Rich Men North of Richmond #1

[davideduardo]

Tying back to the song Rich Men North of Georgia, how do congressmen get rich? Campaign contributions from lobbyists. Who spend the most? The NRA:

The total spent on lobbying:

"Total federal lobbying spending topped $4.1 billion last year, and first quarter spending sets 2023 on track for another big year. "

Federal lobbying spending tops $1 billion in first quarter of 2023 - OpenSecrets News

First quarter federal lobbying spending blew past $1 billion for the second year in a row, a new OpenSecrets analysis of 2023 federal lobbying disclosures found.

www.opensecrets.org

Total lobbying budget of the NRA is:

$3 million: The amount the NRA has spent, roughly, on lobbying each year since 2011.

Campaign contribution by the NRA in the last Presidential year was $54 million. That is tiny compared to the total amount contributed to all congressional and presidential campaigns.

Total campaign contributions: "While the presidential election drew a record $5.7 billion, congressional races saw a stunning $8.7 billion in total spending."

Most expensive ever: 2020 election cost $14.4 billion

Political spending in the 2020 election totaled $14.4 billion, more than doubling the total cost of the record-breaking 2016 cycle.

www.opensecrets.org

So the total contributed directly and through PACs for the congressional races and the presidency was $5.7 billion and the NRA spent $54 million. That is barely1%.

 

[Bill Betten]

I find it ironic that this post went completely sideways in subject matter, but I got a warning for swaying slightly off subject matter (real welfare fraud facts in a Rich Men of Richmond post) Are the rules only for some people?

 

[davideduardo]

As moderator, I am going to let this wind down (or up?) for a few moments more, but since it is now well away from a discussion of a single ephemeral song, I'll close it later today to give everyone a chance to make a "closing statement".

 

[davideduardo]

I find it ironic that this post went completely sideways in subject matter, but I got a warning for swaying slightly off subject matter (real welfare fraud facts in a Rich Men of Richmond post) Are the rules only for some people?

Your moderators have the right to determine how far "off track" a subject may go. In this case, the subject of guns is going to be closed later today.

 

[TheBigA]

$3 million: The amount the NRA has spent, roughly, on lobbying each year since 2011.

That doesn't include direct contributions to politicians.

 

[davideduardo]

That doesn't include direct contributions to politicians.

I stated that later in the post. $54 million. Their whole income for the entire NRA organization is only around $225 million a year.

"he National Rifle Association saw revenue continue to decline in 2021, when it collected $227 million, the lowest figure in a decade"

Or,

"The NRA's revenue declined 23% from roughly $367 million in 2016 to $282 million in 2020, the most recent year for which its tax filings are available. Contributions and grants from members and from corporations also have slipped 15% during that time."

NRA, long viewed as invincible, faces shrinking membership and revenue

Gun rights organization, which holds its annual conference this weekend, is attracting renewed scrutiny after Uvalde massacre.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[TheBigA]

Here is an analysis piece on the Rich Men song

Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North of Richmond' Misses the Point

The song is a symbol of the sorry state of status-quo affirming country music, writes David Cantwell.

www.yahoo.com

Oliver Anthony played a show in his hometown of Farmville GA

Oliver Anthony is ‘singing for all of us’: Hometown salutes ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ phenomenon

Anthony performed twice in four days in Farmville, Va., which he calls home and where locals say he is a “genuine, God-fearing man.” He was mobbed by fans.

nypost.com

 

[TheBigA]

Here's some detailed analysis of when country radio is playing the Rich Men song. It's not in overnight:

Dayparts: When Do Oliver Anthony, Tyler Childers Get Their Spins?

Oliver Anthony Music and Tyler Childers may not have blown up the charts last week, but they also didn’t get buried in overnights. More than half the spins for both

www.countryinsider.com

 

[johnbasalla]

The song is getting good traction. My Brother-In-Law and his family are Country music listeners who don't listen as much as they used to because todays "Country" has, often, become Rock or Soft Rock with twang. Still, he heard/heard about this song and called me up to find out more about it. There wasn't much that I shared. I found it interesting that he called, specifically, to talk about a song.

 

[johnbasalla]

(From Greg Strickland) Has Paul McCartney written a protest/message song that became a major hit?
In 1972, Paul McCartney (Wings) had a #21 Billboard "Hot 100" hit with "Give Ireland Back To The Irish". Some controversy occurred. Paul's response was to go 100% in the opposite direction. His next single, "Mary Had A Little Lamb" / "Little Woman Love" peaked at #28 the same year.

 

[Kelly A]

If you add in benefits ranging from (depending on one's residence location) free tablets, lunch and books for school children to housing subsidies, food stamps, subsidized housing and many other items, we find employees when pushed to work saying, "I can make just as much from benefits and can stay home and not commute".

It's happened to me in various ways in several situations.

