Monday, September 13, 2010

Chicago-style Pay-to-play: Does Greg Bell know what he's talking about?

Does Greg Bell even know what he's talking about? Take this quote from KSL:

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell labeled the concerns raised about Herbert as "entirely a smear campaign based on innuendo" and said voters should reject the negative turn the gubernatorial campaign has taken. "In Chicago politics, they call it ‘pay for play.' But we're not in Chicago and these kinds of tactics ought not to be tolerated by Utah votes."


yes, LG Bell, Pay to Play should not be tolerated here in Utah. However, a "smear" campaign is not the definition of pay to play. In fact, it's far, far from it.

In politics, pay to play refers to a system, akin to payola in the music industry, by which one pays (or must pay) money to become a player.
Typically, the payer (an individual, business, or organization) makes campaign contributions to public officials, party officials, or parties themselves, and receives political or pecuniary benefit such as no-bid government contracts, influence over legislation, political appointments or nominations, special access[6] or other favors. The contributions, less frequently, may be to nonprofit or institutional entities, or may take the form of some benefit to a third party, such as a family member of a governmental official. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_to_Play)


Oops, sounds like exactly what is happening. Companies are donating money to Gov Herbert, and getting Government contracts.

Stop whining that Peter Corroon is saying you are bad at your job. Start trying to show us where he is wrong.

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