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April 02, 2008 04:28 AM UTC

Jared Polis - what's another 205K between friends

  • 62 Comments
  • by: DavidThi808

FIrst off, I know it appears to be Jared Polis day here but I think this merits front page mention.

from the Boulder Daily Camera

Jared Polis, Democratic candidate for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, pumped another $205,000 of personal funds into his campaign earlier this week.

This kicks the millionaires ammendment in for Joan.

That means she can go back to supporters who have made the maximum $2,300 contribution and ask for $4,600 more during the primary election cycle.

And Mary Alice had a pithy observation

“This is actually a sad day,” Mandarich said. “It’s a sad day when someone is using their personal wealth this way. Jared is a special interest of one.”

It is true that Jared is a special interest of one and Jared is very beholden to Jared. I definitely have mixed feelings about this – it means that Jared does not have to work to make contributors happy. However, there is also great benefit in a candidate having to reach out to the voters.

The bottom line though is his wealth is one of his strongest assets and a candidate does need to make the most effective use of their assets.

What do you think of Jared's contributions?

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62 thoughts on “Jared Polis – what’s another 205K between friends”

  1. It’d be fair to say that Jared is buying his way into Congress, except for the fact that he’s not.

    I don’t think I’ve met a brighter or more competent campaigner, and he’s working hard. He’s effectively utilizing volunteers, and it’s clear that he’s in touch with the citizens of CD-2.

    Better 205K from your own funds than from external interests. I’d rather have Jared responsible to Jared and the voters than to lobbyist cash.

    1. I just hope it’s a worthwile investment for him. I also appreciate that he’s putting his money where his beliefs are, no one in their right mind would sink this much money into a losing cause.

    2. He isn’t raising taking big PAC money like Joan and isn’t self-funding his campaign like Jared…yet he still seems to be keeping up with fundraising. Imagine that!

      1. Remember when Will said that Jared stole his e-mail list? Than said Neve Mind a day later? It turns out the e-mail list was under Will’s bed the whole time after all.  

        Those two wild and crazy guys just can’t stop bickering.  

          1. When he answers a question he sounds like Ted Baxter. Will sticks to the five iWills

            I agree with Jared

            I agree with Joan

            I don’t know

            I don’t have a position. A position he shared with Jared on Bruce Benson

            &

            I want more windmills

            When he says someone stole his e-mail list he is more like Eddie Haskell.  It is still so funny how the Shafroth team talked in great detail how they knew Polis had stolen his list. What a bunch of kidders.

  2. First, as has already been pointed out, receiving funds from yourself means that you’re not as dependent on others.  This means less potential payback – assuming you put a lot of weight behind contributions == bribery.

    But OTOH, having to put in this much money means that he’s not getting that money from people who support him.  Money is a measure of support, albeit an imperfect measure.  E.g. Obama’s millions in campaign earnings come in large part from small donors.

    Jared is working for this election; he’s not simply buying it (nor could he considering the competition).  But it would reflect better on his campaign if his coffers didn’t advertise a seeming dependence on his own money.

  3. It seems like if he really was a joke, you would ignore him. I mean, he’s only more successful than anyone on this blog so I can see why everyone would think he was just another yahoo without a clue…

    or maybe you all are jealous?

    1. But I know Jared and respect him for what he’s done, and I’d be happy to have him as my Congressman come January 2009, just as I’d be happy with Joan or Will.

      I’m just commenting based on how news from the campaigns makes me feel and think.

      Perhaps you should step back and ask yourself why you’re writing a schoolyard taunt instead of a blog entry.

      1. I wouldn’t be happy to have him as my Congressman, but besides that I agree with your response. Seems like few people are rational on here these days.

  4. “The bottom line though is his wealth is one of his strongest assets and a candidate does need to make the most effective use of their assets.”

    This explains from a political perspective why he is spending money. It doesn’t explain why you or anyone else would or should support him. Doesn’t it concern you that his wealth is his “strongest asset.” It certainly isn’t Joan or Will’s strongest asset. In fact both Joan and Will have strong assets that actually have something to do with being a Representative.

    But then, you’ll just call me a shill and go on your merry way. Good luck trying to justify your decision. It will only get harder to rationalize as time moves on. He spent a cool million on his State Board of Education race. $600k is just a drop in the bucket. Good thing he is balancing out that union support of Joan’s and environmental support of Will’s. We certainly wouldn’t want either of those constituencies represented in Congress. Bah.

      1. I’m tired of seeing rich folk in Congress. We have more than enough already. You tell me this is an “ad-hominem” attack, but that is simply not true. I think it is important for our representatives to represent normal people in the district–something I think is impossible for a filthy rich person like Jared. Just because that isn’t important to you doesn’t mean it isn’t important to me and other voters. I’m sure you are well off if you can spend all day playing around on the blogs.

