BIG DATA, BIG BATTLE, BIG MONEY
|| By FITSNEWS || This website has zero use for the “Republican” party … and little use for billionaire industrialists Charles G. Koch and David H. Koch. Accordingly, the fact the GOP and the Kochs are engaged in an “all-out war” over control of voter data headed into the 2016 election cycle doesn’t interest us all that much.
But judging from the number of times we’ve been forwarded Yahoo! News reporter Jon Ward‘s story about this brewing brouhaha, our readers are very interested.
And given that the Kochs plan on spending nearly $1 billion this election cycle – it’s hard to say this inside baseball doesn’t matter.
So … what happened? Well, last year the Kochs and the GOP reached a data-sharing deal. However that deal expired after the November elections, and the two sides have been at each others’ throats ever since. In fact the GOP is publicly accusing the Kochs of trying to control the party’s voter file and – by extension – the party itself.
“It’s very dangerous and wrong to allow a group of very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability to anyone to have control over who gets access to the data when, why and how,” one GOP executive told Ward.
Here’s the basic breakdown: The GOP has accumulated a massive “master file” on the U.S. electorate, but is limited in its ability to exploit that data because of federal election laws governing campaign contributions. Meanwhile the Kochs’ political arm – Freedom Partners – is not bound by those same election laws, but operates independent of the GOP. Sometimes in a manner the GOP finds objectionable.
Which is why the GOP is reticent to turn over its most prized data asset to an entity it cannot control …
Ultimately, Freedom Partners v. the Republican National Committee is yet another battle in the broader war for the GOP … which this website determined years ago was not worth fighting.
But if you think the fight doesn’t matter, remember it was voters like us who sat on their hands in 2012 (or voted for Libertarian party nominee Gary Johnson) who cost Mitt Romney the White House.
56 comments
So is that two drinks or three?
“Republican” – 1 Sip
This website x3 – 3 sips
At least three ;)
I’m fuckin’ wasted man…
Does that mean I can take advantage of you? Like wash your face in a warm cloth and steal all your cash?
I love wasted….LOL
Interesting….let’s go with this…
ha! You are too easy ;)
That’s what she said.
Was that before or after she took your cash? ;)
Ummmm….both.
Oh, poor Limb – falls broken :(
“falls broken” —Thanks, that just reminded me that my operatives tell me that the word on the street is that the GrandTango was injured. He had been riding a bull, and his foot got stuck when he fell off. The bull kept going until, thankfully, the Wal-Mart manager came and unplugged it.
LOL – I hope that is a joke. As much as I disagree with his political methods, I really don’t wish him any harm, but that sure would be funny…;)
If you’d still, like to have pancakes, I’ll treat. I am a sucker for fixer uppers, especially those with a sense of humor. :)
Ah…it’s you. I didn’t realize the nomme de guerre.
Ok then, pancakes and washcloths it is.
Ha!
“remember it was voters like us who sat on their hands in 2012 (or voted for Libertarian party nominee Gary Johnson) who cost Mitt Romney the White House”.
But I thought Will wasn’t a Republican? So who paid to write and have this article published.
Not pay for say. Ha!
He’s not a Republican, he’s just referring to the talking point that if conservatives or libertarians vote third party, they’re letting the Democrats win. It’s such an arrogant talking point, because it presumes that Republicans are entitled to those votes. Sorry, but you gotta earn ’em.
Either party, or any party, has to earn them. I don’t give a shit how many people drone on about all that “You’re letting the __________’s win if you vote 3rd party”, I’ll goddamned continue to do so when I can’t stomach either of the choices presented. The two party system sucks diseased goat dicks, in my opinion.
https://soundcloud.com/johnmfletcher33/koch-brothers
“It’s very dangerous and wrong to allow a group of very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability to anyone to have control over who gets access to the data when, why and how,” one GOP executive told Ward.
Nevermind the data dipshit, they are the only ones that have access to the POWER, if everyone in your sellout treasonous party is beholden to them.
Just as Frankenstein created his own monster that eventually turned on him, hopefully the GOP will find it’s demise at the hands of it’s monster.
No shit. I was gonna say “very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability” have ran the republican party – and for that matter the democrat party – for the last 50 years
Preach it!
Between billions from the Koch brothers and billions from Soros, et el, it is total manipulative mindfu@kery! We are being played against each other for their own aims. Then we have foreign influences giving $$$ to congressman to pass TPP. Nothing new under the sun…we’ve been pawns for decades, but now we are on fast-track.
http://observer.com/2015/06/many-foreign-governments-pay-k-street-big-money-to-peddle-tpp-to-congress/
They often support both parties – hedging their bets. I don’t know about Koch brothers without “following the dollar” but many big corporations do. After all, corporations are people too.
As someone wiser said: “I’ll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.”
That was sarcasm ;)
As someone even wiser said: “sarcasm is a poor rhetorical device.” But sometimes too fun to pass up.
It is too fun to pass up! It’s kind of like an open ended question, you get to see both sides, without really taking a side – only the originator knows the joke until others catch the humor.
…and like Hydra, everytime a head is cut off a new one forms.
I do not want to see the demise of either major party. I simply want to see 3rd parties given the chance to have their rightful place in the system.
I would like the same thing, though I prefer that 3rd party be a strong Independent. I think change is good, but I don’t expect it to last long. Any party that gains ground, will become the very thing they have fought against. It will just be under a different umbrella, but the more choices we have, the better chance we have of keeping them in check.
