Who will watch the dark money amalgamators?
May 23, 2016 2:19 PM Subscribe
In 2010, Citizens United paved the way for an influx of "dark money" (previously)--funds given to politically active nonprofits and limited liability companies that aren't required to disclose donors' names--into American elections. How to keep tabs on such groups? Dark Money Watch is one place to start.
This article which was mentioned in the current election thread appears to describe what is essentially a political espionage outfit funded by dark money and run by James O'Keefe, all legally. It reminds me of how high-ranking people in power in the Soviet Union and China would have (do have, in the case of China I guess?) their own personal espionage organizations deployed as an element of the political contest.
It definitely feels, as the first OP link seems to indicate, that we're still only in the Planck epoch of the consequences of Citizens United and are seeing ripples from it which will expand into structures that dominate the universe-slash-"democracy". It's not simply going to be like U.S. politics were before except everyone spends 10,000 times as much on the same things.
posted by XMLicious at 3:23 PM on May 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
It definitely feels, as the first OP link seems to indicate, that we're still only in the Planck epoch of the consequences of Citizens United and are seeing ripples from it which will expand into structures that dominate the universe-slash-"democracy". It's not simply going to be like U.S. politics were before except everyone spends 10,000 times as much on the same things.
posted by XMLicious at 3:23 PM on May 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
Full Frontal had a great episode last week that talked to one of the big Republican campaign donors, who revealed that he hates the current system as much as anyone, that he feels like he has to contribute large sums of money in order to keep up with that being donated to Democratic candidates, that it's become a big fundraising arms race that ultimately benefits middlemen and enablers more than anyone, and starts to look like just another flavor of scam.
But of course, he's an old-fashioned donor, who might be spending millions of dollars to fuel presidential campaigns but at least is willing to put his name to the effort. Who knows what aberrant political insect-lizard will emerge to feast on this growing pile of dark money, warming and stinking like a big cow flop in the sun? They'll probably make Trump look normal.
posted by JHarris at 4:07 PM on May 23, 2016 [7 favorites]
But of course, he's an old-fashioned donor, who might be spending millions of dollars to fuel presidential campaigns but at least is willing to put his name to the effort. Who knows what aberrant political insect-lizard will emerge to feast on this growing pile of dark money, warming and stinking like a big cow flop in the sun? They'll probably make Trump look normal.
posted by JHarris at 4:07 PM on May 23, 2016 [7 favorites]
(Sometimes, I feel like I have to hit POST on a comment just because I had so much fun writing it....)
posted by JHarris at 4:08 PM on May 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 4:08 PM on May 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
Who knows what aberrant political insect-lizard will emerge to feast on this growing pile of dark money, warming and stinking like a big cow flop in the sun?
Human Fly/Giant Pile of Dung 2020
posted by Existential Dread at 4:19 PM on May 23, 2016 [5 favorites]
Human Fly/Giant Pile of Dung 2020
posted by Existential Dread at 4:19 PM on May 23, 2016 [5 favorites]
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posted by ZenMasterThis at 2:57 PM on May 23, 2016