Sure, and depending on their unique situation, families can't afford to pay for expensive child care at the wages they're qualified to work. I know of one young family who legally immigrated from Iraq, and can barely pay California rent with one income, while the other parent cleans hotel rooms solely to pay for daily child care so they can both work. Same can be said for other non-immigrant families who can't get more than minimum wage jobs.
We as fellow humans, including politicians considered well off by comparison, should really spend some time to see what others less fortunate have to do for survival before assuming that every one of them is gaming the system.

 

[Bill Betten]

Sure, and depending on their unique situation, families can't afford to pay for expensive child care at the wages they're qualified to work. I know of one young family who legally immigrated from Iraq, and can barely pay California rent with one income, while the other parent cleans hotel rooms solely to pay for daily child care so they can both work. Same can be said for other non-immigrant families who can't get more than minimum wage jobs.
We as fellow humans, including politicians considered well off by comparison, should really spend some time to see what others less fortunate have to do for survival before assuming that every one of them is gaming the system.

Why do you keep on trying to turn this into a political battle? The song doesn't say every one of them is trying to "game the system" until you realize welfare fraud is rampant, you will still have this mindset.

 

[CTListener]

Turning the discussion back to the radio side of this song ... Has anyone here actually heard it on a radio receiver or a stream? So far, all the citations seem to be based on monitoring of playlists and charts. I have yet to hear it up here in any day part, although obviously I only listen for a couple of hours a day most days. I remain curious about the radio edit -- what it consists of and if there's an "official" one. Since the artist is unsigned, I'm thinking radio stations or chains are having to do their own edits, but who knows? Anyone? Again, posters who have HEARD the song played on radio only, not chart geeks or station playlist snoopers.

 

[CTListener]

Why do you keep on trying to turn this into a political battle? The song doesn't say every one of them is trying to "game the system" until you realize welfare fraud is rampant, you will still have this mindset.

What is your proof that welfare fraud is rampant? Statistical, verified evidence or assumptions based on -- oh, I don't know, maybe the number of fat people you see on the poor side of town?

 

[TheBigA]

What is your proof that welfare fraud is rampant? Statistical, verified evidence or assumptions based on -- oh, I don't know, maybe the number of fat people you see on the poor side of town?

Actual fraud for SNAP (food stamps) is around 7%. However more than 60% of Americans feel fraud is common:

YouGov

today.yougov.com

The fact is that fraud is a crime. If someone has actual proof of fraud, they should report it.

The song deals with a lot of popular perceptions. No question that people are angry, and they distrust politicians. But a lot of those perceptions are not based on actual facts.

 

[CTListener]

Actual fraud for SNAP (food stamps) is around 7%. However more than 60% of Americans feel fraud is common:

YouGov

today.yougov.com

The fact is that fraud is a crime. If someone has actual proof of fraud, they should report it.

The song deals with a lot of popular perceptions. No question that people are angry, and they distrust politicians. But a lot of those perceptions are not based on actual facts.

Seven percent is still substantial, but the bigger problem, AFAIK, is what the stamps can be, and are, being used for. But yes, I realize that for many SNAP recipients, the closest thing to a Whole Foods, or even a Food Lion or a Kroger's, in their vicinity is a Dollar General, with no produce department or butcher shop and shelves sagging under the weight of snack foods. But one can still piece together dietary essentials there without blowing your monthly allowance on sugary pastries or salty chips.

 

[TheBigA]

Seven percent is still substantial, but the bigger problem, AFAIK, is what the stamps can be, and are, being used for.

In any public-private partnership, there is potential for abuse. There are very clear rules about what the stamps can be used for, but it depends on the clerk at the store to either accept or reject the purchase at the time. As you point out, that becomes a bigger problem at convenience stores.

 

[Kelly A]

Why do you keep on trying to turn this into a political battle? The song doesn't say every one of them is trying to "game the system" until you realize welfare fraud is rampant, you will still have this mindset.

First of all; I was responding to David's post, not you. And also, where did I mention anything about politics? To summarize my comments to something that you might understand better: try walking a mile in someone less well off shoes, before you start assuming that everyone is just trying to steal from you.

Signed,
Antifa

 

[TheBigA]

Rich Men is #1 on YouTube, Spotify, and Shazam:

Oliver Anthony Music’s ‘Rich Men’ Rules YouTube U.S. Chart.

Oliver Anthony Music’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” had 17.7 million YouTube views in the U.S. for the week ending Aug. 24. That’s more than the next three songs combined

www.countryinsider.com

 

[kevtronics]

The song deals with a lot of popular perceptions. No question that people are angry, and they distrust politicians. But a lot of those perceptions are not based on actual facts.

That's what's so unsettling about it. The song may not be pro-Trump, but it perpetuates the mentality that "all politicians are crooks, so therefore Trump isn't any worse than the rest of them, and he's being unfairly targeted while the rest of them are getting away with it scot-free".