Do you have a problem with Clinton receiving $10 million from Saudi Arabia and serving as Sec of St?

[garybeck]

Poll question: Do you have a problem with Clinton receiving $10 million from Saudi Arabia and serving as Sec of St?

My personal view is YES I have a problem with the Clintons receiving this amount of money from Saudi Arabia, REGARDLESS of whether she's Secretary of State, a Senator, or anything in Government. I don't like it.

[bunnies]

1. BILL Clinton is the one that got the money.

Not Hillary. Geezus. What the HELL is wrong with this place lately?!

[garybeck]

3. geesh. i hope you're being sarcastic

haven't you ever heard of the sacred institution of marriage?

seriously, if someone gave my wife a load of cash, you think it wouldn't impact me in any way?

there's nothing wrong with this place. it's just that people look at things objectively and they don't blindly follow whatever is fed to them.

i for one would like to know why the saudis gave him that much money anyway - when was it? was there a purpose for the donation? people don't just drop $10 million in the bucket for no reason.

[The Magistrate]

2. Donations To a Charitable Foundation, Sir, Are Hardly Money In One's Pocket

This is a tempest in a teapot; it signifies nothing.

[garybeck]

4. It's symbolic of a relationship

people don't drop $10 mil in a bucket without considering who it's going to and what it's for.

I suppose if I called up the saudis and asked them for $10 million for my non profit organization I'm sure they'd cut the check while I was on hold.

[The Magistrate]

5. 'Symbolic Of A Relationship', Sir, is Pretty Tenuous....

When people start talking about things in terms of 'symbol', sense, reason, and proportion tend to decamp for Cancun's balmy breezes....

[garybeck]

10. think of it this way. it's actually much more than symbolic.

sure, giving $10 to Bill's foundation is not the same as giving it directly to him. but it's closer than you describe. there is a fuzzy line between a person and a foundation they create. Sure, he can't go out and buy a new car for himself with the money. But he can buy a vehicle for the foundation. And remember, the foundation itself is part of him. it was created as a reflection of his dreams and goals for his life.

compare it to me and my solar bus project. if someone gives me a bunch of cash for the solar bus, sure, I can't go out and buy a new guitar with it. but, I can buy things that help the project. the project is a part of me. everything it does is a reflection of my goals in life. So giving money to the project is not the exact same thing as giving money to me, but it's pretty darn close. it enables me to accomplish the goals I have set in my life. I get to decide how to spend the money, as long as it goes to the organization and not my personal life. but you have to remember, it's my organization. I created it beacause I wanted to accomplish something. the money enables me to accomplish something that I want to accomplish. to think that someone giving money to my organization would make me feel any less grateful, or less obliged to help that person in any way and return the favor, just because I can't go out and buy a car or a guitar for myself is ludicrous. in fact, I'd be just as grateful and obliged, if someone gave money to my organization as I would if someone gave it to me.

same thing with Bill. They gave the money to his organization, which is really a part of him- it was set up to help him accomplish his goals in life. I'm sure he is very EXTREMELY grateful for the donation, and I'm sure no matter how hard he may try not to, he will feel some sense of obligation to not upset the people who have donated such large amounts of money to his foundation.

[The Magistrate]

12. So All Charitable Foundations Are Mere Vehicles For Corruption, Then, Sir?

[garybeck]

16. no, I said nothing of the sort

I don't see where you made that inference.

I'm talking about a HUGE amount of money being donated to a politician in a very high position, and one that may very well be involved in making big decisions that relate directly to the donor.

that hardly equates to making a blanket statement about all foundations. in fact if the saudis wanted to donate $10 million to the solar bus project, I'd have no problem with it. But if I were going to be secretary of state, I would have a problem with that.

[The Magistrate]

20. Hard To see Any Other Import To This, Sir

"...There is a fuzzy line between a person and a foundation they create. Sure, he can't go out and buy a new car for himself with the money. But he can buy a vehicle for the foundation. And remember, the foundation itself is part of him. it was created as a reflection of his dreams and goals for his life.....They gave the money to his organization, which is really a part of him- it was set up to help him accomplish his goals in life. I'm sure he is very EXTREMELY grateful for the donation, and I'm sure no matter how hard he may try not to, he will feel some sense of obligation to not upset the people who have donated such large amounts of money to his foundation."

