TruthOut: Clinton Pitches Campaign Finance Reform While Raking in Million$ From Wall St Since 2008

[99th_Monkey]

Clinton Proposes Campaign Finance Reform While Raking in Millions From Wall Street Since 2008
Friday, 11 September 2015 * By Candice Bernd * Truthout

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton announced a campaign finance reform plan Tuesday, in a post-Labor Day effort to boost her support after her closest competitor, Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, took a nine-point lead over her in New Hampshire polls, and continues to gain ground in Iowa among Democratic voters.

Clinton called for overturning the infamous 2010 Citizens United decision that paved the way for dark money groups to mete out millions from corporate donors into federal elections. In addition, the plan proposes using executive authority to require government contractors to disclose their campaign contributions. She would also press for the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to mandate that publicly traded companies disclose their political spending. Lastly, Clinton's plan would create a publicly funded pool that would match small donations to presidential and congressional campaigns.

~snip~

The timing shows she's keeping a cautious eye on Sanders, who has eschewed support from super PACs (outside spending groups that are allowed to take unlimited contributions from donors, but cannot explicitly coordinate their activities with candidates), and has drawn tens of thousands of people at his campaign stops across the nation.

Sanders has made campaign finance reform central to his campaign, and was the first member of Congress to introduce a constitutional amendment that would reverse the Citizens United decision in 2011. Clinton has also previously supported such an amendment.

But unlike Sanders, Clinton has accepted support from super PACs and outside spending groups - the types of groups that she now says she wants to rein in with her new plan.~snip~

The July FEC filing showed big banks and investment firms continue to be among Clinton's top donors this year, with Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase reappearing on her FEC filing this cycle. According to a MapLight analysis the FEC data, employees of Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have already contributed about $290,000 to her campaign committee through June 30.

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/32754-clinton-proposes-campaign-finance-reform-while-raking-in-millions-from-wall-street

[Skwmom]

1. The beginning of the title caused me to laugh out loud.

Plus what about those speaking fees? They are just as much of a problem.

[JDPriestly]

12. A candidate who accepts donations and money from people or corporations or even organizations

that have important business or personal interests from which they can benefit or gain depending on government action has a potential conflict of interest.

That is not the fault of any one of our candidates but it is reason to suspect any of them who accept large donations.

It's a matter of a potential conflict of interest.

And we need public financing of elections for that reason.

[Hortensis]

34. To win to DO reform will cost about $1 BILLION for 2016.

[JDPriestly]

35. Bernie has come this far in the polls wihtout that kind of money.

It is precisely because he doesn't have the money that people like and trust him.

[L0oniX]

38. ^^^this^^^

[Hortensis]

66. I agree, the support that has rallied to his positions is very impressive,

and wonderfully encouraging. Some feel it may be plateauing without a very strong professional organization, but we'll see. In any case, he has shown that support for liberal principles and answers is far stronger than was realized, and that makes this New Deal liberal more happy and hopeful than I have been since America reelected President Obama. I'm imagining this may be a second BIG step on a long road forward to where we could and should be.

[JDPriestly]

68. I think that Bernie will now gain a lot of support from Black and Hispanic voters as well

as support in the South.

When people hear him speak, hear his ideas, they want to vote for him.

The secret is that Bernie is about helping Americans build a better nation that serves us all and in which we work together to help each other out.

That is a workable solution to so many of our problems.

We are no longer a country with a nearly unlimited frontier in terms of land. But we are a country with an unlimited frontier in terms of our technological genius and our ability to reinvent ourselves with regard to social justice.

We have a big challenge ahead: making of our country a place in which we live in peace and harmony while maintaining our privacy and our individual initiative. Bernie is challenging us to figure out what we need to do together and what we need to do as individuals.

We have ignored that challenge for so many decades now -- to a great extent because of racist hatred. Now I am proud to say that I think our country is prepared to work together. On issues like healthcare, education, pre-school child care, so many issues, we will all benefit if we work together. Greedy, fearful people do not want to see us working together on those issues, but we must if we are to continue to be the beacon both for freedom and for a just society in the world.

