To: longnshort who wrote (652991 ) 4/27/2012 1:16:50 PM From: joseffy Respond to Mr. Obama, who acknowledges no rules. "Behind the curtain : A brief history of Romney's donors." In the post, the Obama campaign named and shamed eight private citizens profiting from oil. a "bitter foe of the gay rights movement." private citizens nonetheless. Not one holds elected office. Not one has the barest fraction of the position or the power of the U.S. leader who is publicly assaulting them. "We don't tolerate presidents or people of high power to do these things," "When you have the power of the presidency—the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC—what you have effectively done is put these guys' names up on 'Wanted' posters in government offices." Mr. Olson knows these tactics, having demanded that the 44th president cease publicly targeting Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries, which he represents. He's been ignored. The real crime of the men, as the website tacitly acknowledges, is that they have given money to Mr. Romney. He's targeted insurers, oil firms and Wall Street —letting it be known that those who oppose his policies might face political or legislative retribution. He lectured the Supreme Court for giving companies more free speech and (falsely) accused the Chamber of Commerce of using foreign money to bankroll U.S. elections. The White House even ginned up an executive order (yet to be released) to require companies to list political donations as a condition of bidding for government contracts . Companies could bid but lose out for donating to Republicans. Or they could quit donating to the GOP—Mr. Obama's real aim. "he's doing the same at the individual level, for anyone who opposes his policies." Any giver, at any level, risks reprisal from the president of the United States.The White House's new strategy is thus to delegitimize Mr. Romney (by attacking his donors) seeks to frighten others out of giving . He swore an oath to protect and defend a Constitution that gives every American the right to partake in democracy , free of fear of government intimidation or disfavored treatment.
