Posted on 12/20/2003 8:58:34 AM PST by bdeaner
George Soros, the 38th richest person in the world according to Forbes, says that defeating President George W. Bush in 2004 is "the central focus of my life." In an eye-popping interview recently with the Washington Post, he argued that "America under Bush is a danger to the world."
"When I hear Bush say, 'You're either with us or against us,' it reminds me of the Germans." It evokes memories, he says, of the Nazi rhetoric of his childhood in Hungary.
This wild antipathy toward the President is making Soros--who earned his $7 billion as a hedge-fund buccaneer--the single biggest funder of efforts to get Bush out of the White House. The Post figures he has spent over $15 million so far, and he is ready to give more. The 2004 Presidential race, he told the Post, is "a matter of life and death."
In early November, Soros and a partner donated $5 million to the liberal, anti-Bush MoveOn.org. He also gave $10 million to a similar organization, America Coming Together, which aims to mobilize voters in 17 battleground states. And he has promised $3 million to the
Center for American Progress, a new Democratic think tank started by former Clinton aide John Podesta.
Soros has always fancied himself an intellectual as well as a moneymaker, and he wants desperately to be taken seriously.
His first attempt came in 1997 with a weird, discursive article in the Atlantic Monthly called "The Capitalist Threat." He argued that "the spread of market values into all areas of life" is now the main threat to "open and democratic society."
The man-bites-dog nature of the anticapitalist article from the capitalist mogul brought it attention, but it was so appallingly stupid that it provoked the ire of even the typically mild-mannered, centrist journalist Robert Samuelson of Newsweek. He called Soros "a crackpot" and his essay "gibberish" akin to the "Unabomber's manifesto in its sweeping, unsupported, and disconnected generalizations."
Now Soros is back in the Atlantic with a piece called "The Bubble of
American Supremacy." Here the problem is not so much incoherence as hysteria: "The Bush administration proceeded to exploit the terrorist attack for its own purposes," he writes of the 9/11 terrorist murder of innocents. "It fostered the fear that has gripped the country
and it used the war on terrorism to execute an agenda of American supremacy."
What does Soros propose? Not military action, but "preventive action of a constructive and affirmative nature. Increased foreign aid or better or fairer trade rules," and, of course, "international cooperation."
All of this would be harmless if Soros didn't have billions to spend and the intention to manipulate our politics with them. In the past, it was enough for him to lavish money on leftish causes like drug legalization through the Soros Foundations Network. But a more strident, ideological tone has now become evident.
Soros dubbed his main charity the "Open Society Institute," a reference to the 1945 book, The Open Society and Its Enemies, by Karl Popper (1902-94), who was driven out of his native Austria by the
Nazis. Popper's ideas are complicated, but he stood for what Jonathan Rauch, in a perceptive essay following 9/11, called a free society's "irrepressible effervescence and astonishing durability." These truly are American traits, and ones that the Bush administration has tried to preserve and promote through the kinds of activities that Soros appears to detest: tax cuts, regulatory restraint, and yes, overthrowing tyrants in other parts of the world.
There is irony in Soros's simultaneous embrace of Popper and of the American Left. And hypocrisy in his attitude toward campaign finance regulation: In his foundation's annual report, Soros lauds the McCain-Feingold law limiting donations as an antidote to "a fundamental crisis in democratic self-government." Yet he pours millions into a loophole that lets nonparty groups accept funds without limit.
Let me be clear: Soros earned his money, and he can spend it on whatever he wants. What concerns me is the monstrous hatred Soros has developed toward the President of the United States--hatred shared by others in his social circle.
My guess is that the $15 million Soros has spent is just the beginning. Most voters are blessedly immune to dumb arguments even when they are well-funded. Nevertheless, it would be foolish to take Soros lightly. He is emerging as a great threat not just to the re-election of George Bush, but to our truly open society as well.
This is a GOOD one... I specially like "the religio-phobic libs!" This is GOOD! This Liz has some burning passion in her essays and they'er as sizzling with invective as the Battle Hymn of the REPUBLIC... The FREE REPUBLIC!!!
You guys bedder giddy up with that there "Ranter's Hall of Fame," idear!!! Ranters are way bedder than bloggers, anahow!!! (bloggers ain't go no fire in their bellies)
bttt for morning read. Thanks ! ...
