We know Scott Brown participates in the triathlon on the Island but did you wonder who he pals around with while he vacations there(fairly frequently I might add). It is not that this is a crime or even a matter of right and wrong but when he states “He’s for us!” a little insight is in order to ferret out just who this “us” is he is talking about. He is usually pretty shy about letting people know who his potential donors are but a flyer handed out at a July 4th gathering of the Nantucket Republican Party invited supporters to a fundraising reception. I took a copy to see what I could learn. The guest list reads like a who’s who of the Financial, Real Estate, and Investment world. Again this is no denigration of Scott Brown but the company he keeps does show where his heart lies. He has espoused trickle down economics before but this cadre of contributors defines the mechanics of how it is done. These are all successful people and some well known for philanthropy but their business interests and money are being used to influence the election in their favor usually unaligned with true public interest. They have an approach that too often produces winners and losers and not enough win-win deals. The fete will take place in Sciasconset, a very upscale village in Nanctucket on July 21st.
The Guests:
David Boyce: Nantucket real estate and rentals
Norwood Davis: Founding member Nantucket Harbor Yacht Club and Chairman Trigon Healthcare, a for profit insurance company
Thomas Kershaw: Owner Hampshire House(“Cheers Bar”) plus other hotels
Jerry Rappaport: Creator Charles River Park
Seth Brennan: Private investing
Donna Hamel: National City Commercial Capital
Bob Reynolds: CEO Putnam Investing
Alex Sacerdote: Whole Rock Capital Management
Bob Brust: Past executive at Sprint, Eastman Kodak, Unisys Corp, GE
Jimmy Haslam: Founder Pilot Corporation
Charles Ryan: Nantucket Real Estate
At least, former GE hatchet man Jack Welch isn’t on the list. Perhaps Cokie Roberts and Tom Brokaw will drop by to sample the canapes.
I know Democrats have gone to Nantucket; I’m sure some have fundraised among the elite there.
The last one I heard of here on Nantucket was for Hillary Clinton. Hers was held at the home of a former Ambassador. It did not attract a group of financiers who are so obviously enmeshed in doing whatever to improve a bottom line as long as there is no law against it.
Some on this list like Jerry Rappaport was criticized for wiping away a viable neighborhood to gentrify that space. Mr. Davis is head of a major health insurer in Virginia and I am sure takes a dim view of affordable universal coverage.
This is a gathering of people who think outsourcing and offshoring brings cheaper goods to the US. The real agenda was to weaken Labor’s ability to negotiate, drive wages to subsistance levels(one paycheck to another) and set up economic disaster since their income produced no reserves with any economic downturn.
If Dems have held such fundraisers on Nantucket their feet should also be held to the fire and make sure they are not setting a scenario that is detrimental to working folks. If Democratic candidates do have a get together here and I can get details I will be sure to post it. It is not a matter that both sides engage the more well healed but who they are and what vision of government they support is most important. I agree then let the chips fall where they may.
The most publicized example was the Republican’s favorite target namely Hollywood fund raisers. However many of the actors, actresses, producers, and directors came from humbler beginnings, are hard working, and produce something of value that most people can afford. I attended a fundraiser for Elizabeth Warren directed towards medical professionals who understood the necessity of health care reform. In another contrast Unions have fundraisers. It is not always how much money they have but how they got it and what is their take on government purpose and a prosperous society. I can assure you this group above does not back workable solutions for working people’s problems. Hopefully not all rich people treat working people like some commodity but show some respect for their lives and want to make it livable. It is called patriotism when this is where your efforts lie.
When Warren or Obama raise money from the rich it’s concerned citizens looking to make the country a better place.
When Brown or Romney raise money from the rich it’s greedy semi-criminal bastards looking to gain influence to increase the amount of their wealth or otherwise further a narrow right wing agenda.
Can we just concede that point and move on?
That the bottom line is paramount to ensuring US citizens have jobs that do more than get by. I least you concede the point but no one said anyone was doing anything criminal. There is just a difference in mindset. The Republicans have no problem treating Labor as Capital, an erroneous concept, and then looking for the lowest price no matter what the fallout is. Workers all over the world are being devalued by some, not all, corporate practices. It is the zero sum game that chooses winners and loser instead of win-win, the true desired outcome of an economic system.
[http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/the-post-employee-economy-why-sky-high-profits-are-here-to-stay/259564/?google_editors_picks=true]
I don’t see increase government involvement in the economy as the solution. Obviously some here do.
The people holding onto over a trillion dollars and not investing in American workers for their own profit is what is keeping the economy back. Government can only ease suffering in hard times, set down rules of the road to minimize corruption, and provide infrastructure to maintain transportation and communication. To get paying taxpayers, however, I fully agree it is not spending by government alone, the minor share, but a full throttle buy in by those having idle cash with the understanding their payback will be delayed but will eventually come as it always has. Those helped will be most grateful and be fantastic employees. Their incentive should be a prosperous America with facilities and style of living that promotes unity among all its citizens. If they want to stick to waiting for the deal of the century, we will continue to drift.