Saturday, October 09, 2010
CAMPAIGN CONFUSION AND CORRUPTION
Having watched any number of current campaign TV ads in the Oklahoma governor’s race, I find that somebody is confused. It could be me, but logic points toward the designer of those ads.
One ad tells me that Ms. Fallin went to Washington for a while, but did not like it there. That part I understand. But then the ad goes on to say that she is coming home to run for governor to fight Washington. She now wants to fight the President and the “Washington liberals” by running for governor of Oklahoma.
Now I could be wrong, but wasn’t Congress the place to fight with all those other folk in Washington? She represented Oklahoma there for several terms. Oklahoma has its own problems, and most of them have nothing to do with Washington.
Our major problem in Oklahoma is the lack of sufficient state funds to finance education, higher education, corrections, mental health, children’s support services, homes for the mentally and physically challenged, highways, and other needs. Washington has done more to help us with that problem than anyone else, in spite of our state legislature.
Our fiscal problems have been exacerbated by the tax cuts made recently by republican legislators. Only the democrat-sponsored federal stimulus funds, criticized by republicans, have enabled the state to keep its school house doors open and to fund other needed state services at severely reduced levels. Why then is “Washington” the problem in Oklahoma?
Then there is the matter of the outsider attack ad accusing her democratic opponent of voting against legally allowing everybody in Oklahoma without a criminal record to carry concealed guns. Well, duh, the only ones in favor of that were her party extremists in the legislature. They also had bills to allow anybody on college campuses to carry guns. Remember? What sensible person would not oppose such crazy legislation? Even Wyatt Earp kept Dodge City in better control.
What about the accusation of voting against tax cuts – in the midst of a financial crisis threatening the state with bankruptcy, bond failure, and ruin? Who are the fiscally foolish ones on that issue? Who cuts income with the wolf at the door?
And, her opponent voted against “spending limits,” an ad says. That is not a very specific accusation. There have been a few attempts to “freeze” everything in place, as though whatever is now is right forever, and as though conditions and needs will never change. Bills and referendums like that are foolish, and they have proven disastrous elsewhere.
Then there is the ad saying that the republican candidate is against “government run health care.” But any informed person knows that the new health bill regulates insurance companies, and it tries to provide ways for everyone to buy private insurance from some company. The only “government run” health programs in this country are Medicare, Veterans Administration, and Indian Health Care. Eliminate those? Do we not know the difference?
What about that hated “bailout” measure, sponsored by Bush and passed by democrats over republican opposition, to save the nation from breakdown of its banking system and throwing the economy into panic? It turns out that pay backs have already reduced that $700 billion cost to less than $50 billion. And, it worked.
A lot of money is coming into Oklahoma to finance those attack ads. Billionaires and corporations have been made free to try to buy elections legally by a vote of the five republicans on the Supreme Court. They are taking advantage of that opportunity all over the country.
Money coming into republican political attack groups this year is running past $80 million, compared with $16 million two years ago. Republicans have a 7 to 1 advantage over democrats on money coming into their interest groups. Their political groups are airing attack ads against democrats all over the nation.
These republican political attack groups go by high-sounding names. American Futures has given away $7 million already, all to republicans. American Crossroads, handled by Karl Rove, has handed out $18 million to republican ads and is due to spend $50 million to defeat democrats this next few weeks.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the bastion of big business, is funneling $75 million to defeat democrats, some of it alleged to come illegally from foreign corporations. From the United Arab Emirates has come 450 donations of $8,500 each. Notice any odor about that?
The faux grass roots tea party movement has been sponsored by billionaire money. Enough is traceable to know that is true. They are a “front” for big money and most don’t know it. But tighter efforts are being made by these special interest groups to keep their donors secret. Not in the public interest? Then tell that to the republicans in the Senate who have blocked the bill to make all donor lists public.
This next election may well be in the process of being bought by corporate and billionaire money.
