Democratic Values

Republicans like to claim that they are “good Christians” and stand for “Christian values”, but there is a huge difference between CALLING oneself “Christian” and actually BEING a Christian.

Jesus told his followers to comfort and care for the sick and poor.

Republican policies work to keep them sick and put them further into debt, without providing any assistance at all. And what little they offer, is disguised to be charitable (and nonprofit, thereby giving them NON TAXABLE status), when many of them are nothing but illegal front organizations which funnel money to buy off their elected politicians.

Remember, Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff’s “childrens’ charities” which didn’t provide any charity to children? (DeLay Foundation for Kids; Tom DeLay’s U.S. Family Network; Abramoff’s Capital Athletic Foundation just for starters.)

According to the Associated Press, Tom DeLay "visited cliff-top Caribbean resorts, golf courses designed by PGA champions and four-star restaurants, all courtesy of donors who bankrolled his political empire.

"Over the past six years, the former House majority leader and his associates have visited places of luxury most Americans have never seen, often getting there aboard corporate jets arranged by lobbyists and other special interests.

"Public documents reviewed by the Associated Press tell the story: at least 48 visits to golf clubs, and resorts with lush fairways, 100 flights aboard company planes, 200 stays at hotels, many world class, and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $2,000 for a dinner for two.

"Instead of his personal expense, the meals and trips for DeLay and his associates were paid with donations collected by the campaign committees, political action committees and children's charity the Texas Republican created during his rise to the top of Congress."

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/capitol/index.html

ABRAMOFF AND NONPROFITS

Another Congressional report may cause tax status trouble for nonprofits associated with Abramoff. A report by the Democratic investigators of the Senate Finance Committee details how five nonprofit groups including, Americans for Tax Reform, Citizens Against Government Waste, the Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy, the National Center for Public Policy Research and Toward Tradition, eased access for Abramoff clients to administration officials and concealed the source of funds used for Congressional travel. The report alleges that some of the nonprofits officials "were generally available to carry out Mr. Abramoff's requests for help with his clients in exchange for cash payments."

Several nonprofit groups linked to the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff became arms of his lobbying operation, a report by Democratic investigators for the Senate Finance Committee said. "Report Says Nonprofits Sold Influence to Abramoff," James V. Grimaldi and Susan Schmidt, THE WASHINGTON POST, October 13, 2006

"Minority Staff Report: Investigation of Jack Abramoff's Use of Tax-Exempt Organizations," Senate Committee on Finance, 2006 (PDF)

The National Center for Public Policy Research Response to Senate Finance Committee Minority Staff Report on Jack Abramoff and Non-Profit Organizations, October 6, 2006

"Congress's Charity Cases," Frances R. Hill, NEW YORK TIMES, October 17, 2006,

These scams have been going on for decades. And long before that, Republican operatives have been getting onto the Boards of Directors of REAL Charitable Trusts, and Pension Plans, so that they could STEAL the funding from them. (Teachers Retirement funds across the country, as with Texas and Florida come to mind.)

Republicans aren’t what they claim to be. Instead, they are Wolves in Sheep’s clothing.

Republicans have been playing the FEAR card since, well, FOREVER. They've been telling everyone to BE AFRAID and BEWARE of big, bad government. But, who has been largely in control of the U.S. Government for the last thirty years? REPUBLICANS! And why would they be constantly telling us to be afraid, except to put us in a state of mind which can be easily manipulated? (Fear causes the brain to act IRRATIONALLY, why else would the Republicans want to rule BASED ON FEAR?)

The people who have been telling you to jump through the hoops and sell off all of your belongings because you are in foreclosure, and responsible for the ridiculously high cost of credit cards and loans, are the banks and insurance companies who have had REPUBLICANS in their back pocket, and who vote without any rational discussion, to support these criminal conditions and allow them to continue.

People are afraid of what is going to happen next, because they are afraid of losing their jobs, and benefits, and everything they've worked for their entire lives. Banks and Corporations, and Republicans who have allowed them to do this are responsible, even as they attempt to paint themselves as the "good guys".

It was Cheney who gave a waiver to Halliburton, so that they wouldn’t have to put automatic blow out preventers in their deep underwater oil drilling rigs, when he was Vice President, during the secret Energy policy meetings. Halliburton was responsible for the cap on the BP oil well that blew out in the Gulf of Mexico which has not been capped, and is destroying the environment and MILLIONS OF AMERICANS livelihoods and properties, because it DIDN’T HAVE an automatic blow out preventer.

Oil companies promised that their drilling was environmentally safe, but took shortcuts so they could save $500,000 per well, by not installing the blow out preventers. What ELSE did they take short cuts on? How much is this going to cost average everyday Americans for decades to come?

Republicans are "the Wolves in Sheep's clothing". Republicans are "the Wolves at YOUR FRONT DOOR."

We aren’t playing on people’s fears. We aren’t manipulating them because of their fears. We’re telling them honestly, just exactly WHO THE WOLVES ARE. AND, telling them to get up off their butts and have the courage to DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST THE WOLVES.

Democratic Party of Wisconsin - 5th Congressional District

The Key to Democracy is Putting People First