“If anything is clear in Silicon Valley, it’s that Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump is not very well liked,” Don Reisinger reports for Fortune.
“So far, Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has raised $4.6 million from employees working at Silicon Valley companies, easily topping the $2.6 million raised by his counterpart, Hillary Clinton,” Reisinger reports. “On the Republican side, Ted Cruz has done the best, raising $471,000. Meanwhile, Ohio Governor John Kasich has nabbed $110,000 from Silicon Valley employees.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: So, $7.2 million total for the two remaining Democrats and $600,000 total for the three most-recently running Republican candidates. Based on these admittedly incomplete figures*, Silicon Valley employees are twelve times more likely to contribute to a Democrat candidate than a Republican.
*There were sixteen other major Republican candidates and four other major Democrats in the race earlier in the process for whom we have no contribution figures
SEE ALSO:
Apple among top employers of Bernie Sanders donors – April 20, 2016
Bernie Sanders camp suspicious of Microsoft’s influence in Iowa Caucus – January 28, 2016
Obama outspends Romney on Apple products; Democrat-leaning states have higher iPhone usage; Apple employees donate $15 to Obama for every $1 to Romney – July 27, 2012
Apple, other tech firm employees’ contributions favor Democrats over Republicans, Obama over Clinton – April 14, 2008
Ron Paul attracts most campaign contributions from U.S. tech employees – February 4, 2008
President Bush, candidate Kerry tout universal broadband access while drawing contributions from tech companies – June 22, 2004
Trump had originally promised that he won’t be taking money from anyone, spending only his own on the campaign. Conceptually, it was perfect for his campaign of a ‘political outsider’, with zero special interest influence.
It looks like he is going back on that promise and is now planning to start fundraising.
This year’s American presidental election is by far the weirdest in the history of America. They still have a long way to go to match some other countries and their weird elections… Still, it will curious to see how will the traditional republican establishment make themselves love Trump. Because they have no choice but do that; otherwise, election will be easily handed over to the other side, and I’m not sure there are any republicans who would rather see another Clinton in the White House than Trump.
Bu doubling down on the core values, the Tea Party and other orthodox conservatives have shot the entire party in the foot. The extreme, uncompromising conservative base is rather small and shrinking.
As a foreigner with no horse in this race, it seems to be that America has bid final farewell to its last Republican president eight years ago. If the party doesn’t adjust its platform, it will never win another presidency (unless Democrats end up nominating someone as unelectable as Trump).
Never is an awfully long time. A surprise is coming for many. Enjoy the weekend!
Yes, it is. The point of the statement was to highlight the need for an ideological shift for the Republican party in order to stay relevant. With current ideological platform, Republicans would reject Reagan as too liberal.
Trump is every bit as scary for genuine conservatives as he is for liberals. I started calling myself a Republican when Ronald Reagan was still a Democrat. I was a prosecutor for 30 years in one of the most conservative counties in one of the most conservative states. I have met some seriously wicked folks in my life, but Trump still terrifies me.
Conservatives seek to conserve. They are suspicious of any innovation that cannot prove its value through a careful examination of the facts. They cannot abide arguments that appeal purely to emotion or that ignore uncomfortable truths. They believe that “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Conservatives support the rule of law as a check on unbridled power, whether that excess power is exercised by the government or by excessively powerful private parties. They support a strong network of checks and balances, including things like the separation of powers, an independent judiciary, a free press, and a Bill of Rights that is more than a list of suggestions.
So, I—like most conservatives—am a bit worried when confronted with a public figure who lists as the top three priorities for his first 100 days in office: 1. Organizing the expulsion of 11 million U.S. residents (with an unknown number of their U.S. citizen dependents), regardless of the cost and disruption to society and with no attention to constitutional due process, then building a wall between us and the rest of the Western Hemisphere, while repudiating most of our international trade agreements, again without regard to the economic consequences. 2. Setting aside the First and Fourteenth Amendments by adopting government policies that expressly favor the adherents of one religion and punish the adherents of another. 3. Shutting down the existing government programs that provide a medical safety net for less wealthy Americans without proposing any specific replacement (I don’t love Obamacare, but it is better than letting poor people die). So, Trump thinks nothing is more important than those three?
