Obama Auctions Off Govt Posistions To The Highest Bidder

[cykoe6]

More outrageous hypocrisy and Chicago style corruption from the Hope and Change con artist.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...bundlers_N.htm

WASHINGTON ? More than 40% of President Obama's top-level fundraisers have secured posts in his administration, from key executive branch jobs to diplomatic postings in countries such as France, Spain and the Bahamas, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

Twenty of the 47 fundraisers that Obama's campaign identified as collecting more than $500,000 have been named to government positions, the analysis found.

Overall, about 600 individuals and couples raised money from their friends, family members and business associates to help fund Obama's presidential campaign. USA TODAY's analysis found that 54 have been named to government positions, ranging from Cabinet and White House posts to advisory roles, such as serving on the economic recovery board charged with helping guide the country out of recession.

Nearly a year after he was elected on a pledge to change business-as-usual in Washington, Obama also has taken a cue from his predecessors and appointed fundraisers to coveted ambassadorships, drawing protests from groups representing career diplomats. A separate analysis by the American Foreign Service Association, the diplomats' union, found that more than half of the ambassadors named by Obama so far are political appointees, said Susan Johnson, president of the association. An appointment is considered political if it does not go to a career diplomat in the State Department.

That's a rate higher than any president in more than four decades, the group's data show, although that could change as the White House fills more openings. Traditionally about 30% of top diplomatic jobs go to political appointees, and roughly 70% to veteran State Department employees. Ambassadors earn $153,200 to $162,900 annually.

"It is time to end the spoils system and the de facto sale of ambassadorships," Johnson said. "The United States is best served by having experienced, knowledgeable and trained career officers fill all positions in our diplomatic service."

[marketsmart]

listen dumbass... top campaign people always get positions in govt..

when people realize that its govt thats the problem, not the party, the US will be a better place..

i say get rid of all these people and start over from scratch..

i voted for obama and i will never vote again, i am so disappointed by the state of affairs...

[After Shock Media]

Since you bolded this
"That's a rate higher than any president in more than four decades," You do get the context right?
Lets see
Bush = 8
Clinton = 8
Bush = 4
We are now at 20,
Reagan = 8
Carter = 4
Ford = 4
Nixon - Presto

Damn that is a WHOLE lot of people.

[After Shock Media]

PS - where was the auction? Your post has them as rewards for top fundraising efforts.

[Spunky]

Bammy needs a new pair of snakeskins

[DaddyHalbucks]

Obama is corrupt, big time.

[cykoe6]

Originally Posted by marketsmart

top campaign people always get positions in govt..

But what happened to "change we can believe in" and a "new era of ethical government" and "the most transparent administration in history"???

[cykoe6]

Originally Posted by After Shock Media

Since you bolded this
"That's a rate higher than any president in more than four decades," You do get the context right?
Lets see
Bush = 8
Clinton = 8
Bush = 4
We are now at 20,
Reagan = 8
Carter = 4
Ford = 4
Nixon - Presto

I agree. It would have been a lot more clear to say that Obama is the most corrupt politician since Richard Nixon. That really helps clarify the point. Thanks.

[cykoe6]

Originally Posted by After Shock Media

PS - where was the auction? Your post has them as rewards for top fundraising efforts.

The auction occurred before the election. Now he is distributing the spoils. I would have thought that was pretty clear.

[marketsmart]

Originally Posted by cykoe6

But what happened to "change we can believe in" and a "new era of ethical government" and "the most transparent administration in history"???

i feel for it too... i wanted to believe...

but, alas, same bullshit different mask..

Once upon a time a Wolf resolved to disguise his appearance in order to secure food more easily. Encased in the skin of a sheep, he pastured with the flock deceiving the shepherd by his costume. In the evening he was shut up by the shepherd in the fold; the gate was closed, and the entrance made thoroughly secure. But the shepherd, returning to the fold during the night to obtain meat for the next day, mistakenly caught up the Wolf instead of a sheep, and killed him instantly.

at least in this case the shepard was smart and killed the wolf instead of waiting until the wolf had killed his flock...

