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All 535 members of Congress, and how much money they got from ISPs
In March, we published a story that showed contributions from the ISP industry to members of Congress who voted to repeal a landmark FCC privacy rule, opening the door to the sale of customer data. It was one of our most popular stories of the year, and many of you asked why we only published contributions to some members of Congress. Incidentally, every one of the 265 members who voted for the measure in March were Republicans. And many of those same members endorse the effort to end net neutrality.
But it's fair to want to see monetary influence across all of Congress. While it is clear that alignment with the ISPs is currently drawn along party lines, the industry's attempt to gain favor with lawmakers is not partisan. Entrenched telecommunications companies liberally spread money and attention to everyone who holds office. Sometimes that influence comes in the form of lavish parties with Olympic athletes and lobbyists, but consistently it comes in the form of contributions to campaigns.
It's impossible to quantify the overall influence of this powerful industry, but we can chart some of it.
Senator John McCain (R-AZ) leads the Senate with $2,554,784. Following him are Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) ($1,692,749), Roy Blunt (R-MO) ($1,283,416), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) ($1,119,163), Bill Nelson (D-FL) ($1,028,790), and Senate Minority Leader Charles E Schumer (D-NY) ($984,757).
In the House, Representative Greg Walden (R-OR02) received $1,605,986, followed by Reps. Fred Upton (R-MI06) ($1,590,125), Steny H Hoyer (D-MD05) ($1,429,710), Joe Barton (R-TX06) ($1,262,757), John M Shimkus (R-IL15) ($1,044,204), and James E Clyburn (D-SC06) ($1,030,550).
In the Senate, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) took the least from the telecom industry at just $40,219. In the House, Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH08) took just $15 (muffins? flowers? bus fare?) and the next guy up the list took $1,040.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Sulla on Tuesday December 12 2017, @02:17AM (6 children)
The only reason this got past the house with only Republicans is because that was all that was necessary to do so. Dems and Reps do a good job at protecting themselves when the vote is going to go the "correct" way anyways, but had they needed a couple more people the Dems would have kicked in a few votes from districts where the vote would not cause problems.
Dem or Rep the only thing they care about is their sponsors.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Tuesday December 12 2017, @07:54AM
Dem or Rep the only thing they care about is their sponsors.
If they want to keep receiving "donations", they have to serve the "donors". Couldn't be more obvious. It's up to the voters to look past them and vote independent. Nobody else can clean the house.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday December 12 2017, @07:58AM (1 child)
I'll tell you what. I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people. Before this, before two years ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give. And you know what? When I need something from them, two years later, three years later, I call them. They are there for me. And that's a broken system. With Hillary Clinton, I said, be at my wedding and she came to my wedding. You know why? She had no choice! Because I gave.
But we have a lot of differences. A lot of differences. The Dems are weak on crime, they’re weak on illegal immigration, they want the folks to come pouring into our border. Legal and illegal. They want immigrants flooding into our Country unchecked -- and a lot of problems are being caused, although we’ve stopped it to a large extent, as much as you can without the wall, which we’re going to get. Look at what happened in New York yesterday morning. Look at what's happening in New York.
We're trying to do a Tax Cut, the biggest in history. And I asked "Chuck and Nancy" to a meeting about keeping government open and working. They want to substantially RAISE Taxes. No deal! They decided not to show up. They've been all talk. They've been no action. And now it's even worse. Now, it's not even talk.
ObamaCare is finished. It's dead. It's gone. We need to repeal & replace that one. We tried to do the repeal & replace. Where were the Dems? They're obstructionists, folks. The Democrats are obstructionists, no ideas or votes, only obstruction. 🇺🇸
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday December 12 2017, @05:23PM
Build a wall around the swamp and make the swamp pay for it.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday December 12 2017, @06:53PM (2 children)
Every single Democrat voted against this bill.
And your only rebuttal is "what if we lived in an alternate universe where they didn't?"
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Tuesday December 12 2017, @08:57PM (1 child)
If you want to believe that your Dems are all saints go ahead because you are only screwing yourself.
Senate Democrats held the majority in 2012 for the 2012 NDAA
Senate Democrats held the majority in 2002 when we voted to go to war in Iraq
And on and on
This "us vs them" of Dems vs Reps is a smokescreen when both sides will always make sure to screw us over for their profit.
Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer both voted for the Iraq war and had plenty enough connections to know the whole thing was a scam. How exactly did that vote help you? What about the Gramm-Leach-Billey Act that repealed part of of Glass-Steagall? Only 18% of Senate Dems and 32% of Congressional Dems voted against it.
You keep screaming that "yeah well at last our guys aren't Nazis" as you stand infront of Pres Obama who is busying himself signing legislation damaging habeus corpus.
https://www.rt.com/usa/obama-ndaa-detention-president-288/ [rt.com]
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 12 2017, @09:30PM
They aren't the same, but they are both corrupt as hell. The GOP is the Devil, DNC by comparison is Phil ruler of heck.