You can't fight obesity eating at McDonald's. You can't
teach people how to use a computer through an online course. And you
can't fight for more financial disclosure from political groups by hiding your
own donors.
During the primary, there was a PAC who had sent out a mailer
attacking a candidate. The mailer went to a relatively small number of
households, but it got a lot of play on the news. Now, because the guy
who runs the PAC was a Democrat, and it was a Republican primary, the narrative
from the candidate getting attacked was "My opponent has liberal PACs that
want him to win, so you must vote for me." That candidate won the
Primary, and since this is Utah, will likely win the general election (unless
the accusations from the PAC are true, which I doubt). And, since the
winning candidate comes in to the right of Gayle Ruzika, and the losing
candidate was much better qualified to be in the office and would do a better
job for all Utahns, Utah lost because of this PAC.
When the person running the PAC was interviewed on TV about
the allegations, he was asked who his donors were. His response was
that he wouldn't release his donors till he had to. I Tweeted something
about how B.S. this was, and got a response from the PAC owner. He said
that he had to file in the next week anyway, so it's water under the bridge.
I responded that it made him no different than the Republican PACs that
hide behind loose reporting requirements. I also go angry Tweets and
emails from Democratic friends who rail about secret organizations.
Because apparently, the only way to have more open dialog is to talk
behind closed doors.
And, that is what worries me about organizations like the Alliance
for a Better Utah, because they won't tell us where their money is coming from.
They claim that they are funded mostly by small donations, but won't show
us the money, so to speak.
This week, ABU is railing against ALEC for being this evil,
super-secret organization. Now, even though I disagree with just about
all of what ALEC tires to push through, I at least know where a lot of their
money comes from. Unlike the "not evil, not super secret"
organization ABU.
The ends do not justify the means. Playing by the rules
doesn't work when the rules are broken.
-Bob
3 comments:
"You Can't Fight Obesity Sitting In McDonald's" - but if you want to fight a fatty, you've come to the right place!
Bob, you do know that before you wrote this, the major donor was already provided, and that the organization is new enough that you're complaining about something they haven't even had a chance to do? They haven't refused to provide information on donors, either. I find it odd to see a post like this coming from you....
Misty, ABU is new enough that they haven't HAD to file. However, they have been around for over a year, so they have had AMPLE time to reveal their donors.
Again, simply abiding by the laws is not enough if you want others to go above and beyond the law themselves.
Do you find it odd because I'm criticizing a left-leaning organization? Because I have maintained my willingness to criticize those who need criticizing, regardless of affiliation. The main problem with politics is the "well, if my guy is doing it, it must be OK."
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