[D Ghost]

yeha this is typical of U.S. regimes

[woj]

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Honest_politicians

[Why]

is a position in the french embassy really a 'high' ranking government position? i think not! the US has thousands of diplomats in hundreds of countries

so what, he lets people that made him a bunch of cash to win an election travel on the governments dime... you would do and so would every other president, get over it!

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by Why

so what, he lets people that made him a bunch of cash to win an election travel on the governments dime.

the point is that behavior described, is something that was specifically promised to voters to stop.

that shouldn't be real tough to grasp... even for most of the people on this board.

[DWB]

Originally Posted by cykoe6

But what happened to "change we can believe in" and a "new era of ethical government" and "the most transparent administration in history"???

The people fell for that, hook, line, and sinker. However, the people always fall for it, so I'm not surprised. Perhaps they get what they deserve.

Originally Posted by marketsmart

top campaign people always get positions in govt..

when people realize that its govt thats the problem, not the party, the US will be a better place.

That is the beginning of the flaw.

People will never come to terms with the government being the problem because they are too tied in to the media, which force feeds them daily on it's a republican or democrat issue. Again, the people fall for it. So again, this is what they deserve.

They entire system is built on corruption and smoke and mirrors. This will never change, just the same as the people will never stop believing in a broken system.

[DWB]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

the point is that behavior described, is something that was specifically promised to voters to stop.

Of course it was promised. Some new line of bull shit is always promised. But then they get into office, and it becomes, "hey look over here, something else is going on!" and "fear, fear, fear, fear, fear... Oh, look we bought a dog!" and "hey, look at this shiny object, it's pretty and you all need one!" along with any other way they can occupy the dumb asses who voted for them, and silence the ones who didn't.

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by DirtyWhiteBoy

Of course it was promised. Some new line of bull shit is always promised. But then they get into office, and it becomes, "hey look over here, something else is going on!" and "fear, fear, fear, fear, fear... Oh, look we bought a dog!" and "hey, look at this shiny object, it's pretty and you all need one!" along with any other way they can occupy the dumb asses who voted for them, and silence the ones who didn't.

i'm coming to thailand.

i'm gonna look you up.

we'll have a nice dinner, then we're going to go for a long romantic walk on the beach... and i'm gonna push you down into the sand and make sweet sweet love to you.

[cykoe6]

Originally Posted by Jesus H Christ

Why would you care? I never could understand why someone in a another country would have an opinion about our politics? You don't live here, can't vote here, can't change, or do fuck all about it?

Unless you are just jealous of our chocolate Jesus?

You must have me mixed up with someone else. I am a natural born US citizen who voted in the last election and who pays a significant amount of US taxes every year as well.

[L-Pink]

This is what happens when you let minorities and women vote.















(kidding of course)


.

[Fletch XXX]

Originally Posted by Jesus H Christ

? You don't live here

isnt it hilarious. these people dont live in this country but post all day about it. LOL

[Tom_PM]

I'm sure of there was a "pay to play" or "positions for sale" blago-style, he'll be brought up on charges. Pretty much it.

[CheeseFrog]

Yeah, it's called CAPITALISM. GTFO you socialist :P

[V_RocKs]

He bucked the system and got rid of the career assholes and now you want to find a way to complain?

What a douche bag.

[BlackCrayon]

hmm, from 30% to 40%...shocking...

[nation-x]

This is a completely non-issue... seriously. Look at how many people in every campaign that get positions within the administration including chief of staff or more... the people who raised that money are supporters and were not guaranteed anything... it's NOT pay-to-play because noone knew if he was even going to win. Pay-to-play is when you are trying to motivate someone to do something and they require contributions for that action... Obama didn't do that... he only rewarded top fund raisers with positions and I don't see anything wrong with that period. It's not the "sale" of anything... no matter what the stupid fuck in that article says... there were NO guarantees because he had to win in order for that to come to pass and there is nothing new about this practice.

Here is an article about 4 specific people Bush appointed under the same circumstances
http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=1763

[Pleasurepays]

thanks nation-x for confirming that the new era of hope and change is actually the old era of politics as usual.

[cykoe6]

If auctioning off government positions is not enough corruption for you.......... how about influence peddling?

