DNC rolls back Obama ban on contributions from federal lobbyists

[PoliticAverse]

Source: Washington Post

The Democratic National Committee has rolled back restrictions introduced by presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 that banned donations from federal lobbyists and political action committees.

The decision, which may provide an advantage to Hillary Clinton’s candidacy, was viewed with disappointment Friday morning by good government activists who saw it as a step backward in the effort to limit special interest influence in Washington.

“It is a major step in the wrong direction,” said longtime reform advocate Fred Wertheimer. “And it is completely out of touch with the clear public rejection of the role of political money in Washington,” expressed during the 2016 campaign.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/dnc-allowing-donations-from-federal-lobbyists-and-pacs/2016/02/12/22b1c38c-d196-11e5-88cd-753e80cd29ad_story.html

[djean111]

1. What a surprise! Not!

Little Debbie DINO strikes again, looks like.

[highprincipleswork]

47. Here's the cool thing. Bernie can use this to question what other Obama favorites will be reversed.

One reason that many of us support Bernie is because we feel sure he will stick with the Progressive program throughout, even when there are obstacles, even when negotiating with Republicans.

Hillary? Doesn't seem like many of her positions will last past the primaries, if that long.

This is just another example of how when push comes to shove she will not be as Liberal as Obama and certainly not as steadfastly Progressive as Bernie.

I am distinctly not a Bible thumper, but I was raised Christian and these words rang in my ears just now. I'm sure they will bring me much scorn or worse, but let's just put them out there without any attribution to present day. Just as a life lesson.

Matthew 7:15-20New King James Version (NKJV)

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

[creatives4innovation]

97. Good analogy

Democracy is a living process. It reminds me of poster from the 1970's that had an American flag in a flowerpot with the slogan, "We can't let it die."

[trillion]

107. That's pretty cool.

[lsewpershad]

122. Establishment at work.

[stillwaiting]

2. Thanks Debbie and Hillary for further corrupting our political processes.

NO doubt this was done to benefit Hillary.

[Matt_in_STL]

3. She was running out of dubious places to collect money

[peacebird]

26. ^^^THIS!^^^

[jwirr]

48. Hillary may have seen that money to her PACs is hurting her

and needs another place they can donate to for her - the DNC.

I really would like to see how DWS has been spending the DNC money.

[Matt_in_STL]

53. Like a drunken sailor on a Hillary binge is my guess

[jwirr]

56. And mainly FOR Hillary.

[Fuddnik]

99. And all of her BIG donors are maxxed out.

[dixiegrrrrl]

98. You did hear she was going to Mexico to raise money, right?

from all those corporate fat cats who took our jobs from us to Mexico.

I never ever heard of a American candidate raising money from another country before....



Clinton Campaign to Host Fundraisers in Mexico
http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511190529


Hillary Clinton and her team intervened to make it possible for the US Oil and Gas Giants to move back into Mexico to privatize the industry away from the workers.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10513840

[Deny and Shred]

102. Actually, in a debate with Romney in 2012

Over a question about Israel, Obama explained the places he visited, the people of all stripes he talked to, the depth of understanding he got from it, and then hit Mitt with something like "unlike you, who just go from fundraiser to fundraiser." It was a great moment.

I imagine foreign contributions happen a lot, we just don't hear about it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

103. Nixon had high level minions bring suitcases of money from overseas.

One of those suitcases of money figured prominently in the Watergate payoffs.

[emsimon33]

68. Of course it was done to benefit Hillary, except it proves Bernie point!

[frylock]

4. They keep trying to stack the deck to no avail.

Crap like this is why I'm not democrat and never will be.

[TryLogic]

10. I understand that! I stay listed as a dem so I can vote in primaries, which are the most

important votes.

[frylock]

31. Thankfully, I live in a state with open primaries..

much to the dismay of several people here on DU.

[Duval]

5. The DNC is a DINO. Grrrr nt

[erlewyne]

36. Yes it is.

Politics is all about money. We really need Bernie
and socialism. Capitalism is rigged!

[Duval]

77. I couldn't agree more.

I am so very disappointed. For the first time in my long life, I'm beginning to rethink being a Dem. Nooo, I'd never vote Republican, but Independents can vote Dem, right?

[HooptieWagon]

6. Hillary is desperate for new money donors.

Her previous ones are maxed out. This indicates she's struggling to find additional $2700 donors, and needs to start hitting up lobbyists.

