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Microsoft's Political Lobbying Record
pierreduFwench writes "With the U.S. national elections just around the corner, you may find this interesting: Opensecrets.org, a website focusing on 'Responsive Politics' recently published lobbying and donations info for the 2002 elections (to date). You can see the breakdown of
Microsoft's individual dossier here. Also, looking at the 'Top Donations by Industry', you may notice that Microsoft is, conspicuously, the only entry under 'Computers/Internet.'" Very interesting graphs.
I don't think it comes as any great shock that Microsoft is doing all they can to get their hads in politicians pockets.
Microsoft walks and talks like a big tobacco company. All that's missing is Bill Gates in cowboy boots.
It's interesting how the tobacco companies (also huge lobbyists) ancestors owned slaves, whereas Microsoft has enslaved the human race with their craptacular software.
Interesting figures...
gun-rights': $13,373,887
human rights: $5,626,932.
Building a better world ay?
Yeah and send your donations through paypal because I could always use the money.
People choose to use MS. No one chose to be a slave.
IF you think for one second that 9.5 million dollars is NOT A HUGE SUM of money, I would be happy to see you carry it FOR A MILE!
Sorry knee jerk reaction, politically speaking, you're right, 9.5 is not a lot, but damn, I'd sure love to have that kinda money just to push MY idealogies.
DAMN THAT CAPSLOCK KEY!
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And very few people in Sweden experience the deep poverty that is all too common in the United States.
Here's interesting food for thought: Swedes who have immigrated to the US also don't experience deep poverty.
It's only a few deadbeats that give America a bad name.
Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.
I'm seriously considering deporting to a safer eu country before 2020 or so.
I'm guessing you whackos hang out at kuro5hin too.
3cx.org - A truly bad website.
I'm not a fan of Democrats or Republicans, but I have to note the following facts:
I have to call bullsh*t on this particular myth. In the 22 years since Reagan was elected in 1980 the only time the budget was balanced was when a Dem was president.
While the Presedent enjoys the power to veto any actions of Congress, he does not set the Federal budget, Congress does. In the final years of Clinton's presidency, when the government came into the black, Republicans controlled a majority in the Legislature. When Congress shifted to a Democratic majority in 2000, and Bush II was (s)elected, the budget slipped back into the red. Whether this was the fault of the Legislature or of the Executive (or of the political climate in the wake of the terrorist attacks) can be debated ad infinitum.
This is the party of corporate welfare, bloated military spending, and intrusive, unnecessary policing of its own citizens (e.g. the 'war' on drugs, which has inflated the prison populations to unprecedented levels in the industrialized world - yes, prisons do cost money).
The Clinton administration saw record levels of drug arrests, convictions and imprisonment. More Americans were prosecuted under his (Democratic) watch, than under Reagan and Bush I combined.
Now, I'm well aware that the Republicans are guilty of increasing military spending, which grants enormous windfalls to many aggressive-minded corporations, typically run by conservatives. But the arguments being presented here to dispell a "myth" are simply propogating another. There is a lot more going on in the Federal Government than simply the whims of whoever has the helm of the Executive Branch. Also, the modern left in America is way to the right of center when viewed in a global or historical context.
Simply speaking, if you're truly interested in reducing Federal expenditures, corporate handouts, and intrusive, unecessary policing, voting for Democrats OR Republicans into Federal office is going to get you further from your goals, despite the rhetoric either party uses in it's campaigning.