I don't know where on FR to say this, but I've wanted to for a while:
When I was much younger I landed a job in the headquarters of a major corporation. The CEO was damn near worshipped by employees and the community. I still don't think I've ever heard a bad thing about him.
I knew he was foremost a capitalist, also conservative and Christian.
I remember not long after I started I saw the company's filings or report on political contributions.
And I was shocked, flummoxed and disappointed to see the corporation gave virtually equal money to Democrats as to Republicans. Some years more to Dems, IIRC.
This company is in a highly regulated industry with constant dealings and negotiations with multiple government agencies.
I realized, and perhaps someone told me, the man gave to BOTH parties because he was subject to need either party on some change he sought in a regulation, or some relief from onerous government compliance on this or that. So he gave to both parties.
For Ted to harp on this with Trump is so damn DISINGENUOUS. Trump was in business and business men, no matter how committed to free enterprise, know the score, the real politik, that they'll likely need something, even something small and relatively innocuous, from a politician and not knowing if that politician will be Dem or Repub, they spread the wealth. Cover their bases. Hedge their bets. Play both sides of the street. Leave out one side---they'll remember it when you need something from THEM when THEY are in a position of power.
It is pure demagoguery for Ted to bring up that Donald gave to the Clintons---and conveniently fail to mention Trump had given to Cruz himself and to tons of other Republicans. You can bet his wife's employer, Goldman Sachs, does the SAME THING. They all do.
No matter how right or wrong I think it is, this real politik, and wishing that we all could stand by our principles, the outcome be damned, this man and his business provides his shareholders and employees and vendors with a living, and giving to both sides of the aisle is simply the way business is doing.
There may be other, more substantive attacks by Cruz aimed at Trump that I'd feel differently about, but not this. This is pure demagoguery.
Is the selling of influence---which is what this is---wrong? Yes. It's a game and the game is rooted in all things wrong. But the successful businessman has to play the game, or those shareholders, employees and vendors lose the value that otherwise accrues to them as the business succeeds.
Finally, on issues like this, or on flip flops, for example, it's not difficult at all to bring just as many, or more, up about Ted than Donald, and also more RECENT things. I think Trump went easy on both Cruz and Rubio tonight not pulling any of the multitude of skeletons in their closets.
Good post. The GOP needs to put a stop to these “debates.” They don’t serve the candidates at all and are the products of a MSM plan to discredit conservative candidates before the general election. All the vitriol expended on one another will prove fodder for the Democrats once the candidate is chosen.
I enjoyed you post. I think you are so right.