Guest post, edited by permission.
Right-wing politicians, especially Sharon Angle, continue to express concerns about the undue influence of big Labor Union money in elections. Unions are able to muster larger donations than individuals because they work together. But unions are comprised of working- and middle-class individuals, so there is a natural limit on their influence. Moreover, they are required to disclose their activities & donations.
On the other hand, corporations have no such limits. The have, relatively speaking, unlimited financial resources. And the Citizens United decision frees them to spend unlimited amounts without disclosure.
On balance, I am much more worried about the influence of mega-businesses & the super-rich in our political process. In particular, Koch Industries, the kids of John Birch Society founder Fred Koch; Rupert "Fair and Balanced" Murdock of News Corp/Fox News; and the foreign outsourcing firms donating to the Chamber of Commerce.
Here's just a few of the headlines:
Foreign-Funded ‘U.S.’ Chamber Of Commerce Running Partisan Attack Ads
The largest attack campaign against Democrats this fall is being waged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a trade association organized as a 501(c)(6) that can raise and spend unlimited funds without ever disclosing any of its donors.....As of Sept. 15th, the Chamber had aired more than 8,000 ads on behalf of GOP Senate candidates alone
News Corp. (Rupert Murdock/Fox News) contributed $1 million to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the business lobby that has been running an aggressive campaign in support of the Republican effort to retake Congress
News Corp. (Rupert Murdoch/Fox News) defends $1 million donation to Republican Governors Association
For a media company -- particularly one whose slogan is 'fair and balanced' -- to be injecting themselves into the outcome of races is stunning
The Billionaires Bankrolling the Tea Party (many, but at the forefront, Koch).
The Tea Party movement: deluded and inspired by billionaires.
By funding numerous rightwing organisations, the mega-rich Koch brothers have duped millions into supporting big business
Bid to suspend California global-warming law gets $1 million from billionaire Koch brothers' firm
Koch sponsoring Carly's Senate bid
A mystery donor has donated $1 million to The Tea Party Patriots and the group says it will pour the money into 2,800 smaller affiliate groups across the country in time for the November 2nd midterm elections....... As a 501(c)4 entity under the federal tax code, Tea Party Patriots is not regulated by federal campaign finance laws and therefore not required to reveal its funding sources.
- Ma'at's Feather
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