Toledo Blade investigates money and politics in Ohio

A very good piece of investigative reporting by the Toledo Blade: Ohio Bush donors richly rewarded:

COLUMBUS - The Ohio business leaders and lobbyists who steered at least $4.1 million to President Bush's re-election campaign last year collected more than $1.2 billion in taxpayer dollars for their companies and clients, a Blade investigation shows.

The fund-raisers who helped deliver the battleground state - and ultimately the 2004 presidential election - also received choice appointments from state and federal officials. The posts included an ambassadorship to Germany and a seat on the Ohio State University board of trustees...

Porkopolis supports: Unlimited free political speech, unlimited political contributions and unlimited exposure using the sunshine of shame on conflicts of interests.

If we had a federal government that was a lot smaller we would also have a lot less people (Republicans and Democrats) attempting t influence it with political contributions.