Friends Like These
I’ve been thinking about those FEC numbers for a few days now, namely the numbers for Jerry McNerney and Steve Filson. All during the primary, we heard how Filson had the support of the DCCC and the Washington Establishment and how their financial backing would transform his campaign into a juggernaut that would roll over any merely mortal candidate.
That’s why I find it interesting to note that at the quarter's end, McNerney had raised $448,648 in net contributions and Filson had raised $425,795. Now, of course, I realize that we can’t ignore the three weeks between the primary and the end of the quarter. Obviously, McNerney raised quite a bit of money during that period of time, and Filson raised none, rather than vice versa; so had Filson won, the numbers would skew back in his favor.
But still… they just weren’t that far apart. McNerney’s people-powered campaign didn’t just express itself through volunteerism; the grassroots went toe to toe with the moneyed interests of the Democratic political establishment.
There is one area, though, where McNerney’s campaign didn’t live up to the DCCC’s financial standards. It didn’t cost Jerry McNerney a small personal fortune.
Steve Filson, on the other hand, came out of his campaign considerably poorer than he entered it. His FEC statement lists a total campaign debt of $56,357. Of that total, $45,000 represents money that Filson lent his campaign -- $15,000 before the primary, and $30,000 to pay off other debts since the primary. That leaves his campaign still owing $11,357. It’s safe to assume that Filson will never be repaid for the money he has loaned to his campaign. Actually, he should consider himself lucky.
Elaine Shaw, the Democratic nominee in 2002, who was also actively supported by the DCCC, had to refinance her house and still carries $266,447 in campaign debt, all in loans that she made to her campaign, none of which are likely to ever be repaid.
I certainly see lines that can be drawn and inferences that can be made in looking at these figures, but I’m interested to hear what you think.
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posted by babaloo @ 1:03 AM
7 Comments:
Yo! You be listen' to Apollo Creed, cause I sees you got the need, to be shown how fat politcos feed, and live off their pig-faced greed.
What you dink of dat, Rocky? Apollo is back in fightin' style, rhymin like Ali. Been runnin on the beach, just like you did in dat movie, 'cept I still can't get dat stupid "Tie of da Liar" music to play.
So now I be teachin' youse all the ways to da street. It works like dis -- wanna bees like Filson and Shaw and even McNerney gots to put up the cash befour dey can hit the jackpot. You sees, once you in that stinkin pig pen called "Congress", you can make so much dough, it ain't even funny.
Just look at that Pombo pig. He's getting $165,200 a year just for haulin' his ass to Congress and sitting dere looking stupid. Den on top of dat, he gets benefits up the wazoo. And dose pigs keep voting theirselves pay increases and more benefits, whiles keepin' da minnimum wage at like around $5.00 or some shit like dat. Friggin' sick, seeing as we's are payin' for it with taxes and 1040s and all that stuff.
But dat ain't da end of it. No way. Den once you gets to be a bigtime Congressional person, like a chairman, you gots all dem lobbyists and Jackoff fallin all over theirselves to load you up with more dough. Just for sittin his fat butt in some chair, Pombo got a big ass cash cow goin'. It is friggin ridiculous. They shovel the dough to him, he shovels it over to "Clorox" (I mean Annette for all you newbies and Pombo staffers readin dis blot). He gave her and his bro a friggin quarter of a million dollars for doin' nuttin'. That's one helluva a racket, if you ask me. Even my trainer, he's got to do sumthin before I be payin him any dough, and I be tellin you, he don't get no quarter of a million dollars.
Now, I made dat much -- more then dat even -- when I whipped Rocky's sorry white ass, but I had to climb up to get to dat level. Think it was easy? Well, it weren't, 'cept when I was runnin on the beach and Adrian lookin at me all starry eyed, and maybe Clorox was dere also, checkin' me out, seeing as her fat hubby was off in DC, stuffin his pockets with Jackoff dough and hangin with the mistress. So why shouldn't she get the hell out of that dumpy town Tracey and come watch me runnin on the beach?
