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lonestar2004
Live to party,work to affordit.


Registered: 10/03/04
Posts: 8,978
Loc: South Texas
Last seen: 12 years, 9 months
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Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good!
#7534653 - 10/19/07 09:40 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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At this point in the presidential campaign cycle, Clinton has raised more money than any candidate in history.
An unlikely treasure-trove of donors for Clinton
The candidate's unparalleled fundraising success relies largely on the least-affluent residents of New York's Chinatown -- some of whom can't be tracked down.
NEW YORK -- Something remarkable happened at 44 Henry St., a grimy Chinatown tenement with peeling walls. It also happened nearby at a dimly lighted apartment building with trash bins clustered by the front door.
And again not too far away, at 88 E. Broadway beneath the Manhattan bridge, where vendors chatter in Mandarin and Fujianese as they hawk rubber sandals and bargain-basement clothes.
All three locations, along with scores of others scattered throughout some of the poorest Chinese neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx, have been swept by an extraordinary impulse to shower money on one particular presidential candidate -- Democratic front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Dishwashers, waiters and others whose jobs and dilapidated home addresses seem to make them unpromising targets for political fundraisers are pouring $1,000 and $2,000 contributions into Clinton's campaign treasury. In April, a single fundraiser in an area long known for its gritty urban poverty yielded a whopping $380,000. When Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) ran for president in 2004, he received $24,000 from Chinatown.
At this point in the presidential campaign cycle, Clinton has raised more money than any candidate in history. Those dishwashers, waiters and street stall hawkers are part of the reason. And Clinton's success in gathering money from Chinatown's least-affluent residents stems from a two-pronged strategy: mutually beneficial alliances with powerful groups, and appeals to the hopes and dreams of people now consigned to the margins.
Clinton has enlisted the aid of Chinese neighborhood associations, especially those representing recent immigrants from Fujian province. The organizations, at least one of which is a descendant of Chinatown criminal enterprises that engaged in gambling and human trafficking, exert enormous influence over immigrants. The associations help them with everything from protection against crime to obtaining green cards.
Many of Clinton's Chinatown donors said they had contributed because leaders in neighborhood associations told them to. In some cases, donors said they felt pressure to give.
The other piece of the strategy involves holding out hope that, if Clinton becomes president, she will move quickly to reunite families and help illegal residents move toward citizenship. As New York's junior senator, Clinton has expressed support for immigrants and greater family reunification. She is also benefiting from Chinese donors' naive notions of what she could do in the White House.
Campaign concerns
As with other campaigns looking for dollars in unpromising places, the Clinton operation also has accepted what it later conceded were improper donations. At least one reported donor denies making a contribution. Another admitted to lacking the legal-resident status required for giving campaign money.
Clinton aides said they were concerned about some of the Chinatown contributions.
"We have hundreds of thousands of donors. We are proud to have support from across New York and the country from many different communities," campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson said. "In this instance, our own compliance process flagged a number of questionable donations and took the appropriate steps to be sure they were legally given. In cases where we couldn't confirm that, the money was returned."
The Times examined the cases of more than 150 donors who provided checks to Clinton after fundraising events geared to the Chinese community. One-third of those donors could not be found using property, telephone or business records. Most have not registered to vote, according to public records.
And several dozen were described in financial reports as holding jobs -- including dishwasher, server or chef -- that would normally make it difficult to donate amounts ranging from $500 to the legal maximum of $2,300 per election.
Of 74 residents of New York's Chinatown, Flushing, the Bronx or Brooklyn that The Times called or visited, only 24 could be reached for comment.
Many said they gave to Clinton because they were instructed to do so by local association leaders. Some said they wanted help on immigration concerns. And several spoke of the pride they felt by being associated with a powerful figure such as Clinton.
New take, old game
Beyond what it reveals about present-day campaign fundraising, Chinatown's newfound role in the 2008 election cycle marks another chapter in the centuries-old American saga of marginalized ethnic groups and newly arrived immigrants turning to politics to improve their lot.
In earlier times, New York politicians from William "Boss" Tweed to Fiorello LaGuardia gained power with the support of immigrants. So did politicians in Philadelphia, Cleveland, Chicago and other big cities.
Like many who traveled this path, most of the Chinese reported as contributing to Clinton's campaign have never voted. Many speak little or no English. Some seem to lead such ephemeral lives that neighbors say they've never heard of them.
Missing persons
The tenement at 44 Henry St. was listed in Clinton's campaign reports as the home of Shu Fang Li, who reportedly gave $1,000.
In a recent visit, a man, apparently drunk, was asleep near the entrance to the neighboring beauty parlor, the Nice Hair Salon.
A tenant living in the apartment listed as Li's address said through a translator that she had not heard of him, although she had lived there for the last 10 years.
A man named Liang Zheng was listed as having contributed $1,000. The address given was a large apartment building on East 194th Street in the Bronx, but no one by that name could be located there.
Census figures for 2000 show the median family income for the area was less than $21,000. About 45% of the population was living below the poverty line, more than double the city average.
In the busy heart of East Broadway, beneath the Manhattan Bridge, is a building that is listed as the home of Sang Cheung Lee, also reported to have given $1,000. Trash was piled in the dimly lighted entrance hall. Neighbors said they knew of no one with Lee's name there; they knocked on one another's doors in a futile effort to find him.
Salespeople at a store on Canal Street were similarly baffled when asked about Shih Kan Chang, listed as working there and having given $1,000. The store sells purses, jewelry and novelty Buddha statues. Employees said they had not heard of Chang.
Another listed donor, Yi Min Liu, said he did not make the $1,000 contribution in April that was reported in his name. He said he attended a banquet for Clinton but did not give her money.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-donors19oct19,0,3148425.story?page=3&coll=la-home-nation
"Some contributors seem to lead such ephemeral lives that neighbors say they've never heard of them."
we are sooooooooooooooooooo fucked!
-------------------- America's debt problem is a "sign of leadership failure" We have "reckless fiscal policies" America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better Barack Obama
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afoaf
CEO DBK?



Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: lonestar2004]
#7535075 - 10/19/07 11:50 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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what's the big deal....we still have tons of military technology that we haven't sold them yet?!
-------------------- All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Mojo_Risin
Man


Registered: 03/31/01
Posts: 2,838
Loc: United States of America ...
Last seen: 8 years, 14 days
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: afoaf]
#7537438 - 10/19/07 09:51 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Mark my words, Clinton will likely "raise" the most money out of any other campaign but it won't guarantee her the Democratic nomination, nor would Obama be guaranteed it either if he "raised" the most money. John Edwards has the best chance based on his appearance because the Democratic party knows that the sheep voters are attracted most to that characteristic, and the majority of the current Democratic voter base are sheep whether they know it or not.
-------------------- Fear attracts energy that can expose one to be coerced. Learn to overcome fear and develop enlightenment. Freedom Equality Justice (3 of 12 Jewels of Life) Nov.11th Veterans Ron Paul Moneybomb...www.Ronpaul2012.com Check out campaignforliberty.com
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afoaf
CEO DBK?



Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: Mojo_Risin]
#7538766 - 10/20/07 10:13 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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they aren't just going to yank her and put Edwards up.
not without some convincing public display of betrayal or incompetence.
-------------------- All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Mojo_Risin
Man


Registered: 03/31/01
Posts: 2,838
Loc: United States of America ...
Last seen: 8 years, 14 days
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: afoaf]
#7539105 - 10/20/07 12:16 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Betrayal? Corruption? Lies? Google Peter Paul and Hillary Clinton just to get an idea of what a fraud she is...and coming around in the next few months are a few documentaries about the Clintons and their wickedness.
As long as Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination it doesn't matter who the Democrats nominate because none of them can beat Ron Paul's foreign and domestic policies.
-------------------- Fear attracts energy that can expose one to be coerced. Learn to overcome fear and develop enlightenment. Freedom Equality Justice (3 of 12 Jewels of Life) Nov.11th Veterans Ron Paul Moneybomb...www.Ronpaul2012.com Check out campaignforliberty.com
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afoaf
CEO DBK?



Registered: 11/08/02
Posts: 32,665
Loc: Ripple's Heart
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: Mojo_Risin]
#7545012 - 10/21/07 10:41 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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you're preaching to the choir, don't like the Clintons at all.
-------------------- All I know is The Growery is a place where losers who get banned here go.
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Mojo_Risin
Man


Registered: 03/31/01
Posts: 2,838
Loc: United States of America ...
Last seen: 8 years, 14 days
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Re: Clinton Inc. is back in business and business is good! [Re: afoaf]
#7547717 - 10/22/07 05:11 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Glad your not part of the Choir
-------------------- Fear attracts energy that can expose one to be coerced. Learn to overcome fear and develop enlightenment. Freedom Equality Justice (3 of 12 Jewels of Life) Nov.11th Veterans Ron Paul Moneybomb...www.Ronpaul2012.com Check out campaignforliberty.com
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