

First, you assume that the Palestinians - as a group - actually have a choice. You were more on-point with the statement "the Palestinians have been ill-served" than you are when you try to shove the blame on the mas a people. If you want to throw blame on them, then blame them for being so disorganized. The Palestinians did not elect their leaders until very recently, and the validity of those elections is something I have doubts about; the PA isn't known for transparency or - as you noted - acting in the best interests of the Palestinian people.

Second, you cannot absolve Israel of all responsibility in the situation. You are approaching this as "my team is completely right, their team is completely wrong," which is typical of either perspective, but serves no good for anyone. Israel most certainly does not believe that Palestinians "deserve their own country," and treats any open effort towards that goal on the Palestinians' part as hostile action - as does the United States. The attitude is that Israel is the sole and total authority allowed to grant that right to the Palestinians.

What do you suppose the ultimate result of the current trends will be, Hack?

[hack89]

38. The Palestinians were and remain bit players in this drama

The Arab states see them only as pawns to attack Israel. Israel's focus is on the major Arab states (and Iran and it's proxies) - after so many wars it only makes sense. There will be peace and the Palestinians will have a state when there is real peace in the region. Which is why Egypt's talk of revisiting their peace treaty with Israel is bad news for the Palestinians - it moves them on to the back burner once again.

As for the current trends - everyone is waiting to see what happens in Syria. Once Assad falls, it severely weakens Iran's influence in the region. Then everyone will wait to see how that reverberates in Lebanon with Hezbollah potentially being weakened. Once everything settles down it will be clearer where the Palestinians stand. If the neighborhood is more hostile with militant fundamentalist governments in Egypt and Syria then the Palestinians are fucked - for there will be war and they will undoubtedly on the wrong side once again.

[Scootaloo]

41. Should the "Palestinian State"

be held hostage to Syria or Iraq or whoever, though? Is it right to say to them "well guys, what you get depends on what these other people do." And if that's the case, then isn't the person really holding them back the same person as who is setting those conditions?

By the by; Dunno if you didn't catch the news or what, but Mursi has stated his intent to preserve all existing treaties held by Egypt.

Personlly, I don't think there's any real chance for a Palestinian State, unless Israel decides to reverse the course it's been on with regards to the settlements and hyperconditional demands for discussions of the subject. If I could give the Palestinians - or at least of the West bank - advice, it'd be to accept what's happened; and start setting up to fight for their rights as Israel's newest demographic. As for Gaza... I think we'll be seeing Gaza formally returning to Egypt within the next 20 years; you can't have a "country" that's split up like that, it doesn't work. Ask Pakistan.

[Recursion]

44. "Arab brethren"?

What a completely idiotic phrase.

[hack89]

45. Palestinians are Arabs, are they not? nt

[Recursion]

46. No (nt)

[hack89]

47. In any case, the Arab countries have routinely betrayed them. nt

[Mosby]

48. Yes. nt

[oberliner]

49. "In times of Arab revolts we know that our Arab brethren won’t forget about us..."

We are closer to Palestine than ever before and our right to return feels within nearer grasp than at any other time,” said Abu Jamil, a 38-year-old from Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. “In times of Arab revolts we know that our Arab brethren won’t forget about us and we are sure they will stand by us and join us in our struggle for Palestine and our right of return.”

This reaching out by Palestinian refugees to their Arab brethren was a sentiment voiced and emphasized by almost every Palestinian with whom I spoke. Many called for support to resurrect the struggle for the right of return and reinvigorate of the Palestinian cause as a whole.

http://electronicintifada.net/content/we-are-only-guests-lebanon-palestinians-look-homewards-land-day/11127

[leveymg]

28. Well spoken, and not at all offensive.

Last edited Tue Jul 3, 2012, 10:57 AM - Edit history (3)

Adelson is not a representative American Jew. He's a Jewish Mobster, who follows a long line of Right-wing organized crime figures with close ties to Vegas and Republicans that goes back to Meyer Lansky, who advised the Chicago Mob as World War Two was ending to "go legit", diversify, put their money on the GOP, and to make friends with the OSS/CIA. See, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/judaica/ejud_0002_0012_0_11917.html The Agency's chief paymaster for black operations, Paul Helliwell, learned many valuable lessons from Lanksy and the Vegas crowd about money laundering and how to run and finance a global clandestine organization. See, http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10095