[garybeck]

22. i don't see your point

in copy/pasting a paragraph from my previous post. Are you agreeing with it? Disagreeing? if you disagree with it, there something in particular you disagree with.

I can tell you... having a charitable organization is like having a child. it's a part of your life. you're deeply connected to everything it does. you set up the goals. you put your own time and often money into it. You don't just create an organization and walk away from it. And I'll say it again, when someone gives a ton of cash to an organization you created, you feel deeply grateful to those people and you want to please them. The fact that you can't buy a Porsche with the money is really besides the point.

[aquart]

27. Have meadow muffins for breakfast every day or just this morning?

Because that is a steaming platter of pasture pastry you're proffering.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. The Clintons Have Personally Been Paid > $100 Million

He worked hard for it as President. Now it's his due.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Nah. The Saudis would never expect any return favors from a politician.

Everybody knows that politicians never, ever, perish the thought, accept money from people who might have reasons other than sheer altruism in their hearts. Or, that politicians might be inclined to bend even a teensy bit in favor of those who give them bags of money.


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[garybeck]

13. i'm sure you're right. they never would expect anything

plus it's just Bill, not Hillary

and it's his FOUNDATION, not his pocket.

I'm sure they'd never expect anything in return. And I'm sure the Clintons feel absolutely no sense of obligation to please those who have donated very large sums to their foundation.

:sarcasm:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. On a scale of 1 to 10...

Shitdisturbing -- 9

Value of OP -- 1

[Mike 03]

9. Stupid push poll. NT

[garybeck]

11. it's not a push poll

a push poll is based on a lie

no one is disputing the money was transfered. you can argue about the difference between sending money to a person vs. their foundation, but I don't buy it.

[SoCalDem]

14. I have a BIGGER problem with her visit to India

when she promised..with a wink & a nod, that outsourcing would never stop...and then a short while later BILL got some pretty big bucks donated to one of his "foundations"..

Like the man said..."follow the money"

[MazeRat7]

15. References please ? Who got the money, when, what for... so many quesitons.

Certainly you don't expect me to make an assessment with precious little facts other than a Clinton got 10M from Saudi Arabia. :shrug:
Oh wait, I forgot, of course I'm supposed to "shoot from the hip"... my bad.

Peace,
MZr7

[garybeck]

18. the details are scarce. actually it's AT LEAST $10 million and it could be as much as

$25 million.

how? where? when? for what purpose?

your guess is as good as mine.

that's part of the problem.

[mondo joe]

17. Craptastic push poll. No, I don't have a problem with it.

[garybeck]

19. it's not push poll. push polls are based on lies.

they sent the money to Bill's foundation. there is no disputing it.

[mondo joe]

23. Wrong. Push polls attempt to influence the respondent under the guise of a poll.

Your poll clearly assumes the conclusion.

[kiva]

21. Hillary got $10 million from Saudi Arabia!?!?!?!?

Oh wait, no Bill got the money. Oh wait, he didn't get $10 million, the money went to his foundation. But it's the same thing, right?:sarcasm:

[garybeck]

24. read post #10.

have you ever started a charitable foundation? has your spouse? how would you feel about a person who gave $10 million to your spouses foundation?

I can see the point, it's not the same as giving him cash for his pocket and it's not the same as giving it to hillary.

but those who think this means nothing, just because it's Bill (not hillary) and because it's a foundation (not a cash giveaway) have their heads in the sand.

[Dorian Gray]

28. I run a charitable foundation

our endowment is not nearly as big as the money BC was raising, but I certainly don't feel like I owe the people who donated the money in the first place any consideration other than year end summaries of the charitable endeavors that we've undertaken.

[pnwmom]

25. The money is going to a charitable foundation, not into the Clinton's pockets. n/t

[aquart]

26. The Saudis are our allies and it is LEGAL to do business with them.

Or haven't you figured that out?

[emilyg]

29. No problem here - for charity.

[ecstatic]

30. It does seem like there will be a conflict of some kind

The Clintons believe in payback so I'd imagine so...

[madeline_con]

31. How can I get them to cut ME a check? n/t

[Marrah_G]

32. The money went to CHARITY- not to her husband

Your poll and question are bogus.