Much of the chaos and horror in the world can be changed if we join the countries, the developed countries that are setting the example for peace and justice within their societies.

It is tragic that we have so many imprisoned, so many hungry, so many homeless, so many excluded from educational opportunities in our country when we are so rich. The disparity in both economic and justice terms is greater in our country than in other developed countries.

Bernie is speaking to the best in us, to that part of each of us that wants to help others, wants to serve, wants to work with others. That is why we do not tire of hearing him.

And he speaks with the voice of honesty, of integrity and of dedication to public service. We hear his authenticity. We see it on his face and in his manner.

We are so lucky to have a candidate of his calibre in this election cycle.

Feel the Bern!

[Major Hogwash]

76. Not to mention moderate Republicans from the old days who hate the money game, too.

An old-timer, who was a Republican party bigshot back in his day, wrote an op-ed the other day in the local newspaper decrying the large amount of money that Trump and other Republicans were spending while running for public office.
He also mentioned that people running for Congressional office positions, other GOP candidates, had to play the money game to raise lots of money to run for office like U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator.

He noted that he ran successfully for state office in the 1980s in order to serve 6 terms in the state legislature, and said that the total amount of money he had to spend to win was less than $200,000 for all 6 campaigns so he could serve for 12 years in office.
He blasted rich politicians like Trump for being out of touch with the average person, simply because of their status of being wealthy.

A lot of Libertarian members and Green Party members in this state feel the same way about the outrageous manner in which politicians have to chase after money.
And then beg for more funds in order to build their "war chests".

[silenttigersong]

25. I think we should heed

Hillary Clintons words "Mistrust but verify"

[oasis]

42. Hillary donates her speaking fees to charity. <nt>

[bunnies]

88. Nope.

http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/jun/16/occupy-democrats/liberal-group-claims-all-hillary-clintons-speaking/

[oasis]

89. Yup

I 'm not going to trace every single cent for you. The link you provided doesn't dispute the fact that Hillary's fees go to charity. They challenge the claim that "all" fees go to charity.

Of course, your free to do more research and provide a chart with the breakdown of fee distribution if you think it's worth your time.

Meanwhile, I'll stand by with what I've posted.

[bunnies]

90. lol.

Stand by your misinformation.

[oasis]

91. Lol, back at you if you're saying NO fees go to charity.<nt>

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. When do they post the next round of filings to show how much money the campaigns have raked in over

the previous 3 months, and from whom?

[Major Hogwash]

77. They have to file by the end of October, but the results usually won't come out until mid-November.

I may be wrong, but I think July was the end of the last reporting cycle.
Which would mean August, September, and October would be the months making up the next cycle.

[peacebird]

3. I'm sure she gives a big wink wink nudge nudge to her donors. 'I got this, it's just politics'

Screw the silly people who believe what she is selling to get elected. But heck, if they sign up to give her a monthly donationthey get a nice thx bos with makeup and household cleaning supply samples, so it's all good! She's there for us little women.... Cuz all we care about is make up and cleaning supplies.....

[randys1]

4. BASH BASH BASH Hillary, BASH BASH BASH

Free Republic aint got nuttin on DU

[99th_Monkey]

5. ISSUE: Campaign Finance Reform

Comparison of candidates positions on issues and candidates' actual actions.

Simple really. No personal attacks on Hillary, much less her 'mean' supporters.

Issues that voters actually care about WILL be talked about on DU... how is
this "Hillary bashing" again?

[hifiguy]

6. Ignore the facts.

Sit the F down, STFU, drink the Kool-Aid and gaze on adoringly. Didn't you get the memo?

[MissDeeds]

10. That's exactly what they want

Not gonna happen.

[hifiguy]

13. Nope.

[oasis]

44. Citizens United ruling forces her hand. Sorry about that.

Hill is serious about winning.