[LeFleur1]

15. It Just Seems Odd

It seems odd that Saint Bernie would join the Democratic Party after twenty years when the party takes so much money from corporations and passes it out to candidates who are running for President.

It seems especially odd since his campaign speeches are all about NOT taking corporate money and he denigrates any candidate who DOES take corporate money, even though that's the way the game is played today. He gives the impression that the Democratic Party, with its corporate money, does nothing for him, a Democratic candidate.

That impression, of course, is false. It's to his advantage to have it both ways at this time. Be a Democrat because the party has some finance money, and be very very offended by the fact that corporations donate to candidates, as he tells his audiences in every campaign speech. He tells them he would never benefit from corporate campaign money. Never. Well, except that money donated to the Democratic party. But that money passes through filters and is cleansed by the time it reaches him in any way.

[LeFleur1]

131. The Party...

...didn't suddenly get this way. Sanders had plenty of time to join the party and revolutionize it before he announced his candidacy and joined the party if it was his intention to 'change' the party.

No, for all his self righteousness, and the self righteousness of his supporters, he joined the Democratic party for what they could do for him. And that includes money that comes from corporate donors.

It's getting annoying to hear him denigrate corporate donations when it's obvious he his being backed by corporate donors, too. Yes, the money is filtered, but it's money from corporate donors.

Both candidates are against Citizens United. Perhaps they should be talking more about how they intend to do away with it, and less about who is taking legal money from those donors. They both are. It's legal.

Wah wah, you say, but Hillary is taking more outside the Party. Maybe, and that's legal, too. You have a problem with it, work to get it changed and stop pretending Bernie isn't getting corporate money. He is.

[frylock]

32. Bernie is the family friend telling democrats that their father is a lousy drunk.

[yourout]

43. +1..it's a Bernie intervention. Saving the party from itself.

And not a moment too soon.

[hifiguy]

67. Perfect. And Derpy Watered-Down Shartz

is the biggest and most egregious enabler. This is effin' sickening and openly corrupt.

[jwirr]

55. What Bernie found on his discovery trial before announcing

was that it is establishment party leaders that take that money. What made in run as a Democratic candidate was just this: most of rank and file Democrats are still FDR type thinkers and we do NOT like the money from big donors.

Instead of risking being a spoiler he decided to help us take our party back from the wheeler dealers like Hillary and DWS.

[tblue37]

79. + a brazillion!!!!! I wish I could rec this post! nt

[jwirr]

91. Thank you.

[Bubzer]

61. Your framing is off target.

He's identified superPACS, specifically, as being a corrupt influence on politics, and he's right. Anything that give corporations an unlimited ability to contribute secretly to a candidate, thereby empowering them and marginalizing the vote of people, is corrupt... and should be stomped out of existence. Not sure why you disagree.

[Cassiopeia]

81. We have a two party system.

Bernie refuses to be a spoiler candidate, so he did the only thing he could, joined the Democratic party.

[Lorien]

125. Why can't she just give a few more speeches

to Goldmann Sachs?

[jillan]

7. Guess Maddie couldn't find that dollar.

[Docreed2003]

40. Lmao....

[Bubzer]

63. ...

[Kittycat]

92. +1 She gave it to Bernie. n/t

[840high]

93. lol

[HooptieWagon]

8. At least Sanders can point to lobbyist donations also...

When he counter attacks her for being bought and paid for by corporate wealth.

[denvine]

9. Who has the authority to fire Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

She has to go! This is a major step in the wrong direction and only reinforces the public's discontent with the major parties. Well at least the people who pay attention.

[PoliticAverse]

12. I wonder how Obama feels about his DNC pick undoing one of his big reforms. n/t

[frylock]

34. The DNC is dissing Obama. What a dilemma for party honks.

Do they call out the DNC for undermining Obama, or risk losing any credibility due to their hypocrisy? Can't believe I typed that out with a straight face.

[JoeyT]

123. They count it as an achievement for/promise kept by Obama and pretend it never happened. n/t

[earthshine]

49. That was Obama 2008. Obama 2016 is a different man.

The president is the head of his party.

I'll bet that this is being done WITH his approval.

