Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Politics / Woods Ramsey Calls for Legalizing Corporate Campaign Contributions
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 1:51 PM
A lot of people think that now I, Ron Ramsey, candidate for state Senate, can take contributions from corporations. We can't. What can happen is corporations can pool their money and run independent expenditures. Me as a state senator whether I'm running for office or whether I'm running for governor ... I want to be able to control my message. So it scares me just a tad. So I think what we need to do in the state of Tennessee is what about 28 other states do and allow direct corporate contributions to candidates here in the state of Tennessee. It will allow you to control your message. ... I am for full disclosure. In today's world with the computer technology that we have, there's no reason every contribution you get shouldn't be online in 72 hours. ... I think this session you'll see a movement in that direction.Asked to respond to Wamp's criticism that Ramsey voted for the largest tax increase in Tennessee history, Ramsey said:
Just write this down, this is coming out, that Ron Ramsey voted for a large tax increase in the state of Tennessee. Let's think back. This was July 11, 2002. The state government had been shut down for 11 days. It wasn't shut down but they said it was shut down. The proponents of an income tax were bound and determined to keep us here until we bled more. I actually heard that quote from a state senator. 'The people haven't felt it enough. The people need to bleed more.' I actually heard that quote. The goal was to keep us there, ever how long it took, until we finally gave in. They were within two or three votes of making this happen. In the end, we pulled together a coalition, Democrats and Republicans, passed the sales tax increase, drove a stake in the heart of the income tax forever and went home. Now I'm going to be criticized for that because I voted for that. But you know what? I also this year am going to vote for spending cuts too. My good friend Zach Wamp has never voted for a spending cut. He's never seen an earmark he didn't like, and we can't do that here in the state of Tennessee. We have to live within our means. That means voting for cuts as well as not voting for taxes.
Comments (3)
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Wow, if those aren't some logical gymnastics, I don't know what is.
Rasesy is trying to tell us that getting direct legal bribes from coporations is some how better so that he can control his message. Yes, because that's what the purpose of government for the people, and by the people is all about; politicians personal PR campaigns.
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The Millionaire Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey is looking to acquire corporate campaign donations from the Ukrainian coal and iron business group Metinvest that bought United Coal Company last May. Former King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CEO John M. Gregory is (or was) a major investor in United Coal Company.
It is no small coincidence that Ramsey was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Eastern Coal Conference meeting at the Kingsport Meadowview Convention Center or that Metinvest relocated the United Coal Company headquarters to Sullivan County, Tennessee. Or why Ramsey (or other TNGA GOPers from Northeast Tennessee) will not speak out and enact legislation against strip mining in Tennessee.
Metinvest is acquiring coal companies in the United States in order to extract our domestic coal reserves here in America and then ship this U.S. coal oversea where it is to be utilized by Metinvest within the former Soviet-bloc countries where most of its manufacturing base is located.
