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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2010 / More on the Foreign Money “Conventional Wisdom”

More on the Foreign Money “Conventional Wisdom”

by John Cole|  October 13, 201012:00 pm| 37 Comments

This post is in: Election 2010, DC Press Corpse

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Greg Sargent has a nice round-up (via the GOS). Given that the village has been pretty much wrong about everything, I think this seals the deal and Dems should be pushing hard on this issue.

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37Comments

  1. 1.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    October 13, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    During the Clenis Crisis, the public was 30% in favor of impeachment, 70% against; in the Village, those numbers seemed almost perfectly reversed. With the exception of the post-9/11 hysteria, I think that McEstimate pretty much reflects the Village-Real World disconnect for the last twelve or so years, especially when you consider the economic disconnect between people on TV and people watching it.

  2. 2.

    MattR

    October 13, 2010 at 12:07 pm

    I can’t quite find the right words to describe the disconnect between the way the media treats this issue compared with how they treat the Tea Party’s populism

  3. 3.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    October 13, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    The Democrats could also use this as a larger springboard toward describing how corporations do not have US interests at heart and would sell the country in order to make a profit.

  4. 4.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    October 13, 2010 at 12:09 pm

    @MattR: I believe the term is “self-serving.”

  5. 5.

    Xecky Gilchrist

    October 13, 2010 at 12:15 pm

    I’m not sure why the Republicans believe they can address this by becoming stupider and angrier, but you can be that’s what they’re going to try.

  6. 6.

    AgnosticOracle

    October 13, 2010 at 12:19 pm

    It occurs to me that the Foreign Money attack is also a good opportunity to remind votes about Republicans apologizing to the foreign corporation BP after the oil spill.

  7. 7.

    gene108

    October 13, 2010 at 12:21 pm

    I’m shocked, shocked I tell you to find out that 80% of Americans are communists.

    I mean what’s with 80% of these people? If you are against big business buying up the government, as just another investment, you must clearly hate capitalism and our way of life.

  8. 8.

    Dennis SGMM

    October 13, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    If the CoC decided that businesses should be able to harvest and sell the organs of living debtors the Republicans would sign off on that and deride any Democrat who opposed it as “anti-business.”

  9. 9.

    cleek

    October 13, 2010 at 12:24 pm

    @Xecky Gilchrist:

    I’m not sure why the Republicans believe they can address this by becoming stupider and angrier

    MO: “So what do you want here, uh…appendectomy, lipo, or…’the sampler’? That’s very popular.”

    HOMER: “I want you to stick this crayon into my brain.”

    MO: “No problem. The old ‘crayola oblongata’.” (sticking crayon up nostril) “Alright, tell me when I hit the sweet spot.”

    HOMER: “Deeper…you pusilanimus pilsner pusher!”

    MO: “Alright, alright.” (hammers crayon twice into nosril cavity…clank clank!)

    HOMER: (Yells) “DEFENSE! UGH UGH! DEFENSE! UGH UGH!”

    MO: “Uh, that’s pretty dumb, but eh… (hammers crayon in once more…clank!)”

    HOMER: “Extended warranty? How could I lose?”

    MO: “Perfect!”

  10. 10.

    Paul L.

    October 13, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    Your source Greg Sargent is a dishonest hack.

    From Twitter

    Why is it so hard for some to process the idea that MoveOn is a Federal PAC, subject to same disclosure laws that candidates are?

    From Wiki

    MoveOn comprises two legal entities, each organized under a different section of U.S. tax and election laws. MoveOn.org Civic Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, and was formerly known as MoveOn.org. MoveOn Civic Action focuses on education and advocacy on national issues. MoveOn.org Political Action is a federal political action committee, and was formerly known as MoveOn PAC.

    Greg Sargent should check the Moveon.org about page.

    Has MoveOn.org Civic Action released their donors list?

    From the Moveon.org about page

    MoveOn.org Civic Action has created a number of television and print advertisements to amplify the voices of MoveOn members.

    So much for the progressive’s that they disclose donor’s to ads talking point.

  11. 11.

    Chyron HR

    October 13, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    @Paul L.:

    So much for the progressive’s that they disclose donor’s to ads talking point.

    This is America. Speak English or get out.

  12. 12.

    Joe Beese

    October 13, 2010 at 12:29 pm

    Do you know why the Democrats will do nothing of the kind?

    Because they hope that they’ll be the recipients of that largesse some day.

    You want to divert the stream onto your farmland. You don’t want to dam the stream.

  13. 13.

    Scott

    October 13, 2010 at 12:30 pm

    Dems should be pushing hard on this issue.

    “But — But — the conventional wisdom! The conventional wisdom! It says we must ignore it! The conventional wisdom says!”

