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9/11-15/08 
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FACTS & LINKS
We've allowed our elections to become a bazaar for special interest & corporations to broker their support for favor & influence, if not to dominate the electoral process entirely.
Our representatives have become little more than the middlemen & women between the self interest of corporate America & the law making process.
Lou Dobbs
1. Everyone agrees: Government is broke
2. Why is government broke?
Because our government is no longer run by civil servants (beholden to the people) but by corporate lobbyists (beholden to corporations). There are 35,000 lobbyists in Washington.
For more click: Pork&Lobbyist
3. Who can fix this?
Voting out one party & replacing them with the other party no longer works- corporations/lobbyist have bought off all of our presidential wannabe's.
For more see below.
4. Then how do we fix this?
When your car breaks down you get out & fix it. When government no longer works (breaks down) it is the duty of the citizens to fix it.
For more click: OurFoundingFathers
FACTS:
HOW TO READ THIS CHART: Many presidential candidates receive the bulk of their funds from the same industries and Washington-based special- interest groups that dominate giving to all federal politicians and parties.
For more click: www.opensecrets.org
Follow the money:
Who's bought off your candidate?
Barack Obama: Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, Capital One, Bank of Montreal, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, Butterfield Bank, Resource Bank, Bain Capital, Mutual of America, Telemundo, La Pietra, Sankatt Investments, Transamerica Investment Mgmt., US Venture Partners, Sony Pictures, Warner Music Group, IBM, Lehman Bros., AT&T, Ticketmaster, Alantos Pharmaceuticals, 20th Century Fox, Aragon Global, UCLA Medical Center, AHMC Healthcare Inc., AV International, Fidelity Ventures, Clifford Law Firm, CCMP Capital, Cypruss Funds Investment Mgmt., Kaman Group, Solimar Ventures, Comcast, Sterne Assets, Citilink Investment Corp., Third Security, COSTCO, Sun Capitol Partners, Tudor Investment, Madison Investment, EMC Capital Mgmt., Bel Air Investment, Mirel Capital, Grandhara Capital, Lehman Bros., GB Capital, Citadel Investments, etc.
John McCain: PVS Chemical, Merrill Lynch, The Bank of NY, Univision, JP Morgan Chase, Near East Resources Ltd., Compass Bank, World Savings Bank, New York Life Insurance, Sanguine Gas Exploration, CISCO Systems, Wachovia Bank, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Moore Capital, The Carlyle Group, Prime Investments, Tenax LLC, Hantz Group, Hilton Hotels, The AES Corp., Highside Capital, New Mountain Capital, Vector Group LTD, Park Avenue Equity Partners, Red Eagle Venture, Star Lincoln Mercury, Pacific Growth Equities, Budweiser, Myers Financial, Globus Capital, Pomeroy & Pomeroy Insurance, Faison Group, Renco Group, Palmer Investments, QWEST, EM Capital Mgmt., FT Ventures, MGM Mirage International, Ameron International, Anderson Energy Corp., Plaines Capital Bank, NYSE Group, etc.
By Industry:
Who's bought off:
BARACK OBAMA (D)
Top Industries
Top Industries
1 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $11,246,596 |
2 | Retired | $6,988,363 |
3 | Misc Business | $6,256,928 |
4 | Securities & Investment | $6,026,529 |
5 | Education | $3,880,197 |
6 | Real Estate | $3,038,325 |
7 | TV/Movies/Music | $2,688,889 |
8 | Business Services | $2,659,374 |
9 | Misc Finance | $2,016,099 |
10 | Health Professionals | $1,947,527 |
11 | Computers/Internet | $1,686,155 |
12 | Civil Servants/Public Officials | $1,290,131 |
13 | Printing & Publishing | $1,222,098 |
14 | Commercial Banks | $1,175,885 |
15 | Non-Profit Institutions | $706,862 |
16 | Other | $606,684 |
17 | Insurance | $594,760 |
18 | Hospitals/Nursing Homes | $513,124 |
19 | Retail Sales | $509,930 |
20 | Construction Services | $497,983 |
Who's bought off:
JOHN MCCAIN (R)
Top Industries
Top Industries
1 | Retired | $5,764,878 |
2 | Lawyers/Law Firms | $3,079,361 |
3 | Securities & Investment | $2,589,936 |
4 | Real Estate | $2,193,808 |
5 | Misc Business | $1,578,187 |
6 | Misc Finance | $1,164,072 |
7 | Health Professionals | $786,820 |
8 | Business Services | $733,199 |
9 | Commercial Banks | $730,525 |
10 | TV/Movies/Music | $490,825 |
11 | Lobbyists | $453,365 |
12 | Education | $426,273 |
13 | Computers/Internet | $399,980 |
14 | Insurance | $381,482 |
15 | Civil Servants/Public Officials | $354,865 |
16 | Misc Manufacturing & Distributing | $351,531 |
17 | Oil & Gas | $283,285 |
18 | General Contractors | $258,630 |
19 | Construction Services | $253,227 |
20 | Accountants | $251,235 |
NOTE: All the numbers on this page are for the 2008 election cycle and based on Federal Election Commission data released electronically on Wednesday, February 20, 2008.
