tagged w/ PACS
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Despite railing against the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case, President Obama has decided to embrace the use of Super PACs and will allow senior administration officials to participate in their fundraising.Despite railing against the Supreme Court ruling in the Citizens United case,... more
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Endorse Liberty, a super PAC supporting Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign, received nearly a million dollars from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, new documents show.
Thiel’s $900,000 makes him the single largest contributor in the short time since the PAC was founded on December 20, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Since founding PayPal in 1998, Thiel now runs the hedge fund Clarium Capital. His net worth has been reported to be at least $1.5 billion.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/72256.html#ixzz1l8ZXE4BCEndorse Liberty, a super PAC supporting Rep. Ron Paul’s presidential campaign,... more
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Phillip Geertson has spent the last 30 years farming and raising many diversified crops, and has been a partner in alfalfa breeding programs for 25 years. Alfalfa is a perennial plant, which makes it extremely vulnerable to contamination.
When Roundup Ready (hereafter "RR") alfalfa was first suggested I did not think that it would be developed and introduced because most alfalfa fields are never sprayed for weed control. And, if a chemical weed control was needed, there is a long list of off-patent low-cost herbicides that are effective if used properly.
Alfalfa hay is usually cut on a schedule of 24 to 30 days for each crop harvest. The entire plant above ground is removed along with any weeds. This frequent cutting and removal suppresses weed growth and will control, and sometimes even eliminate, persistent perennials and noxious weeds that Roundup will not control.
When alfalfa is properly fertilized and growing in appropriate soil conditions (correct Ph, well drained, etc.), alfalfa will outgrow and choke out most weeds. When alfalfa stands become weedy, non-thrifty, and otherwise poor performing it is usually because of poor fertility, insects, water logging, or winter damage. Weeds in an alfalfa forage field are a symptom of problems and simply spraying with Roundup to kill the weeds will not correct the underlying problem that is causing poor performance. A weedy alfalfa field should be plowed out, the soil conditions corrected, and then rotated to another crop that is not a host for alfalfa diseases, insects, or nematodes so that they die away. Afterwards, a new stand of alfalfa can be replanted.
Alfalfa is often planted with a companion crop of oats or other grasses in a spring seeding. The cover crop suppresses weeds and gives some protection to young alfalfa plants. An early summer cutting of the oats and new alfalfa plants produces valuable forage for horses, feeder cattle, and young dairy cattle. This practice, however, cannot be used with the RR technology because the Roundup will kill the oats or grass cover crop.
Forage fields of alfalfa are often planted with a companion perennial grass to produce forage that is an alfalfa-grass mix that is a superior feed for all classes of livestock. The grass component in the forage helps to balance the digestive process and gives a better balance of nutrients, so fewer supplements are required in high performance livestock. A grass mix forage is the best feed for horses and the grass in a dairy cow ration is very helpful in reducing laminitis in dairy cattle. Spraying an RR alfalfa field with Roundup will kill any companion grass.
The need for RR alfalfa is very limited; it only adds one more chemical to a long list of herbicides available.
From the standpoint of a conventional (non RR) alfalfa seed grower, the main problem with the introduction of RR alfalfa is the contamination of all alfalfa with the RR gene.
Alfalfa, a long-lived perennial, is cross pollinated by bees and other insects that fly long distances. Honey bees are known to fly ten miles, and wind gusts can pick up insects that have been pollinating alfalfa blossoms and gathering pollen and move them long distances.
Alfalfa sets and produces seed best if it is cross pollinated from another plant. If the pollen from an RR alfalfa plant fertilizes the flowers on a non-RR alfalfa plant, the seed on that non RR plant will contain the RR gene, and plants that grow from that seed will be roundup resistant. The RR gene will spread throughout the entire alfalfa population and would eventually make it impossible to raise conventional seed without some RR contamination and make it nearly impossible to breed and develop new varieties of alfalfa. This is not a good thing.
Conventional alfalfa contaminated with the RR gene will become a weed in the RR soybean, cotton, and sugar beet fields that cannot be removed.
Farmers that feel the RR technology is a valuable tool should and will avoid the introduction of any plant that is RR resistant . . . including alfalfa. The demand or acceptance of any conventional seed that has even a trace of RR contamination would be compromised, because a farmer who is growing other RR crops would not want his field contaminated with RR alfalfa.
Alfalfa is a native plant of Eurasia and grows as a feral plant throughout Europe. I have pictures of it growing along the Danube River in Austria, the Alps in Switzerland, and even in the median strip in front of the Nazi rally center in Nuremburg. It was introduced into North and South America, New Zealand, and Australia and other areas of the world where it now grows as a wild feral plant.