Meyer, an astute man, observed the Republicans "have more powerful judges" and the spooks are untouchable. He gave good advice, and these connections have flourished on both sides ever since. See, http://forward.com/articles/5977/mafia-jews-inside-a-genuine-cabal/

Adelson is the point man in the Jewish Mob-GOP pipeline that was previously a major funder of John McCain's political career and ill-fated run for President. See, http://journals.democraticunderground.com/leveymg/365

[Scurrilous]

16. Divided Court Backs Campaign Financing Law

<snip>

"A divided Supreme Court upheld its decision in the Citizens United case that allows unlimited donations to political super-PACs, setting the stage for a dramatic partisan race for cash in the fall election.

By a 5-4 margin, the court’s conservative majority struck down a state law that would have chipped away at its 2010 decision that permitted corporations and super-rich to give as much as they want to political groups as long as they do not directly coordinate activities with candidates.

The ruling allowed Jewish casino mogul Sheldon Adelson to spend $35 million so far to bolster Republican candidates, making him a key target for Democrats and advocates for good government. Adelson says he may spend up to $100 million in an effort to help oust President Barack Obama from the White House."

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/158393/divided-court-backs-campaign-financing-law/#ixzz1ypNyoDiH

More good news...

Miriam Adelson gets a refund

<snip>

"It is not your typical refund.

Miriam Adelson, the wife of Nevada casino mogul and major GOP donor Sheldon Adelson, got a $5 million refund for one of her contributions to Winning Our Future, the super PAC that almost single-handedly kept Newt Gingrich's campaign alive by running millions of dollars in ads on his behalf.

Sheldon and Miriam Adelson donated a combined $20 million to the super PAC.

A day after Newt Gingrich suspended his campaign on May 1, Winning Our Future sent the $5 million refund to Mrs. Adelson.

That news was contained in the group's May disclosure report to the Federal Election Commission, which was filed Wednesday."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/20/miriam-adelson-gets-a-refund/

[azurnoir]

17. more about the campaign cocerning the US presidency

So they want Americans living here to make Israel the chief factor in voting for the next U.S. president. I called the organization, and after expressing interest in volunteering in the south Tel Aviv area, I was promptly contacted by the campaign’s strategic manager, a British-Israeli named Aron Shaviv. He is no stranger to running election campaigns, having worked as a staffer with the Yisrael Beiteinu campaign in 2006, as well as heading campaigns for center-right candidates in Eastern Europe.

He told me over the phone that he sees the initiative like the work on any other U.S. presidential campaign – visible and grassroots – where the specific focus here is on framing the election in terms of which candidate is best for Israel. And with plenty of Americans living in Israel (according to estimates, anywhere between 100,000-300,000), there is a chance to influence the outcome. ”If you can bring 5,000 in Florida, that’s a game changer,” he said.

I asked him whether it mattered that some of the Americans eligible to vote here had not lived in the United States in decades, and some had never even lived there at all. ”Legally no – 18 states out of 50 allow you to [vote] if your parents are citizens, and you were never there. Morally – the next president and congress will have a profound effect on our safety and security as Americans living in Israel. The decision will affect your life directly and it doesn’t make sense not to vote.”

According to a recent poll published in the Jerusalem Post, 59.9 percent of Americans in Israel said they “would likely, very likely, or definitely vote in the U.S. election, 19.6% said it was unlikely, and 18.1% said they would definitely not cast their ballots.” More significantly, of those who would vote, Republican candidate Mitt Romney received 32.3%, compared to U.S. President Barack Obama with 14.7%, with 27.2 calling themselves undecided.

http://972mag.com/campaign-urges-americans-in-israel-to-vote-in-2012-us-election/47807/

here's the interesting part IvoteIsrael is a 501 Pac in the US meaning it gave up its tax exempt status in favor of keeping its donors secret but it does sound up Adelsons alley

http://972mag.com/ad-urging-americans-in-israel-to-vote-want-a-palestinian-state/48526/

&feature=player_embedded#!

