Pirate's Cove

You know which side is going to be the bad guy, right?

Interest groups are spending five times as much on the 2010 congressional elections as they did on the last midterms, and they are more secretive than ever about where that money is coming from.

The $80 million spent so far by groups outside the Democratic and Republican parties dwarfs the $16 million spent at this point for the 2006 midterms. In that election, the vast majority of money – more than 90 percent – was disclosed along with donors’ identities. This year, that figure has fallen to less than half of the total, according to data analyzed by The Washington Post.

The trends amount to a spending frenzy conducted largely in the shadows.

Funny how the big players in the media weren’t so concerned back in 2006, when the money was pouring in from liberal groups, a good chunk funded by George Soros. Nor were they concerned about donations from the shadows in 2008, when Mickey Mouse and the Dallas Cowboys players where sending in donations under $200. Remember, Obama refused to release a list of donors, and it was shown plenty were coming from overseas, in violation of election law. But, hey, that all doesn’t matter because

The bulk of the money is being spent by conservatives, who have swamped their Democratic-aligned competition by 7 to 1 in recent weeks. The wave of spending is made possible in part by a series of Supreme Court rulings unleashing the ability of corporations and interest groups to spend money on politics. Conservative operatives also say they are riding the support of donors upset with Democratic policies they perceive as anti-business.

Ah. So that is what the problem is: Conservatives beating Liberals at this game, despite

While the interest-group money has primarily helped Republicans, Democrats have proved better at raising money for the party itself and for individual candidates. Those donations must, by law, come from individuals and are limited in size. Much of the interest-group spending, by contrast, has been based on large contributions from well-heeled donors and corporations.

Conservatives are not giving to the national party itself, we are giving to the state groups, the individual candidates, and the interest groups.

Of course, Citizens United v. FEC is mentioned. Yes, liberals are still all wound up about that ruling, which upheld the 1st Amendment, and allowed conservative interest groups to compete, and, quite frankly, knock the snot out of liberal interest groups this cycle. Is it any wonder that businesses and business leaders want to give to the Republican side, considering how hard the Democrats are working to destroy the private sector?

Also mentioned are several of the conservative groups which have become EVIL in the eyes of liberals. Interestingly, these are the same groups that Max Baucus is concerned about, and may investigate. I wonder if he will investigate the churches involved with the One Nation fiasco? Anyhow, also mentioned is the 60 Plus Association, which has worked hard against ObamaCare. No mention about the large amounts of money that the federal government is spending to push ObamaCare.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU. Re-Change 2010!