Comments on: Finally!

Finally!

Ignatius J. Reilly — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:06:16 -0800

As democrats raise money online and galvanize grass-roots support, the Bush campaign is becoming responsive to regular people as well. Perhaps you have been wondering about some of the protocol for everyday folks like yourself to show your support for the President. [more inside]

By: Ignatius J. Reilly

Ignatius J. Reilly — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:06:59 -0800

Question: "Can I use my personal aircraft for campaign business?" Answer: "No, you may not use your personal aircraft for campaign business. Corporate aircraft may be used, but only if each person boarding the plane pays the equivalent of a first-class airplane ticket." Q: "Can I have a fund-raising cocktail party for my friends at a private club or hotel and pay for the party?" A: "No. You may have them come to your house and treat them up to $1,000 in expenses per adult in the household without it counting against your $2,000 contribution limit." Q: "Can I use my executive assistant to help with my fund-raising activities?" A: "Any person can volunteer to help. Employees may volunteer a maximum of 1 (one) hour per week during working hours and an unlimited amount outside of the office."

By: nofundy

nofundy — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 09:46:36 -0800

Q: "Do I have to report my undocumented illegal immigrant maid's work on the campaign as an expense?" A: No. Don't ask silly questions. Q: "Must I declare my very large tax breaks windfall as a personal gift from George W. Bush?" A: No, but don't forget there's more where that came from. Q: "Do I have to be a Ranger or just a Pioneer this election cycle to stay out of prison?" - Ken Lay A: You're such a joker Kenny boy! Why we hardly even knew ye!

By: nofundy

nofundy — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:08:55 -0800

Q: "Does it count if the money comes from daddy?" A: Yes, dear. Daddy's money always counts, that's why you're rich and they're not.

By: Busithoth

Busithoth — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:22:31 -0800

Q: Can I 'advise' my employees that their bonus this year should be directed towards a $2,000/plate fundraiser dinner that I'm hosting at my home which they're invited to? A: It's best to keep these 'suggestive discussions' oral, and out of writing, or else you may have a problem. Remember to point out to your employees that you'll be providing hot dogs and water at the event, so it's kind of like a party. Unfortunately, we haven't found an omnibus bill to slide a provision allowing you to sue for compensation from employees who take your bonus, and then spend that money on personal effects. But hey, that's why we're running for another 4 years, isn't it? XOXO, Karl

By: clevershark

clevershark — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:31:08 -0800

Wow, class warfare. How new and original. It took Gore from 55% support to less than 50%, we'll see how well it does for Dean!

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:45:03 -0800

Wow, class warfare. How new and original. We didn't start the war.

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:48:51 -0800

I guess it's "class warfare" for ordinary people to talk about the class warfare being waged upon them by the people who, by an amazing coincidence, control both the bulk of the nation's wealth and the majority of its government.. Yeah, we're so mean. Next thing you know we'll be viciously and savagely pointing out that we can't afford to see a doctor. Will no one stop our cruel, heartless attacks?

By: nickmark

nickmark — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:52:12 -0800

I think it's bogus. Can anyone find it elsewhere?

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 10:59:16 -0800

These are serious concerns, people. Can't you see we need the answers to these questions?

By: internal

internal — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 11:01:31 -0800

There are no rich Democrats. Only rich Republicans. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 11:25:56 -0800

We didn't start the war. We didn't light it, but we tried to fight it.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 11:51:49 -0800

I guess it's "class warfare" for ordinary people to talk about the class warfare being waged upon them It's the Lucky Ducky syndrome. See Paul Ford's impassioned essay on the subject.

By: nofundy

nofundy — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 12:15:49 -0800

I'm not sure this warfare that was launched upon those not wealthy in America has any class at all. I consider it rather crass myself. But then, I'm shrill.

By: nofundy

nofundy — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 12:26:34 -0800

Thanks languagehat. I loved Paul Ford's writing and identify strongly with him.

By: humbe

humbe — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 15:54:55 -0800

Internal, I beg to differ - I'd say one of the richest families (Gates) are probably Democrats - or at least they act like it. Bill Gates Senior has spoken out numerous times, opposing the Republicans push to drop the estate tax.

By: humbe

humbe — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 16:05:01 -0800

and the richest of them all, Bill Gates himself, may be a closet liberal.

By: gyc

gyc — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 16:24:06 -0800

Personally I thought Internal was being sarcastic.

By: Space Coyote

Space Coyote — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 16:38:59 -0800

Look up the amount of campaign contributions given by Microsoft Corp to both parties. There's a reason why the anti-trust action against them turned into a settlement that was actually favourable to the company.

By: micropublishery

micropublishery — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 16:45:07 -0800

From humbe's article link: "To be sure, judging Bill Gates' politics by what he gives away is an exercise in tea-leaf reading that teeters on the brink of absurdity." Yeah, that and the fact that the only donation any non-fundamentalist might consider political is a gun control gift of a whopping $35K something like 6 years ago or more. Although I would love to welcome him to our ranks, Gates is no bleeding heart. (And that article does not deliver the goods its headline promises.) Gimme a break. No, gimme a Ctrl Alt Delete...

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 21:49:17 -0800

"....damnit, I'm not asking anyone to give up their house and make their kids wear hemp pants, and drive an SUV made of recycled aluminum cans and mud, or whatever." ( Paul Ford ) So, environmentalism=making people homeless? Hemp is a bad fiber ? (it was good enough for George Washington, and it beats cotton as a fiber, on most counts) And aluminum recycling is bad? I think that Ford's straw-man rhetoric here is awful, dumb, and mean.

By: George_Spiggott

George_Spiggott — Tue, 30 Sep 2003 22:42:44 -0800

trout-baby, he's not engaging in straw-man rhetoric, he's pre-empting it. He's talking, in part, to the kind of people who use it, and he's rendering it useless to them.

By: nath

nath — Wed, 01 Oct 2003 01:36:18 -0800

I think it's bogus. Can anyone find it elsewhere? The link in the FPP sources Lloyd Grove in the New York Daily News. I don't know if you noticed that, or maybe if you wanted a separate source.