The Repuglican Culture of Power & Profit
Over at his Repuglican PR firm, er, Red County blog, our old playmate Matthew Cunningham has taken great offense at the good post “Rogue Elephant” wrote on the Orange Juice blog the other day, and that we generously shared with the Friends, here.
Why is he offended by Rogue Elephant’s post and our take on it? Because the post pointed out that former State Senator Jim Brulte gave Linda Ackerman $3900 out of his bogus BoE in 2014(!) campaign committee. We pointed out that her husband’s equally bogus BoE 2010 (created in 2006!) committee also gave her the same amount. We noted that these committees were basically money pots that politicians could use to finance their maintenance of power and influence. In other words a scam – create a committee for a fake political campaign and then use it as an influence buying cash cow.
Cunningham got his knickers in a real wad and noted that FFFF is a political committee, too, and that there is no difference between us and the donors to Ackerman. See, it’s all about free speech. Shame on us.
What a howler.
It seems to have escaped Cunningham’s notice that we are not politicians; we don’t raise funds under the guise of a phony run for office. We aren’t pretending to run for anything as a way to hang on to money raised for other offices. We don’t redistribute money as a way to influence elections and buy friends. Our purpose is to to promote causes and candidates we feel are worthy, but we’re not in it to amass wealth, or to keep control of wealth courtesy of people who contributed for other purposes. Too bad none of that can be said about Brulte or Ackerman.
Repuglicans have gotten into the nasty habit of using the “free speech” complaint as an argument to support any kind of deceit practiced in the pursuit of power. But at the core the issue isn’t about free speech – it’s about a fundamentally dishonest way of maintaining influence in Sacramento. Of course the crooks and their hangers-on can’t admit it. If it ain’t illegal it ain’t wrong. Plus the Democrats do it too!
What a culture.
Could Jerbal be evolving into some sort of ape? I guess that is a step up from being a rodent…
#1, that is not an ape, that is a monkey. Besides, if anything, you he is devolving. What comes before rodent?
#2,
Lobbyists?
I posted this on that malcontents blog over at Orangejuiceblog.com (We all know he is having a love affair with Matt) but I thought it important for your readers to see this as well.
– da Pimp
Art, could you please check on this item I recall on a post over at Red County by Matt C. I remember he stated that he had been at the Norby/Ackerman debate in the City of Orange and that he was there with his unsteady cam.
Why has he not posted that tapping of the debate? If democracy is best served by free and open debate before the people, then let the tape be released on the playing field of democracy and let the people decide.
However, if he does not release the tape in its entirety, then an argument could and should, be made about his bias towards the Ackerman camp.
From all of my sources, as well as a member from the CWLA, that were there that night, Linda Ackerman BOMBED. In fact, the CWLA member relayed that at their meeting later in the week, there was nothing but gloom over the fact that Linda Ackerman is an embarrassment. That to endorse Ackerman would ultimately demean their organization as Ackerman cannot win and has no idea what she is doing.
So, will Matt post the entire tape of the debate or will he, by omission, deny democracy and the right of the people to really see the candidates, in their own words and abilities, or lack there of, so that the people can decide who is worthy of their vote?
Since I cannot find the debate on line anywhere, I can only assume that people know it is damning to Ackerman and are with holding it.
Look, you’ve never asked for a dime.
As far as being political, well, you are. But I have to say unlike the GOP, the Dems or the Libertarians, you do not tow a party line for any one person running for office (or at least you haven’t yet). And your central line seems to be: “FFFF, where everyone has an equal opportunity to receive some shit.”