It all depends upon the gullibility of the American voter to their campaign attack war. They are counting on voters being ignorant of the facts, and easily swayed by simple, false arguments repeated over and over. Buying an election means buying a government. Voters beware!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
One ad tells me that Ms. Fallin went to Washington for a while, but did not like it there. That part I understand. But then the ad goes on to say that she is coming home to run for governor to fight Washington. She now wants to fight the President and the “Washington liberals” by running for governor of Oklahoma.
Now I could be wrong, but wasn’t Congress the place to fight with all those other folk in Washington? She represented Oklahoma there for several terms. Oklahoma has its own problems, and most of them have nothing to do with Washington.
Our major problem in Oklahoma is the lack of sufficient state funds to finance education, higher education, corrections, mental health, children’s support services, homes for the mentally and physically challenged, highways, and other needs. Washington has done more to help us with that problem than anyone else, in spite of our state legislature.
Our fiscal problems have been exacerbated by the tax cuts made recently by republican legislators. Only the democrat-sponsored federal stimulus funds, criticized by republicans, have enabled the state to keep its school house doors open and to fund other needed state services at severely reduced levels. Why then is “Washington” the problem in Oklahoma?
Then there is the matter of the outsider attack ad accusing her democratic opponent of voting against legally allowing everybody in Oklahoma without a criminal record to carry concealed guns. Well, duh, the only ones in favor of that were her party extremists in the legislature. They also had bills to allow anybody on college campuses to carry guns. Remember? What sensible person would not oppose such crazy legislation? Even Wyatt Earp kept Dodge City in better control.
What about the accusation of voting against tax cuts – in the midst of a financial crisis threatening the state with bankruptcy, bond failure, and ruin? Who are the fiscally foolish ones on that issue? Who cuts income with the wolf at the door?
And, her opponent voted against “spending limits,” an ad says. That is not a very specific accusation. There have been a few attempts to “freeze” everything in place, as though whatever is now is right forever, and as though conditions and needs will never change. Bills and referendums like that are foolish, and they have proven disastrous elsewhere.
Then there is the ad saying that the republican candidate is against “government run health care.” But any informed person knows that the new health bill regulates insurance companies, and it tries to provide ways for everyone to buy private insurance from some company. The only “government run” health programs in this country are Medicare, Veterans Administration, and Indian Health Care. Eliminate those? Do we not know the difference?
What about that hated “bailout” measure, sponsored by Bush and passed by democrats over republican opposition, to save the nation from breakdown of its banking system and throwing the economy into panic? It turns out that pay backs have already reduced that $700 billion cost to less than $50 billion. And, it worked.
A lot of money is coming into Oklahoma to finance those attack ads. Billionaires and corporations have been made free to try to buy elections legally by a vote of the five republicans on the Supreme Court. They are taking advantage of that opportunity all over the country.
Money coming into republican political attack groups this year is running past $80 million, compared with $16 million two years ago. Republicans have a 7 to 1 advantage over democrats on money coming into their interest groups. Their political groups are airing attack ads against democrats all over the nation.
These republican political attack groups go by high-sounding names. American Futures has given away $7 million already, all to republicans. American Crossroads, handled by Karl Rove, has handed out $18 million to republican ads and is due to spend $50 million to defeat democrats this next few weeks.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the bastion of big business, is funneling $75 million to defeat democrats, some of it alleged to come illegally from foreign corporations. From the United Arab Emirates has come 450 donations of $8,500 each. Notice any odor about that?
The faux grass roots tea party movement has been sponsored by billionaire money. Enough is traceable to know that is true. They are a “front” for big money and most don’t know it. But tighter efforts are being made by these special interest groups to keep their donors secret. Not in the public interest? Then tell that to the republicans in the Senate who have blocked the bill to make all donor lists public.
This next election may well be in the process of being bought by corporate and billionaire money.
It all depends upon the gullibility of the American voter to their campaign attack war. They are counting on voters being ignorant of the facts, and easily swayed by simple, false arguments repeated over and over. Buying an election means buying a government. Voters beware!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
