Follow The Money and Keep Your Politicians Honest AFTER the Election

I think this widget showing the funding (including the top donors) to candidates is pure genius. While it’s obviously useful during the campaign season, I’d argue that it’s doubly important to keep at hand now.

Think about it. When your politicians start acting a little different than you’d expect, check their behavior against the interests of their top ten donors. That might shed some light on it.

Of course, I didn’t realize the Brown/Mandel race here in Ohio had quite so much money poured into it. But what’s even more interesting, to my mind, is who poured that money into it. Having been born in West Virginia (the land of absentee landlord coal companies), I gotta admit that I’m even more glad that Brown won after looking at this list of donors for each of the candidates.

Universities aren’t perfect, but they usually have a hard time funneling money out of the local economy. I’m a big advocate of the local multiplier effect when it comes time to improve the local economy.

Which reminds me – don’t forget Small Business Saturday this year on November 24th. Ignore the crap crowds and same old gifts, and get your friends and relatives something different this year. May I suggest a book from Alliteration Ink?