He lacks any sense of history, to the point that he has chosen the same policies and even the same slogan (“America First”) that was used in the 1930s by the isolationist and protectionist party that allowed the Axis Powers to arm and made World War II possible. In that connection, he has suggested that it might not be a bad thing if we had more countries in the world with nuclear weapons.
This same individual has proposed making it much easier for public figures to sue reporters and others who criticize them, and has a track record of suppressing efforts to report fairly on his activities. As a candidate, he has used the United States Secret Service to herd reporters into designated zones; that behavior can only get worse if he is President. The pattern is reminiscent of the disappearance of press freedom in Russia under President Putin, who serves as a model of strong leadership for the American candidate who admires him.
He has proposed bringing torture back into use, not only as an “enhanced interrogation” technique, but as a form of punishment (not withstanding the constitutional prohibition on such punishment). He has proposed killing the innocent family members of terror suspects and destroying their homes as a deterrent (notwithstanding the constitutional prohibition on bills of attainder and corruption of blood). He has argued that public safety justifies the abolition of privacy for digital devices. None of that is conservatism; it is at best statism and at worst fascism.
He has proposed substantially cutting taxes, increasing defense spending, and eliminating the federal deficit… without proposing any specific budget cuts in other areas. He has seriously discussed the possibility of refusing to pay our country’s debts in full and forcing our creditors to accept pennies on the dollar. He does not seem to recognize that the full faith and credit of the United States Government might suffer if he took it into reorganization like one of his many bankrupt businesses. His position on that is consistent with his belief that a President is free to disregard America’s various trade and defense treaties, notwithstanding the Supremacy Clause in the Constitution.
He has engaged in an implicit pattern of ethnic baiting not seen in the top levels of American political life since George Wallace. He thinks that eating a taco salad is meaningful outreach to Hispanic voters, after calling them murderers and rapists. He has attacked Islam as a religion—not just jihadi extremists, but the religion itself—and does not care about the consequences for dealing with Muslim-majority countries overseas, or even with our loyal Muslim citizens at home.
To justify discrimination, he invented a story about thousands of Muslims on the streets in New Jersey celebrating the fall of the Twin Towers, and would not recant when it was proven untrue. He has continued to repeat a foul slander about General John Pershing’s alleged racism long after it was conclusively rebutted.
The candidate has belittled women at every opportunity, going so far as to suggest that none of his female adversaries would be employed if it were not for political correctness. When he has praised women, it is almost always for their appearance rather than their skills. Men are forceful; women are shrill. He has even mocked people with physical disabilities. None of that is consistent with regard for the Equal Protection or Due Process clauses of the 14th Amendment.
The only thing scarier than the existence of such a public figure is the readiness of my own political party to run him for President.
“Conservatives cannot abide arguments that appeal purely to emotion or that ignore uncomfortable truths.”
If that’s true, how does one explain FOX News’ popularity?
Always a pleasure to read what you have to say and I especially appreciated your comments on his proposal to bring back torture. You know how much I’ve spoken out not only against torture but also the blatant disregard to bring any of those responsible for such a blatant act against humanity to justice.
The thing about your constitution is that it only covers your citizens. Trumps proposals on torture, from what I’ve read are not for and will not apply to the citizens of your country, rather for they for those who are not from your country and as such your nation has clearly shown the rest of the world at total lack of any humanitarian consideration whatsoever when it comes to humans. Citizens of 49 countries have been held at Guantánamo so the writing is on the wall. The election of this candidate will be a continuation of your efforts to be the global bully. It would not surprise me if he wins, it would just be another indication of what your nation is becoming, a global threat to humanity. I think that’s why he’s so popular. You nation is long overdue for a massive dose of humility and you can only push the free and civilized world so far before they push back. That was something Hitler learned the hard way, maybe your country needs to learn it that way as well.
Again always a pleasure to read your insights. Enjoy your weekend.
if they held your kid hostage and tortured him you’d feel different. I have a nephew in the Army. I wouldn’t care if they cut the terrorists nuts off it would get him to reveal a location. Sympathy for the aggressor doesn’t cut it with me. WWII guys didn’t go in with intent to be cruel, but sometimes to win a war against those that have no standards you have to go to the ruthless side yourself, or the wars drag on forever, with more harmed in the long run than if you just get the damn thing over with. As done with bombing the Japanese. It would have gone on for more years. Unfortunate but it had to end.
