tagged w/ Richard Burr
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Republican Richard Burr, after collecting 22.6 million dollars from lobbyists and special interest groups since 1989, then went on to vote for the Wall Street bailouts. This is his defense from this week's US Senate Debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLW8XtpRa0MRepublican Richard Burr, after collecting 22.6 million dollars from lobbyists and... more
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http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Fpolitics&id=7715401
When it comes to matters of war, Republican Sen. Richard Burr finds himself more closely aligned with the White House than his Democratic rival does.
The North Carolina lawmaker said President Barack Obama has "called the drawdown shots in Iraq perfectly" and made the right calls up to this point in Afghanistan. Burr, the leading Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, said he wants to ensure the administration follows through on commitments in Afghanistan and maintains support for leaders in Iraq.
Burr's support for the president's war policies strikes a sharp contrast with his criticism of other Obama endeavors, such as the health care overhaul and the stimulus package. Meanwhile, Democratic challenger Elaine Marshall opposes Obama's military offensive in Afghanistan aimed at dismantling the Taliban. She doubts it will succeed and questions the wisdom of spending billions more in a country that has faced decades of conflict. "That is all deficit spending owed to China," she said. "That's a very, very unhappy situation in my mind. That's a part of where we are and how we got there."
Obama sent 30,000 extra troops to Afghanistan, where many are engaged in heavy combat in the nation's volatile southern region. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently said that there is increasing evidence the strategy is working but that officials won't predict success too soon.
While a similar surge strategy was credited with quelling violence in Iraq, Marshall said the dynamics are different in Afghanistan. She said the Iraq push was successful because the U.S. had reliable partners. Afghanis, on the other hand, are conflicted about whom to trust.
"If we are there on a temporary basis, no matter how long that is, they know in the back of their mind that they're going to live there and live with what's left behind," she said. "At least whatever's left behind in Iraq appears to be a lot more stable and less violent than potentially what will be left behind in Afghanistan."
Libertarian candidate Michael Beitler echoed those thoughts, saying it's time to get out of Afghanistan. He said victory in Afghanistan likely would mean the Taliban had been pushed into another country, not eliminated.
What differentiated Beitler, however, was his contention that there has not been enough long-term progress in Iraq to justify the deaths of more than 4,000 U.S. military service members killed in the conflict that ousted Saddam Hussein.
"That was just a complete failure," Beitler said. "I don't think we've accomplished anything there."
Marshall took a wait-and-see approach. There are fewer than 50,000 American troops in Iraq now that Obama has declared an official end to U.S. combat operations there. The remaining troops primarily train and help Iraqi security forces in hunting down suspected militants, though they continue to battle insurgents in self-defense or at the Iraqi government's request. Marshall won't call the war in Iraq a success unless Iraq proves it can prevent terrorists from thriving there.
"That page of history has yet to be written," she said.
Burr had a different view, declaring, "Iraq was worth it. Period." Burr contended that ending Saddam's oppression of his own people was his leading concern, not the weapons of mass destruction so frequently discussed in the run-up to the war. "If you look back at my statements when we went in (to Iraq), I was not as focused on terrorism or weapons of mass destruction," Burr said. "I was focused almost predominantly on the genocide that existed in the country."
However, Burr's statements from the time indicate his concern for Americans, not Iraqis. A statement issued in March 2003 after President George W. Bush gave Saddam 48 hours to disarm did not mention genocide. Instead, it focused on Saddam's "pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and his growing ties to the forces of international terror."
"Over the course of our history, our nation has often gone to war on behalf of others. We must now be prepared to go to war on behalf of our own nation," Burr said in that statement.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Fpolitics&id=7715401http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Fpolitics&id=7715401
When it... more
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Although this article excludes a ballot candidate, Libertarian Dr Mike Beitler.
Who recently polled 10% and is making HUGE splashes in North Carolina:
http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_NC_706.pdf
I still think it does a great job pointing out the corporatism that is inherent in our political system. What is worse, is most people don't realize how voting for their red and blue teams actually perpetuates and is a continuation of this corporate socialism process.
