Donald Trump and election financing.

"Donald Trump's Donations to Democrats, Club for Growth's Busy Day and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 17
By Zachary Newkirk on February 17, 2011 6:00 AM
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Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics:
"REPUBLICAN DONALD TRUMP’S PAST AND CURRENT GENEROSITY TO DEMOCRATS: Billionaire real estate tycoon Donald Trump's recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference excited a number of Republicans, many of whom applauded his statement that Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has "zero chance" of winning.
"It also fueled speculation that the mogul would run for president. Cries of "you're hired!" to a Draft Trump 2012 website added to a growing sense of support among Republicans.
"But that GOP support has not always been reciprocated by Trump.
"According to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of Trump's federal campaign contribution history, The Donald has been a prolific donor to both Democrats and Republicans during the past two decades.
"In all, Trump has contributed to 96 candidates running for federal political office since the 1990 election cycle, the Center finds. Only 48 of the recipients -- exactly half -- were Republicans at the time they received their contribution, including ex-Gov. Charlie Crist (I-Fla.) and ex-Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who both of whom received their Trump contributions as Republicans.
"Since the 1990 election cycle, the top 10 recipients of Trump's political contributions number six Democrats and four Republicans. Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who was censured last year by his U.S. House colleagues, has received the most Trump money, totaling $24,750. The most recent contribution from Trump to Rangel was a $10,000 gift during the 2006 election cycle.
"In the most recent election cycle, Trump doled out $22,500 to political candidates, of which $16,200 benefited Democrats.
"The top Republican recipient of Trump's money is Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) who has collected $13,600 from the billionaire magnate, the second most of any politician. Trump did not contribute to McCain during the 2010 election cycle, during which the former presidential candidate was facing re-election.
"Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is the recipient of $12,000 in Trump contributions, including $10,000 for his 2006 re-election campaign.
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has received the fourth-largest amount of Trump's contributions, including $4,800 in the successful 2010 campaign against Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle. In total Trump has contributed $10,400 to Reid.
"In 2010, Trump also contributed $4,000 to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who easily won re-election. Schumer has received $8,900 from Trump since the 1996 election cycle. Trump has also been generous to New York's other Democratic U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, who's received $5,850 in Trump money.
"After McCain, the Republican with the largest amount of Trump's contributions is former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who left office in disgrace in 2006 when his online solicitation of male House pages became known. Trump contributed $9,500 to Foley between the 1996 and 2006 election cycles.
"Trump has also supported other notable politicians, including:
• $7,000 to former Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), the "liberal lion of the Senate"
• $7,500 to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R)
• $5,500 to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) including $2,000 during his 2004 presidential run
• $5,000 to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.)
• $4,000 to former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.)
• $2,000 to former President George W. Bush (R)
• $1,000 to then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.)
"Trump's donations to various political action committees and 527 groups also demonstrate his bipartisan checkbook.
"During the most recent election cycle, Trump contributed $170,000 to the Republican Governor's Association, $50,000 to the ultra-conservative American Crossroads PAC, $30,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and $10,000 to the Democratic Party of New York.
"However, of the nearly $420,000 Trump has donated to committees, the largest recipient has been the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee with $116,000 -- or more than one fourth of his total contributions to all party and political action committees."
You'd better study your candidates, chum!

Save a trillion dollars a year.

According to U.S. Reprentative Ron Paul (R-TEX), the United States spends approx. $1.2 Trillion a year on "the American Empire" or all our overseas spending of having U.S. Troops in 130 countries, and participating in three ongoing wars. I'll do the teaparty one better, let's bring 'em home and end the American participation in the "New World Order". That would save us $1.2 Trillion a year--more than enough to fund Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare, and provide a tax cut.

Joseph Kennedy killed in Afghanistan.