Your attempt at telling me how I’d feel under certain circumstances is admirable but misplaced.
You seem to forget in this situation that you and the aggressor are both threats to the free and civilized world. It’s not of war against terrorism, it’s a war of terrorists. I’m sure you are fully aware that the country that did experience the bomb did not sign the Geneva convention and engaged in torture. They paid a big price for that, so I won’t be surprised of a much bigger price for a nation that signs then ignores and circumvent the Geneva convention so that they can torture.
Oh by the way, how do you know that they were aggressors? Even the Nazis were accorded the civility of trials at Nuremberg because that’s what civilized nations do, provide justice. They don’t lock people possibly guilty possibly innocent away for years denying them justice. It’s something the Nazis did, and they learned a hard lesson too.
TxUser, if the Republican Party actually followed the conservative precepts that you outlined, then they would better serve this nation and its citizens. While I do not like political parties and believe that they have corrupted the governance of this nation, I would be much more sympathetic to an organization that actually followed those precepts.
Unfortunately, both political parties are hidebound to their often irrational and self-contradictory platforms, seeking only power and growth at any expense. The primary process is a great example – the will of the people is subverted by the process…super delegates being a prime example of that corruption. Think for yourself and be skeptical of the established power bases. They were not formed to address your cares, concerns, or welfare.
You are a conservative? LOLiar
Yeah, the surprise is going to when Trump’s hardcore supporters suddenly find out what happened to the last set of brownshirts….
Too bad for The Magic Vagina®, she was gettin’ all set to whoop-out the Woman Card on ol’ Donald. But, alas, as she is a rapist enabler and all the voters know it, she kinda has to shut-up about that one. So, after going back to the Sorosian drawing board she now incessantly parrots, “He’s a loose cannon!”
Botvinnik, you are so desperate that you would back Trump? In years past he would have been excoriated as a RINO. Now, somehow managing to be the last person standing in a rather sad field of candidates, you support him because he tags himself as a Republican?
Granted, the choices are not great. But your one-sided affiliation with a political label is both sad and incredibly frightening. The human race is doomed if it depends on the judgment of people like you and Fwhatever.
I have never supported any RINO, you jackass…that includes ANYONE in the Bush Crime Syndicate, from Prescott to jeb¡
Ya know, the last guys to get in the white house from your elephant penis party turned out to be dicks.
One can only hope for more.
Oh, and you are not the party of my nose’s owner.
Better than the donkey vagina party. Obama did indeed turn out to be a… Well, you know the rest.
And YOU are not the party of JFK.
And Republican Party has finally surrendered to the Klansman and lunatics Nixon and Buchanan brought in to the party with their southern strategy.
The past candidate Trump most resembles is George Wallace. The GOP should just change its name to the American Independent Party and get it over with.
Very impressive that the GOP has a candidate that David Duke supports and its last three presidential candidates doesn’t…..
As opposed to the party that excused “that country boy from the hollows of West Virginia who was trying to get elected” according to Bill Clinton, as he tried to justify the correct way of being a racist Democratic Senator from West Virginia, the one and only, Robert KKK Byrd!
If there was ever a party filled with segregationist racists, it is the Democratic Party! When “The Magic Vagina®” speaks to the next group of blacks, will she be speaking like herself or will she be doing it in her ‘darkey’ voice?!
Hey Predrag, got a question for you if you don’t mind based on what you said. “They still have a long way to go to match some other countries and their weird elections.”
I know that some countries have weird electoral processes but even though I’ve searched a bit I can’t find a good list or table on the average length of the election process. Most of the ones I’ve looked up individually take a few weeks, maybe months so I’m just wondering if there are any countries that like take years to go through an election process.
If you or anyone happens to know I’d appreciate finding out.
Austria:
A right-wing, anti-immigrant party candidate won the most votes Sunday (April 24, 2015) in the first round of Austria’s presidential election, reflecting the mood of a nation deeply divided over Europe’s migrant crisis.
