Are there any statistics on how much money is spent from all sources St Paul elections? I'd like to know how many dollars are spent per vote.
Doing a calculation at the last national election I came up with something like 4 DOLLARS per vote. I realized when I saw the expense per vote that the easiest way for citizens to get back their democracy is to give money to political parties and candidates. People often complain that candidates are bought and paid for by "special interests" Those forces could be completely obliterated by individual people stepping up and giving money to candidates they support. We have exactly as much democracy as we are willing to pay for. I encourage everyone, Dem and Repub and Green etc, to vote with your dollars. Find a way to give regularly, even small amounts. Almost all of us pay a fortune in taxes, yet very few people seem to make any financial investment to steer that tax money in a direction they would like to see it go. The wealthy understand the importance in investing in politicians. Even though they are wealthy, they can't give enough to overwhelm the potential giving of millions of ordinary citizens, if they would just do so. Dig down and give some money to somebody! Lets buy back our government! Bob Treumann Brigid McDonough said: > I was the Associate Chair of the St. Paul DFL during the 2001 mayoral race > and I was in charge of raising money to support the DFL Endorsed > Candidates > in 2001. We raised and spent over $200,000 on behalf of our endorsed > candidates, Jay Benanav, Elona Street-Stewart, Toni Carter and John > Brodrick. > > This was the most financial support the St. Paul DFL has ever given its > endorsed candidates. Our original goal was $100,000, and we were able to > raise more than $200,000. In 2001, the State DFL did provide financial > help to the St. Paul DFL, thanks to the efforts of Mary McEvoy. The St. > Paul DFL was incredibly committed to helping our endorsed candidates in > 2001 > > Vance Opperman had absolutely no involvement in or contact with the St. > Paul > DFL. Further, he had no say in its efforts in 2001. > > I hope this clears up this particular area of discussion. > > M. Brigid McDonough > Ward 1 > Cathedral Hill > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Dobson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "David Shove" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Eric Mitchell" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: "StPaul" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 3:05 PM > Subject: [StPaul] Dave's allegations against Vance Opperman > > >> Dave Shove makes some serious allegations against >> Vance Oppermann. I don't know if they are true or not, >> one I find highly unlikely, having been directly >> involved in the DFL endorsement process, but I think >> it is time for Dave to provide proof for two of his >> claims. >> >> He writes, "I believe he gave NO money to Benenav. I >> heard also that he used his influence to slim down the >> support the DFL ususlly gives to its endorsed >> candidate, Benanav in this case." >> >> Dave please let us your source or what your claim is >> based on. Having been very involved in the Benenav >> campaign, I thought the lack of DFL support was simply >> due to a weal DFL in the City, (after 8 years of >> Coleman.) If Vance Opperman was behind Jay's defeat I >> would like to know this. >> >> Next Dave claims, "Vance effectively vetoed several >> DFL endorsees who weren't enuf "business-friendly" for >> him. And no, I DON'T like it." >> >> This claim I find unlikely, but I'll bite. Dave, >> please tell us the DFL endorsees Opperman "vetoed", >> when he did this and please tell us how he did it. >> >> Being a DFL'er who is activie in the endorsing process >> I would like to know what is allegedly going on behind >> my back. >> >> Dan Dobson >> Summit Hill - Saint Paul >> >> >> --- David Shove <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> > >> > On Wed, 4 Aug 2004, Eric Mitchell wrote: >> > >> > > Still no dice. Vance gives money across the board >> > to both endorsed and >> > > non-endorsed candidates. >> > >> > Indeed. >> > > >> > > He's backed winners and losers. >> > >> > Of course. >> > >> > > >> > > He is putting his money and influence in action >> > against Bush. Kelly came >> > > out for Bush, this would seem to innoculate Vance >> > being behind this or >> > > whatever you were trying to drum up. >> > >> > I was not discussing this latest action. I was >> > discussing ONLY the >> > Kelly-Benanav race for mayor. My point was, it might >> > not just be the >> > so-called stupid masses voting their stupid mindless >> > idiot rabble >> > prejudices, etc, etc (and who defends them? they >> > don't have money, so who >> > cares?). My point was, there are other influences on >> > elections - like >> > money and influnce. The rich have a lot more to >> > give, and the great bulk >> > of campaign giving is by the very rich -- they're >> > buying influence and >> > future benefits from officials. So let's look to >> > them for a bit, before we >> > descend to calling the people stupid. >> > >> > > >> > > In that last few years, Vance has also given money >> > to: >> > > Wellstone, Bob Kerry, Forbes for President, Steve >> > > Novak, Thune for Congress, Chris Coleman for >> > Congress, >> > > ND Senator Kent Conrad, ND Congressman Earl >> > Pomeroy, >> > > Hillary Clinton for Senate and HillPac, Montana >> > > Democratic