[99th_Monkey]

45. I think Bernie should take advantage of that "Billionaires For Bernie" meme

I see absolutely no problem -- given how the CU cards are already stacked against Sanders -- with Bernie
taking money from millionaires and billionaires, but only provided they agree 100% with Bernie's message
and give the money with no strings whatsoever. I don't know who these people are, but I strongly suspect
they are out there, some perhaps in the Hollywood crowd. but that might easily become a slippery slope.

As far as I know, this idea isn't being entertained by Bernie or his supporters.

[oasis]

47. Accepting well intentioned donations would be better than

entering the General Elections with one hand tied behind his back.

[99th_Monkey]

49. It could become 'a thing', Billionaires Feel The Bern

In order for Bernie to engineer the Revolution from the WH, he will need to
start somewhere, bring some of the billionaire class to the table, to hammer
out something with a decent chance of passing the new Congress.

His rich donors could become where he starts the national conversation.

[oasis]

58. I doubt if Bernie has the knack for courting corporate cash.

[99th_Monkey]

64. But that's not what I'm talking about

I'm talking about wealthy individuals, who are also progressives of some sort and/or
they are smart enough to see the handwriting on the wall, and want to be in the
loop when policy is hardened into law.

I think FDR had some business & wealthy peeps who worked with him to some extent.

I don't know how rich they are, but Ben & Jerry's comes to mind. They've already
shelled-out free ice-cream at Bernie fair booths.

Any thanks for the exchange.

[oasis]

67. As much as I hate big money's influence,

I have to accept it and move on. It's like having a really bad call go against you in a ball game. You've got to overcome the negative impact and focus on victory.

Have a great evening.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

51. Do you think the corporations

expect a return on that investment?

[oasis]

54. No more than they would expect from a GOP candidate. It's

better to go with the devil you know.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

56. So,

big business expects something in return from every candidate except Bernie, is that your understanding?

[oasis]

61. It's my understanding, Bernie pooh poohs the way

money has influenced politics. He'd be the least likely candidate the captains of industry would back.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

71. +1 n/t

[LondonReign2]

94. Hillary will provide the same ROI as a Republican?

Comforting.

Also quite true. See: Iraq War vote, TPP, Keystone, et al.

[JDPriestly]

15. Bernie does not take that tainted money. Hillary does.

Hillary bashes herself when she throws $2700 per plate dinners.

DUers just report the truth.

[840high]

17. lol

[silenttigersong]

24. Actually

Since Hillary pleaded Guilty to being a centrist,it would be safe to assume you would be more welcome there,rather them a DU member who posted something from TruthDig.

[Logical]

28. LOL, you hillary fans are getting nervous as hell. I love the defensive stance. nt

[L0oniX]

39. Now that you brought up Free Republic I hear they have a caps lock problem over there too.

[Autumn]

48. Looks like the OP is discussing... what's it called?

Oh it's an issue. Campaign finance reform and a candidate collecting millions from Wall Street. That's a fucking issue.
What do you call an issue? Oh my she looks lovely in that shade of blue?

[morningfog]

69. randys1-note. Lazy tactic.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, 99th_Monkey.

[azmom]

8. Wow. 1 Billion between the two.

Bill and Hillary Clinton together have helped to raise more than $1 billion from industry donors during the past two decades, landing them among the most prolific campaign fundraisers in US history, according to The Wall Street Journal.


But, we are to believe she will work for middle class families. What a joke.

[Buzz cook]

9. And Al Gore lives in a mansion

Therefore global climate change is not real.

[JDPriestly]

16. Al Gore was born into a wealthy family.

He is not running for office this year.

[Buzz cook]

30. actually no.

Gore Senior didn't come into money till after he left office. But I see my reference was not obvious enough.

[JDPriestly]

36. The Gore family has been in the U.S. for generations.

They had a farm in Tennessee.