Preliminary final results show Norbert Hofer, of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, held about 35% of the vote, followed by independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen, who with 20% of the vote was projected to finish second.
As the top two finishers, Hofer and Van der Bellen will face each other in a May 22 runoff. The runoff vote was automatically triggered because no candidate won more than half the vote.
The results are a stunning rebuke to Austria’s center-left Social Democrats and the centrist People’s Party that have dominated the country’s politics for the last 70 years, but they failed to even make it to next month’s runoff.
Hofer, who has carried a Glock pistol with him while on the campaign trail, has argued that a rise in gun ownership in Austria is a natural reaction to the migrant crisis.
Austria holds its next general election for president in 2018.
So they’ll be campaigning between now and 2018? That’s pretty long, longer than your country’s recent election campaign. Thanks for that First 2014, Then 2016.
Obama said he would use the presidential public financing system instead of public financing. He lied.
Trump and Sanders are appealing to those who are sick and tired of the same of crap in US politics. The Tea party is a classic example where ideology is priority over fiscal and social responsibility.
Trump is appealing to those who want to feel a grudge against those not like them. Sanders is appealing to those who feel they have been left behind. And the interesting thing is that there are a lot of people who feel disenfranchised over the last decade.
I don’t think this is the end of the republicans. Parties reinvent themselves all the time (look at New Labour in the UK and the success they had).
If Clinton plays her cards right she will take essences of Sanders platform that will appeal to the disenfranchised voters whilst not alienating moderate republican voters.
It will be a very interesting election. The outcome sadly will still be the same. An ideological congress with a president that lacks the ability to do anything. Now if the voters turn on the republicans in the congress it could be another story.
And on the subject at hand, it is quite curious to see such strong support for Democrats from arguably the most enterpreneurial part of America. One would assume that those who symbolise American spirit of free enterprise, innovation and business would prefer the party that loves low taxes, little regulation and everyone-for-themselves individual spirit. Perhaps that particular region (tech industry) has disproportionately high common sense of social responsibility…
Social responsibility?
All those millions they make and the embrace Marxist like Sanders and Obama? You think doing so as ‘entrepreneurs’ is a sign they’re smarter and more ‘evolved!?!’
They do so out of guilt – while keeping tight fists on their mullah!
Bad comrades, bad comrades.
But the day the Demo/Marxists fully embrace their win over Democracy, those guys will find themselves living with different and very little means – good comrades!
You dummies better suck it up and watch a Mad Max movie this weekend to see what your about to have to deal with – all those Black Lives Matters and $15-an-Hour moronic survivors will punk your nerdy asses!
This part of America supports corporatism — a form of crony capitalism; not free enterprise. There is a big difference.
Democrats = crony capitalism.
Republican = true capitalism (not always but much more than Dems).
You honestly think that Republicans don’t engage in crony capitalism? Wow. I want whatever you’re smoking, because it must be amazing.
Even technocrats love civilization. They’ve watched the movie Mad Max and other dystopian flicks and dodge away from the party that seems hell-bent on making those futures happen.
It is eerily quiet here today. MDN throws a massive political pork chop to the crowd of hungry rottweilers, fully expecting the usual barrage of political grudge match, only to find seven posts in two hours.
Perhaps all those conservatives are still trying to figure out what the hell just happened with their favourite presidential candidates, and drowning their sorrow in copious amounts of Friday evening alcohol…
OK, I’ll bite. I’ve been a Republican ever since I became aware of politics in my early teens. But I’ve got a few axes to grind with the traditional conservative base.
Conservative Republicans, who now watch in abject horror as Donald Trump becomes the apparent Republican presidential candidate, have unwittingly been the architects of their own party’s demise. In my view they have a lot to answer for as their policies have driven the base towards a true demagogue. They need to come to grips with the fact that long time Republican voters like myself have been turned off by:
1. Uncritical and open ended support for Israel, despite the country’s continued policy of creating new settlements in Palestinian areas – the US has no dog in that fight but because of its unwavering support to Israel it continues to feel the brunt of Arab and Muslim anger the world over;
2. Promotion of tax policies that favor the well off while doing nothing for the working class – trickle-down economics doesn’t sell;
3. Obtuse obsession with repealing Roe vs Wade in order to save the unborn, but without speaking to the safeguards for women put in difficult and sometimes life threatening situations;
4. Obsession with repealing Obamacare, which comes across as withdrawing the safely net from the working poor without putting anything in its place;
5. Unrestrained and apparently limitless support for gun ownership rights without addressing the responsibilities of gun owners or how to stop sales to criminals and psychopaths;
6. Continued support for the insane war on drugs despite overwhelming evidence that it has been an unmitigated disaster for the US and for those countries that grow/manufacture the stuff, as they deal with ultra-violent cartels and money corrupting everything and everyone.
