Obama's Donor Base--A Reminder By Industry

by: Paul Rosenberg

Sat Mar 21, 2009 at 23:06

From Open Secrets:

Rank  Industry                         Total
1     Retired                          $44,524,860.00
2     Lawyers/Law Firms                $42,861,936.00
3     Education                        $22,342,123.00
4     Misc Business                    $15,457,514.00
5     Securities & Investment          $14,442,282.00
6     Health Professionals             $11,532,962.00
7     Business Services                $11,256,534.00
8     Democratic/Liberal               $11,120,392.00
9     Real Estate                      $10,351,779.00
10    Computers/Internet               $ 8,631,192.00
11    TV/Movies/Music                  $ 8,599,038.00
12    Civil Servants/Public Officials  $ 8,381,475.00
13    Printing & Publishing            $ 6,013,428.00
14    Misc Finance                     $ 5,599,284.00
15    Other                            $ 3,665,329.00
16    Hospitals/Nursing Homes          $ 3,205,041.00
17    Commercial Banks                 $ 3,167,003.00
18    Non-Profit Institutions          $ 2,902,041.00
19    Construction Services            $ 2,762,510.00
20    Insurance                        $ 2,211,348.00

The important fact, of course, is the enormous differences in how well organized different sectors are, plus how specific and how narrowly-targeted their asks are. That's what we're seeing play out now.

Paul Rosenberg :: Obama's Donor Base--A Reminder By Industry

Tags: Barack Obama, campaign donors, (All Tags)

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Obama's Donor Base--A Reminder By Industry | 17 comments

I guess the last sentence (4.00 / 1)

is pointing out that nothing about his agenda is explained by this list.

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

by: Hopeful in NJ @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 03:08:56 AM UTC

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Nothing Is Explained EXCLUSIVE And ENTIRELY By It (4.00 / 5)

No. Of course not.

It's part of the constitutive process. And it pays to remember it.

Obviously, the retirees are not nearly as organized in their own narrow self-interest as the securities and investments folks are, or there would be no more talk about "entitlement reform."

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 05:02:05 AM UTC

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. (2.00 / 2)

Well for one, you have absolutely no clue what entitlement reform entails in the first place (apparently it would be too much to ask to guy by obama's platform and actions). For two, the AARP is pretty fuckin strong.

by: NeonBlack @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 14:37:00 PM UTC

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Case Closed (0.00 / 0)

Obama is in the pocket of Abe Simpson.

Trust No One

by: Deep Throat @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 03:11:24 AM UTC

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I Doubt It (0.00 / 0)

Abe Simpson's pockets are full of crumbs, plus all sorts of odds and ends.

Obama is fastidiously neat. He wouldn't be caught dead in Abe Simpson's pocket.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 14:48:03 PM UTC

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wtf (4.00 / 2)

does this prove? Besides that you're running out of ideas...

by: odnarbssagib @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 06:51:52 AM UTC

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You know what it proves... (4.00 / 1)

...Obama is a tool of senior citizens because they're his largest campaign contributors.

Trust No One

by: Deep Throat @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 23:47:55 PM UTC

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Democratic/Liberal? Is that an industry? (0.00 / 0)

What does this mean, and can donations from people who happen to work in a given industry really be consider donations from that industry? I think it depends on some other factors, like the degree of pressure to donate from employers, etc.

by: earwulf @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 11:14:16 AM UTC

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Seriously. (4.00 / 1)

My contributions have nothing to do with advancing my employers' interests; moreover, to the extent that "lawyers/law firms" represents any special interest, it's two warring special interests.

by: Adam B. @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 17:25:06 PM UTC

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Who is not on the list (4.00 / 2)

Aerospace and defense contractors are underrepresented.

Otherwise it just seems like a cross section of big employers.

ec=-8.50 soc=-8.41 (3,967 Watts)

by: Mark Wallace @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 12:27:05 PM UTC

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SEIU (4.00 / 1)

SEIU COPE (Committee on Public Education) spent $29 million in independent expenditures on the Obama campaign ($26 million supporting Obama and $3 million attacking McCain).

Independent expenditures don't look to be part of this package.

by: David Kowalski @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 12:52:11 PM UTC

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No (0.00 / 0)

These are candidate totals.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 14:46:15 PM UTC

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And...this proves what? (4.00 / 2)

Since I'm employed by one of the industries above, that means my donation was intended to push for some legislative "cut" specific to my industry? Why is there a direct correlation between donation figures and "organization"? This is an incredibly lazy argument.

by: rfahey22 @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 15:07:21 PM UTC

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. (0.00 / 0)

And shortsighted. The refusal to equate retirees and the health of the stock market is kind of amusing.

by: NeonBlack @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 15:11:37 PM UTC

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How Many Times Must I Repeat This? (0.00 / 0)

It proves nothing. It has to be considered along with other sorts of data. Some industries are quite concentrated and specific in their political agendas, with relatively high political coherence to the giving in their ranks. Others vary considerably, all the way to the exact opposite.

But in any case, these numbers provide starting points for further questioning.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 21:14:18 PM UTC

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Thanks for the analysis (4.00 / 1)

This chart is a big help, and I am sorry that some of the commenters here don't quite realize what these stats mean.

I am surprised to see the 'Democratic/Liberal' category so far down the list. It might explain why there aren't any Progressives in Obama's cabinet.

Securities, Health and Investment rank very high. It might explain why Obama hired a bunch of Wall-Street-Friendly people to run the resulting Wall-Street-Friendly Bailout project, and why we aren't going to see real Health Care reform from this administration.

I am glad to see 'Computers' rank pretty high -- it might mean that we will have a neutral internet with universal broadband within a few years.

I am sorry to see the TV category rank as high as it is, because it might mean the FCC won't reform the Broadcasting industry, or force Cable TV News to become professional and impartial.

I could be wrong on all these guesses, but it all gives me some good filter factoids to muck around with.

b73

by: scribble @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 23:00:04 PM UTC

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where are the gezzzers? (0.00 / 0)

Geezers are number ONE and yet there's on Geritol in the cabinet!!!!

Trust No One

by: Deep Throat @ Sun Mar 22, 2009 at 23:49:52 PM UTC

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