Tuesday, April 08, 2008
WHERE IS ALL THIS MONEY COMING FROM?
The latest news from the Obama camp makes me question if all this money his and Hillary Clinton's campaigns are raising is from Americans.
Later this week, a small band of independent Obama supporters plan to launch another fund-raising Web site, AnObamaMinute.com, with the goal of raising $1 million dollars in one minute.
Last week the Obama camp announced it had raised $40 million in March alone, nearly twice the amount raised by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) ring the same period. In all, he has raised some $234 million. Through February, Clinton's campaign had raised $156 million. In February alone, Obama raised $55.4 million , Hillary raised $34.5 million and McCain raised $10.9 million dollars. It looks as though this will be the most expensive Presidential campaign in history. With an estimated $800 million being spent by the candidates for the Presidential election by November.
Will it all be from Citizens of the USA?
Everyone that has watched the Clinton "machine" operate during the 90's knows that the Clintons have been able to tap into the wells of wealth. In fact the Congressional Committee on Government Reform held a hearing 5/11/1999, in which they discussed the $300,000 that Mr. Chung alleged;y received from the Communist Chinese head of Military Intelligence to contribute to Democrat campaigns.
They also revealed that 121 people they called to testify refused, and 80 more took the "fifth" when they appeared.
Names like Charlie Trie, Mr. Sun and Mark Middleton who received close to a million dollars from the Chinese were discussed. The conclusion was that there is a problem with foreign contributions that find their way into political campaigns despite the fact that it is against the law!
Now we hear of the mega millions that Obama is raising, a great amount of it on the Internet. It raises a question in my mind just who is making these contributions?
As everyone who is familiar with the Internet knows, the Internet is a World wide network. Could it be that many of these contributors are people in Arab Countries who know Obama will be softer on them than McCain or Hillary, or from European and Asian Countries that would love to see a man in the Oval Office who would weaken the military might of the USA?
It is entirely possible that the Europeans, Russians, Chinese Communists and many other Countries that hate the USA are secretly putting money in the hands of the candidate whom they believe will be more concerned with World government than he is with the sovereignty of OUR Country.
Since 2003, when the Supreme Court upheld it, McCain-Feingold has failed spectacularly in its stated goal of reining in fat-cat donors. In fact the largest domestic donors since 1989, are unions,and they tend to contribute to Democrat candidates. Top 10 domestic donors:
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees
$39,165,934
AT&T Inc
$38,929,795
National Assn of Realtors
$31,928,656
American Assn for Justice
$28,539,389
Goldman Sachs
$28,367,132
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
$27,580,809
National Education Assn
$27,355,449
Laborers Union
$26,269,589
Service Employees International Union
$25,408,993
Carpenters & Joiners Union
$25,389,432
As you can see, all but three are Unions or Trade organisations. Data provided by FEC as of 3/3/08.
Has the Political process of election been sold to the highest bidder? It appears to me that it is time for term limits, and more intense scrutiny over election contributions received via the internet.
