3 ms·

"In April 2014, City Councilman Ben Kallos, who received $2,500 over two elections from Local 14, introduced new legislation to prohibit climber cranes like the

by rsync 10y ago

"In April 2014, City Councilman Ben Kallos, who received $2,500 over two elections from Local 14, introduced new legislation to prohibit climber cranes like the Skypicker from being classified as mobile cranes. The rule would treat the Skypicker like a tower crane, requiring it to carry more insurance and have a Class A operator." Wow. So, for the price of a laptop I could influence NYC politics and have a councilman of my very own ? I don't even live in New York and it's still tempting, if only for the lulz. Do you think Mr. Kallos would pull me in a rickshaw when I visit ? Or would I need an extra fifty bucks ?

vonmoltke 10y ago
People pay too much attention to the money. He wasn't "bought" with the $2500, he was "bought" with the guaranteed votes from union members for supporting it.
- MaysonL 10y ago
  And the volunteers working for him rather than his opponent.
- Whitestrake 10y ago
  The monetary incentive aside - on principle, it's a good thing that a group of people can arrange with a politician to specify the policy they want to see and then vote for that politician to enact it, right?
TillE 10y ago
It is amazing what cheap dates politicians generally are, even at the national level. The largest numbers you see (eg, pharma industry) are in the low millions.
gervase 10y ago
Honestly, I don't think most people realize just how cheaply politicians can be "influenced" compared to the effect they can have. I mean, $2,500 for a local politician seems cheap to us, but to a corporation making billions a year, $250,000 per year for a congressperson is a similar bargain. In this case, that small $2,500 donation was enough of a foot in the door to (allegedly) create hundreds of thousands or millions of extra dollars per year in revenue; where else can you get that kind of ROI?

3 ms·

"In April 2014, City Councilman Ben Kallos, who received $2,500 over two elections from Local 14, introduced new legislation to prohibit climber cranes like the

by rsync 10y ago

vonmoltke 10y ago
People pay too much attention to the money. He wasn't "bought" with the $2500, he was "bought" with the guaranteed votes from union members for supporting it.
- MaysonL 10y ago
  And the volunteers working for him rather than his opponent.
- Whitestrake 10y ago
  The monetary incentive aside - on principle, it's a good thing that a group of people can arrange with a politician to specify the policy they want to see and then vote for that politician to enact it, right?
TillE 10y ago
It is amazing what cheap dates politicians generally are, even at the national level. The largest numbers you see (eg, pharma industry) are in the low millions.
gervase 10y ago
Honestly, I don't think most people realize just how cheaply politicians can be "influenced" compared to the effect they can have. I mean, $2,500 for a local politician seems cheap to us, but to a corporation making billions a year, $250,000 per year for a congressperson is a similar bargain. In this case, that small $2,500 donation was enough of a foot in the door to (allegedly) create hundreds of thousands or millions of extra dollars per year in revenue; where else can you get that kind of ROI?