    So they won’t push it at all. Bet money on it.

    Someday, I hope someone elects some goddamn competent Democrats.

  14. 14.

    Belafon (formerly anonevent)

    October 13, 2010 at 12:34 pm

    @Paul L.: I see your rage at being discovered has got the spittle coming out of your mouth. Do you work for the Chamber of Commerce?

  15. 15.

    maya

    October 13, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    What’s the big deal seeing as many a Merican corporation sport flags of different nations on their pitard in this enlightened era of GobbledeGlobalization. Isn’t Halliburton, Cheney & Daughter,Ltd, for example, HQ’ed in Dubai? The USCofC is just acknowledging that our elections are important to everyone with a monied interest where ever they may reside because Merica is the epicenter of their economic universe. They’re just donating to USCofC organized pre-disaster relief efforts.

  16. 16.

    Dennis SGMM

    October 13, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    @Paul L.:
    Did you major in False Equivalence or was it Spittle Flecked Rage with a minor in False Equivalence?

  17. 17.

    Bill Murray

    October 13, 2010 at 12:45 pm

    @Belafon (formerly anonevent): he performed the crayola oblongata on himself

  18. 18.

    Mnemosyne

    October 13, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    @Paul L.:

    MoveOn.org Political Action is a federal political action committee, and was formerly known as MoveOn PAC.

    So who wants to break it to Paul that “PAC” is an abbreviation of “political action committee,” so what he’s discovered is that MoveOn spelled out the abbreviation?

    This is like going nuts because someone came to your door saying they were with the Department of Water and Power, but their ID says they’re with the DWP, so clearly they’re lying about who they are!

  19. 19.

    Earl Butz

    October 13, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    This is America. Speak English or get out.

    @Chyron HR: so…much…win…

  20. 20.

    dmsilev

    October 13, 2010 at 12:53 pm

    @Chyron HR: In all fairness, you have to admit that completely mangled grammar and word choice is about as American as apple pie.

    dms

  21. 21.

    Tsulagi

    October 13, 2010 at 12:59 pm

    I think this seals the deal and Dems should be pushing hard on this issue.

    You would think, but then we are talking about Democrats.

    Should take the attack within the local state level as in the Maddow clip it appears Feingold is doing. No one likes to see out-of-state money being funneled into one of their state races whether it be a candidate or an initiative.

    Don’t recall exactly the initiative in my state, but there was one dealing with some deregulation four years ago. What was noticeable was the slick TV ads and frequency. Sounded good too. The classic punch line deregulation in this initiative would lead to more jobs in state and give small businessmen a chance. Flowers and candies for all.

    But then the group, with of course a great sounding real American name, fought full disclosure of its funding. A local reporter tied the money as to really coming from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, then after a local activist judge ruling the chamber disclosed that money was actually being funneled from a few big out-of-state companies.

    The initiative had been polling well above 50%, but after those disclosures it went down big in flames. People hate outsiders messing in their state. If Ds hit on that in their state races and huge big bonus if they could get a furriner tag on the money, it wouldn’t hurt. But then Olympia Snowe’s feelings and bipartisanship might be offended not to mention someone somewhere might get mad at them and call them names so there is that overriding concern.

  22. 22.

    Paul L.

    October 13, 2010 at 1:10 pm

    @Mnemosyne:
    In order for your argument to work, you have to ignore the second part of Moveon.

    MoveOn comprises two legal entities… MoveOn.org Civic Action is a 501©(4) nonprofit corporation, and was formerly known as MoveOn.org.

    But the argument stills beats dmsilev and Chyron HR defense of Greg Sargent

    I hope the nutroots/Firebaggers/progressive noisemachine keeps pushing this (to quote Glennzilla)

    reckless, sloppy and somewhat McCarthyite behavior in accusing the Chamber of Commerce — with no evidence whatsoever — of using nefarious “foreign money” to pay for these ads, and then demanding that they reveal their funders in order to prove their innocence.

    narrative .

  23. 23.

    Dennis SGMM

    October 13, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    @Tsulagi:

    But then the group, with of course a great sounding real American name, fought full disclosure of its funding. A local reporter tied the money as to really coming from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, then after a local activist judge ruling the chamber disclosed that money was actually being funneled from a few big out-of-state companies.

    The people finaincing California’s Prop. 23 (Mandates the suspension of AB32, also known as the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 until CA’s unemployment drops below 5.5% for four consecutive quarters – essentially, forever) titled Prop. 23 “The California Jobs Initiative.”

    Who’s doing the iniating? Texas-based Valero Energy Corporation and Tesoro Corporation.Their in the august company of Kansas-based Flint Hills Resources, a division of Koch Industries.

