Corporate campaign fundraising picks up speed

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Washington — Driven by increasing anger at Democratic policies and by recent Supreme Court decisions unshackling corporate contributions, business and conservative groups are preparing a flood of campaign money to try to wrest control of Congress from the Democrats.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest collection point for corporate contributions, has increased its spending for the congressional election in November from $35 million in 2008 to a projected $75 million this year. Officials say it may go even higher.

The chamber has been joined by new conservative fundraising organizations — such as American Crossroads, affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove — that have committed to raising tens of millions of dollars.

One report circulating among Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill last week estimated that more than $300 million has been budgeted for the campaign by a group of 15 conservative tax-exempt organizations.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-politics-money-20100802,0,3132080.story

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Of course, these facts fly in the face of a narrative pushed by certain folks that there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats, and that President Obama is a huge corporatist even though most of his agenda is bitterly opposed by Republicans and the Chamber of Commerce. Likewise, another narrative is that Democrats are failing to show leadership, which is why Republicans are so successful in fundraising. Yup, billionaires like Meg whitman are suddenly hailed as populists while the California ballot is laden with corporate sponsored propositions like the anti-environmental proposition being pushed by the oil companies: Proposition 32.

Personally, I think that the flow of money shows that President Obama agenda is largely progressive, and that corporations are spending record setting amounts to roll back the clock and return us to the Bush era policies that lead to the current state of war and deficit with little benefit accruing to the middle class.

This is why you see the plethora of "experts" trying to re-write the Bush era as a period of economic growth and security, rather than the nightmare that most of us remember, which lead the economy to the verge of collapse.

[fascisthunter]

1. corporate interests now own the system... this makes it a rigged game

a legally rigged game. None of our votes equal theirs....

"pssst... the boogeyman isn't on the left... he's to the right of you."