Don’t get me wrong. While I’ve just blasted the Republicans, I would have a much much longer list if I were talking about policies of the Democrats. It’s just that I feel betrayed from within, which is the worst kind of betrayal.
And yes, a Guinness sounds good right about now.
Oh yea, I forgot. Go Apple.
The healthcare argument of ‘Rebulicans have nothing to offer’ is a Democrats’ stale argument and a sure way to identify you as their troll.
Republicans offered plent of ideas and plans – but none that are FREE, which is what you expect of government, to give you everything free.
Your diatribe against guns, Israel and abortion hammers the point you are no Republican, and more likely than not a Soros paid troll.
Oh, what’s that smell – I think you need to ring Obama to change diaper….
This is true. Hillary has a lot of baggage. It’s going to be fun to watch the carnage. I’ll be voting for neither presidential candidate.
So I’m a “Soros paid troll.” Now that hurts. In fact it’s jus mean….
I think you read more into my text than I actually wrote. I don’t particularly think much of Israel. But I didn’t say the US should not protect Israel if it were to be invaded. I didn’t say I didn’t support gun rights because I do support the right to bear arms. But taking an absolutist stand on any type of regulation serves no one. Regarding healthcare, the Republicans offered squat. Don’t fool yourself. They were never serious. We all know they had no intention of actually repealing Obamacare. They just wanted to look good for their base.
Anyway, you just keep your head in the sand. It’ll all be over soon.
Didn’t mean to copy the first paragraph in this reply. Oh well…
“Perhaps all those conservatives are still trying to figure out what the hell just happened…”
They said the same type of things about Reagan.
Be careful what you wish for, Dems/Libs/Progs, your candidate is far, far, far weaker than you think.
Remember, Reagan was a democrat before he lost his mind.
This is true. Hillary has a lot of baggage. It’s going to be fun to watch the carnage from the sidelines. I’ll be voting for neither presidential candidate.
I would certainly be sorrowful if my leading candidates were:
1) a corrupt criminal whose biggest selling point is that she has a vagina and
2) a Communist who could never keep a steady job until he latched on to the government tit.
George, you throw around the word “communist” as if you know what if means.
If throwing around scary inaccurate labels is the low level of slander you will stoop to in order to scare people into thinking your candidate is somehow superior, then you have already lost the debate.
Face it: the Republican party maneuvered itself into a corner so far away from what the mainstream Americans want, they left a huge lane for a RINO like Trump to cruise in and win the primaries. Now you have an establishment of old cronies who know they can’t control Trump, and you have an American people who also know they can’t trust Trump because he’s got no specific policy platform at all, and he’s lived a life so far removed from the reality of Main Street that he can’t do anything other than wow the simpletons with his overwhelming ego. Such a blustering buffoon in the White House would be like the USA having its own Kaiser Wilhelm running the country. Those who studied history should understand how bad that would be.
Well employed persons, living the dream of liberty, entrepreneurship and inovation that only capitalism can provide, they “love” and support a comunist with promises of free-lunch for everyone that would envy a lot of third world populism losers. US should be very concerned about their future.
Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist, not a communist…big difference. Think more like Norway, Sweden, etc rather than the old Soviet Union.
But Sanders will not be the Democratic nominee; the math of the delegates ensures that. And so it’s a moot point.
