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President Obama personally signed off on his campaign's decision to actively encourage donations to Democratic Super PAC Priorities USA, according to senior campaign officials who spoke on a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning.
But an official would not characterize the tone of Obama's agreement to back a policy that is at odds with his previous vocal opposition to the Citizens United decision that allows Super PACs to solicit unlimited donations.
Conversations among top advisers about the need to "lend support" to the outside fundraising effort have been going on for "weeks," and the decision was made after a review of FEC filings from the Super PAC committees supporting the GOP presidential candidates, officials said.
As a result of the decision, some White House officials, campaign aides, and cabinet members will appear at Priorities USA events to "amplify [Obama's] message" but will not directly solicit donations. The president, First Lady, and vice president will not attend any Priorities USA events, however.
The campaign said Tuesday that it will not encourage donations to a related 501(c)4 organization that does not disclose its donors to the FEC as the Priorities USA SuperPAC will.
The reversal opens Obama -- who has long bemoaned the influx of money into the political process -- to accusations of hypocrisy as his campaign now hopes to lure big donors to the fundraising body founded by former White House aide Bill Burton.
Officials maintain that the decision "not to unilaterally disarm" by rejecting Super PACs is simply a response to the millions expected to be spent by GOP interests to fight Obama's re-election.
"We can't afford hundreds of millions of dollars by corporate special interests on the air drowning out our message, while we're fighting hand-to-hand on the ground," said one official.
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It's not about Republicans vs Democrats - it's Vulture Capitalists vs The People! If they can buy this country, we are done!
Well, most people can see just where the GOP comes down on that contest. So far, the top 2% are winning, and now Romney and Santorum are leading the charge. No solutions, just more of the same failed trickle down policy which for 20 years has shifted wealth from the 98% to the 2%, who now own 40% of all US assets. Think about it.
Like I tell my students....you don't have to like the rules but you do have to follow them. Until we can get a progressive congress, senate, and supreme court....ridiculous laws will continue to be passed, and we have no choice but to follow them. They are the law. Next law trying to be pushed through is banning birth control....just glad I am too old to get pregnant. If you are younger, I suggest you try to stock up...and take them in the privacy of your bathroom (since your bedrooms are being taken over by the far right).
Interesting how it was OK to have two sets of rules when in the 08 election he said he would take public funding if Mccain did. Low and behold Mccain took public funding and Obama decided he HAD to use a different set of rules for himself so he could get more money. Obama is just another politician and the Obots are just kool aid drinking sheep. Obaaaaaaammmaaaaaa.
For being a teacher you are quite clueless aren't you? It is the "progressives" who pass the laws that take away your rights. Take Healthcare Reform for instance, once fully implemented, everything you do(including in your bedroom) will be able to be restricted for "health reasons". Anything deemed "unhealthy" by Kathleen Sebelius, from what you eat to what position you use in the sack, will need to be approved by "the State", because your health insurance is paid for by taxes. Laws that have been slowly added, as they have been for years, under the guise of such lofty ideals as "its for the children", will simply be put in place for "cost sake". Anything Queen Sebelius, deems "risky behavior" and "unhealthy" will be outlawed, because of the cost it may impose on healthcare. I was listening to a "talk show" and a survior of the Nazi halocaust put such power given to Government best. "When the Nazi began taking over it was a slow and "unalarming" at first. When they began taking teacher and professors away, I said nothing for I was neither, when they began burning books at the libraries, I said nothing for I did not read, when they came for the Jews, I said nothin for i was not Jewish, when they came for the Catholics, I said nothing I was Protestant, AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME, and no said anything, for THEY were all gone.
What I meant to say was "when they came for me, NO ONE said anything because THEY were all gone".
Face it, the GOP will attack Obama no matter what the event. It is in their DNA. Any fool looking and the past months of PAC money flowing into this current GOP Primary can see that not changing ones position on accepting PAC money would be like bringing a knife to a gun fight. This entire situation with unlimited corporate money flowing through PAC's is just one more Bush II/GOP gift to America which just keeps on giving.