In a natural environment, the RR gene in alfalfa doesn't give it any survival advantage. In fact, early yield trials show that alfalfas with the RR gene are poor performers. In the environment created by human activity, however, we have given RR alfalfa a survival advantage. The worldwide use of glysosphate (the active ingredient in Roundup and other generic herbicides) will give alfalfa plants with the RR gene a survival advantage over conventional alfalfa. There is no wonder that the rest of the world does not want RR alfalfa seed and have prohibited the import of any alfalfa seed contaminated with even a trace of the RR gene.
The U.S. Alfalfa seed industry was the world's major producer of alfalfa seed. Historically, the U.S. alfalfa seed industry exported more than half of the alfalfa seed produced in the United States, but 2007 was the last time the USDA reported the size of the U.S. alfalfa seed exports. Why? Export data would be very useful in determining the amount of damage that was done to the U.S. alfalfa seed industry by the release of RR alfalfa into U.S. agriculture.
Alfalfa is the first important perennial plant to be genetically engineered and introduced into the environment that is cross pollinated by insects and that grows as a wild feral plant throughout the world. Putting a foreign gene that cannot be recalled into such an important crop without thoroughly analyzing its potential negative effects is, in my opinion, criminal. If Monsanto and/or other genetic engineering companies can get away with this introduction, then you can be sure that others will follow. Hundreds of other important plants will be subject to genetic mutation and if released into the environment could change the species forever. How does the Endangered Species Act come into play here?
Why was Monsanto given the right to introduce a gene into alfalfa plants without any published studies that prove beyond any doubt that it is safe, useful, and would not cause harm?
more at the linkPhillip Geertson has spent the last 30 years farming and raising many diversified... more
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Something is wrong in America when this happens:
"Records offer no clues who was behind mystery company that donated to 'super PAC'"
A mystery company that pumped $1 million into a political committee backing Mitt Romney has been dissolved just months after it was formed, leaving few clues as to who was behind one of the biggest contributions yet of the 2012 presidential campaign.
A mystery company that pumped $1 million into a political committee backing Mitt Romney has been dissolved just months after it was formed, leaving few clues to who was behind it.
The existence of the million-dollar donation — as gleaned from campaign and corporate records obtained by NBC News — provides a vivid example of how secret campaign cash is being funneled in ever more circuitous ways into the political system.
The company, W Spann LLC, was formed in March by a Boston lawyer who specializes in estate tax planning for “high net worth individuals,” according to corporate records and the lawyer’s bio on her firm’s website.
The corporate records provide no information about the owner of the firm, its address or its type of business.Something is wrong in America when this happens:
"Records offer no clues who... more
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The Hill's Michael O'Brien and Hayleigh Colombo report that House and Senate Democratic leaders who have been "criticizing GOP groups for allegedly funneling foreign money into campaign ads have seen their party raise more than $1 million from political action committees affiliated with foreign companies," according to "an analysis compiled for The Hill by the Center for Responsive Politics. House and Senate GOP leaders have taken almost $510,000 from PACs on the same list." Republicans "with groups under fire from the White House say the hefty campaign contributions illustrate Democratic hypocrisy." Jonathan Collegio of American Crossroads said, "The hypocrisy here is just stunning."
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/124565-democrats-have-raised-1-million-from-foreign-affiliated-pacsThe Hill's Michael O'Brien and Hayleigh Colombo report that House and Senate... more
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http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=iRmWD_SS7MuE
At least 25 “super PACS,” including one linked to Karl Rove, are fueling a surge in money for this year’s elections following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down limits on corporate campaign spending.
These political action committees can take unlimited company, union and individual donations and explicitly urge voters to support or oppose candidates, unlike ordinary PACs and nonprofit groups. Like other PACs, they must register with the Federal Election Commission and disclose donors.
“They can say whatever they want politically in the advertising,” said Michael Toner, a former FEC chairman who’s among the lawyers dubbing them super PACs. “It’s very liberating.”
American Crossroads, a group advised by Rove, a top adviser to former President George W. Bush, said it has raised more than $17 million. That includes $1 million from Dixie Rice Agricultural Corp., a company led by Harold Simmons, also the chairman of Dallas-based Titanium Metals Corp. A trust controlled by Jerrold Perenchio, former chairman of New York- based Univision Communications Inc., also gave $1 million.
That may be just the beginning. American Crossroads also has an issue-advocacy group that doesn’t have to disclose donors, and it won’t say how much of the $52 million it plans to raise in this campaign will go toward that effort. Other groups aren’t even registering as PACs and will be able to spend millions on ads without disclosing their contributors as long as they steer clear of expressly advocating for or against a candidate.
‘Flood’ of Ads
Americans are “seeing a flood of attack ads run by shadowy groups with harmless-sounding names,” President Barack Obama, whose Democratic Party is vulnerable to losses in the midterm balloting, said in his Aug. 21 weekly address. “We don’t know who’s behind these ads and we don’t know who’s paying for them.”
The new super PACs emerge as spending is already surpassing past midterm elections. As of late last month, outside groups and the political parties had spent $150 million on ads, up $41 million from the same period in 2006, said Evan Tracey at Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group in Arlington, Virginia.
