Mary Beth Schneider has an article entitled It’s Dems’ party, but GOP left crying. A better headline, in my mind, would have been “Haggling over the price.” (Which is, of course, why I used it myself.) Apparently House Speaker Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) spoke at a function of some sort which cost $500 per person, the proceeds of which went to the State Democratic party for use in mayoral races and on general Democratic Party expenses. According to the article, Republicans are “outraged.” Not because it’s illegal — House Minority Leader Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) concedes that it is not. Not because it was conducted during the legislative session — Bosma himself was a speaker at a February 2 GOP dinner. No, the source of the “outrage” is apparently that the Democrats were charging $500 per head at Bauer’s function whereas the Republicans were charging $25 per head at Bosma’s function.
Which brings to mind the quote attributed to George Bernard Shaw:
“We’ve established what you are, madam. We are now merely haggling over the price.”
I don’t know if these mid-session fundraisers are bad public policy or merely unseemly. But, I have to roll my eyes when a politician purports to be “outraged” by something like this.
It certainly gives the appearance of being improper. Especially since it is obvious that the fundraiser wasn’t intended for the average joe. Then there’s the fact that Bauer is the one person who can get (or not get) a bill a hearing in the house.
I don’t know if they have to report it, but a list of who attended would be interesting.
I’m generally in favor of less money in politics. That having been said, it’s amazing how many Republicans suddenly have misgivings about fundraising… by the opposition. I thought they used to almost all say something like political donations are a form of speech? I’m seeing similar things on my local Perry County message board, with conservatives decrying Hillary’s scandalous amounts of cash she’s raising. Ask their opinion about Bush’s Pioneers and Rangers, and their opinions are completely different.
Remembers me of Claude Rains in Casablanca – shocked that there was gambling at Rick’s.
eh, they’re just jealous that Pat can charge that kind of money at a fundraiser and get a good turnout. Outraged my foot.