It Pays to Give – to Jim Moran
By Amit Singh | Thursday, February 19th, 2009 | Policy, PoliticsAs a business owner of a small defense contractor based out of Arlington for the past 9 years I have always based my company’s business model after exceeding customer expectations and using recommendations and referrals to get more business. But I have probably been going about my business completely the wrong way. Instead I should have taken out a business line of credit and given it to my good friend Jim Moran. The business model would essentially give me a 30 to 1 return on investment.
Interestingly I have friends who used to work at ManTech and Argon ST, companies which have given Moran approximately $132K in campaign contributions and in turn have received $4M in contracts. Coincidence? Not likely. Although ManTech and Argon ST are not bad companies, they are a dime a dozen around the beltway so it’s a little beyond a statistical chance they happened to win these earmarks. So what was the harm? If the money was going to be spent on “defense” anyway then what does it matter who it goes to? It matters a lot because more often than not this money did not need to be spent and it is typically a very inefficient use of federal funds.
The money Moran received from Argon ST and ManTech was funneled through the now defunct lobbyist group PMA and is twice the amount his Republican challenger raised in the last cycle. Regardless, even without those funds, Moran would have brought in over $1.1M so I don’t think he will hesitate to return the money if the investigation gets too much attention but I think it just goes to show that as much as some things change the more they stay the same.
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8 Responses to "It Pays to Give – to Jim Moran"
Are you saying that you have given no campaign contributions – and have no political affiliations? And, specifically, are you saying that you have received absolutely no contracts, or connections to make such a contract via a friendship (paid for or otherwise) with a connected individual? If so, kudos to you. You are one of the good ones.
Forgive my skeptical nature, I just happened to notice that you have been in business for 9 years, roughly the same period of time W, Rummy and the neo-cons were running roughshod over the military, eviscerating us – and handing dozens of contracts over to politically connected friends, all in the name of privatization, or capitalism, or crapism, idiocy, or something…
actually maxing out to Ron Paul last year was the first time I ever saw a politician worth giving my money to so I guess I can say I have never paid for an earmark or had any political affiliations. As far as connections, yes I earned them through the work I have performed and have never asked a friend to give me a favor in the form of contracts. in fact I have time and time again tried to convince the govt I can do more with less money but of course there are perverse incentives for civilian employees as well.
Amit,
Interesting post. Are you considering a run against Congressman Moran in 2010?
Your assertions combined with a donation to Ron Paul definitely makes you one of the good ones. I wish you all the best – and all the success in the future.
PS – I second Steven’s call for you to run in 2010.
thanks for your vote of confidence. while I have met many individuals who could serve well in public office, it takes a different type of person who can endure and thrive on a campaign.
That is true. The Democratic party of Michigan recruited me to run for an open seat in the Michigan House this past fall. After having a discussion with one fo the Iraqi Freedom vets who ran in 2006, his tales of endless days – and moreover, endless fundraising demonstrated that life on the trail is not something I’m ready for either.
One quip he offered as a summary of what it was like to run has stuck with me: if you want to see what it’s like to run, get a blanket and a cup, stand on street corner and beg for money for 12 hours – if you find that you enjoy it, politics is the life for you.
that is very accurate. asking for money is so excruciatingly painful even if you do understand its not for personal use, etc. the stress associated with taking people’s money and doing your best not to let them down is amazingly difficult.
anyway, doesn’t seem like Moran has any issues with that though!
Well Amit, if you do run again, I probably still would not vote for you, but props for at least as a government worker, standing up for what’s right.
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