Democrats Get Late Donations From Business

[DoYouEverWonder]

Oct. 28 — Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.

The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House for the first time in four decades.

Though Democratic control of either chamber of Congress is far from certain, the prospect of a power shift is leading interest groups to begin rethinking well-established relationships, with business lobbyists going as far as finding potential Democratic allies in the freshman class — even if they are still trying to defeat them on the campaign trail — and preparing to extend an olive branch the morning after the election.

Lobbyists, some of whom had fallen out of the habit of attending Democratic events, are even talking about making their way to the Sonnenalp Resort in Vail, Colo., where Representative Nancy Pelosi of California is holding a Speaker’s Club ski getaway on Jan. 3. It is an annual affair, but the gathering’s title could be especially apt for Ms. Pelosi, the House minority leader, who will be on hand to accept $15,000 checks, and could, if everything breaks her way, become the first woman to be House speaker.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/us/politics/28hedge.html?hp&ex=1162008000&en=ed7ed6f834335048&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Eric J in MN]

1. We need a NEW campaign finance system.

Give each party's House candidate public money based on how well the party did in the Congressional district in the previous election.

There is a proposal like this in Congress. Maybe it can be enacted after this election.

[EFerrari]

3. We need public campaign financing.

Yeah, right. :(

[iamjoy]

4. Wouldn't That Favor Incumbents?

I think the amount of public funds ought to be based off of the number of registered voters who sign a petition to put a candidate on the ballot.

Or, matching funds for individual contributions, but, only contributions of UNDER a certain amount are counted (and one per contributor)

Of course, maybe that's too complicated.

[AlGore-08.com]

13. Campaign finance reform is (unfortunately) complicated - - it should be enough

To have full public financing, free air time and campaign spending limits - - all based on the office that someone is campaigning for. Everybody running for County Commissioner in County A gets the same amount; everybody running for State Assembly in the district that contains county A get a little more, everybody running for Congress for that district gets a little more, etc.

And if the candidate doesn't spend all the publicly allowed funds, they don't get to keep the left over cash.

But how about when one of the people campaigning is an incumbent, and has instant name recognition and tons of free media? What if they're a member of an entrenched political family (a Bush or a Kennedy)? What if one of the folks running is a famous actor or musician or sports star? Is that enough of an advantage to require their opponent to get more money or air time? How do you figure out how much?

[katinmn]

2. Hey Dems! Don't forget the little people!

[gratuitous]

16. Well, it WAS the little people

Who provided a lot of the funding, volunteers, and oomph to create a helluva lot of competitive races. Business is just trying to jump on the bandwagon that we got rolling. These late donations are an attempt to fog taht issue, but we need to keep the Democrats mindful -- should they win a majority, of course -- of who put them in position to win so many races.

[kurth]

5. Can we tell the corporate motherfuckers to get lost?

Remember in Corporate America, corporations ALWAYS come first. Specifically, their CEOs.

[gristy]

6. Democrats Get Late Donations From Business

By JEFF ZELENY and ARON PILHOFER
Published: October 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 — Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.

The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House for the first time in four decades.

Though Democratic control of either chamber of Congress is far from certain, the prospect of a power shift is leading interest groups to begin rethinking well-established relationships, with business lobbyists going as far as finding potential Democratic allies in the freshman class — even if they are still trying to defeat them on the campaign trail — and preparing to extend an olive branch the morning after the election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/us/politics/28hedge.html?hp&ex=1162008000&en=ed7ed6f834335048&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[razors edge]

7. rats-ship n/t

[NVMojo]

8. fecking jerks

[napi21]

9. I sure don't want to seethe winning Dems fall into the same

buy-off mess the Pubs have, but this is a very good sign. These business guys watch politics really closely, and if they're thinking the Dems will win, that's good.

I realize they're just hedging their bets right now, but it's still a good sign.

[JudyM]

10. Good. Take their $ now. Then enact campaign finance reform. nt

[Towlie]

11. Let's hope it doesn't turn out like in Animal Farm.

Remember how the pigs led the other animals in a revolt against the tyrannical humans, yet in the end, they walked on two legs themselves?

The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.

[Pirate Smile]

12. NYT: Democrats Get Late Donations From Business

Democrats Get Late Donations From Business

By JEFF ZELENY and ARON PILHOFER
Published: October 28, 2006

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 — Corporate America is already thinking beyond Election Day, increasing its share of last-minute donations to Democratic candidates and quietly devising strategies for how to work with Democrats if they win control of Congress.

The shift in political giving, for the first 18 days of October, has not been this pronounced in the final stages of a campaign since 1994, when Republicans swept control of the House for the first time in four decades.

Though Democratic control of either chamber of Congress is far from certain, the prospect of a power shift is leading interest groups to begin rethinking well-established relationships, with business lobbyists going as far as finding potential Democratic allies in the freshman class — even if they are still trying to defeat them on the campaign trail — and preparing to extend an olive branch the morning after the election.

Lobbyists, some of whom had fallen out of the habit of attending Democratic events, are even talking about making their way to the Sonnenalp Resort in Vail, Colo., where Representative Nancy Pelosi of California is holding a Speaker’s Club ski getaway on Jan. 3. It is an annual affair, but the gathering’s title could be especially apt for Ms. Pelosi, the House minority leader, who will be on hand to accept $15,000 checks, and could, if everything breaks her way, become the first woman to be House speaker.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/us/politics/28hedge.html?hp&ex=1162008000&en=ed7ed6f834335048&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[CANDO]

14. Go "CHENEY" yourselves!

This is what we are facing as a major issue as Democrats trying to get our party back. We must not allow our party to play back into the hands of big business money and forget who took them to the dance. I have a sickening feeling that we will be taken for granted once again. These simple bastards should finally get it that they abandoned their roots as the party of the people before and it eventually cost them their majority. They need to realize this may be their last chance to embrace the FDR ideals of this party or they will forever lose all credibility and my vote.

[SOS]

15. Return their checks

As long as Pfizer and Exxon are paying, nothing will ever change in this country.

The dems should announce a unilateral ban on any corporate and pac money.

Once free to speak, we will win every election by a large margin. There is enormous untapped animosity in this country towards our Wall Street overlords.
A Democratic candidate who attacks them will win in a landlside.

But then how do we finance?

60 million Kerry voters at $10 each = $600 million.

[0rganism]

17. hedge fund investments

same diff