Politics at a Christmas Party? #2
Dec 23, 2015 0:27:20 GMT -6
Nugget, Glencairn, and 1 more like this
Post by Charles1952 on Dec 23, 2015 0:27:20 GMT -6
It seems an offense to name a post "Politics at a Christmas Party?" and not follow it up with a #2. But, based on the comments to #1, I'll keep this short so everyone can get back to their holiday partying.
My friend was terribly concerned about the role of corporate giving since the Supreme Court decided the Citizens United case. He's also nearly frantic over the role of the Koch brothers, and finally, he's willing to speak about how large contributors are bankrolling Republicans to the detriment of the country. There are a lot of numbers on the subject at OpenSecrets.org, and I took advantage of their records for the 2014 election, the most recent federal election. Here's what I found.
Of the top ten organizational donors, Unions placed 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Businesses placed 1st, 4th, and 10th. The others were interest groups. So, that shows the influence of Republican businesses? No. Only one group, a business, the one in 10th place, gave its money to Republicans. The totals for the top 10 organizational donors (rounded)? Republicans got $18.3 million, Democrats got $269.7 million, nearly 15 times as much as the Republicans.
Out of the 25 largest organizational donors, four were businesses which gave money to Republicans, and four were businesses donating to Democrats. From those eight business donors, $42.2 million went to Republicans and $104.0 million went to Democrats. Out of that same group of the 25 largest, unions accounted for $153 million of donations to Democrats, more than the business donations to both parties combined.
Summary? The powerful donors are unions, not corporations, and Democrats get much more money from the "Big Boys" than Republicans do. Koch Industries? They are ranked number 14 on the list, with less cash donated than AFSCME, the government employees' union. The two teachers' unions gave about 4 1/2 times what Koch did.
But people don't talk about Koch Industries, they talk about the Koch Brothers, individuals. So how do they rank among individual donors?
Thomas Steyer and Michael Bloomberg are one and two on the individual donor list, chipping in $85.9 million directly to Democrats. Charles Koch ranked 10th, and David Koch was at 25th place. Their total was $7.8 million. The Koch brothers are barely in the game.
The top 10 individual donors gave $48.3 million to Republicans and $103.4 million to Democrats.
Summary? Forget the Koch brothers, Michael Bloomberg gives more than both of them combined, and Thomas Steyer gives more than nine times the Koch brothers combined. Bloomberg and Steyer donate, needless to say, to the Democrats.
So if you're worried about wealthy individuals buying the government, forget the Koch brothers and the Republicans, look to Steyer, Bloomberg, and the Democrats.
Merry Christmas to you all. Please find some other subject to talk about at your Christmas and New Year's parties. (Unless, of course, you've got someone who just won't shut up about it.)
My friend was terribly concerned about the role of corporate giving since the Supreme Court decided the Citizens United case. He's also nearly frantic over the role of the Koch brothers, and finally, he's willing to speak about how large contributors are bankrolling Republicans to the detriment of the country. There are a lot of numbers on the subject at OpenSecrets.org, and I took advantage of their records for the 2014 election, the most recent federal election. Here's what I found.
Of the top ten organizational donors, Unions placed 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Businesses placed 1st, 4th, and 10th. The others were interest groups. So, that shows the influence of Republican businesses? No. Only one group, a business, the one in 10th place, gave its money to Republicans. The totals for the top 10 organizational donors (rounded)? Republicans got $18.3 million, Democrats got $269.7 million, nearly 15 times as much as the Republicans.
Out of the 25 largest organizational donors, four were businesses which gave money to Republicans, and four were businesses donating to Democrats. From those eight business donors, $42.2 million went to Republicans and $104.0 million went to Democrats. Out of that same group of the 25 largest, unions accounted for $153 million of donations to Democrats, more than the business donations to both parties combined.
Summary? The powerful donors are unions, not corporations, and Democrats get much more money from the "Big Boys" than Republicans do. Koch Industries? They are ranked number 14 on the list, with less cash donated than AFSCME, the government employees' union. The two teachers' unions gave about 4 1/2 times what Koch did.
But people don't talk about Koch Industries, they talk about the Koch Brothers, individuals. So how do they rank among individual donors?
Thomas Steyer and Michael Bloomberg are one and two on the individual donor list, chipping in $85.9 million directly to Democrats. Charles Koch ranked 10th, and David Koch was at 25th place. Their total was $7.8 million. The Koch brothers are barely in the game.
The top 10 individual donors gave $48.3 million to Republicans and $103.4 million to Democrats.
Summary? Forget the Koch brothers, Michael Bloomberg gives more than both of them combined, and Thomas Steyer gives more than nine times the Koch brothers combined. Bloomberg and Steyer donate, needless to say, to the Democrats.
So if you're worried about wealthy individuals buying the government, forget the Koch brothers and the Republicans, look to Steyer, Bloomberg, and the Democrats.
Merry Christmas to you all. Please find some other subject to talk about at your Christmas and New Year's parties. (Unless, of course, you've got someone who just won't shut up about it.)