"Realtives rally around Inver Grove Heights family grieving for soldier Joseph Kennedy
Sense of adventure led to service in Army
By Andy Greder
agreder@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 04/17/2011 11:42:19 PM CDT
"U.S. Army Spc. Joseph A. Kennedy, 25, of Inver Grove Heights, died Friday April 15, 2011, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. (PHOTO COURTESY KENNEDY FAMILY )The extended family of the Inver Grove Heights soldier killed Friday in Afghanistan is doing its best to support the soldier's surviving parents and younger brother.
"Army Spc. Joseph Kennedy, 25, died from injuries sustained in a firefight with enemy forces, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a news release Saturday. His parents, Jim and Valerie Kennedy, and his brother, Casey, are working with the military to return his body and are organizing memorial services.
"We are just doing what we can to help," said Cara Skoglund, Kennedy's aunt by marriage. "It's a close-knit family."
"In 2006, the Kennedys helped support Skoglund when her brother, Marine Capt. Nathanael Doring, 31, of Apple Valley was killed in a noncombat helicopter crash in Iraq on Memorial Day that year.
"What has come to light again is how proud we are of our service members," Skoglund said.
"Joseph Kennedy, who graduated from Simley High School in 2004 and joined the Army in 2009, was "a guy's guy," Skoglund said. He loved motorcycles, welding, guitars and wrestling for Simley, she said.
"His path with the Army made sense," Skoglund said of his sense of adventure.
"Skoglund said the family has set up a news conference for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Veterans Memorial Community Center in Inver Grove Heights."
Kenneth Stepp salutes Joseph Kennedy--killed in action in Afghanistan. It is time to support our troops by bringing them home. Vote for the anti-war candidates. Vote for the Peace Candidates.

Army Staff Sergeant Michael Lammerts, 26, killed in Afghanistan.

"CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. -On Thursday, the Army posthumously promoted a Tonawanda native killed in Afghanistan.
Army Staff Sergeant Michael Lammerts, 26, a city of Tonawanda native, was killed Sunday in the line of duty while serving overseas. His body arrived at Dover Airforce Base in Delaware earlier this week. Visitation and funeral arrangements for the husband and father of two have not yet been made public.
Lammerts' family was told the platoon he was leading was ambushed. We now have some clues as to exactly why Lammerts was killed.
The U.S. Defense Department now says the ambush happened while Lammerts was in Faryab Province, Afghanistan with another soldier. It's the same place where several news agencies are reporting two American soldiers were shot to death by an Afghan police officer following anti-American protests over a pastor in Florida who burned the Koran.
The U.S. Military is only saying where the two men were killed and how. But Lammerts and another soldier are the only two soldier deaths reported in the region in the past 24 hours. Speculation that Lammerts was linked to anti-American protests was on the mind of his family from the moment they got the news of his passing.
"How do we know that's what really happened to Michael," said Speck. "There's a lot of fighting going on."
Lammerts is survived by his wife Missy, their three-year-old daughter Savannah and a one-year-old son, Michael Jr.
Last fall, Lammerts moved his family from Louisiana, where he had been stationed, to Amherst before going overseas for his third tour of duty.
Missy Lammerts is a North Tonawanda native, the couple had been married for five years.
Chris Lammerts was in tears on Tuesday as he remembered his younger brother, "He would do anything for anyone, he loved his job, loved his family," he said. "I can't believe it, it's just unreal, I just wish I'd get a phone call that it was a mistake."
Unfortunately there was no mistake, Lammerts' family still doesn't know much about the circumstances of his death, they believe the platoon he was leading was ambushed.

"This was Michael Lammerts third tour of duty, the first two came in Iraq. His family says Michael had a premonition about his deployment to Afghanistan.
"He had a feeling, it wasn't like it was when he was going to Iraq. He kept telling myself and my nephew that it was just a feeling, he did not have a good feeling about going this time," said his mother, Kendra Speck.
"He was a wonderful father, Savannah would look at him and you could see his heart melt. And when the little guy Michael was born, that was the apple of his eye," said his mom.
Scott Brown: "As the kids get older, what will you tell them about him?"
Kendra Speck: "That he was a hero, that he grew up to be a hero, Michael always used to comment that when his kids got older and they would read about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in school, that they would be reading about him. He was proud of what he did."

The last time his mom spoke with him, Michael told his mother that his commanding officer had just recommended him for a Bronze Star.
Lammerts brother Chris tells 2 On Your Side's Josh Boose Tuesday night's developments just makes him more angry, but nothing he says will bring his brother back. He says Michael's body will be flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware sometime Wednesday. The family plans to be there as their hero returns home for a final time.
A trust fund is being established for the two Lammerts' children.
WGRZ-TV"
Kenneth Stepp salutes Army Staff Sergeant Michael Lammerts, 26, killed in Afghanistan. Support our troops. Bring them home!

House for sale!

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