Bush Raking in the Bucks

by Jim Hightower

In only a month's worth of fund-raising, the Republican front runner sacked up $7.6 million without even holding an event or personally making any telephone calls. Bush's spinmeisters hailed this huge haul as a phenomenal outpouring of love from "the people." Bush himself said he was "humbled" by this grassroots show of support.

But what Humble George and his spinmeisters didn't mention is that these were not crumpled-up ten-dollar bills he was getting. Indeed, more than 70 percent of the money came in checks of $1,000 or more. Nor was this bonanza just spontaneously sent to him. Instead, the money was aggressively solicited by about 200 corporate executives, lobbyists, developers, and bankers who have signed-up with Shrub to raise at least $100,000 each. That's $20 million or more. Bush calls these corporate bagmen his "pioneers."

Bush is putting together a campaign-finance structure that's a pyramid of wealth. "The 200 pioneers" at the top have national financial networks of their own, including other corporate executives, their country-club pals, people who owe them favors, companies that do business with them, and so forth. These are people like Heinz Prechter, the Michigan honcho of American Sunroof Co. He previously raised a million-plus for Shrub's dad, George the Elder, who subsequently rewarded Heinz by having him head a trade mission to Japan that -- just coincidentally -- landed him a lucrative business deal.

Shrub's "pioneers" are nothing but shameless corporate opportunists who know that if they funnel big bucks to him now ... he'll funnel even bigger bucks to them if he makes it to the White House.