This is a Citizens United story, and I think we're clearly in Phase 2.
Phase 1 included the toe-in-the-waters testing by Target, Best Buy, and MN Forward in the Minnesota governors race; such blatant acts as News Corp handing over $1 million to the Republican Governors Association (in exchange for what?); and the carpet-bombing of selected House races like Pete DeFazio's in Oregon (by an externally funded Christian Reconstructionist with no chance of winning).
But it's all starting to coalesce. And who would be at the essence of the coalesence, but our old friend Karl Rove. As Chris in Paris noted in September, Rove's "American Crossroads" group is turning into a very big deal. Politico:
In August, American Crossroads raised $2,639,052. Fully $2.4 million of that -- or 91 percent -- came in the form of gifts from just three billionaires.I'd memorize that name — American Crossroads. It's starting to look like one of the go-to money-laundering shops for the whacked out Billionaries' Coup (and by "whacked out" I mean dangerous). Like I said, Phase 2 has begun.
With that intro, here's Keith Olbermann in a stunning Countdown segment:
Note especially the foreign spending. This issue was raised when Citizens United was first decided. And now it appears to be coming true. John has an excellent thoughtful post about it — "Is foreign money influencing the Senate race in Missouri?" which details the activities of that other money-laundering shop, the Chamber of Commerce.
I don't think people get what happens when foreign money, especially from creditor nations, influences elections. That's the definition of a client state. The vision of crazed Tea Baggers in Colonial drag leading the way to billionaire-controlled America as a client state of ... China? Germany? India? ... is as close to comedy as tragedy can get. American Crossroads indeed.
Rove's Republic. Thanks, Karl; you're doing the retainer thing well. Satan's mouth for you.
If you haven't read Dante lately, here's a clue.
GP
