Bill Clinton flap: even if true, SO WHAT?

[DiamondJay]

even if Bill Clinton did this, which he may have done, the fact is he was not supplying enemies, he was simply raising money for a charitable foundation. Ladies and gentlemen, this is how fund raising for stuff like the Clinton Foundation is done. As is with the 9/11 Foundation, Cancer Foudnations, and all other billion dollar philanthropies. And let us not forget the Clinton foundation gives AIDS drugs for free in Africa, works against hunger and poverty, and makes the world a better place. The man he was helping does not pollute the air like the oil companies Bush and Republicans help. And hes not raising Democratic Party money like this, as Republicans do for their political party. This is a charitable foundation, so this is acceptable. This is in no way political. I understand the incident sounds bad because it involves Kazakhstan, and a lotta money. He did nothing illegal, which counts. Of course we can all agree on the president of Kazakhstan, but things like this for oil in Saudi Arabia by other politicians of both parties, which pollutes worse than nuclear power and contributes to global warming are much worse. Cmon, this is a non-story. It affects anyone in NO WAY whatsoever. And it may be a good thing if Democrats can be moneyed again.

[Kittycat]

1. Blood money.

[DiamondJay]

3. last time i checked,

kazakhstan has never committed a terrorist act against us. jimmy carter endorsed the shah of iran, and obamaniacs give him a free pass on that. the shah was ruthless to his people. thats why they kicked his ass out

[DS1]

2. It's those bastard Uzbecks!

[Richard Steele]

6. "Hey, Jorgi: Uzbecks drank my battery fluid!" nm

[Berry Cool]

23. Damn Uzbecks!

Don't give them money or matches! :rofl:

"Hey Jorgi! These Uzbecks bet me five rubles I couldn't get three words out of you! What do you say to that?"

"You lose..."

"...comrade."

[shaniqua6392]

4. I read a five page article on MSNBC earlier

and I could not figure out what the hell he did wrong. The media is promoting Obama and bearing down on the Clinton's. They have chosen our President once again. NBC Nightly News just started and it is going to be their second story tonight. It is a charitable foundation for craps sakes. He is getting rich guys to hack up some money to help people in need. If that is all they can come up with.....

[DJ13]

5. Its the Quid Pro Quo of aristocracy that makes this a scandal

Favors to a dictator, as a former PRESIDENT!, in exchange for millions of dollars for his library is worse than the Marc Rich pardon.

[DiamondJay]

14. it was really a favor for the miner guy

he benefited more than the dictator, and the people with aids and poverty the foundation helps out will be better off now. the ends justify the not-so-horrible means.

[Duke Newcombe]

7. hmm...mr. ends, meet messrs. justify and means....

[Richard Steele]

8. Methinks you dost protest too much, and in a manner seldom seen.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. I Don't Really See What All The Drama's About Either. Too Many Drama Queens These Days. n/t

[OzarkDem]

19. Hey OMC

:hi: :hug:

[disndat]

10. The Clintonites are spinning

this story into pretzels. It will all come out in the wash.

[lurky]

11. Conflict of interest.

If BC has business relationships with foreign dictators while HRC is dealing with them in the public sphere, could be big trouble. Even if there is no wrong doing, it creates the appearance of conflict and undermines any work she tries to do on human rights, democracy, etc.

[DiamondJay]

16. the miner guy was not the guy who gave him money

the dictator just got him an endorsement. he gave no money

[lurky]

20. No, Bill Clinton used his reputation and influence with the dictator to

get the miner the huge uranium deal. The miner then paid Clinton's foundation for helping him get the deal (allegedly). Essentially, BC was acting as an agent for this guy.

Oh, and they both lied about it.

Is anything illegal about what they did? No, I don't think so. Is it shady? Yes, especially if HRC becomes president.

[Djinn]

12. not in reputable charities it ISN'T

Most reputable charities regularly return monies that are considered blood tainted or as coming with strings.

[stillcool]

13. The timing suggests...

it is a hit piece. I wonder how long the Times has been sitting on this. The problem is the ends don't justify the means, when it is a President's husband who is brokering deals between countries and corporations to raise money for his charity.

[live love laugh]

15. "Kazakhstan"...Isn't that where Borat hails from? nt

[DemGa]

17. It's a pile on the Clintons

It worked for the right-wing, now its being done again. And the media is complicit again too.

[Wiley50]

18. Most non-monied people don't understand what "charitable" foundations are about:

It's about preserving wealth

Foundations ARE HOW the Ultra-Rich Manage their Fortune and Transfer it to Next Generation

Been done this way in the US for over a century now.

Foundations have Boards who take Huge Pay Plans and other high paid employees.

They invest in corporations just like other corporations do, except it's tax sheltered as a Charitable Org.

They give back more bang for the buck than other ways to use the PR budget.

"Sure we raped Mother Nature, but we gave her kids some bags of rice and expired AIDS vaccine"

Where the fuck do you think rich fucks like Pat Robertson got their game plan from.

Foundations don't pay inheritance taxes.

The very first thing any smart person does when they have a windfall of assets
like if any of us won a multi-hundred million Powerball or something

First thing, start a foundation. Say it's for a charitable purpose

Then take as much from it for yourself as you want.

Give your kids and all of your buddies huge salaries too, working for the foundation
and doing jack shit for it.

I am dirt fucking poor and probably always will be

But I know how the fucking scam works

[Lex Talionis]

21. Preach it ,Wily50 ,Preach it!

Maybe the sheep will look up one day.

[tkmorris]

22. Hey, there we go

I was wondering when someone who actually UNDERSTOOD how this stuff works would check in. Too many people just tend to see anything in the light they want to see it in, without any real objective analysis.

Foundations are about preserving wealth and avoiding taxes, and sometimes, as in this case, they help when you want to accept money from sources that would be frowned upon if they were public knowledge. NO one in the legislative or executive branch should ever be allowed to be involved with one; it enables legalized bribery.