Mr. Allen: Unlike some right-wingers on this board, I don't make stuff up. I also don't whine. I may bash from time to time, but I don't whine. Think of me as Clark Kent; I just report the facts. If you wish to ignore the truth, that is your call. Read the following, and if you think it's a bunch of poppycock, then post something from a credible source that rebuts it. Note that this figure didn't come out of some union hall, but from an objective, non-partisan group.
Headline:
"Business Outspending Unions on Politics by 15-to-1"
The $841.8 million in political contributions made by business so far in the 2000 election cycle swamps the contributions of working families through their unions by 15-to-1, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. The report, Who's Paying for This Election, says union political contributions since Jan. 1, 1999, total $56.3 million.
Based on Federal Election Commission data released Oct. 1, the center's study says business has an even greater advantage in one type of political spending—in "soft money" contributions, business outspent unions by 17-to-1.
During the 1998 election cycle, according to a previous report by the center, business outspent unions on politics by 11-to-1, as it had for the 1996 elections. During the four years prior to 1998, the center reported a 34 percent jump in political fund-raising. In releasing the center's new report Oct. 18, Executive Director Larry Makinson said spending on the 2000 election could top that of the previous presidential election by 50 percent.
The failure by Congress to pass campaign finance reform legislation supported by working families and their unions guarantees that business can continue to shovel hundreds of millions of dollars more to its favored candidates than unions can match. Unions and working families, however, are countering Big Business's massive political spending edge with grassroots mobilization and people-powered politics.
(Source: AFL-CIO Web site)
Flapjack speaking again: To reiterate, if you're going to pooh-pooh this story just because it's on the AFL-CIO Web site, then post something that contradicts these figures from a credible Web site, not newsmax.com or rushlimbo.com. Don't bother posting some right-wing propaganda.
The fact of the matter is this: It's not union spending that makes you mad. It's the fact that unions were able to get out the vote so effectively on Nov. 7. That's what you fear: The power of the people.
Get used to it. This was just the beginning. |
