The GOP is buying the House. Literally.

[DonViejo]

By Dana Milbank
Columnist
September 26 at 7:39 PM

If Republicans succeed in keeping the House in November, it will have been bought for them by corporations and the rich — quite literally.

President Trump recast the Republican Party as a vehicle for the forgotten man. But these putative populists passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut that, according to a poll this month for the Republican National Committee, is now seen, by a 2-to-1 margin, as a benefit to “larger corporations and rich Americans” over the middle class. And now these same friends of the little guy are running a campaign for the House bankrolled almost entirely by corporate interests and those who can afford to write four-figure checks to politicians.

Records show House Republican incumbents in seats targeted by Democrats are getting almost all their campaign funds from large contributors (often those who donate $2,700 or $5,400) and political action committees. Only a tiny fraction comes from those who give $200 or less.

For example, Reps. Carlos Curbelo (Fla.), Kevin Yoder (Kan.), Ann Wagner (Mo.), Tom MacArthur (N.J.), Vern Buchanan (Fla.), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.) and Trey Hollingsworth (Ind.) all get less than 1 percent of their campaign cash from small donations.

The Center for Responsive Politics looked at all competitive contests and found that Republicans in House races receive 10 percent of contributions in small donations, compared with 21 percent for Democrats. The Senate is nearly identical, at 11 percent and 21 percent.

As the campaign-finance reform group End Citizens United points out, the disparities in competitive races are often particularly stark. Vying for House Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s seat in Wisconsin, Democrat Randy Bryce gets 71.06 percent of his funds from small donors; Republican Bryan Steil is at 5.82 percent. Veteran Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) gets 0.91 percent from small donors, while Democratic challenger Colin Allred gets 19.17 percent. In Ohio, Rep. Troy Balderson (R) gets 8.96 percent from small donors, a fraction of Democratic challenger Danny O’Connor’s 64.87 percent.

more
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/wasnt-trumps-gop-supposed-to-represent-the-little-guy-oops/2018/09/26/8a432f70-c1cd-11e8-a1f0-a4051b6ad114_story.html

[Wounded Bear]

1. K & R...for visibility...nt

[CrispyQ]

2. Until we fix our electoral process The People will not gain control of their government.

This should be priority one for the dems if they ever gain any power or influence again. Although the list of what needs fixing is so dire it's hard to prioritize.

[spanone]

3. how's that 'we need a businessman' bullshit working out?

[justhanginon]

4. K&R This is what happens when the SCOTUS is taken over by corporate hacks.

Kavanaugh will insure that it will continue if his appointment is allowed to happen and the corporate bias of this court will not only continue but strengthen.
I shed a tear for what is left of our once great country. I am in eighties now and hope to but may not live long enough to see it turn around. For the sake of my children, grandkids and the millions of women in this country I hope it is in the future.

[grantcart]

5. Literally?

[Orsino]

6. The GOP are the property.

They are the tool that ensures that the rich get what they want.