A lot of money from a lot of people — that’s Russ Feingold’s first quarter fundraising and cash on hand figures. The campaign has managed to put $4.26 million in the bank, $1.34 in the first quarter alone, with an average contribution of just $51. Good news for Wisconsin progressives.
Thing aren’t looking so good for the opposition, flip-flops abound.
A June 2007 In Business article by Terrence Wall sang the praises of a commuter rail project proposed by liberal Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, who also received multiple campaign contributions from Wall. Meanwhile in this month’s IB Wall is ardently opposed to a rail project, partially due to the cost. Nevermind that Madison-Milwaukee high speed rail would be paid for by stimulus money, meant to put people back to work. There is more to the article, Wall makes some legitimate points that need a response but time is running short. Abridged explanation: Wall can’t support any rail project at this point, as the response of his party to any Democratic idea is “no.”
Tommy Thompson continues the flip-flop dance with his new partner being an exploratory committee. First Tommy for health care reform, then against it; for the stimulus (profiting from it), then against it. Now Will-he-Won’t-he Tommy appears ready to go ahead with the committee. Does he really want to run or just see his name in the papers? We’ll find out…in a couple months.
Dave Westlake hasn’t pulled a flip-flop since the sneaky reversal on campaign donations. Westlake is more interesting than flip-flops. This video released last week features Westlake saying he learned to “shoot a gun before learning how to ride a bike,” “children going to hunter’s safety classes have been demonized,” and finally “our second amendment rights have been eroded.” Westlake then rapidly fires seven rounds from a pistol before eying up the camera.
The problem is our second amendment rights are not being eroded. The Supreme Court threw out a decades-old handgun ban in Washington DC. The assault weapon ban expired in 2004 and Senator Feingold does not support a new one. Using “the-government-wants-to-take-your-guns” line is campaigning to the lowest common denominator and a shameful tactic.
Changing your mind is fine when done for a legitimate reason. Scrutinizing one’s position on an issue is not a weakness. However, changing a position to score political points is. Senator Feingold’s competition shifts their stance to stay in lockstep with the Republican party. Feingold votes to protect the people of Wisconsin.
I guess campaign cash is good only when Russ is raising it. Just not for the regular people out there who want to use free speech to oppose politicians.
It’s not the regular people I worry about. It’s the millionaires and the corporations regular people can’t compete with.
Don’t forget about unions. If corporations aren’t made up of regular people, than neither are labor unions.
I’ve got no problem with labor unions being subject to the same rules as corporations, Forgot. The money they have at their disposal to spend on campaigns should be regulated along with corporations.
But if corporations can spend as much as they like I want labor there countering it.
There’s nothing wrong with raising funds in support of a political campaign, but I do have issues with corporations like Exxon being able to spend unlimited amounts of money to buy offices for their preferred candidates.
Well even the ACLU and other liberal groups had big problems with Feingold’s campaign finance.