Mixed Member Proportional for representative elections on the local. state and federal level (including representatives to the electoral college).
Alternative Vote / Instant Runoff for constitutional officers, sheriffs, mayors, etc.
You summed up my thoughts in much better terms. As seems to be the norm when reading/typing with you, thank you for your insight. What – are you like psychic? :)
It’s the simplest and most logical solution to the problem we have in American politics currently. These systems would allow for multiple 3rd party candidates to run and obtain seats in legislative bodies. You can vote your conscience with out worrying about “throwing your vote away”.
Under MMP in our systems independent/non-affiliated canidates would have to be set up as running in a “party” but it would be mostly a paperwork/house keeping issue.
I am a big fan of the CGP Grey videos. Here are explanation of how both systems work.
Mixed Member Proportional – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT0I-sdoSXU
Alternative Vote – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y3jE3B8HsE
thank you – watching as soon as I type….I did look it up earlier, the only thing I noted different was terms. You used terms, that an amateur like me, is not entirely familiar with. I’m starting to feel like you are my mentor, but I thought I was done with mentors after being a mentor…LOL.
Thanks for taking the time to post, I am going to watch now.
Interesting. I’m guessing you are a RP fan. I no sooner started it than I recognized the voice. Likely, one of the things that likely attracted me to Ron Paul. I remember this video from way back when: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE3j_RHkqJc
If people believe that ‘compromise’ is a dirty word and a dirtier action, you can never have a functioning government because coalitions are necessary to accomplish anything with 2, 3 or more parties.
Of course, what the Republicans are trying to prove is that one party is the only way to go; they want people to come around to the idea of authoritarianism. Sooner or later, non-GOPers will pick up on that.
The Dem party elites are not authoritarian? Take off the partisan blinders
I voted for Mitt Romney, but I’m not one of those voters – ha! He wasn’t my first or second choice, but when the choices were narrowed down, I felt he was the better alternative.
FYI – one of the nicest graphics I’ve seen on this site!
Data worm hole.
I didn’t financially support him ;)
Buz, you have a very real and valid statement. These people when they get your information, whether it is voting records, campaign contributions, etc – it is IMO far more bothersome than any information the Federal Government might collect. They abuse it! They spam the hell out of you and you cannot get off their lists, no matter how many requests you make or where you move – they find you. Register with the do not call list, doesn’t matter. That doesn’t apply to politics nor charity. Your snail mailbox is full, voice mail is full, your email is flooded until you change it and so on. Register for updates and they promise you can unsubscribe, but you can’t!
IMHO the biggest abuse of data collection is political.
““It’s very dangerous and wrong to allow a group of very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability to anyone to have control over who gets access to the data when, why and how,” said the pot about the kettle.
Yes, everyone wants it. I knew this guy on FB whom I had talked to for a great while and was hilarious. Next thing I know, he goes into rehab, but hasn’t been drinking. Just afraid he is going to? He stays there for many months that I can recall and the whole time Fiar somebody has time to post on his FB page with regular updates???? Of course, only requesting a small amount of change for the canteen or something to that affect. The whole thing didn’t pass the smell test. I don’t know, but I think this person was making an effort to collect data.
Soros and the Democratic party?
You really don’t realize that Soros and the Kochs operate in totally different ways, do you?
Why don’t you explain what you mean by that? It’s one thing to look down your nose and try to paint everyone who disagrees with you as an inbred cretin, but quite another to actually back up your assertions with some facts that can be verified by legitimate citations.
It’s very dangerous and wrong to allow a group of very strong, well-financed individuals who have no accountability to anyone to have control over how a party votes too, but the GOP doesn’t give a shit if the money keeps rolling into their campaign funds.
… Says Hillary on her way to the next podium.
Of course this is just a bunch of hooey, put out by the Kochs and the GOP, because people are beginning to realize that Republicans are corrupt puppets of the Koch Brothers. The average guy has started to realize he is being sold out to the highest bidder There is no real dispute. You can’t have a real dispute with your boss, he will fire you, and cut you off from that 1 billion dollars gravy train they have created to buy the next election.
Walker, Cruz and Rubio are already in the pocket of the Koches. The other Republicans candidates are desperate to stick their hand in as well. This dispute is fake.
As for the both sides do it crap. Its hard to be corrupt when you don’t support policies that benefit rich people. So follow the money. The biggest Koch sucker is the most corrupt, but all the Koch Suckers are corrupt.
You may be on to something. Walker is set to be the keynote speaker at the ALEC conference in July. Guess who are among the biggest funders of ALEC?
The Kochs, of course. All will be neatly settled between them, just in time for the Anointing.
You speak the truth.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/14/sheldon-adelson-koch-brothers_n_7563866.html
A bunch of fools and their money are soon parted … and when exposed to greedy poli-wogs and their fanboys, sooner than later.
But Soros and the “progressives” have a plan: they are using Gruberment and taxpayer resources to attack, rather than his own filthy lucre.
One might become a bit more interested if these confrontations were broadcast live from a gladiator arena … = Much better TV. (Can’t these people buy their own football teams?)
This life long conservative believes we should shuck the Koch brothers and their web of monied special interest and cloaked groups and spend our time and efforts on people that actually have a vote. I understand the argument about the “need for money” but it can become a crutch.
We must win the hearts and minds and that is done by being correct on the issues and being trusted by the people. Something the Koch’s and George Sorros are not.