HOW TO READ THIS CHART: Many presidential candidates receive the bulk of their funds from the same industries and Washington-based special- interest groups that dominate giving to all federal politicians and parties.
For more click: www.opensecrets.org
- Every four years we have two options.1. We can line up like sheep at the voting booth & give our consent to four more years of corruption, mismanagement, pork & high taxes or2. Stay home & complain that our vote doesn't count.What I am proposing is a third option. Because the rules have changed & our vote has been hijacked by privilege & special interest.What I am proposing is that we don't act like sheep & we don't sit at home & complain. What I propose is that we stand up like men & say enough is enough!Obama Fact or Fiction:1. Special interests: In January, the Obama campaign described union contributions to the campaigns of Clinton and John Edwards as "special interest" money. Obama changed his tune as he began gathering his own union endorsements. He now refers respectfully to unions as the representatives of "working people" and says he is "thrilled" by their support.2. Public financing: Obama replied "yes" in September 2007 when asked if he would agree to public financing of the presidential election if his GOP opponent did the same. Obama has now attached several conditions to such an agreement, including regulating spending by outside groups. His spokesman says the candidate never committed himself on the matter.3. The Cuba embargo: In January 2004, Obama said it was time "to end the embargo with Cuba" because it had "utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro." Speaking to a Cuban American audience in Miami in August 2007, he said he would not "take off the embargo" as president because it is "an important inducement for change."4. Illegal immigration: In a March 2004 questionnaire, Obama was asked if the government should "crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants." He replied "Oppose." In a Jan. 31, 2008, televised debate, he said that "we do have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation."5. Decriminalization of marijuana: While running for the U.S. Senate in January 2004, Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use. In the Oct. 30, 2007, presidential debate, he joined other Democratic candidates in opposing the decriminalization of marijuana.
McCain/Obama On The B.S. Expresss"The law is very clear. He can not withdraw if he has used the promise of matching funds as collateral for his loan," Dean said, "John McCain cannot unilaterally withdrawal from the spending limitations."John McCain wrote the campaign spending laws. Americans think Russ Feingold's first name is McCain, for pete's sake. Let's be sure Americans understand that John McCain can't follow the law with his own forking name on it.McCain had applied for public financing for the primary but backed out this month. Though he did not secure his loan with the public money, loan records show that the bank, Fidelity Trust & Bank, had insisted that if McCain lost early primaries he would have been required to participate in the federally financed system. McCain had been entitled to at least $5.8 million in public funds.By accepting the money, however, McCain would have been required to limit his spending for the primary to about $54 million — an amount the campaign is close to surpassing now.McCain reported raising $11.65 million in January, bringing his overall fundraising from individual donors to more than $49 million since the beginning of 2007. That amount, while sizable, pales in comparison with the more than $130 million that Democrat Barack Obama is expected to report raising through January since the start of his campaign.McCain, a leading advocate of limits on campaign finances, is turning down government matching funds for the primary to free him to spend more money as he prepares for a general election contest. But he has also said he would accept public financing for the general election if his Democratic opponent choses to do the same.Obama, who last year promised to also accept public money in the general election if his GOP opponent did so, has since hedged on that vow.
MORE McCain FACTS:A lot of law enforcement officers will sit out election day if McCain is the GOP presidential candidate.United States Border Patrol agents are not happy with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) since he voted for the Amnesty Bill (S. 2611). And they’re not being quiet about their collective anger over the senator’s actions and remarks.According to members of the agents’ union Local 2544, Senator McCain has never been a friend to rank-and-file Border Patrol agents. Local 2544 represents US Border Patrol agents in Arizona, McCain’s home state.“He routinely ignores correspondence from Border Patrol agents and often gives the impression that he is just too big and too important to deal with us,” they said.“He attempts to undermine our mission at every turn and actively supports the criminals who violate our laws. He always tries to downplay the fact that illegal aliens knowingly and willingly violate our laws, and he is a close ally on immigration matters with Senator Ted Kennedy, who we believe is the biggest disgrace of all time in the United States Senate.”These law enforcement agents point to Senator McCain’s “imperious attitude” towards rank-and-file Border Patrol agents and his complete disdain for their mission has been evident for many years.
