Friday, June 11, 2004
Irish Elections also up for Sale
I guess they say that misery loves company. One of the neat things about the internet is you can run across people all across the globe who have the same troubles that you do. Case in point -- here's a story from Ireland where one candidate says
Somehow, it all sounds vaguely familiar.
I guess they say that misery loves company. One of the neat things about the internet is you can run across people all across the globe who have the same troubles that you do. Case in point -- here's a story from Ireland where one candidate says
There is no legal limit on campaign spending for the European elections, and consequently the wealthy candidates and parties can afford to manage their public image, avoiding media engagements where they may have to defend their policies and explain what they will do. The much-hyped quarrels between candidates and political parties with almost indistinguishable track records on health, education, foreign policy, and the environment smack of spin doctoring. Independent candidates, and political parties unable and unwilling to spend their money putting image above substance hardly get a word in edgeways.
Somehow, it all sounds vaguely familiar.
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Billionaires Against Bush
Here's an AP story that describes the efforts of New York liberal billionaire George Soros to unseat his least favorite politician, George W. Bush. Soros may say that he's just trying to offset the millions that Bush has raised from CEOs, but both he and they clearly have more influence than the rest of us in how this race is playing out. Doesn't exactly seem right, does it?
Here's an AP story that describes the efforts of New York liberal billionaire George Soros to unseat his least favorite politician, George W. Bush. Soros may say that he's just trying to offset the millions that Bush has raised from CEOs, but both he and they clearly have more influence than the rest of us in how this race is playing out. Doesn't exactly seem right, does it?
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Even a Rat's Gotta Breathe
Americans For Job Security, a 501(c) organization with a propensity for popping up around election time to run last-second 'independent' ads for the pro-business crowd, is at it again. (Check out Derek's post from March for a little background)
Mark Johnson of The Charlotte Observer reports that Americans For Job Security (AJS) has spent $300,000 (all from undisclosed sources of course) on ads touting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Burr as pro-business. AJS was started in the 90's as a front for the insurance industry, which as far as I can tell is pro-insurance industry, which doesn't always mean pro-business. There's a difference. But I digress! At the end, AJS directs viewers to a phone number for more information about Burr. This somehow, some way, means the ad is not a campaign ad, meaning AJS gets to both keep its nonprofit status and keep its supporters anonymous.
What's the matter fellas? Don't wanna come out and play democracy with the rest of us?
Keep an eye out for AJS in your own local elections. If the race is close come October, and the local insurance friendly candidate is behind, don't be too surprised to see an ad or twenty supporting that candidate or dinging the other.
Americans For Job Security, a 501(c) organization with a propensity for popping up around election time to run last-second 'independent' ads for the pro-business crowd, is at it again. (Check out Derek's post from March for a little background)
Mark Johnson of The Charlotte Observer reports that Americans For Job Security (AJS) has spent $300,000 (all from undisclosed sources of course) on ads touting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Burr as pro-business. AJS was started in the 90's as a front for the insurance industry, which as far as I can tell is pro-insurance industry, which doesn't always mean pro-business. There's a difference. But I digress! At the end, AJS directs viewers to a phone number for more information about Burr. This somehow, some way, means the ad is not a campaign ad, meaning AJS gets to both keep its nonprofit status and keep its supporters anonymous.
What's the matter fellas? Don't wanna come out and play democracy with the rest of us?
Keep an eye out for AJS in your own local elections. If the race is close come October, and the local insurance friendly candidate is behind, don't be too surprised to see an ad or twenty supporting that candidate or dinging the other.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Money For Nothing
Laurie Sybert of the St. Louis Business Journal reports on MSNBC that political ad rates have jumped 58% in Missouri. Thanks to its status as a swing state, Kerry and Bush are saturating the nightly news ad market hoping to win valuable votes.
When the ad rates jump, they jump for everybody. Local candidates have to pay the same amount for a 30-second spot as the Hundred Million Dollar Club, meaning the folks in Missouri are stuck listening to the same old junk from the same two guys because the local and state candidates can't afford to play. Wouldn't it be nice to hear an interesting viewpoint or two or three from people a little closer to home, from candidates that don't see you as little tiny dots on a map or shades of red or blue?
Who owns the airwaves again?
The big boys tug-of-war over four percent of the electorate, so the rest of us get less info about local and state elections. Brilliant.
Give us our airwaves back! Media owes us, not the other way around.
Laurie Sybert of the St. Louis Business Journal reports on MSNBC that political ad rates have jumped 58% in Missouri. Thanks to its status as a swing state, Kerry and Bush are saturating the nightly news ad market hoping to win valuable votes.
When the ad rates jump, they jump for everybody. Local candidates have to pay the same amount for a 30-second spot as the Hundred Million Dollar Club, meaning the folks in Missouri are stuck listening to the same old junk from the same two guys because the local and state candidates can't afford to play. Wouldn't it be nice to hear an interesting viewpoint or two or three from people a little closer to home, from candidates that don't see you as little tiny dots on a map or shades of red or blue?
Who owns the airwaves again?
The big boys tug-of-war over four percent of the electorate, so the rest of us get less info about local and state elections. Brilliant.
Give us our airwaves back! Media owes us, not the other way around.
Monday, June 07, 2004
Bully
Well, this story's a bit stale date-wise, but still relevant to us and the task at hand. Seems the folks in Moreno Valley, California wanted to start up a public utility. (Can't imagine why anyone in California would want to do that . . .) Apparently, Southern California Edison (SCE) doesn't want it to happen, so it has spent over $670,000 trying to convince the folks around Moreno Valley to place limits on the public utility.
Now, this may seem like just another company throwing its eight around for the sake of profit, but the good folks at SCE assured Dan Lee of the Press-Enterprise that losing customers has nothing to do with their effort:
The amount of political power that a corporation get can with just a small piece of its portfolio is often enough to overwhelm what citizens on the other side can put together. Doesn't seem like a level playing field for making good public policy decisions.
Well, this story's a bit stale date-wise, but still relevant to us and the task at hand. Seems the folks in Moreno Valley, California wanted to start up a public utility. (Can't imagine why anyone in California would want to do that . . .) Apparently, Southern California Edison (SCE) doesn't want it to happen, so it has spent over $670,000 trying to convince the folks around Moreno Valley to place limits on the public utility.
Now, this may seem like just another company throwing its eight around for the sake of profit, but the good folks at SCE assured Dan Lee of the Press-Enterprise that losing customers has nothing to do with their effort:
"It does very little for our portfolio," he said.
The amount of political power that a corporation get can with just a small piece of its portfolio is often enough to overwhelm what citizens on the other side can put together. Doesn't seem like a level playing field for making good public policy decisions.
