Posted on 02/25/2014 5:38:21 PM PST by La Lydia
DAVID GREENE, HOST: wealthy donors like Tom Steyer are putting a pistol to someone's head, forcing their pet issues on candidates. Steyer himself sees things very differently. He quit his hedge fund with $1.5 billion and now in his view he's fighting as hard as he can with money and passion to do something very noble - save the planet. .. With plans to pour $100 million into key elections this year, Steyer joins this elite group of wealthy individuals trying to influence politicians and voters. Steyer says he doesn't agree with the growing influence of money in politics but he's willing to play the game in order to accomplish his goals.
STEYER: We believe in democracy, we believe in the American system. And this is where it is right now, so we're going to play by the rules that are set up for us.
GREENE: Some people are calling you the liberal response to the Koch brothers.
STEYER: I want to draw some very, very big distinctions between me and the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers are pushing ideas that directly benefit them. They're pushing things where it is going to result in their pocketbooks being a lot fatter.
GREENE: We should say though that people who support the Koch brothers - and believe they're spending money on issues that, you know, they support - I mean would not characterize the Koch brothers that way...as you're looking at 2014, you're thinking a lot about an issue that is very near and dear to you, climate change and energy. Could there be cases that if you're picking and choosing your battles based on a single issue, it might not ultimately help the party as a whole.
For example, if there is a race that is really crucial to the Democratic Party holding onto control of the Senate, but climate change, you know, is not that big a deal in that race, and your money is not there, it could in a way hurt the party.
STEYER: Well, I don't see it that way, actually. I see it that we're trying to participate in places where there is a big differential on something that we think is the generational challenge of our times And that's the mission that we've set for ourselves
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Maybe we should institute a net worth tax and tax anyone with a net worth over 1 Billion dollars at a rate of 90%. Maybe then they might think twice about spending my money on their projects.
Frankly I'm sick to death of the attitudes of some of these elitist billionaires. Screw em. Tax the crap out of them.
Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. ~ C.S. Lewis
Where are ya when we need ya, Clive?
Oddly, I don't recall such obvious figures being quoted by any notable Republican candidates during the last cycle.
Well maybe for county sheriff here and there...
Guess they're worried they might have upset poor Mr. Obama by bringing up such unpleasant things
This guy is a Robber Baron AND a sincere tyrant.
If I cant use gas, light bulbs heat or air conditioning
then screw the planet I don’t want to be on it.
What an arrogant little pissant, the very idea that Man could ever do anything to this planet is absurd. Oh sure we could destroy all life, but that has happened many times on this planet, not by humans. But nothing humans could ever do, could measure up to what has happened naturally time and time again, over Billions of Years.
If we learned Tomorrow, that the Next Ice Age is upon us and if we could just warm the planet by 2 degrees in one year we would all be saved, Does anyone believe we could actually do it?? Ask your Global Warming Gods and their puppet scientists that question.
He really don’t care about warming/cooling/etc,
but just as an excuse to put in people who, and he supports
groups, who will stop the Keystone Pipeline
Err—It seems one of his companies is involved
in building a competing pipeline to move Canadian Oil
to Canadas west coast for internationa shipment..
He is a real sleazebag, he’ll line his pockets
as well as every libturd he knows...Ed
Actually, he's describing those who are spending money, and lobbying against projects like the Keystone Pipeline, because it will hurt THEIR plans to transport the oil by truck and train. How are THEY different from the Koch Brothers?
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