FOR MORE CLICK: OurFoundingFathersLINKS:www.votesmart.org A comprehensive database about thousands of candidates and elected officials for President, Congress, Governors and State Legislators. Bio, voting records, issue positions, special-interest/campaign-finance, etc.www.opensecrets.org F.E.C. (Federal Election Commission) filings. Campaign finances for canditates & elected officials.www.stopthemoneychase.org The 2008 presidential candidates reported record-breaking contributions from well-connected power players. Take a moment today to tell them it's time to Stop the Money Chase! The Fair Elections Now Act would let candidates focus on voters' concerns instead of fundraising. And with big money out of the picture, all candidates could compete on a level playing field.
www.commoncause.org Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.www.campaignmoney.org Public Campaign Action Fund is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving America’s campaign finance laws. We help enact, defend, and promote Clean Elections-style public financing in states around the country like Arizona and Maine, and advocate for similar legislation for all federal elections.www.nationalpopularvote.com National Popular Vote Inc. is a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation whose specific purpose is to study, analyze and educate the public regarding its proposal to implement a nationwide popular election of the President of the United States.
www.projectcensored.org Project Censored is a media research group out of Sonoma State University which tracks the news published in independent journals and newsletters. From these, Project Censored compiles an annual list of 25 news stories of social significance that have been overlooked, under-reported or self-censored by the country's major national news media.www.WeCanStopMcCain.org Our organization is neither Liberal nor Conservative. We are focused on one objective and one objective only - to stop John McCain from becoming the next President of the United States. Our allegiance is to the principals this great nation was founded on and to preserving the dignity and character of America.
www.livingroomcandidate.org The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952-2004 is an innovative online exhibition presenting more than 250 television commercials from every election year beginning in 1952, when the first campaign ads aired, and including ads from this year’s campaign. Users can watch nearly four hours of TV commercials and explore the expanding world of Web-based political advertising. The site includes a searchable database and features commentary, historical background, election results, and navigation organized by both year and theme.www.verifiedvotingfoundation.org The Verified Voting Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization championing reliable and publicly verifiable elections. Founded by Stanford University Computer Science Professor David Dill, the organization supports a requirement for voter-verified paper ballots (VVPBs) on electronic voting machines allowing voters to verify individual permanent records of their ballots and election officials to conduct meaningful recounts. The Verified Voting Foundation is the recognized leader of the nationwide grassroots movement for VVPBs and verifiable elections.
www.votersunite.org VotersUnite! is a national non-partisan organization dedicated to fair and accurate elections. It focuses on distributing well-researched information to elections officials, elected officials, the media, and the public; as well as providing activists with information they need to work toward transparent elections in their communities.www.voteraction.org Voter Action is a national non-profit organization that seeks to ensure election integrity in the United States through legal advocacy, research, and public education. We aim to protect an open and transparent election process, one in which our elections at the federal, state, and local level are accessible and verifiable. We support the basic civil and political rights of all voters to cast their ballots in an independent manner and to have to their votes accurately recorded and counted. We seek to reclaim our elections for the public domain, controlled by the voters and not by private interests.www.velvetrevolution.us Velvet Revolution was conceived to fight for the Constitutional rights of all American citizens and to fight the corrupt tactics of the Right and the Left. Velvet Revolution is putting together one of the most massive coalitions of progressive, democratic and religious organizations ever joined in the United States to stand up against a corrupt Anti-American agenda in D.C. Our allegiance is not to political parties, but to the will of the people in support of their right to the free pursuit of happiness and a government as advertised: Of the People, by the People and for the People.www.truthinvoting.org Truth In Voting is an advocacy group dedicated to reforming our voting system, nationwide, into a genuine democracy by ensuring: 1) The right of all citizens to equal, unimpeded access to voting. 2) That all votes are cast on paper ballots, and counted in a public, transparent, accurate and verifiable way. 3) That we have a voting system that accurately reflects the intention of voters. We also advocate the changes needed to ensure: - That our government, at all levels, represents people, not money. - That citizen initiated ballot measures (initiative and referendum) be allowed in all states, and at the federal level of government.
www.solarbus.org Your home for updated information on the fight for democracy in America.Voting machine problems?Call 1-877-VOTE-COUNTOther Election Day Problems
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTEFind Your Polling Place: Vote411.org
"They are of the People, and return again to mix with the People, having no more durable preeminence than the different Grains of Sand in an Hourglass. Such an Assembly cannot easily become dangerous to Liberty. They are the Servants of the People, sent together to do the People's Business, and promote the public Welfare; their Powers must be sufficient, or their Duties cannot be performed. They have no profitable Appointments, but a mere Payment of daily Wages, such as are scarcely equivalent to their Expences; so that, having no Chance for great Places, and enormous Salaries or Pensions, as in some Countries, there is no triguing or bribing for Elections."
Benjamin Franklin, letter to George Whatley, May 23, 1785
