Before he became "Ken Who?", Ken Lay reached the pinnacle of White House influence by becoming the lead donor for the 2001 Coronation of Prince George Bush Junior. This year, the Presidential Inaugural Committee has decided to cap donations at $250,000 from any single donor, but still should have no trouble raising the minimum of $30 million they'll need for all the celebrations they've planned.
Dubya called his base "the Have-Mores". From
http://www.inaugural05.com/donors , here's an edited list of major donors and amounts. For each entry, I asked myself, "What might they be trying to buy?" I put my tentative thoughts at an answer in parentheses next to each entry:
Altria Corporate Services, Inc. New York NY $250,000 (continuation of no FDA jurisdiction?)
Sallie Mae, Inc. Reston VA $250,000 (don't do to us what you did to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?)
Northrop Grumman Corporation Los Angeles CA $100,000
The Boeing Company Arlington VA $100,000
United Technologies Corporation Hartford CT $250,000 (cut Grumman and Boeing defense contracts, not ours?)
Michael Dell Austin TX $250,000 (more tax breaks for corporate computer buyers?)
Southern Company Atlanta GA $250,000 (we don't need no stinkin Federal power regulations?)
Boone Pickens Dallas TX $250,000 (lighten up on SEC accounting and disclusure requirements?)
National Association of Homebuilders Washington DC $250,000 (can't you do something about local building codes?)
Marriott International, Inc. Washington DC $250,000
Marriott Vacation Club International Washington DC $250,000
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC Chevy Chase MD $250,000 (the tourism industry needs federal subsidies?)
Argent Mortgage Company Orange CA $250,000
Ameriquest Capital Corporation Orange CA $250,000
Long Beach Acceptance Corp. Paramus NJ $250,000
Town and Country Credit Irvine CA $250,000 (make bankruptcy harder for consumers?)
Cheapskate list:
American Bankers Association Washington DC $25,000
HSBC USA Inc. Mt. Prospect IL $25,000
ServiceMaster Memphis TN $25,000
National Association of Realtors Chicago IL $50,000
Microsoft Corporation Redmond WA $100,000
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. New York NY $100,000 (please privatize Social Security?)
Sheldon G. Adelson Las Vegas NV $250,000
Dr. Miriam Ochshorn Adelson Las Vegas NV $250,000 (We want to be the new Ken Lay?)