[JimDandy]

121. This absolutely was done with Obama's approval. n/t

[Duckhunter935]

126. too bad we can not criticize him

On a bad decision

[FlatBaroque]

13. Presidnt Obama. He tried to fire her once before

but she had surrogates leak that she would charge Obama with sexism and anti-semitism if he replaced her

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

19. Well, he has much better reasons now. He should kick her to the curb.

[leftofcool]

44. Link?

[Stellar]

64. okay...

Wasserman Schultz Reportedly Wanted to Paint Obama as ‘Anti-Woman,’ ‘Anti-Semitic’ If Ousted

http://www.mediaite.com/online/report-dws-wanted-to-paint-obama-as-anti-woman-and-anti-semitic-if-ousted-as-dnc-chair/

[Deny and Shred]

110. I hadn't seen that. So pathetic

He does something progressive and promotes a woman to DNC chair, she self-destructs at the job, and then she threatens him with being anti-woman and anti-Semitic.

No good deed goes unpunished.

[Stellar]

120. That was a year ago...

See, I couldn't be President and I'd tell why she's been put on the chopping block before I left office, that she wasn't doing her job and she threatened me (the President) that she would lie and say that 'she would charge (him) Obama with sexism and anti-Semitism if he replaced her'. That might have something to do with Netanyahu.

That article says that Debbie rarely spoke to Obama.

[Odin2005]

24. Bernie will come next January!

[valerief]

35. She's the head of the ThirdWay Democratic National Committee. Apparently, there is no

real Democratic National Committee anymore. It died when Reagan was elected.

[tblue37]

80. Obama. And I read that when it looked like he might replace her,

she started hinting that she would allow people to understand that he was being sexist and antisemitic if he tried to ditch her.

I don't know if that is true, but it sure does sound like her.

[bahrbearian]

11. Why is Hilary's minion DWS trashing Obama Legacy so she can get more campaign money?

[jeff47]

18. Because Clinton's running out of money.

You don't hold fundraisers in Mexico City and London if you're awash in cash.

Clinton's burn rate is enormous, and most of her money comes from maxed-out donors. She can't get more money from them, so she needs to find new sources.

[bahrbearian]

25. Last night I heard her state that Bernie was trashing Obama, Up is Down.

[Bernin]

113. The guity always accuse.

[JDPriestly]

54. She is losing and scraping the bottom of the barrel.

[tblue37]

82. Jeb also burned through his big war chest at an astonishing rate.

I know Hillary can't fly coach because of Secret Service protection, but maybe her campaign should try economizing in other ways.

I think they didn't worry about economizing because they assumed it would all be over by now.

[jeff47]

83. They thought they could get an early knock-out in IA.

So they poured a lot of money into IA.

[Tempest]

14. This kind of thing is why I'll sit out the election if she wins the nomination. n/t

[onehandle]

17. President Trump thanks you for your support. nt

[NoMoreRepugs]

22. eggsactly onehandle - ReThugs have to have HRC as the candidate to have any chance

[Tempest]

42. He can have it

Trump and Clinton are just different sides of the same coin.

Both with unleash unbridled corporate control. All the rest is just window dressing which neither candidate can get passed through Congress.

[hedgehog]

60. That's what some said about Gore and George W.

[840high]

95. Agree.

[earthshine]

51. Trump would be a battering ram for corp America. Hillary, by contrast, a trojan horse. nt

[elljay]

87. I don't care for her, either

but, if Bernie does lose, I will vote for HRC so she can nominate 2-3 justices to the SCOTUS instead of President Trump. HRC will be more Obama-style politics - somewhat progressive in some areas, corporatist in others, but still better than anything I've seen from the neo-fascist Republicans. Not what I want or what I think the country needs, but not TRUMP. I will then be a part of the bandwagon working to get Elizabeth Warren to run for President so we can get the change we really do need. If we fail to hold our noses to vote for Hillary and the Republicans win, we won't see the country head in the right direction for 4 or 5 decades, if ever, because the SCOTUS and wealthy Republicans will have so thoroughly rigged the game that it will be almost impossible to change anything. We can't afford to let that happen. I will gladly send you a clothespin for your nose, to match mine.

[yallerdawg]

16. We are talking about politicians, aren't we?

Remember the old adage:

"If you can’t take their money, drink their whiskey, screw their women, and vote against ‘em anyway, you don’t belong in the Legislature!"

[Helen Borg]

20. To be expected by this "progressive" Prez.

Cannot he do anything about it? Really? And I'm sure we'd see more of this with Clinton. It's math, folks.

