"Soros to date has given an estimated $12.6 million to the liberal 527 network."
And all it took was a few thousand people donating nickels to the SwiftBoat Vets that brought a campaign to its knees.
And that is why liberals are maroons.
Charles Lewis of the Center for Public Integrity says Soros' contributions are legal but violate the reform spirit: "I have a hard time seeing what the difference is between a soft-money donor to a party and a big 527 donor, especially when both give million-dollar checks."
Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21 and a Soros grantee, also argues that Soros' vast donations run counter to the purpose of McCain-Feingold, which was "premised on ending the role of individuals doing such things."
Asked about Soros' giving, Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo) observed, "It is not consistent with campaign reform." But he added an important qualifier: "It is consistent with what the Constitution says about freedom of speech."
Which brings us to the real problem with campaign-reform supporters like Soros: It's not that they can't be consistent with their policy objectives. The problem is that the policies they advocate are unconstitutional.
Political donations to candidates, parties, political action committees or 527s represent the exercise of free speech, protected by the First Amendment. As Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia put it, the McCain-Feingold law "cuts to the heart of what the First Amendment is meant to protect: the right to criticize the government."
To many, George Soros' politics are controversial. Yet no matter how controversial, it is his right to voice those views and to spend his money to disseminate them. But he ought not to have pushed for a law that restricts that right for other people. Now that Soros has helped make the law's inherent contradictions so self-evident, it is time to repeal McCain-Feingold altogether.
(Adopting "Chandler Bing" voice)
Could you be more of a hypocrite?
Yesterday, I asked my wife to come with me to a rally protesting husbands who batter their wives. She didn't want to go, so I beat the crap out of her.
I always knew there was something smelly about Common Cause.
Asked about Soros' giving, Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo) observed, "It is not consistent with campaign reform." But he added an important qualifier: "It is consistent with what the Constitution says about freedom of speech."
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Tricky Dick just outed himself.
Is George Soros an American citizen? Was he born in America?
Soros is an added bonus to McCain. He was hoping his friends in the media would carry the dirty water against our president. That he got Soros too just makes him happier.
This is old news, people. What the columnist doesn't address is who else is giving money to those same 527's.
It also doesn't reveal the extent of Soros involvement in influencing and buying governments world-wide.
*** As Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia put it, the McCain-Feingold law "cuts to the heart of what the First Amendment is meant to protect: the right to criticize the government." ***
It would make a lot more sense to keep the McCain-Feingold law, and to rewrite the 527 laws, so as to keep an even playing field for the political parties.
almost 18% of that huge DNC sludge fund is provided courtesy of three individuals, Peter Lewis, George Soros and Steven Bing, who have collectively spent a reported $33.4 million to date in an unprecedented attempt to single handedly overthrow the Bush administration by buying the Whitehouse for John Kerry.
Another 27% of DNC sludge money comes from Unions, most notably those Unions that represent government workers, in other words, those people who depend entirely upon the growth of government spending for their livelihood.
Clearly, without [special interest soft money], there wouldn’t be a Kerry/Edwards ticket.
Fact is the Bush re-election campaign is funded almost entirely by individual voter contributions, mostly under $200. per, and within the $2000. maximum allowed by campaign laws, as it should be.
Fact is, John Kerry’s bid for the Whitehouse is almost entirely funded by [special interest soft money] via 527 and 501 organizations, funded predominantly by three shady individuals and a few unions representing mostly government employees.
Fact is, the single largest contributing sector for Kerry is trial lawyers, while the single largest group behind Bush is retirees.
Fact is, if Kerry and Edwards manage to buy the Whitehouse with a little help from their billionaire and Hollywood friends, it will mark the first time in American history that the Whitehouse has been bought entirely with [special interest soft money].
Not exactly what John McCain and Russ Feingold had in mind, or is it? I’m amazed how silent the two have been on the topic. Maybe they are still speechless from receiving such a knee in the groin from the DNC and the Kerry campaign.
This election isn’t about John Kerry vs. George Bush. It’s about George Bush and the American electorate vs. Peter Lewis, George Soros and Steven Bing. These three men are attempting to use their billions to affect the outcome of an election that will affect almost 290 million American’s and the free world as we know it.
It’s about fat Union bosses and government employees dependent on bloated government growth vs. the American people who get the honor of picking up the tab for that growth.
War, terrorism, the economy, morality, jobs; they are all good reasons to vote.
But if this story won’t get you to the polls in November, nothing will!
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:9fV1zWWF82UJ:www.americandaily.com/article/4703+george+soros,+john+mccain&hl=en&start=16
Recall that McCain-Feingold, in its alleged wisdom, banned large-dollar "soft money" donations to the political parties. But only a dreamer, or the Beltway press corps, could believe this money would somehow vanish from politics. Instead it is being re-routed through new and less accountable channels. Meet the new fat cats, same as the old fat cats--except harder to keep track of.
The irony is especially rich in the case of Mr. Soros, who has long supported campaign finance reform. By helping to limit those gifts to the two parties, the billionaire has cleared a path to make himself the biggest bankroller in Democratic politics. He's already pledged $10 million to America Coming Together (ACT), a new outfit dedicated to spending an unprecedented $75 million to defeat President Bush next year. He has also reportedly chipped in $20 million to the Center for American Progress, a new liberal think-tank that is financing the likes of Bush-hating pundit Eric Alterman.
It is amazing how many of the real conservatives on Free Republic have no problems with George $oreA$$. Which is the same attitude the left wingers have with $oreA$$.
If Putin can document the flow of Blood Money from $oreA$$ to the Islamo Mass Murders in Russia this year, maybe Putin will handle the $oreA$$ problem for the rest of the world.
Soros intentional abuse of the system will justify congress taking more actions to forbid free speech. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Soros was involved in setting up Rather. If Soros can create a situation where it is impossible for any voice to rise above the surrounding din then it will be difficult for the people to control any decision that the ruling elite want to implement. If you can fragment society sufficiently by undermining the family, religion and all other organizations between the individual and the state then you can leave the individual feeling isolated and impotent.
I tried a little experiment last week. I asked 9 people what they knew about Soros...only 3 recognized the name. He's been flying under the radar to all but the most rabid political observer. Most of these people get their news from Peter, Dan and Tom, and, of course, 60 Minutes...and they certainly are not going to 'investigate' Soros.
I printed everything I could find on Soros and sent it to them with a READ THIS note. Lots of good info here on FR.