But back to the facts, let me summarize dis here post: McNerney and dem other wanna bees, they's got to find some lobbyists of dere own dat can give dem thousands and thousands of dollars just becawse they be promisin' all kinds of favors and legislation once dey get in to dat Congress. Dat's how the scam works. Ya got to show you can play the game and scam da system. If you is honest, fuggetaboutit. Youse got to be dishonest and corrupt to play da DC game, and it also helps if you got a bleach-blonde clorox wife to show off too, and a bunch a smilin' kids, just so's ya look honest and dey can be in campaign commershuls.
So dose wanna bees got to get wit da program. They got to tell dem oil execs their gonna let dem drill any goddam place dey want, even Pombo's pig ranch, and day will start sendin' them some dough.
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Yo Apollo! Yo Mr SPY!
Rocky here. Good to hear from you Apollo and good to see Mr SPY breakin thru duh friggin sensors defendin duh perimeter of dis blot.
I mean like Mr SPY: Foist of all, you got off to duh wrong foot wit duh Inner Circle on accounta duh fact dat you wuz tryin to stirrup trubble. Butt duh bottom line is when youse started postin recipes fer friggin rendered slop laden wit choles-troll dat youse crossed duh line and went to duh udder side. You know what I mean?
Cuz dis blot ain't a cookin blot, and even though it ain't, postin an occasional recipe would like probably be OK, cuz one of duh rules of blottin is to change duh friggin subject as quick as duh dealer can dish it out. Rocky unnerstands duh rules, so if you'd listen up, pay attention, and not be so friggin dumBBBB, you might loin from Rocky. You know what I mean? I got one deal unner my belt and I ain't seen you get none. Woo woo woo.
Butt anyways, if yer gonna be postin recipes, make 'em good wuns not like friggin rendered whale meat garnished wit Marijuana Island budds, or friggin imitation Philly cheezestake hoagies covered wit friggin Ragu, or Prego, which is even woise. And duh meats too thick and you fergot duh friggin cheeze. And in yet anudder bad recipe, you is ruinin good eggs by cookin 'em insted of drinkin 'em. Disgustin I tell you.
You is like 0 fer 4 on recipes so far, and yer incredibility as a friggin Portu-geese chef is runnin low. Mebbe crooked Republicans eat dis kind of pig slop soived up in troughs, butt not us Dems. Nor duh good honest Republicans dat voted fer Mr BeanO and Duh Fightin One as dey wouldn't eat dis slop no way neither.
And yo - Apollo. Dat friggin rhyme wuz like you in yer friggin prime in duh day's before Duh Cheapskate ante-ed up a friggin dime. In udder woids, duh good old days of yesteryear.
Rocky out.
Yo Rocky, the Chief Blotter zapped the recipes, but dey sucked anyway, so no loss. But youse look like a fool now, cause nobody know what da hell you talkin bout.
You gettin distracted by food, just like when i punched yer lights out in the third round on a account of you sniffin a cheesesteak over in the bleachers and turning you head dat way.
Now, lissen to dis, so as to keeps yur focus: ButtaPombo's gotta go, dat's where its at.
Whadda bum. Now I hears he even takin dough from some casino guy in New mexico. What's up wit dat? This guy Fulton wanna bee da next Jack Abramoff or sumthin?
But he won't never make, he ain't got the gangster look down, like Jackoff does. Just anudder wanna bee, stuffin dough in Pombo's pockets so's to buy him off. Besides, don't he know? 7 grand ain't gonna make it on Pombo's scale. He's gotta start coughin up da big bucks to get ButtaPombo and Dingaling's attention.
Yo Apollo.
Rocky here. Yer like friggin amazin - a coupla days on dis blot and you is dealin like a perfeshional. I mean like how in duh woild are you cummin up wit stuff dis good dis fast? I studied fer weeks before I had my foist good deal.
Butt yer also leavin Rocky confused, on accounta duh fact dat after readin dis blot it looks like ButtaPombO will take money from duh New Mexicans and do dere biddin butt not from duh Old Mexicans who he wants to throw in jail or outta duh country whaddever cums foist. You know what I mean? Are dese New Mexicans better cooks or what? Dey gotta be better den dis SPY who tinks he's a friggin Portu-geese chef.
None of dis don't make no sense to Rocky.
Rocky out. Bad recipes out. Where's Mr $.02 when you need him?
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