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ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

1 recommendation

ropeguru to Time

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to Time

Re: Why blame Verizon?

I blame all three. Look at all the money that Verizon pumped into politicians hands in order to make the deal go through. They are just as guilty as the politicians that took the money and Fairpoint knowing that ultimately they could not handle the extra load.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

What money did Verizon give to politicians to make this deal happen? Blame the regulators and the legislatures fro enticing Verizon to offload the assets, but don't blame Verizon for exploiting the system to their benefit.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

2 edits

ropeguru

Premium Member

said by openbox9:

What money did Verizon give to politicians to make this deal happen? Blame the regulators and the legislatures fro enticing Verizon to offload the assets, but don't blame Verizon for exploiting the system to their benefit.
Maybe you should look at this website that gives you some details on how much money the telcos pump into out political economy.

»projects.publicintegrity ··· iys.aspx

While it may not be specifically for this particular deal this money is pumped in to woo politicians into anything the telcos want.

While the data is a little old, it has only gone up and not down.

Here is a web page for just Verizon expenditures through 2006.

»projects.publicintegrity ··· =M000055
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

So you're implying lobbying dollars were a bribe to gain regulatory approval for this sale? Quite the accusation.

Z80
1 point 77
Premium Member
join:2009-08-31
Amerika

Z80 to ropeguru

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to ropeguru
Then those politicians should all go to prison for accepting bribes.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

1 recommendation

ropeguru to openbox9

Premium Member

to openbox9
said by openbox9:

So you're implying lobbying dollars were a bribe to gain regulatory approval for this sale? Quite the accusation.
Sounds like you need to get back to your regular work at your Verizon desk
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

I have a phone on my desk fed by Verizon, but I'm not even remotely employed by them. Don't blame me if you have no proof for your allegation.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

Premium Member

said by openbox9:

I have a phone on my desk fed by Verizon, but I'm not even remotely employed by them. Don't blame me if you have no proof for your allegation.
What more proof do you want put in from of you so you can refuse to accept?? Greasing the politicians palms with campaign money to get what they want is nothing more than paying them off.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

And the same can be said for any other person/entity that has ever contributed a dollar to a campaign. I don't see any proof that Verizon bought regulatory approval to sell assets to Fairpoint.

en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

en102 to Z80

Member

to Z80
Campaign contributions, PACs, are all the 'legal' methods of effectively paying off politicians. Money doesn't go directly into their pockets, but the money gained effectively pays for their views to be heard. This is capitalism 101.

Z80
1 point 77
Premium Member
join:2009-08-31
Amerika

Z80

Premium Member

Of course it goes to their pockets. It is how they stay in power, it's how they pull their paychecks, and it will be how they get their $50K per speech and a "consulting" job afterward. It's only legal bribery because the bribed are the ones writing the laws. It's a very convenient racket they have. You don't see cops writing themselves tinted window and speeding tickets either.

Any benefit (including campaign contribution) given in exchange for a favor is a bribe. It doesn't matter if it goes in their pocket They should all go to prison.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to openbox9

Member

to openbox9
Uh...how about the fact that only Verizon benefits from this, and everyone with even a tiny bit of intelligence opposed the sale from the beginning?

If not for Verizon`s lobbying dollars, why else would regulators have approved of the sale?
WhatNow
Premium Member
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC

WhatNow to Z80

Premium Member

to Z80
Company PACs should be banned I heard to many low level managers say they know if they don't give it will be held against them. All contributions should be given individually not bundled. That would level the playing field a little.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88 to ropeguru

Member

to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:

They are just as guilty as the politicians that took the money and Fairpoint knowing that ultimately they could not handle the extra load.
Is Fairpoint a sentient being?
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to sonicmerlin

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to sonicmerlin
So now we're guilty until proven innocent? I'll be more than happy to believe the accusations if you can show me that Verizon was shown favoritism by regulators because they dropped money in politicians' pockets.

Z80
1 point 77
Premium Member
join:2009-08-31
Amerika

1 edit

Z80 to WhatNow

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to WhatNow
I agree. All contributions other than those made by registered voters should be banned. No special interest groups of any kind, whether corporations, unions, member groups (eg AARP, trade associations etc) should be permitted to contribute. If their individual members or employees choose to on their own and in secret, great. And then it should be a max of $5K per contributor per year total. Political advertising should be heavily regulated. And if they can ban smoking commercials they can ban these propaganda ads by swift boat types and public employee unions looking to pass their pay increases.

Only when contributions are limited to those from individual voters will voters finally get some representation.