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Anti Federalist
06-17-2010, 08:03 PM
Obama biggest recipient of BP cash

While the BP oil geyser pumps millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama and members of Congress may have to answer for the millions in campaign contributions they’ve taken from the oil and gas giant over the years.

BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Donations come from a mix of employees and the company’s political action committees — $2.89 million flowed to campaigns from BP-related PACs and about $638,000 came from individuals.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html#ixzz0rALVWAS8

Kotin
06-17-2010, 08:07 PM
a shocker to be sure.. :rolleyes:


I'd like to see the left explain that one..

Zippyjuan
06-17-2010, 08:38 PM
Interesting. In 2008 who do you think was #11 on their list of top candidates receiving money? Ron Paul. http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2010/05/03/guess-who-bp-gave-most-of-their-political-donations-to-in-2008-obama/
More than Charles Rangel or John Boehner.

A couple of things to note about the piece. One is the amount-

$3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years
That comes out to $175,000 on average per year- not really that much as far as campaign contributions go. Even figuring a two year election cycle, $350,000 per cycle. Spread that across all the candates for office and each is not getting much. Ron's share was only $6,000 in 2008.

Second,

BP and its employees have given
If you worked for BP and made a political donation and listed BP as your employer on the donor form, it is counted in this case as a BP contribution. Check Ron Paul's contributors list. Mostly all the top donors are the US military and military contractors. How much influence do you think that military contractors have on Dr. Paul?

You need to be careful looking at numbers like this which makes it sound like the polititians are in their pockets. They spent way more on lobbyists just in the past year than all the political contributions in the last ten years.
Ron Paul contributors for the current election cycle:
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00005906&type=I
I see banking, real estate, and oil all in the top ten with BP #12.

Anti Federalist
06-17-2010, 08:40 PM
Interesting. In 2008 who do you think was #11 on their list of top candidates receiving money? Ron Paul. http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2010/05/03/guess-who-bp-gave-most-of-their-political-donations-to-in-2008-obama/
More than Charles Rangel or John Boehner.

Yah, no doubt the corporate system keeps it's pulse on who's "trending".

Big gap between $6300 and over $71,000 as well.

Zippyjuan
06-17-2010, 08:53 PM
Obama also raised over $15 million dollars. As a percent of total fundraising, it is an extremely small amount. And again- those numbers come from people who indicated that they worked for BP at the time they made a contribution- not necessarily the company itself.

BP reports spending $3.5 million on lobbying for 2010- that is where their "influence" money goes. Not really to campaign contributions. Those funds can be focused on key individuals rather than trying to "bet" on a prarticular candidate.
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/lobbying.php?cycle=2010&ind=E01 The oil industry in general has over 600 registered lobbyists.

And I don't really see them getting any "preferential treatment" out of the oil leak situation either.