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Blue_Adept

(6,399 posts) Wed Jun 18, 2014, 09:18 AM Jun 2014

How to Tell If Your Member of Congress Is a Crony Capitalist

Last Tuesday, Rep. Eric Cantor learned the hard way that crony capitalism comes at a political cost. In a decisive 10-point upset, Cantor's Republican primary opponent David Brat defeated the Virginia congressman after charging that he was "trying to buy this election with corporate cash."

Few inside Washington thought charges like this would stick; for decades they've opened their campaign coffers to millions of dollars from Fortune 500 firms without fearing any consequences at the ballot box.

Of course, a lot of people will just start with "they all are", but it's hard to have a conversation at that point.

3 replies

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How to Tell If Your Member of Congress Is a Crony Capitalist (Original Post) Blue_Adept Jun 2014 OP

I guess there would be a couple of things to ask el_bryanto Jun 2014 #1

The best un-biased site I've found for members of Congress campaign finance info is "Open Secrets". canoeist52 Jun 2014 #2

Generally, safest to assume they are. n2doc Jun 2014 #3

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)

1. I guess there would be a couple of things to ask

Reply to Blue_Adept (Original post)

Wed Jun 18, 2014, 09:26 AM

Jun 2014

1) Did they come from an environment that is comfortable with Crony Capitalism? Prior to running for office did they work in companies that benefited from Crony Capitalism? Does their family have a history of gaming the system?

2) Do they surround themselves with people from the business world; particularly those who benefit from Crony Capitalism?

3) Who do they accept donations from? Are these donors crony capitalism?

4) Do they challenge Crony Capitalism in their speeches and other communications? Are these challenges backed up by action?

There are probably others.

Bryant

canoeist52

(2,282 posts)

2. The best un-biased site I've found for members of Congress campaign finance info is "Open Secrets".

Reply to Blue_Adept (Original post)

Wed Jun 18, 2014, 10:05 AM

Jun 2014

https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/

I've been using it for years. (Even though it doesn't always tell me what I want to hear)

n2doc

(47,953 posts)

3. Generally, safest to assume they are.

Reply to Blue_Adept (Original post)

Wed Jun 18, 2014, 10:18 AM

Jun 2014

Unless proven otherwise by actions, not words.

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