Righties used to believe Bill and Hill were the sources of all evil. But recently they’ve become obsessed with the notion that George Soros’s money is behind everything they dislike, including the leftie blogosphere.
Soros threw some big money around to defeat George W. Bush during the 2004 election campaigns. In 2006, the Soros Fund drizzled $2,000 donations among several Democratic candidates and $20,466 each to the House and Senate Democratic campaign committees. Other than that, I’m not aware Soros has given substantial amounts of money to any leftie political organization since 2004. Again, it’s possible I missed something. But my understanding is that, since his money failed to swing the 2004 election, Soros’s donations to leftie political causes mostly dried up.
I may be misinformed, of course. Soros doesn’t exactly check in with me about what he’s up to. But if Soros were underwriting any part of the leftie blogosphere — including firedoglake — I’m sure I would have heard about it. I haven’t, and he ain’t.
The “word” was that he bankrolled MoveOn.org, although I think that was mainly in the 2004 Presidential Election time frame.
I’m not sure what their problem is. Say everything they said about his contributions is true. And their point is . . .
It’s his money. Are they saying he shouldn’t be allowed to make donations? Seriously, I don’t get their point. Even on their own fact-challenged terms.
Dan — yes, it was during the 2004 election time frame. Soros gave quite a bit of money to Moveon in 2004, but I don’t believe he’s given them any money since then. But the righties are carrying on as if Soros is currently funding all manner of leftie political causes, and he just plain isn’t.
Well, he’s got a foundation that gives money to all sorts of organizations — some political, some not. But I’ve never seen anything to suggest that there are any strings attached to said money, and I’ve certainly never seen anything to suggest that he’s giving any, you know, orders to anybody.
Chet — George Soros does indeed have a foundation that hands out all kinds of money to all kinds of causes, but I don’t believe he’s been giving out big bucks specifically to defeat Republicans and elect Democrats since 2004, other than those modest donations I mentioned in the post. Yet in the past few days Sean Hannity and others on the Right have been on an all-fired tirade about how George Soros’s money is behind all manner of political activity in America. Most of their specific claims about Soros go back to 2004, but they act as if they just found out about it. I’m just saying it’s weird.
Oh, agreed. It’s weird, paranoid, and a sign of genuine desperation. It’s actually kind of funny to see them flailing around at a completely fictitious target like this.
As to Soros’ foundations: There are two foundations for which I’ve found the IRS 990 forms — one gives scholarships and one channels money to the Open Society Institute, which is a 501(c)(4) category organization. With more time, later at home, I could track down more information about his US giving.
Even if all these claims about Soro were true, which is highly susect, what about all the wingnut welfare that’s been poured on the right by families such as the Mellons, Scaifes, Coors, and others? What’s good for the gander..
I kinda suspect that Soros’ funding (such as it may be) would pale in contrast to the sustained funding of the various foundations, think tanks, etc – the whole WRWC infrastructure – by these far right sugar daddies.
The right’s howls about George Soros are just begging for this kind of exposure to sunlight.
It’s a major of just how far right these people have drifted. Soros’s Open Society foundation is apparently inspired by Karl Popper’s work. Popper used to be famous for his critique of Marxism. Soros was interested in seeding Washington Consensus-style regimes in the ex-Communist world and elsewhere. Yes, he’s a megabucks speculator–do you really think he’s somehow a leftist? Only in the John Birch Society view of the world, or even less respectable territories.
So what if he is? Everyone knows that the VRWC is bankrolled by a bunch of rich guys: Scaife et al. These people funded the whole “get Clinton” movement. The causes Soros may be investing in tell the truth, which is more than can be said for the other side. I don’t see any reason to be defensive or apologetic about this; that’s buying into the right-wing meme that what’s ok for them to do is beyond the pale when progressives do it.
I’ve noticed you having been showing up at the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy group meetings since we moved them to Bat Boy’s cave. I liked Soros’ yacht better, myself, but Bigfoot is such a sissy about being near open ocean, and if he’s pissy, there goes the environmentalists and the Global Warming Propaganda Faction, so we really did have to move. And it is easier for Elvis to get there. If you wanted, you could probably piggyback on the live video-conferencing hookup, assuming Subcommandante Markos, King of All The Bloggers signs off on it, since as a blogger, you are among his vassals.
And, what about Sean Hannity’s funding from Rupert Murdoch? I should think that more than makes up for any (if any) funding from Soros. Every time Soros is brought up as funding left wing groups, the same questions should be made about Richard Mellon Scaife and Rupert Murdoch. I think Raenelle has asked the one really good question: What is their point?
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