Here's a thought - Soros wants to overthrow George Bush and his administration. Could that include Jeb Bush? Think about it - I understand he is pro death and is working in the background of the Terri Schiavo case. With all his money, he can grease a lot of palms, judges included.
Wish there was someway to investigate him along with Terri's husband.
Possibly not! The incoming director of the FEC -- who was an outspoken opponent of the CFR law -- may apply the Lincolnsonian principle that the best way to effect the repeal of an odious law is to rigorously enforce it. He's announced the possibility, with formal determination to follow early next year, that 527 organizations (like those Soros has established or funded) may have to be regulated under the new law much like PACs. See:
New Democratic Funding Groups May Have to Return Money - GOP FEC Chair May Close Loophole ^ |
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Posted by 11th Earl of Mar On News/Activism ^ 12/19/2003 9:10:17 AM CST with 36 comments Boston Globe ^ | 12/19/03 Democrats' new campaign funding groups may face regulation By Sharon Theimer, Associated Press, 12/19/2003 WASHINGTON -- Democrats who have been forming groups to avoid spending restrictions in the campaign finance law may face bad news: The government's new chief election regulator is warning that their activities could be reined in. Bradley Smith, the Republican chosen yesterday as chairman of the Federal Election Commission, said he believes a recent Supreme Court ruling may require his agency to limit the groups' activities."If so, it's a huge issue. And it means there are a lot of groups already out there that would have... |
Man, when the LIBERAL Newsweek calls Soros a 'crackpot', wow ! He IS nuts, too ! ...The man-bites-dog nature of the anticapitalist article from the capitalist mogul brought it attention, but it was so appallingly stupid that it provoked the ire of even the typically mild-mannered, centrist journalist Robert Samuelson of Newsweek. He called Soros "a crackpot" and his essay "gibberish" akin to the "Unabomber's manifesto in its sweeping, unsupported, and disconnected generalizations."
And he attacks Capitalism, after he USED the system to make $$ BILLIONS ??? ...
Soros has always fancied himself an intellectual as well as a moneymaker, and he wants desperately to be taken seriously. His first attempt came in 1997 with a weird, discursive article in the Atlantic Monthly called "The Capitalist Threat." He argued that "the spread of market values into all areas of life" is now the main threat to "open and democratic society."
And then he uses a loophole to get around CFR - WHICH HE SUPPORTED !! - and uses his great wealth to try to take down a President that supports policies that coincide with a system that Soros USED TO MAKE HIS GREAT WEALTH ?? What's wrong with this picture ?? ...
There is irony in Soros's simultaneous embrace of Popper and of the American Left. And hypocrisy in his attitude toward campaign finance regulation: In his foundation's annual report, Soros lauds the McCain-Feingold law limiting donations as an antidote to "a fundamental crisis in democratic self-government." Yet he pours millions into a loophole that lets nonparty groups accept funds without limit.
Sorry for the long rant, but this George Soros is driving me nuts. What a hypocritical dirtbag !!!
From now on, I'm referring to him as George SorryA** because that's what he is !!
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Let Me Tell You A Lie.org
Excerpt:The truth be told, do you know what group has accepted politically motivated contributions from the biggest political contributor of them all? Do you know what group gets to accept soft money while it tries to influence our political system? MoveOn.org, thats who. With George Soros contributing at least $2.5 million to MoveOn.org they have accepted over 1000 times what the cap is for a donation in a single contribution. Political propaganda groups like MoveOn.org and Americans Coming Together have accepted a total of at least $15.5 million from Soros making him the biggest political contributor of them all, corporations included. So, it should go without saying that the Democratic Party is the beneficiary of the biggest of the big contributors. But listening to MoveOn.org you would have no idea that this fact is the unarguable truth.
Very nicely done, for you Liz and your fellow Soros slayer Dragoo.
When it comes to ranting about Dumbocrats, there's just no stopping me. LOL.
Good!!!
I must conclude that legalization of drugs is more important to you than any other issue, including the survival of the republic, which Soros is actively working to undermine.
I also have concluded that there is no point in having further discussion with you about this issue.
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