Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

July 28, 2008

As GamePolitics reported in May, the ESA's plan to win political influence through campaign donations got off to a slow start in 2008, spreading just $4,300 among three members of Congress.

But the software publishers' lobbying group dramatically increased its political donations in the second quarter of of the year.

Using publicly available records, GamePolitics has learned that the ESA wrote checks totaling $19,000 to 17 separate candidates for the U.S. House and Senate. Two U.S. Senators received $2,000 campaign donations, while the remaining 15 recipients each received $1,000.

All recipients are incumbents. Seven senatorial and ten congressional campaigns received donations. Nine recipients are Democrats and eight are Republicans.

Recipients of ESA Q2 donations include:

GP: The notes which follow some of the names are just ballpark guesses as to why a particular recipient may have been of interest to the ESA politically.

As to where the money came from, EA CEO John Riccitiello and Sony CEO Jack Tretton each ponied up $5,000, as did the Microsoft Corporation Political Action Committee.

Comments

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

 They should save that money for something wothwhile, because spending it on these politicians is just a waste. I don't think they are going to be able to win over support for their cause with this strategy anyway. They should focus on setting legal precedent and pandering to us consumers rather than the Washington types. Uninviting us from E3 and pandering to some Texas governor douchebag was a real kick in the balls to us game buyers. E3 could have been a better show if an extra $19,000 was spent there instead of on uncaring congressmen.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

Not matter what company or politician, I'm against donations like these. It is this kindof tactics that damages the US so much.

The power of the companies is too great. They are influencing politics for their own needs. This is why the NRA has so much power, or why the pharmaceutical companies have so much power.

 

 

 

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

I am never a fan of 'funding' politicians. Mainly because it removes the expectation that they would represent their people, and not the interest groups. Sorry ECA, I do not appriciate that you are in effect trying to bribe our politicians.

---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians. http://www.goteamretard.com

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

For me, funding of politics is a question I simply can't answer.

In general, you have two options:

1 - Private funding of politicians and parties by unions, corporations and the like. Considering bribery is illegal in so many professions, it is bizarre that it should be the preferred way of paying for the people who have the most power to make change.

2 - Treasury/Federal financial support of politics. While it might remove the problem of corporation controlled politicians (in practise it would probably not because Bush's administration is heavily involved in the oil industry, and the UK cabinet has a wide range of personal industrial interests), you would then be using taxpayer funds to support anyone who wanted to start a political party, including far-right groups with dangerous beliefs such as the British National Party. If you funded parties in proportion to their support, why even bother with opposition and elections?

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

You mean ESA right?

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

Lets me explain how politics works and not some idealist views. I'm a NRA member. NRA represents over 100 millions gun owners. In order for politicians to notice and hear our concearn we need lobbyists. It is impossible to have over 100 millions people speak with one voice. The message will be distorted and in the end politicians will said "WTF". Organization like the NRA gives gun owners a single voice with a clear message to politicians. 

In order for politicians to promote the message, he/she needs to be in office. Money that are donated can only be used for reelection or political evens and not personnal uses.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

John Cornyn is probably on the list because he's been pushing for draconian copyright laws for the various copyright mafias lately.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

hahahhaahaha.

That's not even money. ESA are a bunch of cheapskate. You have farmers PAC that spend 100X that much in a year.

If you're going to fight, you have to spend money else don't brother.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

This kind of bribery is ethical and morally reprobable and should be declared illegal. The "everyone does it" is no excuse. This corrupts the democratic system.

At the very least, don't make a post about it.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

I know the public school system are producing morons every year. I know that they don't teach critical thinking skill any more. However it is not an excuse to be stuck on stupid. Think for a second why there are PAC and donations. Learn something instead of playing video games.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

Man, you don´t have to be rude because they don´t think like you. I don´t like guns but I respect people who uses guns. Your first post is very good, but your next posts are just regular trolling.

The cynical side of videogames (spanish only): http://thelostlevel.blogspot.com/ My DeviantArt Page (aka DeviantCensorship): http://www.darkknightstrikes.deviantart.com/

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

 Its sad that anyone has to spread donations just to ensure the right of free speech and the right of our choices 

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

When I read about people spreading money around like this, I can't help but hum the theme to The Godfather.

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area.  If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?

But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself.  Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children.  Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story.  Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age.  The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself.  Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head.  Not gonna happen.  Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.

The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status).  In  a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent.  The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me.  Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time.  It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?

Re: Spreading Some Cash: ESA Expands Political Donations

I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area.  If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?

But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself.  Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children.  Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story.  Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age.  The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself.  Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head.  Not gonna happen.  Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.

The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status).  In  a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent.  The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me.  Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time.  It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?

GamePolitics ShoutBox

Posted 01/06/09 at 01:54pm
Derovius: What did you call my little sister?
Posted 01/06/09 at 01:38pm
DeepThorn: 'Security' additions, which means it protects the music, which you bought, and have the right to use. It doesnt stop illegal activity, and even copying the music onto 2 back up CDs isnt illegal. Giving one to your little sister is border line.
Posted 01/06/09 at 01:36pm
CK20XX: What's it gonna take for JT to get arrested? It'd be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Posted 01/06/09 at 12:12pm
PHX Corp: Look on JAABLOG at his recent court filings he's starting to post pictures again http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DB5ODRNE
Posted 01/06/09 at 11:51am
CMiner: It's the same as the controversy over Sony's rootkits in their music CDs, as far as a separation of the issues of cd content and the security additions.
Posted 01/06/09 at 11:27am
Vake Xeacons: But there does need to be a limit on DRM. I mean, CD check's okay, but spyware? That's an invasion of privacy!
Posted 01/06/09 at 11:00am
Krono: @insanejedi: DRM isn't an aspect of the game. Unless you can make an argument that Securom is an intregal part of Spore that the game would be an incomplete experience without.
Posted 01/06/09 at 10:57am
insanejedi: It's asking the government to regulate aspects of a game. Their just going to use this as a backdoor to regulate other aspects.
Posted 01/06/09 at 10:53am
Krono: @insanejedi: DRM = trade practice, Violence in games = speech. I'm not seeing the similarity here.
Posted 01/06/09 at 10:40am
insanejedi: Guys, Regulation of DRM is fudementally the same as regulating violence in games...
Posted 01/06/09 at 10:13am
sortableturnip: He's in full swing now, asking for all expenses paid by the Florida Bar.
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:51am
sortableturnip: @ Simonbob: isn't it better to read the comments, LOL wise?
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:41am
SimonBob: You could've mentioned it's close to the bottom, although it's good to know he's actually got an okay golf swing.
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:41am
PHX Corp: @Sourtable T JT's brain acts like a cookoo clock, It never stops Cookooing
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:23am
sortableturnip: In his latest filing, JT claims he is still admitted to practice as an attorney in the Southern District of Florida: http://jaablog.jaablaw.com/2007/09/04/pardon-our-appearance.aspx?pg=3&view=threaded
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:13am
SimonBob: Or the falsified usernames of gaming company CEOs. :P
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:07am
Alevan: Yeah, he doesn't use the shoutbox... then again, he doesn't like to confront his problems head on. He hides behind the "law"
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:05am
SimonBob: It's funny, Alevan, I've never seen him respond to anything in the shoutbox. I think he's got tunnel vision.
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:05am
DeepThorn: I think he just likes the attention.
Posted 01/06/09 at 09:04am
Alevan: Y'know... If your gonna RickRoll JT, wouldn't it best to speak of it privately? I mean... doesn't JT read GP? He'd know.
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