A couple of weeks back I suggested that the strong possibility that the Chamber and Rove's American Crossroads group were taking and using money from foreign companies for their scores of millions of dollars in attack ads was the biggest story of this election cycle. This money comes from undisclosed sources, and the secretive nature of these millions in contributions raises huge doubts about who these sources are, what their motives are, and what industries and countries they come from. We know the Chamber is taking a minimum of over $800,000 from foreign companies, and the total is likely many millions more -- the 800 is what researchers have been able to find from a smattering of public materials, but we know there is more the Chamber isn't telling us. The Chamber and Rove deny they are using foreign money for their ad campaign, but since they vehemently, adamantly refuse to disclose their donors, we can't know the truth. If it is not foreign money, fine: just tell us how much Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Bank of America, BP, Massey Mining, Prudential and all the rest of your corporate special interest friends are giving.
The White House and other Democrats have been right to jump all over this: this is as fundamental issue to our democracy as there is. Tim Kaine raised the stakes again today, suggesting that the potential scandal involved was as big a deal as Watergate. My only disagreement is that in many ways, this is worse. The slush fund money Dick Nixon's operation raised and spent was penny ante compared to the money being raised today.
Corporate special interests are trying to buy this election. Whenever another nasty attack ad comes on the tube paid for the Chamber, American Crossroads, or some groups with a mysterious name you have never heard, ask yourself:
If this sleazy, secretive strategy works for Rove and the Chamber, and if nothing is done to require disclosure of these fat cat donors, our democracy truly is in trouble for a long time to come. Let's hope the voters ask themselves those questions.
Obama and Co. on the campaign trail and on Sunday interview programs are charging that outfits like the US CoC are smuggling foreign money into the campaign. Their evidence? Well, there isn't much, as even The NYT, The WaPo and factcheck.org agree. The smoking gun? The US CoC collects $100,000 in membership dues from foreigners out of a $200,000,000 operating budget and spends some of that budget on campaign ads. But Axelrod says it's up to the chamber to prove it's innocent. CBS said "this is peanuts", wonder why?
Two problems here. One is that the 2008 Obama campaign, by deliberately not using the address verification software most enterprises use to determine it's really your credit card, took in a lot more illegal foreign money than its rivals. Obama projecting he's own sins on he's opponents? Attack evil rich people and ignore the fact that Obama carried voters with incomes over $200,000 in 2008?
Well can't run on our record or the issues of import to the voters whats left? MUD! because if we did REPO SUPERMAJORITES!
How should we fill in the blanks? You can suggest anything. Truth is what we are missing.
make up a scandal
The fact is that foreign corporations and governments are buying the election for the subversive GOP to pursue an antiAmerican agenda and destroy the country.
Want China and Saudi Arabia to determine American policy? Vote Republican.
If you want America to determine its own policy, vote Democratic.
But of course they are all for what benefits them, and for nothing that benefits the American people whom they hate.
Here's a powerful flier people can adapt that brings the message home
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-loeb/will-they-get-what-theyre_b_762983.html
Here is the proof found deep in the FEC website... http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/08/in-digging-deep.html
So you make up lie about th COC and its many hard working members such as myself but when your President violates the same laws and there is proof, you ignore it. Sort of convenient don't you think?
So how can Obama say the COC is breaking the law but offer no proof, nothing? That is nothing but slander and libel on a massive scale.
Also, since the chamber is now officially the devil, the WH should cancel all the many events it holds with them all over the world. The next one is in Israel, and the Sec of Commerce and various diplomats are attending.