Money and Politics

An interesting point from this article on the role of money in the political process:

Scarborough recalls running into supporters four years ago who had contributed $100,000 or more to Bush or the Republican Party, but couldn't wangle invitations to the inaugural balls.

With that kind of donation 25 years ago, he says, "you'd have had the president's phone number in the Oval Office."

For what it's worth, one of my uncles raised at least $100,000 for Bush's election campaign in 2000. He was also one of a handful of people who lent (I believe) a corporate jet to the Bush campaign. At the time, he told me that all he asked in return was that he would get to go to the White House for lunch at some point during a Bush presidency. Just lunch. That's it. As it turns out, he hasn't even gotten that much.