Gore's father was an outstanding Democratic member of Congress and a lawyer and

After leaving Congress, Gore resumed the practice of law with Occidental Petroleum and became vice president and member of the board of directors, taught law at Vanderbilt University 1970–2. He became chairman of Island Creek Coal Co., Lexington, Kentucky, in 1972, and in his last years operated an antiques store in Carthage. He died three weeks shy of his 91st birthday and is buried in Smith County Memorial Gardens in Carthage. Interstate 65 in the state has been named The Albert Arnold Gore Sr. Memorial Highway in honor of him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Gore,_Sr.

Al Gore was not the son of a Rockefeller, but he was able to attend excellent rather exclusive schools, meet all the right people and enjoy what we would have to call compared to the average American of his generation a wealthy lifestyle. His father may not have been born into great wealth, but the family owned land in Tennessee and judging from his father's professional history after Congress, were comparatively well-to-do or even wealthy.

[Buzz cook]

73. And you're still being willfully obtuse. nt

nt

[JDPriestly]

75. Sorry. When I was growing up, the senior Gore was one of the most respected people in the

country, and the family was viewed as wealthy. I suppose the perception of wealth depends in part on the poverty level of the one doing the perceiving.

We'll just have to disagree on this one. Nothing personal. You could be right from some points of view. I'm from a relatively poor family.

[Buzz cook]

84. So lets try again

Al Gore lives in a mansion, thus global warming is fake. LBJ was a Southerner, so nothing he did would help civil rights. FDR was a wealthy elitist, there for he couldn't empathize with the poor.

Do any of those sentence have any resemblance to the thread title? Is it impossible for Hillary Clinton to be in favor of campaign finance reform while still being involved in a system such as we have?

Perhaps the drift was my fault but I tend to doubt it.

[emsimon33]

79. The Gores came over on the Mayflower

Related to Longfellow, Priscilla and John Alden, several early governors of Massachusetts, John and Quincy Adams--to name a few--, the family spread across the eastern part of the US and later even father when a wagon train that included the Gore family and their huge number of children were attacked by native peoples. The parents died and the children were parceled out among other members of the wagon train (or so the family legend goes).

[JDPriestly]

83. Thanks. interesting story.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

52. The issue is not where Gore lives

but what he does.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

53. Also,

I believe Gore did not accept corporate PAC money in 2000.

[MissDeeds]

11. Yup

K&R

[left-of-center2012]

14. Do as I say

Not as I do

[Divernan]

18. Classic Clinton disconnect between words and deeds.

[Ed Suspicious]

19. Credibility deficient.

[pnwmom]

20. In other words, she's playing by current rules; and the only way those rules will be changed

is if she is elected -- because the Rethugs won't.

[frylock]

23. I have no reason to trust that she will work to enact any kind of serious reform.

[arcane1]

60. Those big donors surely aren't expecting to get nothing in return. It would make no sense.

[frylock]

63. I'd like to believe that they have our best interests at heart..

I really would.

[jalan48]

21. As much as the Republicans suck, it's hard to get excited about Hillary.

It doesn't mean she won't get votes if she's the candidate in the general election, it's just that she doesn't have that "Obama enthusiasm" going for her. Voting for someone because you are really voting against someone else doesn't say much for your candidate.

[silenttigersong]

22. So is

Hillary Clintons argument going to be- I have to accept money to be competive ,to change it?

[HassleCat]

26. Not sure about the term "reform"

So far, Clinton has been talking about more disclosure, which is not really reform.

[Gman]

27. To not rake in millions is political suicide

You have to get elected to be able to do something about it. Getting elected takes hundreds of millions.

[99th_Monkey]

29. Yes. that is the Establishment case for Billionaires buying elections

but I don't buy it, and neither does Bernie, bless his heart.

Go Bernie!!!!!!!!!!!

[Admiral Loinpresser]

57. Exactly.

That is why Bernie has gotten no traction in four months.

[Gman]

70. He's done well considering

He has a very narrow base that networks well and make up the difference.

But it takes big bucks to break out beyond that. Put it this way. McDonald's doesn't rely on word of mouth.

