How Big Man In McAllen Bundles Big For Clinton

By Matthew Mosk
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 25, 2007; Page A01

McALLEN, Tex. -- During the first nine months of this year, Sen. Barack Obama raised just $2,086 for his presidential campaign from people who live in and around this border town of stucco bungalows and weed-covered farm lots, and most candidates raised even less. But Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, has already raised more than $640,000 here, and her campaign expects to collect even more.

Clinton's success in this unlikely setting is based almost entirely on her friendship with one man, McAllen developer Alonzo Cantu. A self-made millionaire who once picked grapes on the migratory farm labor circuit, Cantu persuaded more than 300 people in Hidalgo County, where the median household income in 2006 was $28,660, to write checks ranging from $500 to $2,300 to the senator from New York.
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Cantu offers a simple explanation for what he's doing for Clinton. "To me, there's two things that will keep us from being ignored," he said. "Money and votes. I think we've shown we can raise money. That will get us attention, or at least get us a seat at the table, get us in the room."

Cantu's bluntly stated reasons for "bundling" money and the way he goes about doing it are an insight into a method of fundraising that has helped define the 2008 presidential race. With election costs soaring and with tight contribution limits, the task of raising hundreds of millions of dollars has fallen almost entirely to bundlers and their vast networks of individual supporters. Clinton's campaign has predicted that several bundlers will raise more than $1 million for her bid before the contest is over, and Cantu could be one of them.

Because of his financial interests, Cantu's influence over potential donors is substantial. He has raised money from doctors who work at the hospital where he holds an ownership interest, from bankers who work at the bank he co-owns and from the scores of tradesmen who contract with his primary business, Cantu Construction and Development Co., one of the town's dominant residential and commercial builders. The Clinton donors included dozens who had never registered to vote, several who were Republicans and 10 who had previously made contributions to President Bush and former House majority leader Tom DeLay (R).


...

Cantu credits his support for the Clintons and members of Congress, especially local Democratic Rep. Ruben Hinojosa, for the positive changes that have happened in the area. A Washington Post review of 15 years of campaign contributions by Cantu and the 339 donors whose checks he has bundled found more than $1.4 million in contributions to federal candidates and party committees, most of it to Democrats.

The Clinton administration set up a $40 million rural empowerment zone near McAllen that helped encourage business investment. Since NAFTA went into effect in 1994, the population has nearly doubled, and nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies have set up operations to help import goods manufactured in Mexico. That has meant jobs and an improved standard of living.

Lately, Cantu has been pushing his contacts for help in bringing an interstate highway to McAllen. He has told them about local opposition to the Bush administration's plan to build a border wall along the Rio Grande. And he has asked lawmakers, including Clinton, to block legislation that many believe could hobble the hospital Cantu built in town. This was a driving concern among many of the doctors and other McAllen area medical professionals who wrote more than $145,000 in checks to Clinton.

...


more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/24/AR2007112401359.html?hpid=topnews

Now this you find offensive? But taking money from big oil, tobacco and insurance companies is OK?

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I find the two equivalent.

The campaign finance laws are terrible and designed to ensure incumbent re-election and to make it difficult for challengers and 3rd parties. As a result, we have the current system. Of which I do not approve.


I'd like to see complete freedom for a candidate to raise money from any source, foreign or domestic. Just make the names of donors and amounts publically available on the internet as soon as the money is deposited. And make lying about the source terrifically painful, legally, so that donors and candidates alike will want to make sure the donations are clear.

That way if some candidate wanted to get money from say, China, they could get it directly rather than laundering it through gardeners or nuns. For example.

B

Never happen in our lifetime though...

I would rather see a very limited campaign. Say 2 or 3 six week campaigns. The first 6 week campaign would be a free for all for anyone to join. There would be 3 or 4 public debates. No one knows the questions before hand and perhaps 1 or 2 town hall type meetings. At the end there would be a nation wide primary. Narrow it down to a smaller number and do it all over again. Narrow the final cut down to 4 or 5. Campaign spending would be limited during the last six week campaign and there should be a cap.

I am tired of government being bought by the highest bider.

__________________
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Given the length of the current presidential campaign season, I'm thinking that this maybe an opportunity for some 3rd party action.

See, both major parties will have lots of time to dig up dirt and dump on each other's candidate. By May/June, we're all going to be sick of Fred "Stab me so I'll wake-up" Thompson and Osama Obama (or whomever the Republicrats choose). That would be a great time for somebody who has some credibility to make a 3rd party run.

Who?

What was Clinton's treasury secretary's name? Reuben? He's a bright boy and seems remarkably scandal-free and relatively non-partisan. How about Swarzkopf? There's a guy who doesn't suffer fools.

By August, a credible 3rd party could make inroads against both parties by maintaining an "Above the petty squabbling" attitude and making sure his/her shadow cabinet is thoroughly non-partisan, middle-America ...
fiscally conservative and socially liberal/moderate.

Got any suggestions for names?

B

The length of the season is to raise more money. It only gives the two parties more distance over the third ones.

I'd go the other way. Why have campaign donations at all? Just put another line on the income tax forms for donation to a public fund used to run a C-Span type channel that provides time/information equally for the candidates running.

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1984 300TD

Don't forget the Chinese, they really want Clinton in office again and are putting some serious cash towards that.

After the primaries each candidate should get a $1M check from the government, and thats it. They would have to put an itemized list accounting for every cent spent, on their website. That way even the 3rd and 4th party guys will be on a level financial footing.

Now that would make for an interesting race, the people with the best ideas would get media time.

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My plan would be simple and any fool, with simple math skills would be able to figure out who cheated...

#1.) For a particular office, go back to the last election and total ALL the votes cast for all the candidates for that particular election. Example: Dog catcher: 45 votes total for all candidates...

#2.) Apply a multiplier to the figure in #1. - Say 50...

#3.) Now, take the multiplier and the figure from #1, do the math and you come up with: 2,250

That 2,250 represents the amount of money, in USDs, that each candidate for the Dog Catcher position are allowed to spend...TOTAL...

Go over that amount? You're eliminated from the ballot and can't accept the office, even if you win in a write-in campaign.

And, if you win and are sworn in, and it is found out that you "cooked the books" - you spend time in jail...-

If it were simpler...

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