# Let's Sabotage Candidates Who Take Oil Money :mad: **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 10, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188 "2010-07-10T04:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/1 "2010-07-10T04:25:39Z")
I am not trained enough to retrieve data on candidates’ campaign contributions sources. I am fairly confident it can be done though. So! Let’s gather this information of the candidates proposing we vote for them, and let’s _TRASH_ the ones who are taking oil company money. Those guys are not going to represent the obvious facts about the world today. They are paid huge sums not to. Face it. Now! Let’s sabotage candidates who take oil money. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/2 "2010-07-10T04:59:42Z")
Oh, you’re serious. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/3 "2010-07-10T05:27:33Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Oh, you’re serious. And… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/4 "2010-07-10T05:39:27Z")
Just that it wasn’t obvious on first read-through. I’ll bow out now. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/5 "2010-07-10T05:45:25Z")
Are you suggesting I do the same… ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/6 "2010-07-10T06:25:26Z")
Oil is evil, capitalism too, and my mother didn’t breast feed me, and \life isn’t fair\. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/7 "2010-07-10T13:30:11Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Oil is evil, capitalism too, and my mother didn’t breast feed me, and \life isn’t fair\. I’m sorry to hear that, **Dan**. I guess the threadshitting means I have to swallow my own bait. “But **Try2B** , _all_ the candidates are taking oil company money.” “Ah, so doesn’t that make the election a sham? Wouldn’t it be simpler to get everyone together in the town square and burn some incense to Zeus in a show of civic fealty? And just keep track of the ones who refuse as clearly not loyal to the State? It would save a lot of time and expense…” “Oh come now, you’re being ridiculous (again). People need to believe that this voting thing makes a difference. You know, like they have some say in their government. Democracy? America? Don’t you _believe_?” “So you plan to vote Huckabee in '12 then? He is the ‘it feels good to believe things’ candidate after all.” \ “Hey, come back!” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/8 "2010-07-10T14:40:40Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Those guys are not going to represent the obvious facts about the world today. They are paid huge sums not to. Face it. Now! This is an unsupported accusation. Woefully naive as well. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/9 "2010-07-10T15:57:40Z")
> [@Molly Ivins](#): > > As they say around the Texas Legislature, if you can’t drink their whiskey, screw their women, take their money, and vote against ‘em anyway, you don’t belong in office. It doesn’t matter where the money comes from. You have to watch the ones who act as if they’re bought and paid for. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/10 "2010-07-10T16:17:52Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This is an unsupported accusation. Woefully naive as well. My assumption is that companies don’t give out money without the expectation of something in return. Is that so wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/11 "2010-07-10T16:28:32Z")
**Try2B Comprehensive** , posters aren’t allowed to use the SDMB to recruit others in campaigns. I’ll leave this thread open provided the discussion remains centered on the pros and cons and feasibility of what you are suggesting. If it turns into “here’s a list of candidate who take oil money, don’t vote for them!” I will lock the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/12 "2010-07-10T19:15:09Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > My assumption is that companies don’t give out money without the expectation of something in return. Is that so wrong? If you can’t drink their whisky, take their money, fuck their women, and still vote against them, you don’t belong in Congress. ---
**Author:** ![IdahoMauleMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71c47a/32.png) [@IdahoMauleMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdahoMauleMan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/13 "2010-07-10T20:15:22Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > I am not trained enough to retrieve data on candidates’ campaign contributions sources. I am fairly confident it can be done though. > > So! Let’s gather this information of the candidates proposing we vote for them, and let’s _TRASH_ the ones who are taking oil company money. Those guys are not going to represent the obvious facts about the world today. They are paid huge sums not to. Face it. Now! > > Let’s sabotage candidates who take oil money. :mad: Sounds good to me. Should we start with this one? [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html) Or does that disrupt the narrative? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/14 "2010-07-10T23:03:49Z")
What does the OP mean, “trash” and “sabotage” these candidates? Refuse to vote for them? Write screeds on the Internet? Shake one’s fist angrily at the newspaper each morning? Commit vandalism and assault? ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/15 "2010-07-11T01:03:34Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > [Quote=Molly Ivins] > As they say around the Texas Legislature, if you can’t drink their whiskey, screw their women, take their money, and vote against ‘em anyway, you don’t belong in office. [/QUOTE] :twitch: – Molly Ivins? TEXAS?? I say, pistols at dawn, sir! [Jesse Unruh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_M._Unruh#Famous_quotes) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/16 "2010-07-11T01:21:18Z")
[http://www.opensecrets.org/](http://www.opensecrets.org/) Here is a list of donors for every senate and house candidate. Have at it. While your at it get at the ones who watered down the financial bill while taking bank money. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/17 "2010-07-11T01:46:44Z")
> [@IdahoMauleMan](#): > > Sounds good to me. Should we start with this one? > > [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36783.html) > > Or does that disrupt the narrative? I doubt that it disrupts the narrative for the OP; I do not believe he/she is partisan. But I admit that I am mildly skeptical that Obama is, as a member of a political party generally anti-big power, and after only four years in the Senate and a year and a half as President, the greatest recipient of BP political money of the last twenty years. Your link cited the Center for Responsive Politics as its source. Googling the source give me a site called [opensecrets.org](http://opensecrets.org) as the Center’s online resource. That site indicated that the Energy & Natural Resources industry gave about 60% of their political money to Republicans during the [2008 presidential campaign](http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/sectorall.php?cycle=2008). That information indicates to me that I should be mildly skeptical. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/18 "2010-07-11T03:46:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If you can’t drink their whisky, take their money, fuck their women, and still vote against them, you don’t belong in Congress. But, once you do, they no longer have any reason to try to bribe you again. So you cut off your supply. It is in your best interest to help those who help you. It’s just not in the voters’ best interest. And, anyways, the companies now can give you enough campaign money that you can convince the less informed people (i.e. most of them) that doing what the companies want IS in their best interest. I even fell for it last election, because I hate getting involved in something so enraging as politics. (To stay informed, you have to learn about a lot of bad stuff people do.) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/19 "2010-07-11T13:18:22Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > :twitch: – Molly Ivins? TEXAS?? I say, pistols at dawn, sir! > > [Jesse Unruh](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_M._Unruh#Famous_quotes) He said it first, but that specific wording is Molly Ivins. And I could find three versions of Unruth and I wasn’t sure which was right, so I went for Ivins. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188/20 "2010-07-11T18:21:01Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > If you can’t drink their whisky, take their money, fuck their women, and still vote against them, you don’t belong in Congress. I think this is a shitty way to treat the public, and I am frankly sick to death of it. It needs to stop. Sabotage candidates who take oil money! :mad: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-sabotage-candidates-who-take-oil-money-mad/546188.md?page=2)