How's that "Hope 'n Change" working out for ya? Big donors considering whether to work the phones raising money for President Obamaâs reelection campaign might consider the fate of his 2008 bundlers. Many of them, it turns out, won plum jobs in his administration. Obama campaigned on what he called âthe most sweeping ethics reform in historyâ and has frequently criticized the role of money in politics. That hasnât stopped him from offering government jobs to some of his biggest bundlers, volunteer fundraisers who gather political contributions from other rich donors. More than half of Obamaâs 47 biggest fundraisers, those who collected at least $500,000 for his campaign, have been given administration jobs. Nine more have been appointed to presidential boards and committees. At least 24 Obama bundlers were given posts as foreign ambassadors, including in Finland, Australia, Portugal and Luxembourg. Among them is Don Beyer, a former Virginia lieutenant governor who serves as ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein....... http://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...sers/2012/03/06/gIQA9y3txR_story.html?hpid=z2
Ex Lt. Governor. Beyer and his wife served on the Obama campaignâs finance committee, helping to bundle at least $500,000 in donations, according to OpenSecrets.org. It's not a crime unless quid pro quo was agreed to beforehand. It is abhorent in the numbers in Obama's administration, however.
Don't get all nasty, I just want to ask this: If you were elected to some office, and there were some 'jobs' to be done, who would you ask to do them? People you don't know? Friends more likely. Perhaps spend a bunch of money on screening them, but since they're your friends, you can pretty much know if they're 'bad people' or not. I know, I know, seems like cronyism, but some call it networking. Perhaps wait for meeting at the Bohemian Club or a Skull and bones get together? But, I agree, if it was quid pro quo, then I don't like it. I don't like it if it is merely a way to pay back funds that were raised. Sorry to seem 'two sided' on this one, but I have had to ask a lot of friends to join in various ventures over the years, decades, and prefer someone I know and trust. c
I'm actually with you on this. Obama is no different than any other politician, business man or career-minded individual. Those who help you succeed in your professional life are often part of your professional network. The only aspect I call "false" on is that Obama campaigned on the fact that all that would change. No, he didn't specifically mention this particular perk, but he hasn't changed anything related to the cronyism in Washington. Not a single thing.
Exactly. But is there any reason presidential campaigns should be dependent on big money donors? Is the amount of money a candidate can muster a good criteria for selection? What about if each candidate is limited to a certain amount, perhaps taxpayer funded? Should money have so much influence in the process?
These aren't necessarily people obama "knows" but are just people who raised large sums for Obama due to the position of the bundler. Furthermore, these people may not be qualified but are given important positions anyway. Yes, this exists in politics and it shouldn't. Obama ran promising to clean up this sort of quid pro qo in government and instead has expanded upon it. In fact, relishing in such favors. You can't equate political money bundlers with business partners.