Oh, Calcutta

Here’s the story so far.  President Obama accused the Republicans of getting campaign donations from foreign corporations.  I’m not exactly sure of the legalities, how much of a corporation can be foreign owned, whether or not it matters where they are located, how the donation was made, etc…

Karl Rove hits the roof.  Says Obama’s making wild accusations, has no proof, etc…

Presidential press secretary Robert Gibbs, who is in my opinion possibly the coolest guy on the planet, says, basically, we aren’t backing off.

I could learn to live like that

Think Progress publishes long list of foreign companies who have donated to a group called “The American Chamber of Commerce,” which has spent 75 million dollars buying ads for Republican candidates.  This is what we used to call, back in the old days, “the goods.”  So, Karl Rove can STFU.

The list is a shocker.  Not because of the amounts.  The companies were contributing, at most $15,000.  The big spenders are on another list.  Not because of the companies.  Most I’d never heard of.  The list is a shocker because of where they were from.  The vast majority were in India, 5 or 10 from Bahrain, and a sprinkling from other countries.

Now, I’m not as worried as most Americans are about jobs going overseas.  I live and work overseas.  Indians need to eat, too.  I hope that, eventually, all the economic discrepancies in the world disappear and people can live decently wherever they are.

Also, I don’t think it’s a tragedy for the rest of the world if America slips from it’s superpower perch.  I don’t even think it’s a tragedy for Americans.  Consider the lifestyle of the average Briton today, compared to, say, 1890, at the height of Empire.  I reckon they are better off today.

And I’m not too worried about growing Indian influence in the U.S.  More chapatis and curries and super hot peppers.  I can live with that.

I’m just glad to see Karl Rove caught on something.  I don’t expect him to actually be charged, or anything like that.  But I can dream.