The Supreme Court in January ruled against prohibitions on corporate campaign spending, allowing companies to use their treasuries to support or oppose candidates. The FEC sanctioned the new PACs on July 22, saying that because of the court decision, “there is no basis to impose contribution limits” on committees that spend money independently of candidates. Most won’t have to disclose contributors until mid-October.
‘Major Increase’
Toner, who now heads the election law practice at Bryan Cave LLP in Washington, said he wouldn’t be surprised if the new PACs alone spend $50 million or more during this campaign. “As we get into the primetime season, we’re going to see a major increase in the number of these super PACs,” he said.
Of the 25 super PACS, at least nine lean Republican and 10 Democratic. There may also be dozens more that haven’t formally outlined their plans to the FEC, said Mary Brandenberger, an agency spokeswoman.
The super PACs include new units of established groups such as the Club for Growth, which supports lower taxes and favors Republicans, and the League of Conservation Voters, which primarily backs Democrats.
American Crossroads
American Crossroads may be the biggest. Rove and former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie serve as fundraisers and informal advisers for the group, headed by former Republican chairman Mike Duncan.
American Crossroads spent $454,342 last month to support Republican Rob Portman’s Ohio Senate bid. Its nonprofit arm released new ads on Sept. 2 as part of a $3 million buy targeting four Democrats: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado and Senate nominees Jack Conway in Kentucky and Robin Carnahan in Missouri.
Rove didn’t respond to requests for comment.
“You’ll see more money spent on the Republican side,” said Larry Noble, a former FEC general counsel and a lawyer with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in Washington.
Some super PACs are being started by groups that ran 527 organizations, which can take unlimited donations yet can’t explicitly say “vote for” or “vote against” a candidate.
527 Groups
Those 527 groups, named after the section of the tax code that governs them, also included Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which went after Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in 2004.
Swift Boat Veterans, League of Conservation Voters, Club for Growth and eight other groups later ran into trouble with the FEC for backing candidates, drawing more than $3 million in fines.
Spending by federal 527s declined to $244 million in 2008 from $439 million in 2004, according to the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics.
The new PACs allow corporations to participate in a more targeted way with “a truly effective ad,” said Trevor Potter, a former FEC chairman who runs the political activities law practice at Caplin & Drysdale in Washington.
“You don’t have to do those kinds of commercials where it says, ‘Call so-and-so,’” said Tony Massaro, the conservation group’s senior vice president for political affairs. “This allows straightforward communication with voters.”http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=iRmWD_SS7MuE
At least 25... more
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Ami Ayalon, retired Israeli Navy chief, former Secret Service chief, former Knesset member and cabinet minister, and co-author with Palestinian professor Sari Nusseibeh of a peace proposal that many believe will form the basis of an eventual two-state peace agreement, will speak on the topic "Achieving two states: ensuring real peace and security for Israel" in a conversation with JStreet founder and executive director Jeremy Ben-Ami tonight at a cocktail reception and fund-raiser for JStreet.Ami Ayalon, retired Israeli Navy chief, former Secret Service chief, former Knesset... more
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For two decades corporations have been prevented from spending money in support or opposition of political candidates and campaigns. They have argued that this represents a restrictions to their free speech (corporations, remember, have basic rights like people). Well today the Supreme Court came down 5-4 in support of that position, overturning regulations to prevent their giving.
What is this going to mean? Well the word "corporatocracy" seems to be popping up a lot. Many people are concerned that corporations with very deep pockets will spend like crazy to get their way in election season. "Business-friendly" will become the new "electable".
I imagine that in 2010 and probably even more so in 2012 we're going to see an explosion in political ads. You thought PACs were bad? That's just the tip of the iceberg. I don't know if this a step towards corporations running our country, but the volume of the yelling in political season is going to go up, which I fear may serve to drive more people out of the process.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
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- Haiti reeling from 7.0 earthquake - Updates, Video, How to helpFor two decades corporations have been prevented from spending money in support or... more
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Synopsis of Sunday's New Israel Fund's NYC town hall & tomorrow's JStreet NYC launch http://bit.ly/aOajSL Issues facing the Israeli left and an opportunity for progressive pro-Israel pro-peace activism.Synopsis of Sunday's New Israel Fund's NYC town hall & tomorrow's... more
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"Our Country Deserves Better", an ultra-conservative Political Action Committee (PAC) is spending an 8 figure sum to run this holiday ad nationwide thanking Sarah Palin.
Spokesperson, Mark Williams, says that it's just to show gratitude for her ongoing efforts.
I think that the motive is to keep Palin in the public's mind for future plans and use her to garnish private funding.
What do you think?
"Moose Chili"?"Our Country Deserves Better", an ultra-conservative Political Action... more
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huntre
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added this
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3 years ago
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