What Price Democracy?
In The Case of The Anti-Democracy Card Check Bill, It's $30 Million
By Pat Cleary Posted in Congress — Comments (13) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
You hear frequently in public discourse -- especially in times of war -- about the cost of democracy. Well, did you ever wonder how much democracy really costs? Thanks to some publicly-available information, we're able to tell you: About $30 million.
Yup -- that's how much the AFL-CIO and its various unions paid to well over 200 House candidates, both incumbents and challengers (and all Democrats) in the last election cycle. For that sum, these folks are willing to turn their backs on a central democratic principle -- secret ballot elections -- and support the anti-democracy card check bill.
In fact, of the top 20 House recipients of union PAC money -- all Dems -- all but one (Speaker Pelosi) is a co-sponsor of the anti-democracy bill. The Speaker, as you may know, doesn't usually sponsor legislation. These top 20 alone hauled in almost $9 million of workers' hard-earned dues. You can just scroll through chief sponsor George Miller's (D-CA) FEC report and behold the embarrassment of union PAC riches.
So the next time you hear someone ask -- rhetorically or not, "What price democracy?" Just confidently answer, "$30 million." For this group of Democrats in the House, it appears that's the going rate, the price at which they're willing to throw democracy out the window.
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What Price Democracy? 13 Comments (0 topical, 13 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Yup -- that's how much the AFL-CIO and its various unions paid to well over 200 House candidates, both incumbents and challengers (and all Democrats) in the last election cycle. For that sum, these folks are willing to turn their backs on a central democratic principle -- secret ballot elections -- and support the anti-democracy card check bill.
The link you cite shows that 213 Republican Representatives received money as well. While Democrats did receive considerably more from labor, hardly a shock, it is disingenuous of you to suggest that only Democrats received money from labor.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
deception by omission is one thing.
Outright mistruths are another.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
weren't exactly getting all that much money. The DNC members got 5 times as much money as the GOP and considering that in 2006 the GOP was in control, I am guessing the money given to the GOP was essentially to cover their bases.
Over 36 million was given to legislators in the house. The lions share to DNC members who now apparantly think giving unions more power to strong arm company employees into unions so they can fill their coffers is a good idea.
Democrats
202
$148,347
$29,966,071
Republicans
213
$30,365
$6,467,732
Independents
1
$301,198
$301,198
TOTAL
416
$88,305
$36,735,001
How does that jibe with Pat's claim that only Democrats received funds?
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
You hear frequently in public discourse -- especially in times of war -- about the cost of democracy. Well, did you ever wonder how much democracy really costs? Thanks to some publicly-available information, we're able to tell you: About $30 million.
Notice that amount? That is how much the unions gave to democrats-the total money given was 36 million and some change with the balance going to the GOP and Independants.
Then he goes on to say that the top 20 recipients-ie the recipients that received the most money were all democrats. Not that only democrats received funds.
If you want to quibble with something-then quibble with the fact that he didn't say house GOP members got about 6 million in funds in 2006-but does that 6 million really matter? I don't recall the GOP in 2006 pushing this kind of bill.
Also, I wonder if the 1/5 of funds given to house legislators will got down in 2007 since the GOP is now in the minority. Want to bet the GOP congress members get less?
Over 90% of union PAC money goes to Dems. You can't argue that this equals bipartisanship in any meaningful way.
Clearly the Democrats gets the lion's share of the labor PAC money.
But that wasn't what you said. You said....
Yup -- that's how much the AFL-CIO and its various unions paid to well over 200 House candidates, both incumbents and challengers (and all Democrats) in the last election cycle.
Now I will grant that perhaps I misread this. My first reading inferred that every the AFL-CIO gave money to was a Democrat. Were you suggesting that all Democrats received their money, as I see you may have meant to say.
There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why ... I dream of things that never were and ask why not. - Robert Kennedy
It comes as no surprise that labor supports democrats at all levels of government. Anything given to republicans is mere token focusing on "rinos" with a record of supporting organizaed labor, or to those who are in such safe districts they have no choice. Also it avoids a full scale FEC investigation.
However, don't look for any media attention to this, especially the MSM. Remember, almost everyone in the media is a 'union member" in good standing. So why bite the had that protects them?
Good point. I continue to be astonished that the press isn't' covering this story more fully. I can't imagine any other erosion of elections that wouldn't cause front page outrage from them.
There is no confusion in this group, they know who owes them;
"According to Communist Party Labor Commission Chair Scott Marshall, "The Democrats are beholden to labor and must pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)."
And they expect to be rewarded. Read it here
Judas only got 30 pieces of silver, and we all know what he did with the money. Here's to hoping the trend will repeat itself (figuratively of course). Now that they are in power they have more than enough rope.
Check out this story if you missed it yesterday:
"Financial services companies are inclined to give to me because I'm chairman of the committee important to their interests," said Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, who will headline a breakfast Wednesday at a D.C. hotel, for which donations range from $1,000 to $15,000 for the Democratic National Committee. "I'm fundraising to give to others so I can help stay in the majority and do the public policy things I want."
Evil prevails only when good men do nothing.