Party, NY Senator Charles Schumer, Bill >> > > Luther for Congress, RI Congressman Pat Kennedy, >> > MN >> > > Womens Campaign, Vt Senator Pat Leahy, SD Senator >> > Tom >> > > Dashle, John Kerry for President,ND Senator Byron >> > > Dorgan, Herseth for COngress(SD), Lisa Quigley for >> > > Congress(CA), Mark Dayton andPatty Wetterling for >> > > COngress. >> > >> > > >> > > He may have given Kelly a few bucks- big deal. He >> > > gives money to a lot of candidates. >> > >> > It benefits your defense of VO to poo-poo the >> > amount. >> > >> > I believe he gave NO money to Benenav. I heard also >> > that he used his >> > influence to slim down the support the DFL ususlly >> > gives to its endorsed >> > candidate, Benanav in this case. >> > >> > > His company was sold a few years ago, so he is not >> > the heir to West >> > > Publishing. It appears you have a problem with him >> > because he's rich. >> > >> > His father was in West; he was his father's heir. >> > You know what I meant. >> > >> > I DO have a problem with rich people distoring >> > representative government >> > by using more money and power than most people will >> > ever have. Oligarchhy >> > and democracy don't mix. Vance effectively vetoed >> > several DFL endorsees >> > who weren't enuf "business-friendly" for him. And >> > no, I DON'T like it. And >> > there's no reason for anyone else to like it either. >> > >> > Sure it's legal. It shouldn't be. Sure it's >> > "business" - business that >> > distorts and subverts democracy. >> > >> > --David Shove >> > Roseville >> > >> > e >> > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > I'm starting to get Shove and his ilk. It's the >> > old >> > > blame game in reverse, the rich are to blame for >> > > everything and the conspiracy rolls on until one >> > day >> > > the masses will rise and overthrow them. >> > > >> > > You failed this time to make a DFL conspiracy out >> > of >> > > this. >> > > >> > > Eric Mitchell >> > > Eastsider >> > > What Party endorsed the bigotted anti-Semite for >> > US >> > > Senate in Minnesota? >> > > >> > > --- David Shove <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> > > >> > > > Info on Vance Opperman: >> > > > >> > > > Here are a few quotes from past local articles. >> > Not >> > > > much - perhaps enuf to >> > > > make some points without violating the ban here >> > on >> > > > complete articles or >> > > > even long quotes: >> > > > >> > > > City Pages 3/4/98 >> > > > The Player [Vance Opperman] >> > > > by Britt Robson >> > > > >> > > > >From West Bank radical to White House insider, >> > he's >> > > > remained the most >> > > > powerful man you've never heard of. >> > > > ... >> > > > He counts Vice President Al Gore among his >> > friends >> > > > and has enough >> > > > clout to get President Clinton to return his >> > phone >> > > > calls. >> > > > ... >> > > > Opperman has become known as the ruthless >> > corporate >> > > > fighter who steered >> > > > Eagan-based West Publishing Inc. through an >> > industry >> > > > revolution. He is >> > > > also recognized as the big-time donor who >> > promised >> > > > large sums to Democrats >> > > > at a crucial point in the 1996 campaign--two >> > weeks >> > > > before the Justice >> > > > Department cleared the way to a corporate >> > > > acquisition that would make him >> > > > fabulously wealthy. One Washington-based >> > advocate of >> > > > campaign-finance >> > > > reform considers Opperman "a perfect example of >> > what >> > > > is wrong with the >> > > > political process." >> > > > ... >> > > > But in Minnesota, it is hard to find people with >> > a >> > > > discouraging word to >> > > > say about Opperman. Off the record, people from >> > both >> > > > ends of the political >> > > > spectrum say that his wealth and power deter any >> > > > honest criticism. >> > > > ... >> > > > As state Sen. John Marty, Minnesota's >> > self-appointed >> > > > conscience on matters >> > > > of campaign finance, puts it: "I am not accusing >> > > > Vance of being corrupt, >> > > > but he knows money talks. He's got a lot of >> > money, >> > > > and it really talks." >> > > > >> > > > ----- >> > > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > __________________________________ >> > > Do you Yahoo!? >> > > New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages! >> > > http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail >> > > >> > _____________________________________________ >> > To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion >> > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> > _____________________________________________ >> > >> === message truncated === >> >> _____________________________________________ >> To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion >> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> _____________________________________________ >> NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: >> http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul >> >> Archive Address: >> http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > > > _____________________________________________ > To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > > -- Bob Treumann, Saint Paul Please Note: Replies to this email address all go to the trash except where the subject line contains a recognized mailing list identifier, such as [TCMETRO],[StPaul], MP-N ... _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
