Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
In the New York Times today, a story on the private organizations that have sprung into being over the last several years to raise money and campaign on behalf of Republican candidates. By and large, the Times story does an admirable job of neutral reporting--that is, of suppressing the disdain for these organizations that the Times newsroom most certainly feels.
But then comes this:
Democrats are also setting up independent groups that are staffed by party veterans. But those efforts appear to be progressing more slowly, in part because there is less of a vacuum to fill. Mr. Obama, the most prodigious fund-raiser in the country, has been able to inject tens of millions of dollars in campaign financing into the Democratic National Committee.
The Republican groups also had a head start. Most of them were formed in 2010, an election cycle that their leaders viewed as a test run after the Citizens United decision.
Now, they are poised to expand those efforts substantially. American Crossroads alone hopes to raise and spend $240 million during the 2012 elections; groups financed by the Kochs or conservative donors close to them, like Americans for Prosperity, will reportedly spend as much as $200 million.
Less of a vacuum to fill? I'll say. Not mentioned, here or anywhere else in the long story: unions, which, in election cycle after election cycle, for decades on end, have contributed massive amounts to Democrats.
Just for the heck of it: Has anyone here in Ricochet World ever come across a good estimate of the amount unions contributed to Democratic candidates last year? Note that a reasonable accounting would include a) direct contributions to campaigns, b) contributions to third-party organizations intended to help Democratic candidates or the Democratic Party, and, c) some approximation of the dollar value of the unions' massive get-out-the-vote efforts on behalf of Democrats.
If you've seen a number, by all means post away.
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Comments :
Oct '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
Whatever number is floating around out there, I would imagine it to be only the tip of the iceberg.
Dec '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
Open Secrets is a good place to start. Their heavy hitters list is quite instructive.
Aug '11
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
I see the NYTimes hauled out the Kochs and Citizens United for a few beatings.
Oct '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
I've always wondered this myself. This could be a big expose.
Jul '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
That's a great link. Thanks.
Dec '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
KP's link is worth a post of its own. Note that, of the top 18 donors, four are fence sitters, and all but one of the remaining, which leans Democrat, are either strongly or solidly Democrat. Of these, 11 are unions, 1 is a lobbying group for lawyers fighting against tort reform, and the leaner is Goldman Sachs.
I wonder how OWSers would explain this chart?
The first to fall into the Republican column is number 19, the National Auto Dealer's Association, which leans Republican 67%/32%. The heartening aspect of this data is, if money were as influential in elections as we seem to think, Republicans would NEVER win anything. Since that isn't the case, it suggests ideas still matter and good still prevails.
Dec '10
Re: Big Moolah, the GOP...and What the New York Times Won't Tell You
I would say that money does matter in elections. It takes a whole lot of it to keep the democrats from being a minor party.