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[The Librarian]

If Comcast is looking to influence politicians, they're doing a bad job of it. The average senate campaign is close to $10 million.

I'm sure they have a lot of average for donating less than a thousandth of a percent.

 

[Deku Tree]

I am still disappointed that the members of the supreme court, supposedly some of the smartest judges in America, can't appreciate the basic concept that Money is not equal to Speech. Freedom of Speech should not mean freedom of monetary donation.

 

[entremet]

Isn't gift-giving illegal? How are they doing this? What binds senators to bend to these corporations, after getting a gift?

They're called ''campaign contributions". An easy way to overstep that.

 

[Sub_Level]

You said every senator took PAC money from Comcast but I see Al Franken took $0.

Edit: Not that it makes the story any better, the whole situation is still dirty.

Was instead paid in fried oreos and a butter head bust.

Comcast employee donations to Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats:

Al Franken, Minnesota: $15,050

 

[Complex Shadow]

You said every senator took PAC money from Comcast but I see Al Franken took $0.

Edit: Not that it makes the story any better, the whole situation is still dirty.

Anti-Comcast Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) isn't listed as having received anything from Comcast's PAC, but that's apparently because the database didn't take into account money collected by Franken's recount fund from when he needed a vote recount to get elected to the Senate. Franken and Comcast spokespeople confirmed to Ars that a Comcast PAC did give $5,000 to Franken's recount fund in 2009. A Los Angeles Times story from 2010 also mentions the donation.

i have no clue what any of this means though. just that Al Franken did at some point accept money.

edit:
CURSE YOU SUB_LEVEL!

 

[FlyinJ]

But seriously, what can we do?

Absolutely nothing now that Citizens United made it legal for corporations to give unlimited bribes to politicians.

You vote them out, the new guy is just going to take the legal bribe.

We're fucked.

 

[Vincent Alexander]

I hate being one of those people, but shit like this makes me want to move to Canada. Or the moon. Surely there is no corruption on the moon.

 

[Gannd]

If you think the buying comes from things like this you're mistaken. Dont' get me wrong, corporations and government have formed an axis that is about supporting the elites from both. You need to research to see how people jump between industry and government (especially in regulatory bodies and they join industries they regulated) that's the bigger crime.

 

[Gr1mLock]

Puppets gonna dance.

 

[DonasaurusRex]

ugh...if this happens... like what the heck is the rationale?

 

[Spat_triate]

Democracy at its finest.

Why is this even acceptable?

Because the political appointees known as the Supreme Court say so. In fact, in the most recent ruling, Chief Justice Roberts stated that it was wrong for the government to even attempt to regulate money/contributions in politics.

 

[Patryn]

ugh...if this happens... like what the heck is the rationale?

Politicians need money to run campaigns? Comcast likes money and wants to become a bigger monopoly? Consumers don't fight hard enough for their rights?

 

[Savitar]

Nothings free.

Especially not the government.

 

[HK-47]

the idea the US is a free market is laughable. people need to stop voting

What is that gonna do? This isnt a game where you cant lose if you dont play.

 

[Paches]

Comcast employee donations to Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats:

Al Franken, Minnesota: $15,050

PAC money and employee donations are separated out in to two categories.

Edit: I see above now about his recount fund. That is odd they don't include that. I stand corrected.

 

[Sean*O]

...and that's just what gets reported

 

[SimleuqiR]

In Franken's defense he is at least trying to look like he apposes the merger:

Sen. Franken looks to recruit Netflix in his quest to kill the Comcast-TWC merger

Senator Al Franken (D, Minn.) has been one of the most vocal critics of the proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable and now he’s trying to bring in the big guns to help him kill it once and for all. Franken on Wednesday sent a letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings asking him or his company to publicly weigh in on a merger that Franken says will hurt competition for online video services going forward.

“My concern is that Comcast will be able to use its clout in the broadband distribution market to obtain an anticompetitive advantage in the content market,” Franken writes. “Comcast can achieve this by blocking, degrading, raising costs for or otherwise interfering with unaffiliated content that relies on Comcast’s distribution network to reach consumers.”

Letter: http://www.franken.senate.gov/files/letter/140416Comcast-Netflix.pdf

Maybe with the help of Netflix he can make a difference.

 

[Gannd]

I actually don't have a problem with corporations or other organizations (such as unions) donating to politicians. How many here on GAF have no problem with the SIEU or other unions pouring in millions of dollars every year into the election process? As long as the information is disclosed, I'm fine with it.

What I don't like is that we have staffers and other government employees that leave the public sector and go to work in the private sector for companies that they were responsible for regulating and overseeing. That to me is where the real mess is.

 

[Friggz]

What is that gonna do? This isnt a game where you cant lose if you dont play.

if nobody votes becuase every possible candidate is shit, something will have to change.

 

[HK-47]

if nobody votes becuase every possible candidate is shit, something will have to change.

Thats naive.

 

[kess]

Remember its not corruption its gratitude.

This is so maddening. What a weasel term for a weasel ruling.

 

[slit]

I actually don't have a problem with corporations or other organizations (such as unions) donating to politicians. How many here on GAF have no problem with the SIEU or other unions pouring in millions of dollars every year into the election process? As long as the information is disclosed, I'm fine with it.

What I don't like is that we have staffers and other government employees that leave the public sector and go to work in the private sector for companies that they were responsible for regulating and overseeing. That to me is where the real mess is.

False dichotomy. I have a problem with that as well. The rule doesn't have to apply to ONLY corporations.

