DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
Man I love the term 'special interests' in an Austrian accent. Maybe Arnie'll save the world again one day ubblol

Simian claims it's quiet in here so....I thought this was quite interesting...

Quote:

March 3, 2004

Bush Campaign Ads Brought to You by Special Interests; Industries That
Give to Bush Get Their Money's Worth

Public Citizen Report Outlines the Many Favors Bush Has Given
Industries
That Bundle Money for Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. - As President Bush prepares to launch a
multimillion-dollar campaign ad blitz, Public Citizen today released a
report outlining who helped pay for the campaign ads and what favors
they have received during his presidency.

In the report, Bush Campaign Ads: Brought to You by . . . Special
Interests, Public Citizen details how much money representatives from
key industries - including finance, real estate, communications, energy,
health care, and insurance - have helped raise and lists the tax breaks,
regulatory changes, legislative favors and plum appointments Bush has
given his backers. Many of the beneficiaries of his policies are Rangers
and Pioneers, terms Bush gives donors who bundle contributions that
total at least $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.

The ads will run on cable networks and will target voters in 17
battleground states. Bush had spent at least $41 million of his campaign
money by the end of January; his war chest holds another $110 million.
He is expected to raise another $50 million before September's
nominating convention and accept $75 million in public financing for the
two months before Election Day.

Public Citizen's report finds that the 416 Bush Rangers and Pioneers
have bundled together at least $58.1 million for the 2004 campaign and
that 90 percent of them (374) represent the special interests of
America's corporations.

Public Citizen's report details how Bush has given tax breaks that
benefit the finance industry, made it easier for real estate developers
to build on wetlands and in the Florida Everglades, reneged on a
campaign pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions (pleasing the
electric utility and mining industries), increased the amount of public
land available for oil and gas exploration and coal mining, filled top
Interior Department positions with executives from the mining industry,
and aided the pharmaceutical industry by pushing pro-industry Medicare
drug legislation.

"When people watch TV this week and see the ads touting President Bush
and his record, they should know that major corporations helped pay for
those ads," said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook. "More
important, they should know that these industries got their money's
worth from Bush administration decisions worth billions of dollars."

Added Frank Clemente, director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch,
"This report shows the insidious influence of money in politics. The
Bush campaign's unprecedented fundraising has made this administration
more indebted to special interests than any in recent times."

Among the industries highlighted in the report are:

- The financial industry. Bankers, stockbrokers, venture capitalists
and wealthy private investors have contributed at least $38.4 million to
Bush's campaign efforts in 2000 and 2004 and produced more Rangers and
Pioneers than any other industry - 73 who have bundled at least $10.8
million this cycle. Bush's tax cut dramatically reduced the "double
taxation" of dividends, the securities industry's No. 1 priority. His
other major tax cuts benefited the securities industry and its CEOs, who
personally will save hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars in
taxes a year. Social Security privatization, likely to be a top Bush
priority in a second term, would shift trillions of dollars of
retirement savings to private sector investment accounts.

- Real estate developers. The real estate industry has donated $32.2
million to Bush campaign efforts in 2000 and 2004, and 37 real estate
developers have qualified as Rangers or Pioneers in 2004, bundling at
least $5.4 million. The Bush administration has made it easier for
developers to build on wetlands, has attempted to narrow the Clean Water
Act so that it no longer covers many ponds, streams and wetlands, and
has appointed crusading opponents of the Endangered Species Act to key
positions at the Interior Department.

- Electric utilities. The electric utility industry has donated nearly
$6 million to Bush campaign efforts in 2000 and 2004. In return, in 2000
three industry Pioneers got slots on the transition team at the U.S.
Department of Energy. The administration also rewrote a key Clean Air
Act rule to effectively neutralize existing government lawsuits against
energy companies and prevent future challenges. Bush launched a "Clear
Skies" initiative that would dramatically delay emissions reductions and
do nothing to contend with carbon dioxide, and has proposed mercury
regulations indistinguishable from industry proposals.

- Oil and gas. Oil and gas companies gave $15.8 million to Bush
campaign efforts in 2000 and 2004. Bush has opened federal land for oil
and gas exploration and coal mining, targeted Wyoming's Powder River
Basin for coalbed methane drilling, and required federal agencies to
consider how agency rules will affect energy supply, distribution and
use.

- Mining companies. The mining industry has contributed at least $3.1
million to Bush campaign efforts in the 2000 and 2004 cycles. Mining
executives have been appointed to top posts in the Interior Department,
and Bush's Environmental Protection Agency has permitted mountaintop
removal for coal mining, is trying to lift a Reagan-era regulation that
banned mining within 100 feet of a stream and increased the amount of
public land available for mining company waste dumping.

In addition, the administration-backed Medicare bill was a boon to the
pharmaceutical and managed care industries, the insurance industry
benefited by government agreeing to cover 80 percent of terrorism
damages, and media conglomerates have gained from policies encouraging
mega-mergers. A copy of the report is available at




source

No offence but I really hope he doesn't get re-elected..... frown

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
hmmmph...

thanks for the effort smile

but one reason there's nothing going on in the politics forum is the amount of "Bush isn't very nice" type threads.

i think it must have overtaken coloured flames by now wink

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
Apologies, I don't recieve any Bush propaganda. Surely someone must have something somewhere.....

Meh, maybe all the things people have been saying are true ... *shrug*

Does that mean this mean that this forum's gunna be dead for another 2 years when he's re-elected?

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
um yeaaah, because "Politics" does mean "Bush"

rolleyes

How about debates where people here might actually be on different sides?

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


simian110% MONKEY EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME JUST CANT STOP THE MONKEY
3,149 posts
Location: London


Posted:
sorry dude, not meaning to be mean hug smile

"Switching between different kinds of chuu chuu sometimes gives this "urgh wtf?" effect because it's giving people the phi phenomenon."


DeepSoulSheepGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,617 posts
Location: Berlin, Ireland


Posted:
smile

I live in a world of infinite possibilities.


FaerieWithoutWingsmember
9 posts
Location: London


Posted:
ubbloco The same way that "Terrorism" is the same as "Oil"

musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
Here's one for the other side, did a little research on Kerry today, I see alot of disturbing references he makes to using the WTO..Bet I know where he's getting more than a few bucks from



there goes my respect for the guy, I had alot for his stances on different issues til I heard that. Dunno if he'll be better than Bush, but he's leading in the polls. Anyone ever hear of Skull n Bones?

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."



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