THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Fun Stuff => CHATTER => Topic started by: pwhodges on 02 Aug 2010, 09:16
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https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=912
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Target and Best Buy have donated $250,000 to a political committee supporting a rabidly anti-equality candidate for Governor of Minnesota, where both are headquartered – a man with ties to a Christian rock band
That's horrible!
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It is actually less tangential than that makes it out to be - I believe the man in question is called Emmer, and he opposes gay marriage (ultra conservative). It does seem an overreaction though. I mean, every multi-store retail brand has some shady moral issues, why pick this one?
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I only support bands that advocate violence and death to EVERYONE.
Not just the gays.
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I read this three times and it still doesn't make any sense to me. It comes across as being really tambiguous.
So they donated money to a Political Committee, though it's not made clear what the relationship between said entity and the potential Governor. Likewise, it's not clear what exactly connects the candidate to the band which allegedly advocates violence and frankly, that's a really tenuous accusation regardless. I don't feel like I understand anything being supported or opposed here at all.
After a little looking, it appears that the link to the band is a $250 donation from a previous campaign to be elected to the House of Representatives in 2008. The money was donated by his campaign and not him personally to You Can Run But You Cannot Hide Intl. Inc., a ministry run by a guy called Bradlee Dean. Dean plays in a Christian rock band but the comments supporting killing reportedly come from a radio programme he presents and that Emmer previously appeared on. I was actually surprised the link was something as concrete as a donation, since it is presented so ambiguously. Here's the article I got most of that information from. (http://minnesotaindependent.com/59337/emmer-campaign-donated-to-you-can-run)
As for the organisation Target and Best Buy donated to, they used the money to make and run adverts supporting Emmer's campaign. You can see it here. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2010/07/27/128802661/) The organisation claims to support pro-business candidates but it will have been clear to anyone donating this meant Republican candidates, and they will have known who the Republican candidate is. Donating to a group like that instead of to a candidate directly serves two main functions. One is to distance the donor from any unpalatable policies or failures by the candidate. The other is to influence the candidate and the wider debate by pushing the issues the donor finds important, seemingly tax cuts and reduced government expenditure in this case.
It is actually less tangential than that makes it out to be - I believe the man in question is called Emmer, and he opposes gay marriage (ultra conservative). It does seem an overreaction though. I mean, every multi-store retail brand has some shady moral issues, why pick this one?
It appears that fairly recently US corporations had their legal rights extended so that they can make political contributions in the same manner private individuals can, since in law they enjoy most of the rights and few of the responsibilities of people. A lot of the reports I've read have been focussed on this, they seem to be looking at this instance to see how political finance might be changing after the law change and that explains some of the interest in this particular bit of unpleasantness. There are also a lot of surprised people who thought Target were a nice corporation since they have played up their equality in employment policies. You're right that they shouldn't be shocked that a corporation is acting like a corporation. I don't think overreaction is quite right though, since although their actions should be expected it doesn't make them any less appalling.
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It appears that fairly recently US corporations had their legal rights extended so that they can make political contributions in the same manner private individuals can, since in law they enjoy most of the rights and few of the responsibilities of people.
Yeah, the Supreme Court really dropped the ball on that one, Jesus
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yeah apow is right about corporation donor laws - companies can make like truly extravagant donations. considering how few electoral rights there are left to be granted to corporations we're basically four or five electoral cycles away from president wal-mart
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It appears that fairly recently US corporations had their legal rights extended so that they can make political contributions in the same manner private individuals can, since in law they enjoy most of the rights and few of the responsibilities of people.
Yeah, the Supreme Court really dropped the ball on that one, Jesus
Wait when was this
throw me a link or something
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yeah apow is right about corporation donor laws - companies can make like truly extravagant donations. considering how few electoral rights there are left to be granted to corporations we're basically four or five electoral cycles away from president wal-mart
Vote Sanders in '12!
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a link or something
January 21st, 2010
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122805666
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/21/nation/la-na-court-corporations22-2010jan22
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKazKb5f79A
The Facebook group Citizens Against Unlimited Corporate Campaign Contributions (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=443340800297&ref=ts) has been a pretty thorough repository of news articles on the issue.
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I wanna hear his Christian rock. Is it anything like Christian hardcore? Except less screamy and even shittier? 'Cause SHIT YEAH SKRAMZ
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I got my fill of christian rock in 8th grade with evanescence.
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Maybe that should've gone in the confessions thread...
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I imagine you just had the hots for the singer.
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its cool man i thought creed was alright for like 6 months. especially that song about his kid, that was so goddamn emotional
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I imagine you just had the hots for the singer.
Completely true
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George Carlin on corporations, politicians, and the American dream:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q)
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Oh we get an apology at least.
http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2010/08/target_ceo_greg_1.php
So about $150,000 to anti gay politicians but they PROMISE never to do it again...I am so glad I have the word of a corporation that they will put some real deep soul searching the next time they give hundreds of thousands of dollars to politicians.
"Republicans have tried hard to cast the anti-Target protests as a liberal plot to stifle free speech."
What? I guess corporations now are officially better than actual citizens in the eyes of some conservatives.
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So apparently the liberals are trying to stifle free speech by using free speech? (http://i38.tinypic.com/2n84n79.gif) It's scary that people take this kind of rhetoric seriously...
Also equality = good.
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What? I guess corporations now are officially better than actual citizens in the eyes of some conservatives.
was i not like clear when i said "president wal-mart"
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they got more money so yeah they're better