this post was submitted on 24 Feb 2025
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Israel has voted against a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling to reaffirm Ukraine’s territorial integrity, rejecting a strongly worded condemnation of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor on the third anniversary of the war.

Eighteen countries voted against the resolution, 93 voted in favor, and 65 abstained.

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[–] deadtom@lemmy.world 12 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I remember when Elon Musk was a "good billionaire" friend. In my opinion there are no good billionaires because the pursuit of money to that extent requires exploitation and abuse on a grand scale.

So yeah I don't give a fuck if he has all the money in the world, I don't think money should be the deciding factor in elections. I don't think that any string a billionaire offers is worth it.

If we run a candidate who's values authentically align with what Dem voters want, why turn down donations?

Because they can tell you all day that they align with your values and then suddenly they don't. Remember Elon Musk? Tech billionaire, "real life tony stark", whose electric vehicles were going to usher in a new era of renewable transportation... People lie.

He didn't say that they could be relied on. He said he'd take their fucking money. Why do you think that's an unpragmatic strategy?

Because I understand how the world works? That concessions are made in back room deals and that the money doesn't change hands until the buyer feels confident they are getting what they want? We know how this goes.

I would forego all billionaire donations to ensure the party wasn't being controlled by back room interests, you know the deals made to get the contribution? They aren't adhering to campaign finance limits they are drowning out normal Americans with their outside influence.

“Billionaire campaign spending on this scale drowns out the voices and concerns of ordinary Americans. It is one of the most obvious and disturbing consequences of the growth of billionaire fortunes, as well as being a prime indicator that the system regulating campaign finance has collapsed,” said David Kass, ATF’s executive director.

https://americansfortaxfairness.org/billionaire-clans-spend-nearly-2-billion-2024-elections/

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -5 points 19 hours ago

I remember when Elon Musk was a “good billionaire” friend

That's like saying you remember when Santa was real...

You don't, you remember when you thought Santa was real.

I'm not saying leave milk and cookies out, I'm saying if you're parent want to get you an extra gift, don't throw it away because the tag says "from Santa".

Because I understand how the world works? That concessions are made in back room deals and that the money doesn’t change hands until the buyer feels confident they are getting what they want? We know how this goes.

Went.

We knew how it went.

Martin is saying that is no longer the case, but he's not turning down checks.

I would forego all billionaire donations to ensure the party wasn’t being controlled by back room interests, you know the deals made to get the contribution? They aren’t adhering to campaign finance limits they are drowning out normal Americans with their outside influence.

That's all reasons to keep outside money out of the primary which I am 100% on board with.

Like, it all comes down to your opinion is that if someone takes the check they have to owe a favor. The people writing the check almost certainly expect it....

But it's not like they can sue and say their donation was a bribe and they didn't get what they want.

You realize that right?

A "back room deal" even if exists isn't legally binding, that's where the term comes from.

Candidates take donations from average voters and then don't try to do what the donors wanted, why not do it with billionaires?