Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: elpolvo who wrote (25207)	8/12/2003 11:15:55 AM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

Tracking the influence of private money in President Bush's re-election campaign. So far, donors have given Bush: $47,950,000.00 whitehouseforsale.org Mission Statement Posted on 08-05-2003 4:20 PM EDT WhiteHouseForSale.org is a project of Public Citizen, a national public interest organization with 140,000 members. The purpose of the project is to educate the American public about the dangers of allowing people with vested interests in government decisions to play such a large role in financing presidential campaigns and to build citizen support for a comprehensive public financing system. The Web site is focused on President Bush’s fundraising activities because he is the only major candidate who has opted out of the current system of partial public financing that is designed to limit spending and contributions during the presidential primary elections. His strategy relies heavily on fundraisers who “bundle” many individual contributions of $2,000 or less and get “credit” for raising substantial amounts. This system gives these fundraisers inordinate influence with the administration and undermines restrictions on political donations by individuals. In 2000, Bush designated as Pioneers about 550 people who bundled at least $100,000 in contributions. This time, he has created a new category of super fundraisers – Rangers – who bundle at least $200,000. The total number of Rangers and Pioneers is expected to grow considerably during the campaign. These Rangers and Pioneers and the interests they represent have much at stake in Washington: legislation, regulations, government contracts and executive branch appointments News reports suggest Bush can collect at least $200 million during his unopposed primary campaign – nearly five times the amount that a candidate who remains in the public financing system can raise and spend. This Web site will track these special interest contributions and analyze the record of favoritism, conflicts-of-interest, corruption and appearances of corruption related to those contributions. We hope this project will build support for full public financing for presidential (and eventually congressional) elections, so that we can restore integrity to the electoral process, reduce special interest influence over officeholders and level the playing field among qualified candidates.