Bloomie and Clairol Christine are patting themselves on the back for pushing through this new legislation that would limit donations from lobbyists and others who hold city contracts:
Campaign Finance Overhaul Would Rein in Major Donors
With some 30 candidates already raising funds for 2009 races, some say the new restrictions will put those who begin raising money after the bill is made law at a big disadvantage. Opponents are likely to latch on to that possible inequity in fighting the bill.
Why do you think the timing of the bill is now? Many challengers haven't even declared their candidacy yet, while you have porkers like Melinda and Pinky raking in the dough. The latter hasn't even declared which race he'll be running in.
It's just a matter of time before pols and donors figure out where the loopholes are and exploit them.
And here's one:
Unions Spared in Campaign Finance Bill
Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council are introducing legislation to revamp the campaign finance system that would ban donations from businesses and severely curtail donations from entities that do work with the city. But the legislation does nothing to cut off the influence of one special interest group: unions.
A NY Sun editorial claims that the legislation is Tarnishing Bloomberg's Legacy.
5 comments:
Great.....so an indicted crooked union boss like Brian Mc Laughlin can steal from his own "Elec-Chester" little league kids' piggy banks and Local #3 union funds then hand over the dough to a drunken monkey like "Pinky" Gallagher!
Wonderful steps toward "campaign finance reform"!!!
A couple of real Joseph Stalin type "purges" are sorely needed in NYC's "politico-land" !
Keep on telling that me I'll be able to vote for the candidate of my "choice" in a "democracy"......yeah......you can go kiss my bum!
The only thing that trumps the unions are the 'below union scale but prime tweeder territory' undocumented worker.
Since the clubhouse has been dissing unions in their coddling of the illegal immigrant, this is the union's way to make things more 'balanced.'
We should consider one thing: there are entire neighborhoods in Queens that are supported by strong unions. Further cutting them will hollow out those neighborhoods and spread the rot that is spreading throughout Queens today.
Do we really want St Albans to resemble Flushing or Elmhurst?
All money for campaigns should come from the public coffers.
Completely wipe any opportunity for the process to be warped by special interests.
"The latter (Gallagher) hasn't even declared which race he'll be running in"
Wrong. He decided he was going to retire from public service. But maybe now his lobbyest friends realize he's a nut case and they don't want him - so he wants to keep his options open.
This guy has to be the most disgusting piece of political garbage in the entire city.
Anonymous said...
"All money for campaigns should come from the public coffers.
Completely wipe any opportunity for the process to be warped by special interests."
Here are some ways around any "reform": (1) Sell my house to a supporter for double, triple its value; (2) use insider trading tips; (3) hire a family member for gigantic title/salary - maybe even a no-show job; (4) if the elected official is an attorney, hire him for some exhibitant fee [Attorney-Client privilege forbids revealing the relationship even exists.]; (4) purchase a thing of value - ring, old coin, Civil War relic - for a monster price ...
There is no limit to the ways to put a politician "in the bag", including some photos of that night with that hooker.
No, to start repairing the corruption, penalties when caught must include extensive prison for the elected and the special interest (no Paris Hilton sentences).
If a candidate runs unopposed, he/she cannot raise or spend more than $1000. Walking around and knocking on doors doesn't cost money.
If an official acts on a bribe, and is later discovered, the act needs to be retroactively voided, be it a vote, a decision, a signing, etc. There definitely will be an audience for this. The opposition to that act will have an opportunity to overturn it, so will look for any way to do so. This voiding will be over and above prison time.
Violate a law, lose the pension. This includes a discovery of the violation once the pension payments are underway.
The reason these and better measures are not taken is that we depend on the very people who want to screw us to enact laws to prevent and punish the screwing.
So, it's up to us. Our own persistent outrage and demands. Actually, it has always been up to us. The fact that the violations are now so common is only because we treat politicians as celebrities.
Until a politician exits office, he/she needs to be treated as a cell mate.
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