Wealthy donors buy access and fealty with their contributions to political campaigns.
More often than not, this fact is veiled in implication and euphemism. It is corruption, in my opinion, but not the illegal kind. This is the kind of corruption that allows wealthy billionaires to be given free baseball stadiums by taxpayers, but it's not the kind of corruption that puts someone in prison.
Should it be illegal?
Fast forward to today, as Trump asks oil executives to give him $1 billion so that he can overturn climate change legislation. "Trump’s response stunned several of the executives in the room overlooking the ocean: You all are wealthy enough, he said, that you should raise $1 billion to return me to the White House."
With Trump, Witt said, “everything has a price. [Oil companies] got a great return on their investment during Trump’s first term, and Trump is making it crystal clear that they’re in for an even bigger payout if he’s reelected.”
Technically, i suppose, what Trump is doing to court donors is legal, but political campaign contributions as "investments"? Nuts. In my opinion, that should be illegal.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/09/trump-oil-industry-campaign-money/
@wildgrass
It's at moments like these when I say to myself:
"Government exists to protect all our rights equally."
And then "why would you elect someone to an important government post who so PLAINLY does not know what government is for?"
@spruce112358
And even worse, getting ultrrightwingnuts in SCOTUS which negatively affects millions of lives like killing Roe V Wade even though the vast majority are for reproductive freedom and more loss of freedoms on the way which will take decades or more to overcome.
@spruce112358 saidShould it be illegal?
@wildgrass
It's at moments like these when I say to myself:
"Government exists to protect all our rights equally."
And then "why would you elect someone to an important government post who so PLAINLY does not know what government is for?"
@spruce112358 saidThose are the very candidates the corporations return to office again and again. Those they CAN buy.
@wildgrass
It's at moments like these when I say to myself:
"Government exists to protect all our rights equally."
And then "why would you elect someone to an important government post who so PLAINLY does not know what government is for?"
@wildgrass saidBring back the House Ethics Committee, and make them a watchdog group for ALL governmental positions, and not just a rubber-stamp committee. Force them to be transparent to the media and embed journalists with full access.
Should it be illegal?
@spruce112358 saidShould wealthy donors be allowed to buy access and fealty with their contributions to political campaigns?
Should what be illegal, specifically?
@Suzianne saidThe money donated in 2020 for political campaigns was $14 billion.
Bring back the House Ethics Committee, and make them a watchdog group for ALL governmental positions, and not just a rubber-stamp committee. Force them to be transparent to the media and embed journalists with full access.
Some of that came from publicly traded companies. The kind where shareholders care what execs are spending money on. These companies spent many millions on politics. Why? Just for fun? Shareholders would not allow that.
Some of that came from companies wholly dependent on the continuation of military contracts for stuff we no longer need. What a funny circle! We pay taxes, the taxes get spent to build tanks we don't need, the leftover profits get funneled back to the politicians not the taxpayer.
@wildgrass
No unless your ok living in a banana / oil republic
Basically trump said give me 1 billion $ and I’ll give you the US and its government to do with as you will.
@kevcvs57 saidIt's not just trump, but trump is less subtle about the expectation of reciprocity.
@wildgrass
No unless your ok living in a banana / oil republic
Basically trump said give me 1 billion $ and I’ll give you the US and its government to do with as you will.
@sonhouse saidActually, this is something people like about trump. Everyone else does it quietly, subtly. Trump comes out and says "I don't pay taxes"
@wildgrass
Yep, he is about as subtle as a Komodo Dragon and the same level of empathy.....
@wildgrass
Not realizing he is a grifter through and through and always was, is and always will be with zero thoughts to the plight of the common folk. Wants to pull out of NATO not on philosophical grounds but because he thinks some countries are not paying their proper dues. He ONLY thinks in terms of money, how much people can give him and how much he can get from the government through fraud.
@wildgrass saidOh I realise it’s been going on for years in a more opaque way but I think there’s a big difference between big business cosying up to politicians in the hope of future lobbying opportunities or corporations favouring the fiscally conservative anti labour law party and having the White House and its legislative power auctioned off to big oil at mar a largo
It's not just trump, but trump is less subtle about the expectation of reciprocity.
First thing to do is cap the dollars that parties can spend in an election cycle on political adds and political hit videos