Republicans complain that they haven't gotten enough money from the Telecom industry
from ThinkProgress:
GOP ‘Griping’ That They Haven’t Seen ‘The Financial Gravy Train’ From Telecoms
In the fight over retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies who participated in the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program after 9/11, a popular right-wing meme has been that “the real reason Democrats oppose immunity” is because they are allegedly beholden to trial lawyers who “want to push massive class action suits against the telecom companies.” Even though the claim is false, the theme has been echoed by the entire conservative infrastructure.
Robert Novak pushed it in his Washington Post column while Rush Limbaugh aired the charge on his radio show. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) alleged it on the Senate floor and White House Press Secretary Dana Perino made the claim on Fox News.
President Bush made the same unfounded claims in his press
conference today, speculating that “class action plaintiffs attorneys”
see “a financial gravy train” in “trying to sue” telecommunications
companies.
If anyone is looking for a “financial gravy train,” it’s conservatives. Roll Call reports that congressional conservatives are “grumbling” and “griping” that their efforts to protect telecoms haven’t yielded more contributions from the industry:
With the House Democrats’ refusal to grant retroactive immunity to phone companies — stalling the rewrite of the warrantless wiretapping program — GOP leadership aides are grumbling that their party isn’t getting more political money from the telecommunications industry. […]
In a reflection of the sensitivity of the subject matter, and an apparent recognition that they would undermine their own messaging by appearing to be motivated by fundraising concerns, Republicans on and off Capitol Hill declined to comment on the record. […]
“There’s no question that from time to time staff, and maybe some Members, say to fellow travelers: ‘Are you giving us some air cover? Are you helping us help you?’”
Despite GOP complaints that their efforts to grant retroactive immunity for the industry aren’t being financially rewarded, three out of the four major phone companies “still give a majority to Republicans,” though “by slimmer margins than in years past.”
Comments
The Post simply reported on Congressional Republicans' claim of Democratic fealty to trial lawyers in their "capitol blog", and then reported White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino's exact words on the matter. The only other Washington Post citation was of an opinion column in the paper by Robert Novak. Is he part of the conspiracy too?
Is Roll Call biased as well? Because that is where the actual report originated.
This is about campaign contributions-- pure and simple. When you say "This [report] contains some misinformation," your justification for that opinion (and it was an OPINION) was yet another unsupported opinion.
"Conservatives don't complain as much as they take action."
What does that even mean? That's your opinion. And given that this whole report came out of Republicans complaining to Roll Call that the telecoms (whom they are intent on giving immunity from prosecution for actions that they simultaneously claim are NOT illegal-- but that's for another discussion) are not giving them enough campaign contributions, your opinion does not even come across as very credible.
Jim "re-closeted homosexual" Phelan amuses us so. He prayed and Jesus made him "straight"! Is it any wonder he believes the conservative Washington Post has a conspiracy against conservatives? NARTH on!, dude.
Phelan also harbors a serious boner for GOP ex-gay porn star Matt "Glory Holes of Fame 3" Sanchez. But again, he's "straight" too.
Let us pray.
Let us pray! Did you see how big it is, Sentinel? OMG!
Matt and I will do porn together one day and invite you to a private showing. You will love every inch of it.
Let's us again pray for a good showing and that The Sentintel comes out of that garb and shows his real identity. My nun fetish is driving me nuts and it is too much for me.
HOW did I bump into this series of posts!!! WHAT A RIOT. Nice for some fun.
But.......forgive a Pollyanna moment.....
Okay, okay, everyone has different views, and many of us are passionately and diametrically opposed, but that's this forum's purpose. To engage and "not be butheads about it."
I will say as a female as gross as the images are conjured from the posts, it's about time someone made lascivious comments about 2 guys instead of the "every man" fantasy of two girls - which of course, teen girls see in mainstrem media and I find appalling, disgusting, shaping girl teen views. Go on Facebook and see how many girls do girl on girl (fake) poses JUST to please guys. Put that in the mix.
But all in all, funny posts - and gross - and not funny because maybe as a newbie I am incorrect, I didn't think personal attacks (of which I once was a perpatrator of) are worth it and diminish the dialogue. But that's me. I do grapple though with the issues of gay rights, though I draw a line. Give gays all the same rights as married couples, but don't give them the right to marriage. Sorry, that's the biblical part of me. As I wrote someone I respect, why aren't people posting in horror about teen pregnancies because the blind of "let's not give condoms, tell them to practice abstinence." Or Jesus' admonition in the Bible that if you divorce and remarry you are an adulter. Funny how that is not screamed at as an aberration as much as homosexuality (I know, I know they are different, but they are not in terms of Universal design). And when have I seen a post on premarital sex lately - like the over 25 group? Uhmmm, sin, right? But why just gays? What am I missing? Rushing to get daughter to appt. so forgive bad grammar and knowing me, misspellings!!