MSNBC Discovers Donor Influence, Ignores Congress's Actual Paymasters
The article frets over a hypothetical scenario where a private citizen might fund military personnel. This hand-wringing over individual donations, rather than the industrial-scale influence peddling, is truly a sight to behold. For instance, in 2023 alone, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent over $20 million on lobbying and campaign contributions, according to
OpenSecrets.org. This isn't theoretical future funding; it's cold, hard cash flowing into the pockets of representatives and senators right now, directly influencing votes on massive military aid packages. We’re expected to clutch our pearls at the idea of Trump accepting a private donor's help, while ignoring the fact that countless members of Congress routinely accept millions from lobbyists
pushing foreign interests that directly dictate U.S. foreign policy. How many headlines has MSNBC run dissecting the 'problems' with AIPAC donations to, say, Sen. Bob Menendez, who received $1.5 million from pro-Israel groups during his career (OpenSecrets.org)? It appears some donors are more problematic than others, especially when they don't fit the preferred narrative.