During his first nine months in office, President Obama has quietly rewarded scores of top Democratic donors with VIP access to the White House, private briefings with administration advisers and invitations to important speeches and town-hall meetings.

High-dollar fundraisers have been promised access to senior White House officials in exchange for pledges to donate $30,400 personally or to bundle $300,000 in contributions ahead of the 2010 midterm elections, according to internal Democratic National Committee documents obtained by The Washington Times.........


The DNC has presented a menu of exclusive access opportunities to top givers, according to internal DNC documents provided to potential donors and obtained by The Times.

Top-tier donors gain membership to the DNC's National Finance Committee or to the ultra-exclusive National Advisory Board, both of which meet four times a year, including this week at the Mandarin Hotel in Washington.

"They have an opportunity to meet senior members of the Obama Administration and senior members of Congress, and to hear from political analysts and policy experts," according to the internal DNC documents.

Mark Gilbert, a Florida businessman who raised more than $500,000 for Mr. Obama, said he gets regular e-mails from the White House on topics that interest him -- in his case, economic policy -- and he occasionally joins special conference calls for Mr. Obama's political supporters. The calls are frequently timed to follow up on a major news development out of the White House.

"Any time something major takes place, they follow it up with a conference call with someone who was involved with the policy decision," Mr. Gilbert said. "Anything that has to do with the Treasury, I get an e-mail."

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009...cube_position1

[nation-x]

Originally Posted by cykoe6

If auctioning off government positions is not enough corruption for you.......... how about influence peddling?




http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009...cube_position1

When it is more than speculation I will weigh in... but it's only speculation for now.

[nation-x]

Originally Posted by Pleasurepays

thanks nation-x for confirming that the new era of hope and change is actually the old era of politics as usual.

I don't remember him ever saying that he would change every single aspect of everything... generalization is the tool of the ignorant. What the right wing and others are pissed about is that he won... period... so now they will nitpick him to death as they usually do with anyone they disagree with... my guess is that this will hold the news cycle for a few more days and then lose traction just like every other specious speculation for the last 9 months.

[Tom_PM]

All they need is speculation. Then they run a "news" story that merely reports that there has been speculation (and what the speculation is of course, natur-diddly).

[cykoe6]

Here is another report from the Times:

President Obama alleged to have given White House perks to top donors

Senior Republicans demanded an investigation yesterday into reports that President Obama has given financial donors perks such as use of the White House cinema, golf games with the Commander-in-Chief and even the chance to shape policy.

The allegations that Mr Obama may have carried on the practice of rewarding top donors ? Bill Clinton and George Bush were criticised for it ? was also condemned by campaignfinance watchdogs. They said that the President appeared to have reneged on his promise to change the culture in Washington. The reports drew comparison to Mr Clinton?s controversial practice of allowing top donors to stay overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom, and Mr Bush?s offer of overnight stays in the White House and Camp David for those who raised more than $100,000 (£60,750).

Most troubling, said critics, was that Mr Obama appeared to have allowed those who made large donations to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the fundraising arm of the Democratic Party, to have quarterly meetings with senior members of the Administration, twice-monthly conference calls and the ability ?to contribute to shaping policy?.

Such a reward, outlined in internal DNC documents obtained by The Washington Times, would be given to donors in exchange for the maximum legal donation of $30,400, or willingness to raise $300,000 before the mid-term elections in November 2010. Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, and Scott Thomas, former chairman of the Federal Elections Commission, both said that the ?policy-shaping? perk was most worrying, because it gave the appearance of specific actions in return for money.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6896205.ece

[nation-x]

Originally Posted by cykoe6

Here is another report from the Times:



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle6896205.ece

alleged... critics... Republicans demanded... yada yada yada

[Pleasurepays]

Originally Posted by nation-x

alleged... critics... Republicans demanded... yada yada yada

generalizations are the tools of the ignorant

"...Such a reward, outlined in internal DNC documents obtained by The Washington Times..."


and there is no speculation about what people donate and whether or not they were offered government posts. both are fully documented and a matter of record.

[u-Bob]

Originally Posted by woj

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Honest_politicians

[NetHorse]

I fart on politicians after I pick-pocket them