 

[HK-47]

I am still disappointed that the members of the supreme court, supposedly some of the smartest judges in America, can't appreciate the basic concept that Money is not equal to Speech. Freedom of Speech should not mean freedom of monetary donation.

They knew what they were doing.

 

[Friggz]

Thats naive.

wishful thinking on my part really. i havent voted in the last two elections becuase i feel there hasnt been a good candiate to lead this country.


and the election before those two i did a write in vote for my dad.

 

[BFIB]

I should be surprised, but I'm really not. Its embarrassing when my wife, who runs a rape crisis center, has to go lobby up in Springfield, IL and is quickly shoved aside for each and every business that comes down from Chicago to "meet" with the Congressman and Congress women.

 

[SyNapSe]

Isn't gift-giving illegal? How are they doing this? What binds senators to bend to these corporations, after getting a gift?

The same thing that binds you to show up at work on Monday morning as your company hands you a paycheck Friday afternoon. You're gonna need another paycheck next week.

 

[Gannd]

False dichotomy. I have a problem with that as well. The rule doesn't have to apply to ONLY corporations.

It's not a false dichotomy at all. I'm asking to get people who are up in arms about Comcast pouring in money to think about their own political biases. I am fine with people, corporations, unions, trade groups, whatever using money to support candidates that they think will go with their best interests. I think the solution is to reform the tax code to remove the largest tool from the corruption toolbox.

 

[The Horror the horror]

If you think the buying comes from things like this you're mistaken. Dont' get me wrong, corporations and government have formed an axis that is about supporting the elites from both. You need to research to see how people jump between industry and government (especially in regulatory bodies and they join industries they regulated) that's the bigger crime.

I'm interested. Can you recommend a book on the topic?

 

[Gannd]

I'm interested. Can you recommend a book on the topic?

http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/

 

[killer rin]

Honestly, how is that this legal? You'd think that there would be laws in place to stop that.

I hate being one of those people, but shit like this makes me want to move to Canada. Or the moon. Surely there is no corruption on the moon.

Dont pull your trigger on Canada juuust yet. We're not yet done ridding the CRTC of Robellus.

 

[slit]

It's not a false dichotomy at all. I'm asking to get people who are up in arms about Comcast pouring in money to think about their own political biases. I am fine with people, corporations, unions, trade groups, whatever using money to support candidates that they think will go with their best interests. I think the solution is to reform the tax code to remove the largest tool from the corruption toolbox.

It is a false dichotomy because while it was an open question, it seemed to suggest that If GAF was against coporations donating, GAF wouldn't have a problem with unions doing it. When there is open bribery going on, no tax code will change anything.

 

[Spat_triate]

Isn't gift-giving illegal? How are they doing this? What binds senators to bend to these corporations, after getting a gift?

"Corruption" is now very narrowly defined. Handing an official some money in a briefcase to explicitly change their vote is illegal, but giving large campaign donations that have implicit meaning is a completely legal avenue of free speech.

 

[Prologue]

Can you take the money and still be lobby against them? I would be a big asshole lol

 

[Clydefrog]

I'd like to see a politician accept the money and then give it to a food bank or something.

I'd also like to fly and time travel.

 

[malfcn]

Can this effect the merger?

 

[ElRenoRaven]

So they're totally going to forbid the merger right? Right? Guys? Guys?

Yea the odds of this merger not going through is slim. That's exactly why too. Bribery at it's best.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Welcome to our monopoly.

 

[Apath]

So if I am being accused of a crime and am in court, is there nothing preventing me from "donating" tens of thousands of dollars to the judge? If not, why is that any different?

 

[Plinko]

It makes absolutely ZERO SENSE that any corporation is able to donate money to a candidate.

 

[Aureon]

.. You can buy a senator's vote on a merger for that little? whoah.

 

[kmax]

The worst company of the year has politicians in their pocket?

Shocking.

 

[Apath]

The worst company of the year has politicians in their pocket?

Shocking.

EA winning proves the title is meaningless. Not that it wasn't already irrelevant to begin with.

 

[demon]

It makes absolutely ZERO SENSE that any corporation is able to donate money to a candidate.

So, you don't support the First Amendment?

 

[Easy_D]

.. You can buy a senator's vote on a merger for that little? whoah.

Clearly, their wages need to be increased so much that this amount of money means nothing to them.

 

[Ace 8095]

So if I am being accused of a crime and am in court, is there nothing preventing me from "donating" tens of thousands of dollars to the judge? If not, why is that any different?

In counties where judges are elected you could donate the the judges campaign.

When the government holds so many gifts it's not surprising that business wants to buy a few.

 

[Gallbaro]

The best government money can buy.

It has always amazed me at how cheap it is.

 

[ShinRPGamer]

I hate being one of those people, but shit like this makes me want to move to Canada. Or the moon. Surely there is no corruption on the moon.

Allow me to be one of those people when I say shit like this makes me want to stay far away from America. I'll surely be crippled in the bank pocket before even a year has passed if I move there.

 

[Earendil]

the idea the US is a free market is laughable. people need to stop voting

What would happen if literally no one voted during an election?

 

[Sub_Level]

PAC money and employee donations are separated out in to two categories.

Edit: I see above now about his recount fund. That is odd they don't include that. I stand corrected.

I actually missed the part where it was still a separate category though so you were right to correct me initially.

 

[Link]

Worst Supreme Court in history. Reagan still fucking this country from beyond the grave.