        In addition, Jared has strong “free-market” tendencies, including supporting privatizing the postal service, supporting school vouchers, and his general support for “market” solutions to problems. Neither Joan nor Will think this way–and neither do I.

        As for Joan, I have some issues with some of her past environmental decisions. In addition, her priorities aren’t aligned with mine. To be honest, I used to dislike her (because of her sometimes nasty personality) more than Jared. But over the course of this campaign, Joan has stayed pretty much herself. Jared has been spinning, switching positions, and generally saying and doing (see self donations) whatever it takes to get elected. People who proclaim to have high ethical standards, yet do what any other politician would do, bother me the most.

        2. Thank you – very legit points. The wealth does not bother me because he earned it himself as opposed to inheriting it. Of course, I may be biased on that issue 🙂

          And his free-market tendencies I like. In most (not all) cases making use of the free market tends to be a very good approach.

          But both of the above are philosophical issues where people will disagree.

          1. I thought he inherited his parents Blue Mountain Arts card company and made a boatload off the Internet bubble in the 90s. Am I wrong?

            You know that old joke: How do you make a million dollars? Well, you start with 2 million…

            1. He started 2 other internet companies that were successful. He then also took his parents company online and built the online component from scratch.

              So did he start off with 2 rocks and an idea? No. But I think he was middle class and his parents had built up a company that was successful but not worth boatloads of money.

              He definitely did not start off with millions. And he had 3 successes which shows skill as well as luck.

          2. Here is the thing David. I think most of the people supporting Jared aren’t like you in liking so called “free-market” approaches to our nation’s problems. In fact, I think most of the people supporting Jared think he is a true left liberal who thinks the unregulated market is BAD for this country. He has just been able to fool them into thinking he is some lefty progressive. That is what irritates me the most.

            Take his so called “single-payer” health care plan for example. That is a liberal as it gets, right? Sure, until you read his op-ed describing the plan and explaining that rich folk like himself will still get better coverage than poor folk. That might be ok with you, but I HIGHLY doubt that is acceptable to a fair number of his supporters he has duped by calling his plan..falsely…single payer.

            I take back any previous comments I said about you being duped by Jared. You actually seem to see the real Jared and support him anyway. Now I just hope every other voter in the district sees the real Jared…because they won’t support him anyway.

              1. It isn’t single payer if there are multiple payers. If you and your rich buddies are capable of buying what you referred to as “supplemental” insurance that makes your health care better than the poor, it isn’t a single payer system. You wrote an op-ed saying that was the case just recently.

                Since you like linking to your own words to prove something is true, how about I do the same.

                “Under my plan, supplemental or “gap” insurance would also exist, just as many Americans on Medicare today also have additional insurance in place.”

                “The truth is that under the current health-care system, both Carroll and I have insurance, and under my proposed plan we would both likely continue to have good supplemental insurance, as would many readers…”

                http://www.rockymountainnews.c…

                1. So are you proposing banning private insurance?

                  We don’t currently ban it for Medicare recipients, and many have gap insurance.

                  Jared Polis

                  1. No. But someone that is proposing single payer IS proposing that by definition. If there is only a single payer, by definition there can’t be private insurance. And my point is that most people when they hear single payer think government health insurance without private health insurance. So you have single payer people that support you that don’t realize that you don’t really support single payer.

                    2. Because I am not discussing the “true” definition of the term single payer. I am only discussing what many MANY people in the district think the definition is.

                      But keep up the ad hominem attacks that you so despise. Hypocrisy becomes you.

                    3. Because I am not discussing the “true” definition of the term single payer. I am only discussing what many MANY people in the district think the definition is.

                      In other words you are not saying Jared is wrong or inconsistent in what he is proposing, just that it is wrong/inconsistent when measured against what you think most people think is meant by “single payer.”

                      Is it possible that Jared is actually discussing single payer as it is envisioned?

                      Is it possible that the responsible thing for a candidate to do is discuss the actual proposal?

                      And maybe, just maybe, the voters are smarter than you give them credit for and actually understand how single payer works?

                      Please make it clear that you are calling Jared inconsistent not because his statements are inconsistent, but because you are redefining words he uses to your own unique definition and then with that tortured logic, finding slight inconsistencies.

            2. Will Shafroth is the clear choice. Will Shafroth is the Ted Baxter of this race. Ask him his position on any issue his answer is:

              I want more windmills

              I don’t know

              I agree with Jared

              I agreed with Joan

              I do not want to take a position

              The Shafroth campaign calls it his five iWills

            3. Yes, the wingnut left is opposed to the free market by and large. But that is a small, albiet noisy part of the electorate.

              But keep in mind that this country support the free market approach in it’s bones. That’s why Europeans find the Democratic party here to be conservative in their eyes.