[McCamy Taylor]

31. And how much did Obama spend to get re-elected? Under Citizens United it takes money to bet money.

[McCamy Taylor]

32. Am waiting for someone to demand she emulate Carter's "Rose garden campaign"

of 1980 "because it is the right thing to do." I.e. so she will lose. No money. No campaign stops. Spend all her time in a soup kitchen and pray for votes.

[L0oniX]

43. Good for you that you find the corruption of our political system by the billionaires so delightful.

[hifiguy]

37. I suspect your prediction would come true

in every jot and tittle.

No more Turd Way bullshit!

[L0oniX]

40. ^^^this^^^ ...excellent list of admin posts. You don't think Hillary would do that do ya?

I do.

[JDPriestly]

46. Yes.

[Warren DeMontague]

41. she's also taking money from private prison lobbyists.

Why won't she answer questions about legal and medical marijuana? Maybe because her private prison people pals looking at the millions of people currently smoking pot in those states as potential "incarceration customers".

[99Forever]

50. Do as I say, not as I do!

Hillary, pulling up the ladder behind her, after getting hers.

Wadda surprise.

[Tommy2Tone]

55. What hasn't Sanders made a focal point of his campaign?

He goes out everyday preaching to the masses about one thing after another that won't happen.

Citizens United changed the landscape of elections. Hillary is running to win, not make a statement and it takes money to win.

[99Forever]

62. Yay for giving up to the oligarchs, right Tommy?

Oh, and btw, Wall Street Hillary is now (wadda surprise!) calling for campaign finance that you just said "that won't happen.' So, you're saying Hillary is lying to us?

[Tommy2Tone]

65. It's about winning 99.

Not putting up a good fight and losing. The stakes are too high.

[raouldukelives]

80. CU certainly did change things.

Thanks to the efforts and investments of Wall St supporters corporations are now people.

Can't wait to see what Wall St investors have in store for me next. Aside from the continual stream of spittle against democracy for all people, the sacrifices of our veterans and our shared commons.

We exist in the most democracy Wall St shareholders cannot afford to block. Thanks to them that window is almost closed.

[Tommy2Tone]

81. CU should be overturned but for now it's the law of the land

and you fight fire with fire. Any candidate hoping to get elected needs to raise money and lots of it.

[raouldukelives]

85. Tis true. Slavery was the law of the land.

But we didn't fight it with more slave owners. We fought it with fire.
All depends on how deeply one cares for democracy for all people.
For anyone with connections to Wall St who claims to, its about a mile wide and a inch deep.

[Tommy2Tone]

86. I care about electing a Democrat

Even Bernie if he wins the nomination. I'll let you worry about the big picture.

[raouldukelives]

92. That is a great thing about freedom.

One is free to work and invest in what they desire to come to fruition.

[Tommy2Tone]

93. Indeed it is,

I can fully support any of the Dem candidates. Hillary and Bernie vote together 93% of the time and if Biden gets the nomination that's not the worst thing that could happen either.

[raouldukelives]

96. Absolutely.

The worst thing that can happen is corporations supplanting our democracy with even more wealth and vigor than in the past.

We live in the best and most democracy shareholders allow the rest of us to enjoy.

[LondonReign2]

95. "Hillary is running to win, not make a statement"

Truer words were never spoken...

[arcane1]

59. "I call for reforming every campaign except my own"

[brooklynite]

72. Much better to unilaterally disarm?

if the Democrat loses next year to a $2 B financed republican, there'll be no campaign finance reform, but you'll feel virtuous?

[tritsofme]

74. Truthout: Major update coming in 24 business hours...

[emsimon33]

78. Is it any wonder that people view Hillary as dishonest

People are waking up and realizing that actions speak louder than campaign promises.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

82. I'm sure, after evolving, she'll return the CorpMoney and refuse to accept any more.

Then again, maybe she won't but she will talk about campaign finance reform sometimes....if the polls and her advisers tell her to.

[DanTex]

87. This is the same outfit that promised Karl Rove's indictment, is it not?

I guess that would explain why they can't tell the difference between corporate donations and donations from employees at corporations.