Speaking Truth to Power - WHERE THE PARTY AT? by William Reed Columnist
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 11:51 PM
Posted in Speaking Truth To Power
by DCN
Are you among the 2.6 million contributors to Barack Obama’s or John McCain’s Presidential Campaigns? If not, be happy to sit on the sidelines while the real players pay the price for their place in the corridors of political power.
As they head into their conventions, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has raised $345 million and has $65 million currently on hand. Republican John McCain has raised almost $150 million. Obama reports over 2 million people have contributed to his campaign. When these contributors and party officials arrive at the Democratic and Republican conclaves in Denver and St. Paul, MN they will be treated to lavish festivities.
The political parties’ parties will be financed by some of the nation's largest corporations. From AT&T to Xcel Energy, companies will pay over $112 million in exchange for access to the nation's most powerful politicians. Roughly $55 million in private financing is being provided to support the Democratic convention in Denver, and $57 million for the Republican convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. These donors provided another $100 million to federal candidates and parties since 2005 and spent a total of $721.3 million lobbying the federal government during the same period. During the 2008 conventions they will put on public display examples of how to buy influence and access. Minnesota's Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty asked corporations to give generously for the chance to "connect with influential government officials (Cabinet, President, and next President)." Colorado Democrats also are offering donors invitations to private events attended by prominent politicians.
The corporations, trade groups, lobbyists and unions are sponsoring hundreds of invitation-only affairs that include cruises, concerts, trapshooting and golf tournaments and even glow-in-the-dark bowling. Major contributors include: $6 million donor, Qwest Communications, and million-dollar-level contributors Level 3 Communications, Molson Coors, Xcel Energy, US Bancorp, UnitedHealth, and Union Pacific.
AFLAC, the for-profit health insurance company, is a donor to both conventions. The corporation spent $12.6 million over the last four years lobbying Congress and the White House on issues such as pressuring Japan to loosen restrictions on its health-insurance market and fighting regulation of prescription drug prices. Anheuser-Busch also supports both conventions. The brewing behemoth provided $2.6 million in campaign contributions during the last two election cycles and spent $10.4 million on lobbying efforts. Among Bud’s peoples’ areas of interest are loosening international trade regulations and fighting restrictions on alcohol advertising.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul 2008 Host Committee’s donations range from $6 million from telecom giant Qwest to $50,000 from Kraft Foods. New York Jets owner Robert W. "Woody" Johnson IV raised funds for the convention and more than $500,000 for McCain. Minnesota-based companies contributing to the Republican convention include: 3M, Best Buy, Cargill, General Mills, Hubbard Broadcasting, Northwest Airlines, St. Jude Medical, SuperValue, St. Jude Medical, Travelers, United Health Group, US Bank and Xcel Energy.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, American Federation of Teachers and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) gave over a million dollars to the Democrat’s convention. Among the parties the Denver Host Committee has scheduledinclude events by Coca-Cola, Xcel, Amgen, JP Morgan, Solar Energy Industries Association, American Wind Energy Association, Wind Energy Institute, Service Employees International Union, Target, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, CH2MHill, and Qwest.
Major event venues are Denver Denver Art Museum Colorado History Museum
People sitting at home have a role to play too; each convention is being subsidized with $16.4 million in taxpayer dollars, money that comes from a voluntary check off on individual income tax returns.
(William Reed – www.BlackPressInternational.com )
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