OT
I've been a MSFT shareholder for 15 odd years. I think the ongoing anti-trust jihad is nothing more than a disgusting politically motivated incursion into the free market. I'm also of the opinion that Ralph Nader is, for the most part, a tired old loonie left crackpot who spouts off stale platitudes.
That being said, the following quote from your Nader link, thirdworldtraveler.com, clearly shows what an unprincipled jerk Paul Allen is. Screwing the taxpayers of Washington state to pay for his toys was truly revolting, IMO. I've voted my displeasure with Allen on my MSFT proxy ballot for some years.
Regards, JB
...no case illustrates the hijacking of democratic procedures more clearly than billionaire Paul Allen's buying of an especially-made-for-Allen Washington state referendum to approve $300 million in public subsidies to build a football stadium for his Seattle Seahawks. Mega-billionaire Allen, co-founder of Microsoft with Bill Gates and one of the richest men in the world, bought the referendum both literally and figuratively.
In a stunningly brazen maneuver, he paid the state of Washington for the costs of running the special referendum election in June 1997. Although later challenged as a violation of the state's constitution, the state Supreme Court upheld the private financing of the election. But even the Supreme Court majority which upheld the constitutionality of the election purchase blanched at its political ramifications. "Troubling questions may arise, such as whether any wealthy entity could persuade the legislature to place a measure on the ballot provided the costs of the election were paid," wrote Justice Barbara Madsen for the majority.
Having paid for the issue to get on the ballot, Allen then waged a $6.3 million campaign-the most expensive in Washington state history-to convince voters to support the $300 million public subsidy to the stadium. He devoted $2.3 million to radio and TV ads. In total, Allen outspent opponents of the referendum by a 42-to-1 margin.
Allen's investment proved just enough: Washington voters, initially opposed by overwhelming numbers to the idea of public funding for the stadium, approved the referendum with a 51 percent majority. |
