Shell Game

When it comes to the War on Terra, the democratic party leadership knows the Republicans aren't acting from a logical basis.

They know the Republicans are using the war, as well as the energy issue, as a way to get fithy rich.

They like that money, too.

That's the real reason Biden, Clinton, Lieberman, and even Kerry support the Iraq war.

No reason to look for any other agenda than the almighty dollar, campaign and otherwise.

This polarizing statement, justifiably, gets challenged by Lambert at Corrente.

Let repeat and elaborate my response here.

Many of the Democrats, like Bush were supported by financial contributions of more than $2000/ donor. I doubt there are many cockroach people kicking in those kinds of bucks. Having lived that lifestyle in the cracks of society more than once, I know there is just too much else people living like that need to do with that kind of money.

You can pick it apart by industry: in 2004 big financial groups gave around $190 million to the republicans, but $140 million to the democrats. That's a lot of sugar, and powerful incentive to treat them nicely. And it's easy to make it look individual.

And check out exactly who's doing the giving. In 2004, it's no surprise the defense industries gave almost twice as much to the republicans as to the democrats. Still, chances are the democrats aren't sneezing at that $6 million.

But it may surprise you that people from the securities and finance industries, gave almost ten times as much, about $50 million, apiece to both parties.

And who's the world's biggest private finance and equity investment group?

Surf around Open Secrets, the source of these data, by industry. Admittedly, the DLC and the Clintonistas are far more intelligent at this kind of shell game than Bu$hCo. It's harder to pin down who exactly gives where, or (aside from the Senator from MBNA ) who's got which sugar daddy.

Yet even Biden can make it look like individual donors. Sort of. Still, there's no question he's more circumspect than Cheneyburton.

Consider this: at close to a trillion being sunk into the War on Terra, the approximately $2.1 billion raised for the 2004 election is paying off somebody at about 1000 to 1.

Pretty good return for the money.

I am not going to go all Naderite and tell you not to support the Democrats. In fact, the best long term odds for this country lay in the American public sending a heavily Democratic Congress back to Washington in 2006, impeaching George W. Bush, and sending most of Bu$hCo to prison for quite a long time for their crimes against the American people and against humanity.

I am saying that we have a long struggle ahead, no matter who wins. Because no matter who wins, those who can feed Big Money into the machine will expect a big return on their dollar. Even if we get rid of the feudal Dominionists, we're going to have problems, so it is wise to face up to them.