    The anti-Prop. 23 folks have run some ads pointing this out but, they’re being outspent. Because the word “Jobs” is in the title of the initiative and because California’s legions of LIVs won’t know who’s sponsoring it, Prop. 23 now polls in a dead heat and it will probably pass. Wait ’til the suckers who voted for it find out that it means no new jobs and the possible loss of 50,000 green jobs.

    California’s Proposition system has enabled us to make our state into a third-world country.

  24. 24.

    Martin

    October 13, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: They don’t care what the public thinks. They care what the advertisers think. What was the polling on the people that give them pageviews or drive up their Nielsons? I bet it matched their narrative.

  25. 25.

    batgirl

    October 13, 2010 at 1:24 pm

    Paul L. is right that Move On has separated into two separate entities: a traditional PAC and a 501(c)4. A 501(c)4 does not have to release its donor list nor limit contributions. Rove’s Crossroads GPS is a 501(c)4.

    Does this make them equivalent as Paul L. seems to suggest? Maybe, maybe not. I clicked on the link for ads for Move On Civic Action. Right now there is nothing there nor have I seen any. I have seen ad after ad attacking Democratic candidates in IL by Rove’s Crossroads GPS. It is clearly a partisan political ad. And I have no fucking clue who is funding it.

    And this is clearly the problem. It is clearly the problem, Paul, whether these 501(c)4 organizations run ads supporting/attacking either party.

    And the fact that Move On has a 501(c)4, Paul, does nothing to address the questions of who is funding the Chamber ads and Rove’s Crossroads ads, questions that we have every right to ask and questions that the press would be asking if we had a functioning press corp in this country.

    If you want to go ahead and ask who is funding Move On Civic Action, fine, go ahead. You should. Just like we should be told who is funding these so called “nonpartisan” Republican attack groups.

  26. 26.

    Martin

    October 13, 2010 at 1:28 pm

    @Dennis SGMM:

    California’s Proposition system has enabled us to make our state into a third-world country.

    If I get to grow bananas in my yard, it might be worth it, though.

  27. 27.

    Chyron HR

    October 13, 2010 at 1:31 pm

    @Paul L.:

    McCarthyite

    Shorter Republican Tea Nazi Appreciation Party: “McCarthy was an American hero! Now stop your McCarthyite attacks on us!”

  28. 28.

    Nick

    October 13, 2010 at 1:32 pm

    @Dennis SGMM:

    The anti-Prop. 23 folks have run some ads pointing this out but, they’re being outspent. Because the word “Jobs” is in the title of the initiative and because California’s legions of LIVs won’t know who’s sponsoring it, Prop. 23 now polls in a dead heat and it will probably pass.

    bully pulpit!

  29. 29.

    Zandar

    October 13, 2010 at 1:35 pm

    Given that the village has been pretty much wrong about everything, I think this seals the deal and Dems should be pushing hard on this issue.

    Given the Dems response of doing the wrong thing every time, I think it’s same as it ever was.

  30. 30.

    Nellcote

    October 13, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    It was disappointing to see John Stewart equating Dems questioning CoC funding to Fox questioning funding for Park 51.

  31. 31.

    Dennis SGMM

    October 13, 2010 at 1:38 pm

    @Martin:

    If enough Californians started growing food crops in their yards you’d soon see the California Public Nutrition and Food Safety initiative making it a misdemeanor to consume any foodstuff not purchased at a retail establishment.

  32. 32.

    Nick

    October 13, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    @Nellcote:

    It was disappointing to see John Stewart equating Dems questioning CoC funding to Fox questioning funding for Park 51.

    or Glen Greenwald calling it “McCarthyite”

    This sure proves that if they’d only fight, liberals would have their backs!

  33. 33.

    Juicebagger

    October 13, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    Oh, goody! A juicy Greenwald quote to feed our addiction to OUTRAGE!

  34. 34.

    Nellcote

    October 13, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    @Nick:

    This sure proves that if they’d only fight, liberals would have their backs!

    I thought they disdained the Liberal label. Aren’t they Progressives?

  35. 35.

    Bob Loblaw

    October 13, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    @Nick:

    I still don’t understand why people hit Greenwald for stuff like that? When has he ever shown the slightest interest in aiding Democrats electoral fortunes?

    He doesn’t care about the party, and openly despises a good two-thirds of its members.

  36. 36.

    debbie

    October 13, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    I don’t have a problem believing there’s foreign money coming in from the Chamber. They’re called multinational companies.

  37. 37.

    Nick

    October 13, 2010 at 4:29 pm

    @Bob Loblaw:

    I still don’t understand why people hit Greenwald for stuff like that? When has he ever shown the slightest interest in aiding Democrats electoral fortunes?

    Good, so can we stop pretending his point of view is some sort of electoral elixir.

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