2 Bills Would Benefit Top Bush* Fundraisers

[kskiska]

Executives' Companies Could Get Billions

Saturday, November 22, 2003; Page A01

More than three dozen of President Bush's major fundraisers are affiliated with companies that stand to benefit from the passage of two central pieces of the administration's legislative agenda: the energy and Medicare bills.

The energy bill provides billions of dollars in benefits to companies run by at least 22 executives and their spouses who have qualified as either "Pioneers" or "Rangers," as well as to the clients of at least 15 lobbyists and their spouses who have achieved similar status as fundraisers. At least 24 Rangers and Pioneers could benefit from the Medicare bill as executives of companies or lobbyists working for them, including eight who have clients affected by both bills.

By its latest count, Bush's reelection campaign has designated more than 300 supporters as Pioneers or Rangers. The Pioneers were created by the Bush campaign in 2000 to reward supporters who brought in at least $100,000 in contributions. For his reelection campaign, Bush has set a goal of raising as much as $200 million, almost twice what he raised three years ago, and established the designation of Ranger for those who raise at least $200,000.

With the size of donations limited as a result of the campaign finance law enacted last year, fundraisers who can collect $100,000 or more in contributions of $2,000 or less have become key players this election cycle. The law barred the political parties from collecting large -- sometimes reaching $5 million to $10 million -- "soft money" contributions from businesses, unions, trade associations and individuals. This has put a premium on those who can solicit dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of smaller contributions from employees, clients and associates.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5053-2003Nov21.html

[ibegurpard]

1. how shocking!

Actually, what is shocking is how blase I have become about the daily outrages of this criminal misadministration.

[fizzana]

2. It's time the Democrats wake u0p and realize that this is a class

war and they have to start hammering Bush day after day on this. Howard Dean is 100% right. If the Democrats can convince even one out of twenty guys riding around with Confederate decals on their pick-ups that they are being screwed and not served by Bush it'll be game, set and match next November.

[slaveplanet]

3. so that's about 10% of the pioneers

that they're admitting to-where does Walden O'Dell fit in Chimpy?

[BuckeFushe]

4. and NO ONE on the Senate floor has brought this up?

Replace Daschle, we do a better job of discussing the issues than he does.