Barack Obama (Photo credit: jamesomalley)
President Obama campaigned in 2008 as someone who would “change business as usual in Washington” by setting strict rules for his 2009 inauguration. He wouldn’t allow corporate donations and individuals could only give up to $50,000. This year I guess they’ve had a change of heart. The Chicago Tribune reports that this year (coincidently now that he’ll never run for any other office) the Obama inauguration committee is “seeking million–dollar contributions from corporations and offering perks in return, such as tickets to the official ball.”
The committee has also put no limit on how much people can give. The White House reportedly “will not take up campaign finance reform any time soon, even in the wake of an election that saw more than $1 billion spent by outside groups.” Remember President Obama denounced the 2010 Citizen United ruling that allowed corporations to donate unlimited amounts of money to political campaigns in his State of the Union that year.
“But campaign finance reform advocates say the president has taken little action to try to limit the huge sums flooding into national politics—and at times has even embraced the system he decries.”
I just find it a bit hypocritical that our president campaigned last year touting his disdain for the ruling while amassing large sums of cash because of it. He continuously said on the campaign trail that the other side was trying to “buy the election.” The funny thing is that as he decried these injustices he happily accepted donations from corporations.
Those of you who follow this blog know by now that I’m generally a conservative person. I will support our president, as I indicated on election night. However, I will point out these failed promises and hypocrisies from Democrats and Republicans.
What do you think?
Is this a big deal?
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @adrakontaidis & @talkrealdebate
