Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Mark Kirk - Count Down to Un-election - Day 14 - Campaign Finance

Where is Mark Kirk Getting all the cold hard cash for his campaign? Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kirk’s campaign today said that it raised nearly $1.9 million between October and December and has almost $3.2 million in the bank.

In a statement, Kirk said he was “humbled by the outpouring of support from grassroots leaders.”

Grassroots? Really Mark? I say, "You Lie!"

Let's define 'Grassroots'.

A grassroots movement (in the context of a political movement) is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group (in this context that would be people like you and I, normal everyday citizens) supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures.

Grassroots movements are often at the local level, as many volunteers in the community give their time to support the local party, which can lead to helping the national party.

Faking a grassroots movement is known as astroturfing. Astroturfing, as the name suggests, is named after AstroTurf, a brand of artificial grass. Astroturfing means to mimic a grassroots movement, with the powerful lobbyists behind the movement hiding their agenda by pretending to be individuals voicing their opinions.

Kirk betrayed the American People One only needs to take a look at Kirks list of donors for his campaign to see that there are no grassroots (you and me, normal everyday citizens) contributors to his campaign. It almost entirely consists of special interest groups, lawyer firms and corporations looking for his favor in ways only an entrenched Washington politician can provide.

Open Secrets has tracked contributions to Mark Kirk, and they make a most telling statement. The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

Representative Mark Kirk has reported a total of 1,857 contributions ($200 or more) totaling $2,158,376 in the current cycle. How many people do you know in the current economic climate that can afford $200 dollars to give to a politician? I don't know any... that pretty much leaves special interests.

Who are some of these contributors? Pretty interesting people in my opinion. I have been researching the organisations and corporations that have been contributing heavily to Kirk and the results are grim.

Take for instance 'Equitec Proprietary Markets', they are one of those oh so respectable companies that the SEC has filed settled actions against based on claims of improper proprietary trading.
Then there is Kirkland and Ellis, is an international law firm with headquarters in Chicago. They gave Kirk $55,000. Problem is this law firm is almost exclusively Democrat. Kirkland, through its employees, was a top 20 contributor to Barack Obama in 2008, giving at least $493,735. Despite the firm's reputation as a conservative firm, the firm's attorneys lean heavily (77%) Democratic in their political contributions, which are substantial ($579,976 as of 10/29/07, in the 2008 election cycle). The firm also has its own Political Action Committee (PAC), which gave 97% of its contributions to Democrats in the 2008 cycle, as of 12/7/07. The firm's members have given more money to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (by some measures the most liberal Democrat in the Senate) since 1989 than donors from any other company or organization. So, it begs the question, why would a firm that so supports the efforts of Barack Obama be giving liberal funds to Mark Kirk, unless they were sure he would vote approvingly for Obama's Progressive (sic) agenda?

Kirkland is also a front-runner in the support of legislation that favors LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Americans. Kirkland also supports financially a large number of LGBT advocacy groups. In 2006, the Kirkland & Ellis Foundation contributed more than $1,593,000 to the sponsorship of nonprofit organizations, foundations, and programs that directly or indirectly benefit diversity-related initiatives (including LGBT groups). Mark Kirk may not be Gay, but he sure has a lot of happy friends.

Lastly we have DRW Holdings. Hang on tight folks, the crazy train is pulling out of the station on this one.

Ever wonder why Mark Kirk voted for Cap and Trade? Emissions trading (also known as cap and trade) is an administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. This is the No. 1 reason I've come out against the American Traitor Mark Kirk. This bill alone will cost you and your children $100 Trillion over the next 100 years, if not more.
Mark Kirk voted FOR Cap and Trade because of his ties to DRW Holdings of Chicago. DRW Holdings is part of the Chicago Climate Exchange. Maurice Strong sits on their board of governors. Strong was the person who put together the Copenhagen Climate Change meeting and is the driving force behind the world green movement in that category. He got in so much trouble in the US because of his chicanery that he had to flee to China where he has lived since 2000. He was also the subject of an investigation by Jesse Ventura.

World’s first environmental derivatives exchange
More than 400 member organizations
10% owned by Goldman Sachs
10% owned by Generation Investment Management LLP
The exchange is owned by the London-based Climate Exchange PLC which also owns the European Climate Exchange, Montréal Climate Exchange, and the Tianjin Climate Exchange.
Wow Mark, you got friends in greeny high places!
Other members of the CCX that have contributed to Mark Kirk include Baxter International, Goldman Sachs, Exelon Corp., and the list goes on and on.
So, now we know why Mark Kirk voted FOR Cap and Trade, he is in bed with the Obama progressives and it appears fully supports their agenda to do away with our American Constitution via ratification of the Copenhagen Treaty. How's that climate change treating you Mark? Puttin' a little money in yo pockets? Cold, Frozen Cash I'm sure...

On top of all that, over 20% of Kirk's campaign contributions come from out of state. In other words, organisations and donors that do not have a vested interest, nor do they reside in the state of Illinois have contributed over $415,000 to make sure Mark Kirk stays in CONgress and votes against the better interests of his Illinois constituency.

Mark Kirk has been calling for the U.S. Census to sever its partnership with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) because of SEIU’s alleged ties to the community organization ACORN. ACORN has been the subject of intense scrutiny by conservatives, and rightly so, because of its corruption related to its advocacy work on behalf of low- and moderate-income people and particularly because of its efforts to mobilize voters which entailed voter intimidation and illegal voter registration.

What Kirk fails to disclose is the shocking fact that he accepted donations from SEIU. Kirk has said that he’ll give $2,500 to charity to offset the fund’s he accepted from SEIU’s political action organization in 2003, and would also “donate” a “proportional share” of $19,000 he’s taken since 2000 from the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC. That group backs moderate GOP candidates (Kirk’s status therein has been a bit of a problem for him as he tries to energize a less moderate Republican base statewide), and has accepted some $90,000 in contributions from SEIU’s PAC since 2001.

Gee that's really upstanding of you Mark, too bad you only did this after you got caught with your Marxist hand in the Union Cookie Jar. Mark Kirk only went gang-busters on ‘ACORN as SEIU’ after those two kids filmed the goofs of ACORN across the country assisting in child sexual slavery and kidnapping and covering up an international crime.

All of a sudden, a Navy fighter pilot and Intelligence officer, like Mark Kirk understands that SEIU might just have far less than the best interests on the American middle class at heart?

Kirk had this to say about his involvement with SEIU and ACORN, “Originally I saw it as a Chicago union.” Sure You did Mark!

Hey Mark, If you want to get the support of a union even bigger than SEIU, then try supporting the union of States called America.

In closing, can we afford to elect Mark Kirk? The most common argument for supporting Mark Kirk seems to be centered on his being electable and that the party takes precedence over issues. This type of thinking is inconsistent with independent critical thinking skills that a free citizenry need to have so that a Republic continues to exist. It's the type of adage that says, don't think just do, leave the choices to us. Not far from calling you sheeple after that.

So, for all of you who still think Mark Kirk is the man to support, hurry up and Donate to Mark Kirk's Campaign... Before The Cost of Everything Goes Up Thanks to his vote on Cap and Trade. His corporate climate change donors will thank you.

Join me as I Kick Kirk to the Kurb! Seems that the Tea Party Nation is gonna help me defeat Mark Kirk. Check the Tea Party Nation out.

Catch all 15 articles in the Un-elect Mark Kirk Series at Mark Kirk - Count Down to Un-election - Day 15