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BetThat'sWhereItAllStartedVille
Earlier today I wrote a screed about who I think is really to blame for all the secretive big money political fundraising that is going down all across Lotusland.
And, more importantly (in my opinion at least), I made note of who I think is most responsible for the fact that the public doesn't understand what is actually going on.
But have no fear....
Because the Dean of the Lotuslandian Legislative Press Gallery, Mr. Vaughn Palmer of the Vancouver Sun, is here to explain that it is all the fault of the 1990's era Dippers.
Or some such thing:
...Granted, for three elections New Democrats have promised to end donations from unions and corporations. As (former leader Adrian) Dix himself used to joke during his successful fundraising drive (in the run-up to the 2013 election), “just as we’re getting good at it, we’re planning to get rid of it.”
But they made no move to restrict union and corporate donations when they were in power for two terms in the 1990s...
Sheesh.
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Please note: stuff in the brackets, above, is mine for context based on Mr. Palmer's entire piece.
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15 comments:
Super Secret eh?
I wonder if Unaoil/Petronas is in there?
Anon-Above--
Good question.
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One has to really wonder about this issue. Its bribery and or favoritism period. One is by favors, depending upon the amount and frequency of donation. Unaoil and Petronas involvement? That would be the ultimate reveal. Check out the site C contractor participants, maybe a smoking gun there. The is no democracy if this continues to occur. The average person is shut out from any form save paying increasing taxes to pay for the socialized debt, while profits accrue to those that pay to play. Your vote is hollow, you are in the race, the race to the bottom. The politicians and donors know this and increasingly use this technique to maintain their position and keep questionable government's in power. You go broke, while the game players win.
Roll the tanks, your democracy means nothing.
Anon-Above--
I think folks vote still counts for something. However, I honestly believe that they are being bamboozled into voting against their own best interests.
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This is by now standard fare by Palmer. Just about everyone in BC thought the NDP was going to win in 2013, and some corporate powers were eager to get in line. They know how the system works.
So does Palmer, which is why he recognized the BC Liberals needed some edge taken off the upcoming bill to be introduced by the NDP, and he dutifully chipped in with this column.
The last two paragraphs of his insult to journalism are especially telling. The Elections Act
http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/content/complete/statreg/414786120/96106/2081481192/?xsl=/templates/browse.xsl
lays out when and how financial agents are to report political donations. Have a look at sections 190 and 207 (at a minimum) and ask yourself how the Chief Electoral Officer would be able to “get moving on real time disclosure of donations” without legislative changes by Christy Clark and her merry band of cabinet sycophants? Even if they did change the law to make real time disclosure mandatory, what kind of a system would have to be installed to keep up with and capture the running cash register entries?
Palmer used to be subtler in his pillow fluffing, unlike Keef or Fletch, but even he has apparently given up all pretense.
Lew,
I totally agree. He is just a mouthpiece for the BC Liberals.
Pay to Play..
"We have already established what you are, we are just haggling over the price now....."
Our Christy!!
brought to you by the LNG promisers and 2 money losing bridges?and the 213 million dollars a year ,top 2 percent taxpayers tax break.
Question
DYK a NDP to replace the aging BC Libs is safer and would be better for the environment?
loved it: "we have already established what you are, we are just haggling over the price now...." That sums it up beautifully!
$10K a person to have dinner with the Premier??? right what are they serving that is worth that much money? the premier. wonder if any one is taping this to ensure they get their monies worth later? it would be fun...........
fund raising is an important part of politics. however, it needs to be a level and honest playing field. we either abolish all party contributions and each party receives an allotment from a central source, or we restrict who gets to pay and how much.
I'd feel all so much better if it were restricted to residents or Canadian citizens. Corporations are not people, so that tosses them out. Permitting people to individually donate up to $3,500 is fine by me.
These private dinners are obscene. These individuals want to have dinner for $10K with the premier, they want something and they expect to get it. When a province has the highest rate of child poverty in Canada and lowest min. wage, those big spenders might just be part of the problem. They aren't generous because they won't pay extra taxes to prevent child poverty and they won't raise salaries for their staff because they want to have more money.
$10K for dinner in some parts of the world is considered the fee for an evening with someone who is engaged in "other" types of "superior services". What is the premier and her cabal handing out for $10K for dinner.
Putting the information up on a website is going to do about as much good as ensuring the vendor on the sale of a house gets the money from "shadow flipping". It makes it look like the b.c. lieberals are doing something while doing nothing and ensuring the system stays the same.
Personally don't trust Christy and her cabal to release any real information. Right now a civic politician is having to "go fund me" page to find out information he ought to be able to access for free. It deals with issues important to his town. On the other hand, if he put out $10K he could get all sorts of access to the premier, but I'd doubt they would "grant" him entrance to the dinner.
One also has to wonder why a councellor of a University would engage in this type of activity. If she is doing this willingly it is bad and if its one of those things that she does because she wants to keep her job, its bad. In my personal opinion, either way having the Chancellor of a public university doing fund raising for the premier and leader of a political party is very bad indeed. it stinks on ice. Its sort of like a pimp making a nice hotel suite for a hooker and their john.
you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas
sgp--
Oh, I think the price was established a long, long time ago.
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Anon-A-Couple-Above--
Sorry don't quite get you re: 'environment'. Can you further expand - thanks.
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e.a.f.--
I think, perhaps, that you have done a great disservice to canines everywhere.
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A list of table takers made public in every way imaginable might be a great way to expose who expects "special" treatment from the governing party. The more public the better. Billboards, papers, internet, everywhere. After all isn't it about brand recognition anyway?
Why would "donors" be ashamed of this activity if nothing underhanded is going on? Ante up folks the prizes are huge.
cfvua--
Did Murray Edwards care?
David McLean?
Peter Armstrong?
I think not.
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I unreservedly apologize to all canines immediately. Let me re-phrase, lie down with politicians, you get up with .............
The line is actually very old and its from a time when dogs did actually have fleas. Now not so much. Bet those B.c. lieberal supporters care more for their dogs than they do for the children living below the poverty line in B.C. Come to think about it, if the SPCA were given charge of the children, they might be able to charge some of those government officials for abuse and neglect of children. well if the government mandates children aren't feed, they get arrested, if they didn't feed their dogs.
enough already
You are probably right. Why would they care?
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