              If no free-market was such a seller in this race you would have candidates proposing to nationalize Exxon/Mobil.

          1. This is nutsy spin from Polis. You can’t possibly compare someone who would have to liquefy all of their assets (house, retirement, etc.) to reach just over a million dollars with someone who can go to the bank and withdraw a million dollars. It is simply twisted spin to do so. Many Americans have aquired 1 million in total assets… meaning their house, car, etc. Only a handful of Americans can actually SPEND a million dollars on something. There is a giant difference between the two, and only your sick spin would try to say those two sets of people have the same life circumstances.

            1. I never said they had the same life circumstances.  But you’re so sick of having rich people in congress and I consider having over one million dollars in assets rich.  I myself am worth about -$25,000 and I consider my life comfortable.  I’m sure the majority of people living in CD2 are not worth anything near what these three candidates are worth.  Good luck finding someone not worth a million to represent you in United States Congress.

              1. But my guess is that there are a lot of people Will and Joan’s age in the district that are worth considerably more. And I didn’t say that being worth a million was my criteria…that was your criteria. And if I have to choose, I’d rather not choose the filthy rich candidate. That isn’t even always the case. Someone that has made tons of money, but given most of it away would not be in the filthy rich boat in my mind. Only someone that has millions to BURN is filthy rich in my mind.

                1. At the rate he is giving it away, to charities, to politicians (including himself), etc he’s going to be broke before he’s 60.

                  And at that point he will attain ritcheousness in your eyes…

  5. Does this mean Jared has contributed over $500,000 to his own campaign? And what’s the difference between his own contributions and those from supporters (I’m looking for a pie graph here)?

      2. How much can Will Shafroth now raise per contributor?  I think that he may be the big winner.  Will is a funny guy but he also has a lot of money. Look for the big guy to put in a huge personal donation in the last 30 days. Will is smart enough to keep his eggs warm until he needs them in July. By spending so heavily now Jared has made a huge blunder.

        Jared though is one great kidder. Mike Miles gets over 50% spending very little money at the Assemblies. Jared Polis spends over a million dollars and gets well under 40%. Keep spending Jared. When you lost big at the Assemblies your high priced team cried all the way to the bank.  

        1. You’re really good at staying on message.  I wonder how many times you’ve blogged about Will and Jared being “funny guys” and laughable.  Keep up the good work.

  6. it should be a about the huge problem we have electing people to Congress — it costs way too much for someone to run and win.  A candidate either has to fundraise ungodly amounts of money (and we all know about the “strings” attached to much of that money), or s/he needs to tap their own wealth.  Do we really want a system in which it’s almost a requirement that the candidate have personal wealth?  I don’t think it’s a fairness issue — the larger problem is that we elect Congresses that resemble the electorate less and less.

    1. If and until we get public financing of campaigns, I think this is a somewhat of a moot issue.  People need money to run for office and if they get it legally and vote for what they think it right so be it. I am a Joan supporter, but I do not fault Jared for trying to win so if he can give his campaign money, so be it. People like us (Colorado Pols readers) are going to watch his voting record not his wallet. I think the “common cause” goal of public financing is worthy, but they are a dreaded “special interest group” too, just like people who run for office and those of us who read this site.  

      1. “People need money to run for office and if they get it legally and vote for what they think it right so be it.”

        By “what they think it right” assume you mean what the contributing PACs think right. In business there is no “right” and “wrong”; there are investments–in politicians as well as in capital projects, new products, research, etc. All investments are made with a single purpose: to benefit the business. Petro PACs give money to Joan in expectation that she will vote for their interests. It seems like a safe investment. Money talks and politicians don’t forget where it comes from! Seems  basic, yet there are those who imagine otherwise.

        1. It does lend creedence to accusations of him buying the race, at least upon a first glance. What is he spending the personal, non donated money on? Does it just buy more TV than his opponents? More staff for the field? Is the money a buffer for campaign misakes made?At what point does the candidate become so driven to win that he really loses touch witht he electorate, even if he didn’t start that way. I mean the business of campaigning is an insular world and this race has been going on a while.

          On the other hand, crying bloody murder about somebody being filthy rich and being a special interest of one seems like trying to avoid the issues, deflecting your own vulnerabilities.  And I can’t stand when people shit on the entrepenurial or free market spirit. It’s so often hypocritical and unrealistic. I loathe so many dems who pin themselves in a corner as lazy,  wanting a handout, underachievers, because of the free market spikes like Jared.

        2. I assume then that you stand in the “contributions == bribery” category I mentioned in my original post.

          Reading tallport plainly, if the politicians vote for what they think is right, and it’s not connected to a bribe, then it doesn’t matter who contributes.

