Clarification/Follow-up by tomder55 on 08/25/04 8:36 am:
Here are the top 527s. Just looking at the donors to them tells where they lean.

Clarification/Follow-up by Itsdb on 08/25/04 8:39 am:
Thanks Tom...I already offered that link :)

For clarification, I omitted mention of number one on the list, Joint Victory Campaign 2004, as it is a combination of America Coming Together and the Media Fund. The fact remains that Club for Growth is the top pro-Republican 527, at number 7 on the list.

Clarification/Follow-up by ETWolverine on 08/25/04 11:34 am:
Tom,

>>>I thought the growth of money and it's influence was corrupting the political process.<<<

Tom, its not the growth of money, or even its influence that is a problem in politics. It is what is being done with the money.

Money is a tool, and like any tool, it can be used for right or for wrong. It is HOW the money is used, not the amount of it that is a problem.

If someone used a hammer to commit murder, would you make hammers illegal? Of course not. But that is what McCain-Feingold tries to do. It tries to take the "hammer" of money out of politics by limiting the per-donor donation amounts, and that cannot be done and should not be attempted. That is where you were wrong in your support of McCain-Feingold last year. The result, of course, was the creation of the 527s...

By the way, you have my utmost respect for being a man who can admit an error and correct his thinking. That is a rare thing, and I respect you for it.

The most hillarious thing about all of this is that John McCain is caught in the middle of the whole 527 thing. First he opened up his mouth to try to shut up the Swift Vets, and now Kerry is using his name in anti-Swift Vet ads without his permission. I find it hillarious that the guy who caused the problem is caught in the middle of it. Hoist by his own petard, as they say. (By the way, what's a petard?)

In any case, McCain is NOT like you... he cannot admit the error of his law. In a recent interview (in the past couple of days, I think), he said that he has not changed his position on McCain-Feingold, and thinks it is a very effective law. He believes that we just need better regulation of the 527s...

Some people never learn.

Clarification/Follow-up by Itsdb on 08/25/04 1:50 pm:
Main Entry: pe·tard

Pronunciation: p&-'tär(d)
Function: noun

Etymology: Middle French, from peter to break wind, from pet expulsion of intestinal gas, from Latin peditum, from neuter of peditus, past participle of pedere to break wind; akin to Greek bdein to break wind

1 : a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall

2 : a firework that explodes with a loud report

I'll leave the jokes to you :)

Clarification/Follow-up by ETWolverine on 08/25/04 2:15 pm:
Too easy. I prefer a challenge.

Though I will say that I'm not surpised that the French have had this word for so long...

Elliot