Better not try to convince a narrow minded ignorant. Alas, they are so numerous…
That’s your best? Ignorant? Comparing the continental and diversity of US with quite insignificant Norway (nice but very small country and very small homogeneous people) or Sweden, the greatest world’s suicidal rate? Great illusionist solution. US are going to the tortuous road of SOCIALISM, giant government, bigger every day with increasing taxes to support a bunch of parasites there. US have free will to create and innovate but uses those capitalism’s endeavors like Apple, Google and Facebook to praise for big socialist government. Big mistake. Socialism ends when money from the others end. That’s what happens in Europa: STAGNATION. Watching Bernie’s speeches it’s the frightful to how primitive they are. You don’t know what it is to live in a, what you call, social democracy, nothing less than socialism. I know. But US are going straight to this path, as we see, being XIX Century Bernie or Conspiratory Hillary. And than you will know. Guess what? I don’t care.
Likely it was gas money for his private jet. 😁
TRUMP 2016
It’s the only sensible, sane choice™
I would be interested in knowing just what it is about Bernie that they are so enamored with. No, not this forums opinion, theirs.
Bernie is about free stuff for the takers. This country now has many more takers than makers. The definition of economic collapse
Isn’t it interesting that ‘The Great Recession’ was caused by corporate ‘takers’ who royally screwed over ‘the makers’, then demanded to be bailed out after their abuse of the world backfired on THEM.
IOW: Who are the ‘takers’ these days? Who are the actual parasites on the human world? I know who. Now go do some research and figure out the answer for yourself.
Kill The Poor!
Feed The Rich!
“Who are the actual parasites on the human world?”
Sean & Melvin.
Much as I have disrespect for the inevitable results of dire socialism, Bernie Sanders is an excellent retort to the corporatocracy that is wrecking world governments. (Witness their TPP and TTIP treaties from hell that blatantly abuse world citizens). Kicking the corporatocracy in the balls is exactly what is required at this moment in time. So bravo Bernie!
Meanwhile: Bernie Sanders DOES fall into the same old socialism trap of exploding the budget for the sake of socialism overreach. No question there! But Princess Hilary, *GAG*, has shoved him to the side in any case. *GAG* again!
As for Donald Trump? He’s a loud mouth lout that embodies the caricature of ‘The Ugly American‘. Enough said. And no, I’m not going to waste time debating it. This entire presidential cycle makes me ill.
:-Q*****
I hope Bernie Sanders is elected….
…mayor of Pyongyang.
Ooooh! Stupid ignorant blindness!
And some seam to even be proud of it.
some “seam” to be.
Trump is profoundly unfit for the Presidency. Period. There is no doubt about that. He lacks the temperament, judgment, and experience. With Trump you’d go to bed every night wondering if you’d wake up to news of a mushroom cloud going off somewhere. He’s a loose canon, exponentially multiplied.
Our main responsibility and duty is to see to it that this man never gets the presidency. Our country is literally at stake, perhaps the world. Yes, Trump is really that bad.
“he’s a loose cannon.”
The current Pantsuit Succubus meme. Doesn’t work for her and it damned sure doesn’t work for you, Mr. Troll.
Trump is a loose cannon, and a nightmare waiting to happen. And that is a fact that does “work” with a whole lot of people, because they see the truth. What doesn’t work is the juvenile name calling that Trump and apparently many of his cult followers resort to.
yeah, you said that Magic Vagina®.
Dangerous Donald is a fool who should never be near the nuclear codes.
Just this past week, since essentially wrapping up the GOP nomination, look at what he’s done: he tweeted that stupid picture of him eating a taco bowl and proclaiming his love for Hispanics, which was an insult to all Hispanics. Clueless. He basically said that the US should default on its debt and in essence declare bankruptcy, basically trying to manage the US like one of his businesses…which would be an utter economic disaster. Oh yeah, the most powerful Republican, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, would not endorse his own party’s nominee for President. This is unheard of…never before happened.
And this is just the beginning…surely more Trump idiocy is to come…you only have to wait at most a few days until he says something else stupid and shocking.
Someone should tell Hillary that the only loose cannon is in Bubba’s pants.
“Trump for president”… Gee! That would be the worst signal USA could ever give to the world!
Obviously, billions don’t buy intelligence! And voting for a Trump kind of guy throws shame on a whole population.
Having a Bernie Sanders having some fair support, in the opposite, reminds the world that quite a few americans may have smart reflexions about their future. It’s reassuring!