[Scurrilous]

18. Sheldon Adelson giving $10 million to Kochs

<snip>

"Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is giving $10 million to the 2012 election efforts of the Koch brothers, a Republican Party insider in Nevada confirms."

<snip>

"The donation was first reported by Politico, which adds that Adelson made his pledge at a Koch donor convention in San Diego this past weekend — another sign of how powerful a force the brothers have become in the GOP.

The Kochs are behind American for Prosperity, a non-profit group has already spent millions of dollars into ads attacking Obama and other Democrats. They’re also reportedly behind Themis, a voter information database meant to rival Democrats’ Catalist. Koch influence and funds also trickle down to various anti-Obama groups.

Adelson’s donations confirms that he intends to be one of the very top players in this election. He has already given $10 million to Restore Our Future, a super PAC run by ex-aides and associates of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney."

<snip>

"A major supporter of former House speaker Newt Gingrich in the Republican primary, Adelson was the largest single donor to Romney’s super PAC. His politics are defined mostly by his support for conservative politics in Israel and his opposition to unions in the U.S."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/sheldon-adelson-giving-10-million-to-kochs/2012/06/29/gJQAwDArBW_blog.html

[oberliner]

19. George Soros Giving $2 Million In Political Donations To Progressive Groups

WASHINGTON, May 7 (Reuters) - George Soros is pledging $2 million to two outside groups supporting progressive causes and helping President Barack Obama's re-election campaign and other Democrats running in November, a Soros advisor said on Monday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/08/george-soros-donation-obama_n_1499921.html

Campaign finance reform anyone?

[azurnoir]

22. so apparently you are troubled by Soros (who is claimed to be a Nazi collaboratorby 'some')

I'm sorry this makes you wish for campaign finance reform but not to worry Israel's 'friend' Romney will most likely be able to out spend Obama

[oberliner]

30. Troubled by so many millions being spent on political campaigns

There should be strict limits. It is out of control.

[Scootaloo]

37. While you're not wrong, your method of making the point is odd

"Both sides do it!" always raises my eyebrow, though.

[oberliner]

39. Some issues cross partisan lines

In my opinion, this ought to be one of them.

If McCain and Feingold were able to come together to propose a solution, that says something.

Though to be sure there was more support from this on the Democratic side and sadly the "reasonable Republicans" seem to have all but disappeared from the House and Senate.

In any case, we all ought to stand up for getting so much money out of politics.

[azurnoir]

23. Mitt Romney to visit Israel

Republican US presidential candidate Mitt Romney is planning a trip to Israel this summer, the New York Times reported on Monday.

An aide to Romney confirmed that a trip is being planned. No details were immediately available about exactly when and where the candidate will visit.

A trip to Israel would be designed in part to help Romney build support among Jewish voters, evangelical voters and conservatives.

During the Republican presidential primary, Romney accused President Barack Obama of throwing Israel, in his words, "under the bus." Romney also has said his policy toward the Jewish state would be the opposite of Obama

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4250404,00.html

[oberliner]

40. Israel Visit Not Likely In The Cards For President Obama

As election season heats up and murmurs of war with Iran turn to cable news shouts, conservatives are once again looking to use the White House’s somewhat tumultuous relationship with Israel as a wedge to pry Jewish voters away from President Obama in November.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/israel-visit-not-likely-in-the-cards-for-president-obama.php

FYI (per the article): There’s also no rule that says presidents have to make the trip. George W. Bush didn’t visit until late in his second term; Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush never traveled to Israel.

[azurnoir]

42. well I would guess that a candidate goes where he thinks he has the most support

and Romney has from what I've gathered a good deal of support in Israel much like his predecessor John McCain

[oberliner]

43. Obama is the President of the United States

Not just a candidate.

As president he visits many countries with varying degrees of support.

He visited Mubarak-ruled Egypt at one point fairly early in his presidency.

[Scurrilous]

33. Ex-Sands exec alleges prostitution in Macau sites

<snip>

"Allegations have surfaced in a Nevada court that billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson personally approved allowing prostitution and knew about other illegal acts at his company's casinos in the Chinese enclave of Macau.