[Le Taz Hot]

21. How convenient.

Especially since only one Democratic Party candidate is taking PAC money.

[restorefreedom]

111. i can't wait for this to come up in the next debate

they are helping bernies case more every day....

[Odin2005]

23. This is why Bernie has to win.

[Jarqui]

27. Stupid move. They just cannot help themselves. nt

[Mufaddal]

62. Addiction is a disease

And they are hooked on that sweet, sweet $$$

[hifiguy]

70. Like tweekers on meth or

junkies with heroin, they NEED their fix and will do absolutely anything to get that $$$.

Fuck those corrupt greedheads in the ear with a fireplace poker.

[john978]

29. Wow, blatant corruption

Another striking example of why we need Bernie.
Feel The Bern

[Kip Humphrey]

30. The vast majority of Americans want money out of politics so what does DWS and the DNC do???

This completely tone-deaf, shilling for a losing campaign, and anti-democratic action during a presidential election year threatens Democratic control of any part of government.

[valerief]

33. As Bernie told us last night, they don't want anything in return. They just like to

throw their money around.

[Kip Humphrey]

37. Hillary & DWS's version of continuing and adding to Obama's legacy. Hmmm, I see.

[99th_Monkey]

38. "We have a corrupt campaign finance system, allowing Billionaires to buy elections!!!"

Thanks DNC for confirming WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON.

[lobodons]

39. AWESOME!!

If it helps the Dems win the Whitehouse great news!! I'm still having nightmares thinking of a Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Bush or Kusinch administration!! I think its PTSD from W. still. (and to think all that could have been avoided if the Dems would have stuck together in 2000) DOH!!!

[leftofcool]

46. +1

We will need all the money we can get to go up against the Kochs.

[progressoid]

69. What does that mean?

"if the Dems would have stuck together in 2000"

[Khellendross]

41. I'm just going to leave this here.

https://www.facebook.com/sfraine/videos/1098295776868843/

[Duppers]

112. Wow, he's one of my FB friends. nt

[jwirr]

45. Sometimes I just do not get what DWS thinks she is

accomplishing. More money from corpratists = less voters in the general. In a year like this it is a lose/lose proposition.

[JDPriestly]

50. Major step in the wrong, wrong direction.

Is our entire Party corrupt?

How could they step backward like this?

We need a constitutional amendment that states that corporations, whether non-profit or profit are not persons for purposes of the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

That will affect corporations from top to bottom. They will no longer be used as they are now. It will put persons, real people above them in many respects in our law.

We the people should have the ability to treat corporations very differently than we do human beings.

If we are going to give rights to some non-humans, let's start with the ape family, primates, not with inanimate corporations.

Corporate rights should be considered one by one and should be based on laws passed to provide specific rights, not on the Constitution's guarantee of our innate, that is in-born, rights.

God does not, never did, create corporations.

Corporations are created by the filing of documents, usually by lawyers.

They don't have mothers and fathers. They don't eat and drink. They don't wear diapers. They don't scream their heads off if they aren't fed. They don't just quietly die off in the night of old age. They are not persons. They are imaginary, constructs designed to avoid liability and maybe to get tax advantages. There is no way on earth that they have innate rights granted by God (assuming you believe in God).

Let's make this clear. The rest will take care of itself.

[hifiguy]

71. Thomas Jefferson would agree with you 100%.

So do I.

[dmr]

89. Absolutely agree.

[arcane1]

117. You are TRASHING THE DEMS!!!!!!111

You never really loved us

Or something.

[AzDar]

52. What? She's SO MUCH like Obama, though...

[wicket]

57. Next time they call begging me for money...

....they are getting an earful.

[Rider3]

58. Already being tricky

I'm sure Hillary and Bill Clinton had something to do with this, and I loved Bill as president. But, Hillary is simply more of the same. I want to get off that track, and it's time. Vote Bernie!

[cantbeserious]

59. We Us Together - Vs - Me MyBank And I -- The 1% Will Not Be Denied

eom

[Waiting For Everyman]

65. It smells desperate. nt

[bbgrunt]

66. and that, folks, is DWS and Hillary furthering Obama's legacy. An act of gigantic hypocrisy.

[dragonfly301]

72. This is probably the most tone deaf move DWS/HRC

have made. The youth vote will be sitting election day out if she is the nominee - they want to abolish the big money corruption not expand it.