          Public financing a la Arizona or the recent Senate plan is the obvious goal…

        3. When it comes time to vote, people must do so based their beliefs and values and in the end their overall record will tell where they stand.  Oil and gas companies are not always wrong.  What wrong is the undue influence on public policy from those with the deepest pockets. It is a question of balance.  She may support oil and gas companies a few times, but that’s ok as long she is true to herself and the record she stands on. I guess my point is, if she needs the money and they are going to donate it, then she should take it. In the end we will know the outcome.  It would not bother me if she took money from George Bush as long she did not vote like him. I am behind her all the way.

          1. “It would not bother me if she took money from George Bush as long she did not vote like him.”

            Not entirely unlike saying, maybe, “it wouldn’t bother me if she voted to invade Iraq if no one got hurt.” Or: “It wouldn’t bother me if she said she wanted to protect the environment if she didn’t do anything to hurt the profits of oil companies.”

            Support whomever you must, but at least don’t imagine that IFs like these relate to reality. NaivetГ© can be charming…but more so in in 4-year-olds.

            When individuals donate money to campaigns or politicians, they do so out of ideological conviction. When PACs donate money, they do so in the expectation they will get something in return. It makes all the difference in the world. If it were otherwise, there would be lots of stockholders out there furious as hell.

            There are plenty of people who think businesses should acquire loyal votes in the legislature by contributing to campaigns–that certainly sounds better than “bribery” and, conveniently, it’s legal, given who it is that passes the laws.

            1. I believe in voting patterns and so regardless of the “expectation” of PACS or whoever, I reject the premise of your argument that donated money is buying or guaranteeing a elected official position. It may well give some indication of what they believe, but again, it does not lock a voting pattern. Inherit mistrust can be cleverly disguised, but it does not make it accurate.  I agree that, “when individuals donate money to campaigns or politicians, they do so out of ideological conviction”, no question about, but Joan has a voting record which defines her. I think we have run the course on this point.    

              1. Joan has been one of the most aggressive leaders in the Senate and has a voting record to prove it. Even PACs have limits on what they can donate.Jared is now unlimited. The alternative to raising money is to eliminate competition because only the very wealthy to could finance campaigns.

                Donations represent support.Once you begin supporting yourself, the idea of “representation” goes down the drain. The candidate should reflect the will of his or her constituency. When you eliminate their involvement by self funding, you begin to listen only to yourself.

                1. Thanks for back up Lenny, but I also have to defend Jared. I think he has a progressive record that is consistent overall.  And I personally am not bothered by someone funding themselves.  He has the money so that is his choice.  They need money to win. As I said earlier, if and until , we get public financing of campaigns, (which I would support) I think this issue gets blown into a political football too often. I am a John Edwards supporter, but I think he placed himself at a disadvantage by not taking PAC money. I think Jared is taking the same position?  Why place yourself at a disadvantage?  I just disagree with that logic.  We do not have public financing yet, so until we do, take the money (within law and reason) and let your record speak for itself.  I get so tired of hearing people use the term, “special interests”.  That is a vague term used by people on all sides to discredit their opponents and hoodwink those people who think football is more important than politics.  We all have interests and they are all “special” to somebody. People should do a better job saying what and who they are talking about.  

  8. Ali Hasan ought to join the CD 2 fun. Can you imagine the fun two rich guys of different faiths could have?

    Will Shafroth’s claim that Jared stole his e-mail list was way too funny. Now Will says Never Mind when asked about the stolen e-mail. Jared countered by accusing Will of doing a bad imitation of Mark udall.

    Jared sure did earn the money. Jared took the trust fund check from the mail box and carried it to the bank.  

    Who is going to take over the Polis campaign? Only thing we know for sure is that the jokes will just keep on coming from these wild and crazy guys.

    1. .

      Is WLJ already out as Campaign Manager ?  

      Who is the new Manager ?

      .

      I offered to help as soon as I heard the first rumor,

      and was thanked for offering,

      but no job offer yet.  

      Am I still under consideration ?

      .  

        1. .

          I don’t know how to campaign,

          or how to raise money.  

          But I do know a little about Iraq, and Mercenaries,

          and that’s the focus of his campaign.

          .

    2.  As a Boulder liberal I find your nasty attacks on WS and JP to be unwarranted and annoying. You add nothing to the debate!!

      in the 14 days you been here,  you haven’t done JFG any favors bashing WS and JP-  everybody here is already decided- move on.  

      2. Although it is beneficial to WS and JP to keep Lover of Irony putting all his time and efforts into a blog only read by decideds.  I suppose I can suffer through his repetitive bs if it will help JFG lose.  

      3. Finally, got Jared to show his complaint against Shafroth to the press. Maybe he will post it online now for all of us to see?

        Shafroth sure backed off the theft of e-mail charge. Is he going to apologize and retract or just go Never Mind?

        Instead of talking about great issues these two go around bickering and making half baked charges that only stick to the pan they came in.  

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