Tuesday, August 29, 2006
MARIA CANTWELL: FAILING THE ETHICS TEST
The Seattle Times brings us the latest news on the mudwrestle the contest for Washington’s junior Senate seat has degenerated into:
“No "millionaires" boost for Cantwell, FEC says”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003233883_webfeccantwell29.html
From the article:
“A $2 million loan by U.S. Senate challenger Mike McGavick to his own campaign does not trigger a "millionaires' amendment" that would allow Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell to raise more money, the Federal Election Commission ruled today.
The FEC's decision means that Cantwell will have to abide by normal campaign finance laws, at least until the Sept. 19 primary.
In a unanimous decision, the FEC said the so-called millionaires' amendment — which lifts campaign donation limits for anyone facing a candidate who self-finances a campaign — applies only to McGavick's Republican primary opponents, not Cantwell.”
The article then notes:
“Ironically, that figure [$10 million of personal money McGavick might spend] is the amount that Cantwell, a high-tech millionaire, contributed to her campaign in 2000, when she upset then-Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash. Much of the money was in loans that were later repaid to Cantwell, whose personal wealth has declined significantly in recent years as the stock of her former company, RealNetworks, has plunged.
The millionaires' amendment, adopted in 2002, did not apply to the 2000 election.”
I’ve often noted “fair” is where you go to look at bunnies and roosters… Nothing is ever “fair” in the mostly bloodless bloodsport of American politics. But Senators – like the President – have too damn much power to lack self-restraint.
Just like McGavick’s golden parachute… Just like Maria’s stock option manipulation of her Real Networks holdings… This challenge may be legal but it isn’t ethical. It’s a good thing the FEC shot her down.
That’s two for Senator Bubblehead. She financed much of her first campaign with smelly money; now she’s complaining about the other millionaire’s smelly money and how he is spending it.
As a person who – at least in theory – became wealthy by entrepreneurial success, she should be pleased the other guy got rich in business and can afford to finance his own campaign. After all, the alternative is to raise tons of money from those damned lobbyists who represent “special interests”…
At least she should be pleased if this was about “fairness” and the people’s interest in the best person winning… But isn’t; it’s just about winning.
Forecast for the fall: lying and shit throwing from both monkeys punctuated by repeated legal challenges of everything that can be challenged…
Damn shame we can’t do better than this.
“No "millionaires" boost for Cantwell, FEC says”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003233883_webfeccantwell29.html
From the article:
“A $2 million loan by U.S. Senate challenger Mike McGavick to his own campaign does not trigger a "millionaires' amendment" that would allow Democratic incumbent Maria Cantwell to raise more money, the Federal Election Commission ruled today.
The FEC's decision means that Cantwell will have to abide by normal campaign finance laws, at least until the Sept. 19 primary.
In a unanimous decision, the FEC said the so-called millionaires' amendment — which lifts campaign donation limits for anyone facing a candidate who self-finances a campaign — applies only to McGavick's Republican primary opponents, not Cantwell.”
The article then notes:
“Ironically, that figure [$10 million of personal money McGavick might spend] is the amount that Cantwell, a high-tech millionaire, contributed to her campaign in 2000, when she upset then-Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash. Much of the money was in loans that were later repaid to Cantwell, whose personal wealth has declined significantly in recent years as the stock of her former company, RealNetworks, has plunged.
The millionaires' amendment, adopted in 2002, did not apply to the 2000 election.”
I’ve often noted “fair” is where you go to look at bunnies and roosters… Nothing is ever “fair” in the mostly bloodless bloodsport of American politics. But Senators – like the President – have too damn much power to lack self-restraint.
Just like McGavick’s golden parachute… Just like Maria’s stock option manipulation of her Real Networks holdings… This challenge may be legal but it isn’t ethical. It’s a good thing the FEC shot her down.
That’s two for Senator Bubblehead. She financed much of her first campaign with smelly money; now she’s complaining about the other millionaire’s smelly money and how he is spending it.
As a person who – at least in theory – became wealthy by entrepreneurial success, she should be pleased the other guy got rich in business and can afford to finance his own campaign. After all, the alternative is to raise tons of money from those damned lobbyists who represent “special interests”…
At least she should be pleased if this was about “fairness” and the people’s interest in the best person winning… But isn’t; it’s just about winning.
Forecast for the fall: lying and shit throwing from both monkeys punctuated by repeated legal challenges of everything that can be challenged…
Damn shame we can’t do better than this.