Attorney Brad Brian, representing Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Sands China LTD., told a judge Thursday the allegations were "false" and "scurrilous."

Attorneys for former Sands executive Steven Jacobs allege in court documents filed Wednesday that emails and electronic records about Adelson's actions are missing from a cache of records the company has turned over in Jacobs' civil lawsuit stemming from his dismissal in July 2010.

Jacobs accuses the company and Adelson of breach of contract and of pushing him into illegal activity."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57463094/ex-sands-exec-alleges-prostitution-in-macau-sites/


Discovery may lead to Las Vegas Sands sanctions

<snip>

"Las Vegas Sands Corp. could face state court sanctions for not revealing that about 100,000 emails and other documents, previously said to be tied up in Macau and unavailable to a lawsuit plaintiff, actually have been in Las Vegas since 2010.

The documents, encoded on a hard drive, were requested by former Sands Macau executive Steven Jacobs in his wrongful termination suit against the company. In a pleading filed June 27 in Clark County District Court, Jacobs ticked off several areas where he said the documents would show that Las Vegas executives controlled the Macau properties "on matters of great import," contrary to Sands' assertions that Macau operated with a large degree of autonomy.

Potentially the most incendiary part was Jacobs' allegation that he had launched Project Clean Sweep in May 2009, designed "to ride the casino floor of loan sharks and prostitution." He added that his idea ran into "concern" among the Las Vegas Sands executives because "the prior prostitution strategy had been personally approved by (Chairman and CEO Sheldon) Adelson."

http://www.lvrj.com/business/discovery-may-lead-to-sands-sanctions-160803605.html

[Scurrilous]

50. Adelson fights US Democrats over “prostitution money” donation to Republicans

<snip>

"Las Vegas Sands’ boss Sheldon Adelson is threatening to file a libel lawsuit against the U.S. Democratic Party’s allegation that the billionaire is using the money gained from prostitution business in his Macau resorts to finance the Republican’s election campaign, according to a report by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The report says Adelson is preparing to fight the Democrats in the courtroom as well as on the campaign trail, as a lawyer representing Adelson threatened to file a libel suit against the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), after it posted blogs alleging the Las Vegas casino magnate was funding Republican candidates with money gained from prostitution."

<snip>

"The report says a DCCC spokesman confirmed they have received the warning from Clayton. Adelson contributed more than USD 10 million to support Republican candidate Newt Gingrich for president, and shifted his contributions to Mitt Romney after Gingrich dropped out. Millions more were donated to other Republican organizations and individual candidates.

The issue was linked, again, to the sacked former Sands CEO Steven Jacobs, who filed a lawsuit against Sands for the dismissal he deemed unjust, and it is in the court document that the “prostitution donation” was based. The accusation that Adelson welcomed prostitution at his Macau resorts surfaced last month in court documents in a suit by Jacobs who was fired in 2010 from overseeing Adelson’s properties in Macau. Adelson denied the allegation and called the accusation “outrageous” in an interview with Forbes."

http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/37319-adelson-fights-us-democrats-over-%E2%80%9Cprostitution-money%E2%80%9D-donation-to-republicans.html

[azurnoir]

51. Interesting however unless the prostitution was kept totally separate

from other monies that go into Adelson's pot any monies donated to anything can be said to come from prostitution

[Scurrilous]

52. Sheldon Adelson gave half of June donations to pro-Romney super PAC

<snip>

"Restore Our Future, a super PAC supporting Mitt Romney's campaign for president, raised about $20 million in June, more than three times the amount pulled in by the main super PAC behind President Barack Obama's re-election bid.

Just under half of the donations came from Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and his wife, who each donated $5 million apiece to the effort.

The group also received gifts of $1 million or more from a handful of sources, including Boston-based private equity leader John W. Childs, Texas-based real estate investor Harlan Crow and businessman Bill Koch. Foster Friess, who supported former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's Republican primary bid, gave $200,000."

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/sheldon-adelson-gave-half-june-donations-pro-romney/story?id=16824174#.UAvP3GFYtBo