Tea Party Porkers: Secretive Anti-Bailout Group Quietly Lobbies For Government Handouts
Tea Party Porkers: Secretive Anti-Bailout Group Quietly Lobbies For Government Handouts
According to the Congressional Budget Office, in 2009, the tax incentives for the ethanol industry cost the federal government $6 billion, and “the costs to taxpayers of replacing a gallon of gasoline with one of corn ethanol add up to $1.78.” Additionally, “it costs a huge $750 to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by one ton using corn ethanol.”
One of the most troubling aspects of the thriving industry of shadowy independent expenditure groups popping up in this election is the fact that the public doesn’t know who is funding them, and therefore doesn’t have any idea about their true agendas. In some cases, these groups are publicly promoting an anti-government agenda while pushing for policies that will force taxpayers to prop up their funders’ business interests. Some of these groups will have to eventually disclose their funders (although not until late in the election season), while others will be able to keep that information secret forever.
The American Future Fund (AFF) is a prime example of why this non-disclosure is problematic. Classified as a 501(c)(4) by the Internal Revenue Service, AFF is a non-profit that can run political advertising in the run-up to the election as long as it’s not devoted primarily to politics. It can also raise and spend unlimited amounts of money without ever disclosing its donors.
According to FactCheck.org, AFF “expects to spend between $20 million to $25 million on political ads this fall. Federal Election Commission data show American Future Fund has spent $6 million in 16 states in independent expenditures as of Oct. 12.”