BY ROB CHRISTENSEN AND DAVID RAYNOR - Staff writers
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was the star attraction at Shelly's Backroom, a scotch and cigar bar in downtown Washington, but the beneficiary was Republican Sen. Richard Burr.
The reception last year attracted representatives from a cross section of corporate America: Fidelity Investments, TIAA-CREF, Ameriprise Financial, Hospital Corp. of America, Bayer, Murphy Oil and the American Chemistry Council. Each plunked down up to $2,500 for Burr's re-election kitty, campaign finance records show.
Such events, repeated dozens of times since he took office in the Senate in 2005, demonstrate his clout both in business and in Washington, helping him amass a $9.1 million campaign war chest.
Quantcast
Burr heads into the fall campaign with a commanding financial advantage over his Democratic challenger, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, having raised nine times as much as she. Even more striking, Burr had $6.2 million on hand compared to $163,195 for Marshall as of June 30, the last time the candidates were required to disclose campaign finances.
Burr's campaign has been bankrolled largely by the business community. His donor list reads like a Dow Jones ticker.
No member of Congress during this election cycle has received more money than Burr from individuals and political action committees affiliated with pharmaceutical companies, tobacco companies, business associations, foreign import automobile dealers, dentists and steel producers, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks congressional fundraising.
Burr has received the second-highest amount of political donations of any member of Congress from the insurance industry, according to the center, and he's among the leading recipients of money from commercial banks, agribusiness and electric utilities.
'A level of trust'
Burr said it was only natural for North Carolina's major industries to support him because he understands their issues.
"There is a level of trust," he said in a recent interview.
Burr, who was a Winston-Salem sales executive for a wholesaler before entering politics, pointed out that his donations reflect North Carolina's workplace.
"We are a state that is one of the largest manufacturers of pharmaceutical products and also a state of steel manufacturers," he said, adding that political action committee donations "are a reflection of employee contributions on behalf of their company and their industry."
But Marshall has sought to portray Burr as a Washington insider and a tool of special interests during his 10 years in the House and nearly six years in the Senate.
"He ... has been there for 16 years," Marshall said in an interview. "He has taken their contributions. He is beholden to them. He bailed out the Wall Street banks. He turned his back on hardworking North Carolinians."
Some of the most influential K Street lobbying firms hosted D.C. fundraisers for Burr's re-election campaign, according to invitations obtained by the Sunlight Foundation, a Washington nonprofit group that seeks to increase transparency in government.
McBee Strategic Group and the BGR Group, both high-powered lobbying firms, even held fundraisers at their downtown Washington offices. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld held a reception at a D.C. steakhouse, and the Podesta Group hosted a breakfast at the Capitol Hill Club.
Burr has been a key ally of business since his election to the U.S. House in 1994. That continued with his election to the Senate 10 years later. In his 2004 Senate race, he held at least 80 Washington fundraisers.
This weekend, Burr was scheduled to hold a golf fundraiser at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Course at Southern Pines at a cost of $1,500 for individuals and $2,500 for a PAC.
Marshall, who has been secretary of state since 1996, has long had a reputation as an indifferent fundraiser, and her Senate campaign has done nothing to change that view. North Carolina trial lawyers, who contributed $73,000, are the only major identifiable group of Marshall donors, Federal Election Commission records say.
But outside groups have helped her indirectly. Labor, environmental and liberal groups such as MoveOn.org, though not contributing to Marshall's campaign, have financed hundreds of thousands of dollars of anti-Burr TV commercials this summer.
His total not unusual
Although Burr's $9.1 million haul dwarfs Marshall's donations, the total is not extraordinary. Fifteen Senate candidates raised more than Burr in this election, led by Sen. John McCain with $26.7 million. In the 2008 Senate campaign in North Carolina, Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole raised $17.4 million, compared with $8.9 million for her Democratic challenger, Kay Hagan.
