Ron Paul fingers Obama as the 'corporate elite' candidate
- Thread starter financeguy
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Right. The next thing Paul is going to tell me is that the Illuminati and the Priory of Sion are involved too. Those who evoke the "New World Order" are about as unstable as those who thought global civilization was going to collapse, because computer clocks just wouldn't handle going from 99 to 00/100, instead of 2000.
I respect that Paul has a sharp ideological opposition to how the financial crisis has been handled, but he just sounds like an unhinged conspiracy nut when he talks like this.
I respect that Paul has a sharp ideological opposition to how the financial crisis has been handled, but he just sounds like an unhinged conspiracy nut when he talks like this.
Kieran McConville
ONE love, blood, life
So basically, it doesn't matter who we vote for, there's no hope. Except for Ron Paul, of course.
He was enough of a party man to make an effort at running for the Republican nomination. He would have been, in theory, prepared to be the nominee for the party of torture, Bush, Tom De Lay and the permanent majority (even if, as seems likely, he disagreed with these aspects of the party).
Forgive me if I am not wholly sold. Without even needing to mention Obama.
He was enough of a party man to make an effort at running for the Republican nomination. He would have been, in theory, prepared to be the nominee for the party of torture, Bush, Tom De Lay and the permanent majority (even if, as seems likely, he disagreed with these aspects of the party).
Forgive me if I am not wholly sold. Without even needing to mention Obama.
OP
OP
financeguy
ONE love, blood, life
Explain to me how a guy from nowhere gets elected US President without at least the tacit support of the corporate elite, because I don't see how it's possible. Look at the massive amounts of money he raised, where was that coming from? Jesse DuBois from Louisiana? Leroy Brown from the Bronx? I don't think so.
He has a Harvard degree, granted, but so do a lot of people.
But, if you guys prefer, I can present similar articles from a leftist perspective, arguing pretty much as Paul does, and I bet you won't call them unhinged conspiracy nuts.
He has a Harvard degree, granted, but so do a lot of people.
But, if you guys prefer, I can present similar articles from a leftist perspective, arguing pretty much as Paul does, and I bet you won't call them unhinged conspiracy nuts.
OP
OP
financeguy
ONE love, blood, life
Se7en
Rock n' Roll Doggie
perhaps of interest:
This table lists the top donors to this candidate in the 2008 election cycle. The organizations themselves did not donate , rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
Obama:
McCain:
it's somewhat interesting that 5 of obama's top donor groups were from higher ed institutions. none of mccain's were.
to address the op - i don't think it's any secret that the u.s. electoral system reproduces the status quo.
This table lists the top donors to this candidate in the 2008 election cycle. The organizations themselves did not donate , rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
Obama:
McCain:
opensecrets.org
it's somewhat interesting that 5 of obama's top donor groups were from higher ed institutions. none of mccain's were.
to address the op - i don't think it's any secret that the u.s. electoral system reproduces the status quo.
OP
OP
financeguy
ONE love, blood, life
Nice find, Se7en.
Vincent Vega
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Half of Obama's donations were below $200 with more than 3.5 million individual donors, according to Der Spiegel.
Se7en
Rock n' Roll Doggie
his donor numbers are remarkable, there's no doubt about it.
UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
I don't mind politicians accepting money from corporations - it's what they give back to the corporations that bothers me.
One thing that is interesting: Several companies gave to both candidates - but look at how much more they gave to Obama - Goldman Sachs 3x more to Obama, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan more than twice as much to Obama. I wonder what that's all about.
One thing that is interesting: Several companies gave to both candidates - but look at how much more they gave to Obama - Goldman Sachs 3x more to Obama, Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan more than twice as much to Obama. I wonder what that's all about.
OP
OP
financeguy
ONE love, blood, life
Aha. You are asking the right questions.
Betting on a winner?
UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
Well, I kinda figured that's what they were doing. I'm hoping Obama is a stone cold son of a bitch that doesn't do favors. That'd be badass.
GirlsAloudFan
Blue Crack Addict
Ron Paul fingers Obama?
That's disgusting.
That's disgusting.
Se7en
Rock n' Roll Doggie
there is no way to tell from those numbers was proportion of the donations came from the PACs (which employees donate to voluntarily) or from INDIVIDUAL donors themselves.
UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
Oh, I see. I didn't know it worked like that. And that kinda doesn't make sense to donate that way.....why give $20 to my boss to give to Obama instead of just giving it to Obama? Why do companies even have such things? I don't like that.
Se7en
Rock n' Roll Doggie
a very small amount of my very small paycheck goes to a PAC that uses the money to further the political goals of the parent organization, which i support. i imagine employees give money to their company PACs for similar reasons.
UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
OK, so then how does the PAC decide who to give the money to? If I give to a PAC and I like McCain, I don't want my money going to Obama. I'm confused.
Se7en
Rock n' Roll Doggie
it's a bit confusing...
Political action committee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
most PACs would have a clear agenda and i doubt a PAC would blatantly misdirect funds - why would people continue to donate? though anything is possible i suppose...
AliEnvy
Refugee
The message often seems to get lost on the (lack of) credibility of the messenger.
Is it really news that the powers that be exert significant influence on the choice of candidates and the outcome of elections? Hardly.
As always, the president-elect owes a big debt to those who got him elected - which seems to be a balancing act between special interest money and voters.
For decades, middle class voter apathy has typically allowed special interest to win government and legislative support.
The tide has most definitely turned so it will be interesting to watch Obama in action.
When political parties switch, nothing really changes - when the middle class is mobilized with a momentum to change - we get what we want.
What we want is pretty simple - security and a comfortable lifestyle. How we go about getting that in the current climate will put our deepest values and beliefs to the test. Individually and collectively.
Is it really news that the powers that be exert significant influence on the choice of candidates and the outcome of elections? Hardly.
As always, the president-elect owes a big debt to those who got him elected - which seems to be a balancing act between special interest money and voters.
For decades, middle class voter apathy has typically allowed special interest to win government and legislative support.
The tide has most definitely turned so it will be interesting to watch Obama in action.
When political parties switch, nothing really changes - when the middle class is mobilized with a momentum to change - we get what we want.
What we want is pretty simple - security and a comfortable lifestyle. How we go about getting that in the current climate will put our deepest values and beliefs to the test. Individually and collectively.
Dalton
Blue Crack Addict
Yeah. Its like you don't care that your wife takes money from strange men, you just don't like the idea of what she gives back to them that bothers you.
UberBeaver
Breakdancing Soul Pilgrim
Well, in that scenario it's what she brings home to me that the strange men gave her - aside from the money. But yeah, good analogy nonetheless.
A_Wanderer
ONE love, blood, life
The political system is bigger than single candidates, entrenched self-interested groups enable particular types of politicians to succeed, a form of non-random selection.
U2Fanatic4ever
Blue Crack Addict
i have to say the title of this thread is just wrong on so many levels 
