Do The Democrats Think We're Stupid in Hollywood? (Yes!)
With so many people in Los Angeles suffering from lay-offs, catastrophic drops in home prices and retirement funds, paralyzing fear of Swine Flu (the PC term is now H1N1), canceled film and TV projects, and mergers of convenience in the entertainment industry....what exactly does the Democratic Party think it is doing bringing President Obama here to suck $5-$10 million out of people's remaining (and dwindling) discretionary income....and this is on top of Bill Clinton doing the same level of fund raising every chance he gets?
On May 27th, the Party is charging $2500 for a brief cocktail party followed by a $30,000-a-couple dinner in Beverly Hills--aimed at the entertainment community with all proceeds to the Democratic National Committee. President Obama is the piece de resistance.
I gave Obama's campaigns well over $10K and I live on a non-profit salary. I want the US out of Iraq and Afghanistan and a good national health care plan before I write another check!
There are over 200 community clinics in California which try to provide a minimal level of care for 8 million poor, uninsured, and mostly unemployed people. Those clinics have very little money as government budgets have been cut. Other types of social service agencies are closing, merging or cutting back. [note to Hollwood Dem donors: go see The Soloist, preferably before the dinner].
It is "pornographic" to continue the $5 billion 2008 election campaign just 5 months after we swore in a new President and new Congress.
I hope everyone going to the May 27 "Evening With President Obama" makes a dollar for dollar contribution here in Los Angeles to a nonprofit group and does so publicly....bold faced names attached.
--Jerry Maguire
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You must think we are stupid when you say, "I gave Obama's campaigns well over $10K and I live on a non-profit salary." There are plenty of people that are making 6 figures a year that work for "non profit."
I've sent a lot of letters to elected officials to start looking closer at the coveted non-profit. Just because something is registered as a non-profit doesn't mean there isn't a lot of $ money flowing about.
Thank YOU.
Spot on! Too bad those who will pay $30,000 will do so enthusiastically and unconditionally.
Campaign finance reform is the most important and immediate issue of our time--it trumps everything else. If we don't take money out of politics, our fate as a corporate-owned caste society is sealed.
We've learned from the Repubs that It never stops if you want to win the next election.
how about asking for EFCA and the homeowners relief b ill while you're at it!
the truly amazing thing is the political passivity of this industry. why are strongarm dc jerks still dunning LA ppl for huge money? why isn't this industry sending beef to washington and TELLING THE WASHINGTON JERKS DU JOUR WHAT IT DEMANDS, instead of lolling around waiting for DC to call the shots and make demands. let me guess... too many IRS rulings yet in play?
Maybe now is the time for some serious campaign finance reform to make the perpetual and endless cycle of money raising unnecessary.
Hear, hear !! I am tired of hearing candidates and the like talking out of both sides of the mouth. When it comes to the common person, you hear the mandate for fiscal conservatism. However, when election time comes up, suddenly they want people to dig deep into their pockets so they can build their war chest -- and for what; so they can air their campaign advertisement and commercials every fifteen to twenty minutes almost nonstop during prime time (as if most people don't have their mind already made up midway through the election).
I say they need to make a mandate to ban all campaign commercials from airing on major networks and only allow them to run on public supported television and CSPAN -- and let proceeds go to support those channels. That would certainly cut down on cost.
As anybody in the entertainment industry knows, we like to strike while the iron is hot. Let a movie have a blockbuster opening weekend and the plans for the sequel are announced Monday morning. The election of Barack Obama was a blockbuster of epic proportions and he continues to be box office dynomite. I found it amusing that the requests for money never slowed after the election, after the innauguration and also now. If you have it and want to give it, great. If you don't, say no. But you can't blame the democratic party for using their big star while he still has rock star status to raise money, and you can't fault them for coming to LA and hitting up the entertainment industry where plenty of people continue to have money they are willing to shell out. It's an industry town in one of the few industries where many of the money people are liberal. In my experience, most executives and stars have local charities that they champion, and I'm sure those who have $30K to give to the Democratic Party have plenty left to give to others. Right now, the dems are fighting the good fight and they'll need that money in 2010 when the GOP goes after our people for not fixing everything.
"Right now, the dems are fighting the good fight and they'll need that money in 2010 when the GOP goes after our people for not fixing everything
You may want to read the article about how the bill that would have allowed people to renegotiate mortgages got killed in the Senate (Only 45 voted for the Bill). Also, Bill Nelson, yours truly has vowed to fight any plans to have a national health care system.
it's getting to the point where the anti-show biz politics general public has the most fantastic suspicions of exactly WHAT show biz is BUYING with its contributions. show biz needs special considerations because it is a unique business structure just like sports. but the public thinks that the money goes to communist swiss bankers who hold black magic ceremonies and control the world. washington pols feel there's room for both points of view...
Now You're talking.
We must not be complacent. After all, a well funded conservative propaganda machine masquerading as a news network is the most watched of all cable networks. If we are caught without proper funding, we will not hold the majorities in Congress and the Senate and will not be able to finally seat Franken.
And MSNBC is a a non-biased news network?
MSNBC is fairly biased for conservatives until The Ed Show, Countdown and Rachel.
Ever here of Morning Joe?
Five billion dollars four-year election cycle, in a country with about a third of a billion people, is something like ten cents per person per day. You can get about a tenth of a newspaper for that. If political parties are to play a meaningful role in maintaining an informed electorate, the amount of money still needs to increase.
The never-ending solicitation for funds is fairly ridiculous.
With the demise of the automobile industry, CCFR (Continuous Campaign Fund Raising) was taken over as the #2 industry in this country. #1 still remains, for the 26th year in a row, BI&FSG (Banking, Investing, and Financial Shell Game).
Richard, you are spot on. Obama needs to show us more, before we give him and the democrats another dime of our hard earned money! They can start by passing a healthecare bill that will cover all Americans and free up some of the cash that we are paying monthly to the health insurance companies.
I agree, don't give a freakin penny. The CongDems and the Obama administration seem to me to have not really gottten it. The CongDems, just as corrupt as the gopCongs and just the opposite of the gopCongs when it comes political guts, audacity and courage. The CongDems will kiss a bankers ass and throw a troubled homeowner under the bus!
Richard please keep your money; what I understand 50 billion dollars have been procured by CA from the recovery plan. Please develop a plan to assist your state Gov. to distribute the funds to the medical clinics and other community needs in LA. Grow up and stop with the I gave you and you owe me mentality.
Not the point I intended to make as the comments indicate. Nonprofits always get less help when there is a diversion like a fund raising juggernaut of a major election. We expect campaigns to ask us to participate but the elongated political season is just that--too long. The economy is in utter chaos and the safety net institutions are hurting for lack of funds and are closing, laying off staff or cutting back services. I grew up in Hollywood, a company town, so my point was not to trash Hollywood but the myopia of some of its wealthy denizens. When they want to be seen, they pay any price....s
frankly, you came off trashing obama more than anyone else- that's what i read.
I agree.
2010 Elections are right around the corner. Holdouts are just helping the Repubs.
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