Burr's fundraising patterns are typical of most senators', said Dave Levinthal, a spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics.
"He is acting like a senator," Levinthal said. "The system is set up so that the big money is in a few power centers. If you want to tap the big money, you go to D.C. or New York."
What's notable about Burr's fundraising, Levinthal said, is that 72 percent of his contributions came from North Carolina - a healthy slice of home-state gifts for a senator.
He also noted that Burr's largest contributors tended to be major North Carolina employers such as Reynolds American, the Winston-Salem cigarette manufacturer, plus the Raleigh law firm Womble Carlyle and Charlotte-based Duke Energy.
Burr has gone beyond the $9.1 million for his re-election campaign. He also pulled in $1.1 million for the Richard Burr Victory 2010 Committee to help the Republican Party get out the vote this fall. And he raised $379,496 for his Next Century Fund, which went to other congressional candidates.
In April last year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce raised about $43,000 for Burr from companies such as Wal-Mart Stores, Time-Warner, Duke Energy and Progress Energy. The chamber gave him a 100 percent rating in 2008 and an 87 percent rating in 2009.
He votes for business
"Sen. Burr has been a reliable vote for the business community on issues that create jobs," said J.P. Fielder, a chamber spokesman.
Burr voted with the chamber in opposing the Democrats' health care plan and opposing the Lily Ledbetter Pay Act to extend the period when discrimination claims can be made. He also voted against giving bankruptcy judges more authority to modify existing home mortgages, voting with the industry.
Burr
Health Professionals $428,229
Lawyers/law firms $411,799
Pharmaceuticals/ health products $398,733
Insurance $308,160
Lobbyists $297,843
Leadership PACs $279,818
Electric Utilities $269,425
Securities and investments $240,050
Real estate $229,700
Commercial Banks $212,682
Marshall
Lawyers/law firms $166,555
Democratic/liberal groups $52,260
Women's issue groups $25,550
Educators $17,207
Tobacco $15,650
Health professionals $15,460
Real estate $15,050
Securities and investments $10,100
Industrial unions $10,000
Leadership PACs $10,000
Dr Mike Beitler
ZERO DOLLARS IN SPECIAL INTEREST LOBBYIST FUNDS/Political Action Committees!
Source: Center for Responsive Politics
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/19/690312/business-bolsters-burr-and-vice.htmlAlthough this article excludes a ballot candidate, Libertarian Dr Mike Beitler.
Who... more
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North Carolina voters have a choice this November. They can continue voting for big government republicans like Richard Burr and big government democrats like Elaine Marshall, or they can vote for the solution, vote for Freedom, vote for Dr Mike Beitler who is on the ballot in NC. From crony corporatism, to war, to personal freedoms, to taxation,......only the Libertarian Party will defend your Freedom in the voting booth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afb8AlR1ztcNorth Carolina voters have a choice this November. They can continue voting for big... more
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6/24/2010 Dr Mike Beitler participated in the North Carolina U.S. Senate Candidate Forum in Wilmington, NC along side Richard Burr and Elaine Marshall
http://www.peacefreedomprosperity.com/?p=36376/24/2010 Dr Mike Beitler participated in the North Carolina U.S. Senate Candidate... more
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Major Nidal Hasan, accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood Army base, has been described by former colleagues as "psychotic." As more details emerge about Hasan's troubled state, gun safety advocates are launching fresh attacks on a Senate bill they say would make it easier for mentally unstable veterans to buy firearms.
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) says his "Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act" will protect veterans' gun rights. But the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence calls it a "dangerous" proposal that could allow "over 100,000 mentally incapacitated or incompetent persons" to buy guns--people who would previously have been barred from doing so by the Veterans Administration (VA).
http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2009/11/senate-bill-would-allow-mentally-incapacitated-vets-buy-gunsMajor Nidal Hasan, accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood Army base, has been... more
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