[Ferd Berfel]

73. If just keeps getting worse - The DNC just dosen't represent me any longer.

These are not my values.

Obviously the current and future direction of this cabal is the 1% and global Oligarchy. To be Republican with out looking completely Fascist and insane like the current bunch on the Right.

How the fuck am I supposed to trust and support this crap?

WTF is the Party's plan to fix this shit, and gain back any semblance of credibility, after November. Keep pointing to the big bad boogieman on the right? People will be abandoning the Dems in mass waves. Maybe even before November if this continues.

[PatrynXX]

75. wonder what country DWS plans to get herself banished to

Certain eastern parts of Ukraine I think.

[hifiguy]

94. Howzabout Bikini Atoll

or whatever's left of it?

[PoliticAverse]

106. People like her don't get 'banished', they become high-paid lobbyists or heads of...

non-profit foundations or 'think tanks'.

[Dont call me Shirley]

78. Debbie Downer does it again...

[Kingofalldems]

84. We can't compete with the repubs with one hand tied behind our back.

Fact.

[jkbRN]

85. Wow so much for Hillarys "hard fight" on campaign

Finance reform. DNC and HRC are in cahoots and is disgusting.

[840high]

96. As expected. Sux.

[abelenkpe]

86. Wow

Someone's not paying attention

[IDemo]

88. -

[Blue_In_AK]

90. How conveeeeenient.

[OZi]

100. Camp Hillary must be desperate for money

to water all the new young plants.

[fbc]

101. Crooks!

[arcane1]

104. But once in office, she will Reform Campaign Finance!!!11

How can anyone be SO GULLIBLE as to believe her?

[Bernin]

116. I have been wondering that for a long time.

The Clintons vacation and hang out with the Bushes.

How do these HRC supporters not understand they are being played?

[EdwardBernays]

105. Feelin the Bern.

And hopefully Bernie will run an ad about this.

[trillion]

108. Fear not, Goldy Sachs has it in the bag. This is going to help her defeat the Bern so she can

Last edited Fri Feb 12, 2016, 04:21 PM - Edit history (1)

go on to fix our corrupt campaign financing system, and get big money out of elections. Go watch her say so last week on Democracy now. She's also going to wring in Wall Street, right after they finance her campaign.

Seriously, she says so.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/clinton-blasts-wall-street-but-still-draws-millions-in-contributions/2016/02/04/05e1be00-c9c2-11e5-ae11-57b6aeab993f_story.html

Video forth coming, I'm can't watch while I'm at work so can't sort though videos to post her saying this from her lips so this has to wait but watching her say it is very important to point out the corruption.

[Duppers]

109. Don't forget DWS is being PRIMARIED!

Got an email today asking for another donation to Tim Canova's campaign.

It'd be sooo nice for him to be elected! Wouldn't that be a solution?!


https://timcanova.com/

[arcane1]

118. Good to know, thanks!! I think I'll send a few bucks his way :)

This should be an OP!

[myrna minx]

114. What we need is MORE corruption, not less.

Thanks Debbie!

[Bernin]

115. A wise Democrat once said:

"If you give the American people the choice between a Republican and a Republican they choose the Republican every time."

[Lordquinton]

119. And here's the puzzle peice

on why she attacked Sanders on not supporting Obama.

[rhett o rick]

124. This is war. The DNC is launching an all out attack on the Progressive Wing of our Party.

We need a petition to Pres Obama asking him to replace Ms. Wasserman-Schultz for someone that will continue his policies of not letting Big Money run the DNC.

[bkkyosemite]

127. Totally Corrupt as Bernie has said...

Corruption ........DWS........Hillary.......will do anything..to win...she said it.

[moondust]

128. Party membership on the decline.

Surprise!

[Lazy Daisy]

129. I want to hear

President Obama needs to make a statement on this. Why is he allowing this to happen? Why now? If he doesn't stand behind it, why is it being allowed, he is the head of the Democratic Party.

[FiveGoodMen]

130. "The illusion of freedom...

... will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."

Zappa got that right (Yeah, I know, it's been quoted here many times)

But here's the DNC not really even pretending to represent us...

[Lazy Daisy]

132. Kicking for importance

Now that we''ve gotten the "Bernie's done nothing for civil rights" and "that ain't him" horse crap, can we get back to what's important. Like why have they done this, and why now? All that other stuff was distraction from this.

[Agony]

133. Yeah, lets foster some more corruption ...