How much money does it take to buy a U.S. Senator?

It would seem that it takes at least $350,000 or so for a Republican and $260,000 or so for a Democrat.

Gary K.
http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/10/industries-seeking-rescue-gave.html

Senators who voted for the emergency package Wednesday have collected more than $4 million from the industries most affected, on average, while the bill's opponents received less than half that.



WASHINGTON (Oct. 3, 2008) – The finance, insurance and real estate sector has contributed twice as much money to senators who supported bailing out the struggling sector this week than those who opposed emergency legislation, the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics has calculated following the 74-25 Senate vote Wednesday night that sent the bill to the House of Representatives for passage this afternoon.



In dollar figures, the 39 Democrats who supported the bailout proposal have received an average of $4,364,409 over their careers from the finance, insurance and real estate (or FIRE) sector, and $1,675,088 in the current election cycle. The nine Democrats who voted against the bill have received $1,788,027 over their careers and $246,668 in the 07-08 cycle. (CRP has coded campaign finance data by industry back to the 1990 election cycle, or the calendar year 1989.)

The 34 Republicans who backed the bill have collected an average of $3,377,369 from the finance sector in their careers and $1,192,133 in the 2008 cycle.

The 15 Republicans who led the opposition to the bailout have collected, on average, $1,701,095 over their careers in Congress and $350,129 in this election cycle alone.

Wow Gary! Just more proof that you (generically speaking) can manipulate statistics to prove whatever you (GS) want!

My Final thoughts on the Wall Street Bailout!

Back in 1999, in the great state of Nevada, the government seized The Mustang Ranch after guilty verdicts were returned against its parent companies and manager in a federal fraud, racketeering and tax evasion trial, and, as required by law, once they had seized The Mustang Ranch, the government tried to run it.

They failed miserably and it closed.

Now, we are trusting the economy of our nation to a pack of nit-wits that couldn’t make money running a whore house and selling booze!

Don’t you feel a lot better now?

http://texasfred.net/archives/2529#comments

Excellent analogy Gary!