Dec 10, 2006

Alleged liberal media features front-page story on megabucks $500 county GOP donation

I know about slow news days, but you have to wonder how slow a news day it was for a story that the Livingston County Republican Party gave $500 to Toys for Tots to make the Sunday front page of the Livingston County Daily Press and Argus, complete with two submitted photos.

Granted, I’m happy that the county GOP was able to shake loose $500 to buy the toys after a despicable thief made off with about 100 toys from the Salvation Army HQ in Howell. But just a month ago the Republican candidate for governor broke all existing records for campaign spending when he spent $42.5 million during the campaign to buy the seat that only pays $172,000 annually. We’re getting front-page coverage and photos for $500. Why?

I can guarantee that Democrats donated to Toys for Tots, but we didn’t pose a picture and send it to the newspaper.

The Republicans love to say the Livingston County Democrats can hold their meetings in a phone booth. We know that was never true, but the GOP still has a majority in this county. They hold the Congressional seat, the state Senate seat, the two state House seats, all the nine Board of Commissioner seats and control of all 16 of the township boards in the county. But a $500 donation rates the front page?

Just a quick look at the pre-general election campaign finance reports of the two Livingston County state Representatives shows $2,200 in donations just from individuals I personally know and know to be Livingston County Republicans. That does not include PACs or individuals I do not personally know to be Republicans.

You guys can do better than that. So much for the “liberal media” myth.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good lord, Guru! You're so desperate to criticize the Republicans that you rip them for helping poor kids at Christmas?!

And what does DeVos have to do with any of this?

The only reason they wanted to publicize this was to bring more light to the fact that those toys were stolen from the Salvation Army, and to hopefully spur other people to also donate.

You're trying to claim that your only criticism is with the fact that the GOP is publicizing their efforts. Well, what about all the other groups that have gotten publicity for helping the Salvation Army replace those toys? Where's your animosity for them? Huh? Where's your bile for the Marine Corps League?

You criticize the Republicans for helping poor kids. Unbelievable.

Communications guru said...

The only thong that’s unbelievable is you don’t see the absurdity of a party that can spend millions on TV attack ads, but the best it can do is ante up $500 to help less fortunate kids at Christmas time.

I didn’t “rip them for helping poor kids,” who-ever-you-are. I challenged them to do more because you and I know they can do much more, and I questioned why that’s a front-page story. Are you honestly telling me that you think $500 is a huge sum of money from this party?

You claim that “The only reason they wanted to publicize this was to bring more light to the fact that those toys were stolen from the Salvation Army, and to hopefully spur other people to also donate” is absolutely ridiculous. No one in Livingston County was not aware the toys had been stolen. They knew that because of the alleged “liberal media” not because of the county gop. People were responding all over the county, and it wasn’t because of the county gop. Radio station WHMI collected more than 1,400 toys over the weekend, and the county gop had nothing to do with it.

I don’t know what other groups you referring who you say have “gotten publicity for helping the Salvation Army replace those toys,” but they, and the Marine Corps League, didn’t stage a photo and send it in the newspaper to say, “look what I did.”

Anonymous said...

$500 was raised in about 6 hours...not bad for 6 hours of work...the entire republican population wasn't asked to donate, just some members of the executive committee. Get a life...better yet...why don't you donate some toys for these kids rather than attack those that do.

Communications guru said...

Again, I stand by my original position that for the dominant party in this county $500 is chump change, and it does not say anywhere in the story it took just six hours, who-ever-you-are. I did drop off a toy at Costco, but I didn’t stage a photograph or have a front-page story announcement it. I also have a life, but thanks for asking.
I think to deserve that much press it should be the entire party that contributes, or at least the entire executive committee. It’s not too late.

Anonymous said...

Guru, you're looking more and more ridiculous. Some Republicans give $500 to help poor kids, and your comment is that, "Well, they should have given more?"

Incredible.

What about Jon Stryker, the Kalamazoo zillionaire Democrat who bought the Michigan House for the Democrats this year? Where's your bile for him? Why aren't you ripping him like you're ripping the Republicans?

Good God, man, can't you just be happy that people are helping poor kids?

Communications guru said...

Who ever you are, you’re looking more and more ridiculous. You honestly believe the Republicans rate a front-page story for donating $500? If Jon Stryker made a $500 donation, staged a photo and it ran on the front page of the local newspaper I would call him out on it too. I don’t see where I have “bile” for anyone. However, I see it from you for Stryker. A zillionaire? What the hell is a zillionaire? He didn’t donate a fraction of the money the Amway guy spent trying buy the governor’s seat, but not a peep from on that.
The thing about Democrats is they help poor kids 365 days a year, not just for a photo op during the Christmas season.