Wednesday, October 20, 2010

"I've been a Democrat my entire life" What does that mean?

This ad in today's newspaper caught my eye.  What exactly does it mean to be a Democrat?
  • Does it mean you're registered as a Democrat?
     
  • That you give to Democratic candidates?
     
  • Or that you vote for Democratic candidates?



To me it means all three, and I'd think the same for Republicans.

There was a time when no one would dispute that Bill Sheffield was a Democrat.  But as governor he went through impeachment proceedings and sometime after that he became less loyal to Democrats and regularly and publicly supported Republicans with fundraisers and funds.

I don't know if he kept his Democratic registration or, obviously, how he voted.  However, since 2000 his campaign contributions, while not completely snubbing Democrats, heavily favored  Republicans.  And Murkowski is a name his checkbook knows well.   


This is no sudden conversion.

To me this ad implies that he's breaking with his life long tradition to now support a Republican in this election.  That is clearly NOT the case as his federal campaign contributions show.  (The state numbers are much harder to get from APOC.  What I saw wasn't as lopsided, but it was clear that there was missing data.)

My quick count reveals the dollar amount of his federal contributions runs 5 to 1 for Republicans.  Not exactly what my vision of a "Democrat my entire life" would do.  It would have been called treason had a Republican funded Democrats 5 to 1. 

The following comes from OpenSecrets.



SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE7/1/10$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE6/5/10$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE3/29/10$400Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/EXECUTIVE DIRECTO3/29/10$500Begich, Mark (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR3/25/10$500Murkowski, Lisa (I)





SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR3/5/10$500Murkowski, Lisa (I)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR1/18/10$500Democratic Party of Alaska (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE9/29/09$500Young, Don (R)





SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR9/19/09$250Murkowski, Lisa (I)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ALASKA/DIRECTOR8/4/09$500Inouye, Daniel K (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE6/30/09$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE4/28/09$1,000Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/EXECUTIVE DIRECTO3/25/09$1,000Begich, Mark (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
RETIRED/RETIRED11/4/08$300Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE11/3/08$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE10/16/08$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
RETIRED/RETIRED9/20/08$300Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
8/25/08$500Inouye, Daniel K (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/EXECUTIVE DIRECTO6/12/08$500Begich, Mark (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE5/31/08$300Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE5/31/08$1,200Young, Don (R)





SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE1/10/08$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR10/12/07$500Democratic Party of Alaska (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR9/11/07$500Democratic Party of Alaska (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
RETIRED/RETIRED9/4/07$300Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
RETIRED/RETIRED9/4/07$700Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE8/9/07$1,000Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE4/12/07$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR12/30/06$1,000Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/MANAGER10/23/06$500McGavick, Michael (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR7/11/06$500Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/MANAGER4/20/06$250McGavick, Michael (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE4/19/06$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR1/12/06$500Democratic Party of Alaska (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR12/15/05$1,000Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE11/3/05$500Young, Don (R)





SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE8/3/05$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE/DIRECTOR7/15/05$500Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNICIPALITY OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRE3/31/05$1,000Young, Don (R)





SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MURI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR7/16/04$500Northern Lights PAC (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR6/30/04$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR6/30/04$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR7/31/03$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MURI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR7/30/03$250Northern Lights PAC (R)



SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR5/29/03$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL GOVERNOR
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE5/28/03$250Murkowski, Lisa (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL GOVERNOR
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE5/15/03$250Murkowski, Lisa (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR4/24/03$1,000Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
PORT OF ANCHORAGE2/2/03$250Murkowski, Lisa (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MURI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR9/5/02$500Northern Lights PAC (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR5/23/02$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR3/31/02$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL MR
ANCHORAGE,AK 99509
PRES/CEO8/29/01$500DNC Services Corp (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR8/9/01$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR7/31/01$500Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MURI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR7/30/01$500Northern Lights PAC (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
MUNI OF ANCHORAGE/PORT DIRECTOR4/18/01$250Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL MR
ANCHORAGE,AK 99509
PRES/CEO2/8/01$500DNC Services Corp (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM
ANCHORAGE,AK 99501
ALASKA RAILROAD CORPORATION11/6/00$1,000Young, Don (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
9/5/00$-1,000Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
9/5/00$-500Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
RETIRED8/22/00$1,500Midnight Sun (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
ALASKA RAILROAD8/16/00$500Gorton, Slade (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
ALASKA RAILROAD8/15/00$1,500Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
ALASKA RAILROAD8/15/00$500Stevens, Ted (R)
SHEFFIELD, BILL
ANCHORAGE,AK 99509
RETIRED6/29/00$1,000DNC Services Corp (D)
SHEFFIELD, WILLIAM J MR
ANCHORAGE,AK 99517
AK RAILROAD/CEO5/3/00$500Gore, Al (D)

5 comments:

  1. The first time Ex-Gov Shelflife hosted a fund raiser for Dumb Young, I sent a letter to him at his home address and suggested that it was time for him to quit the Democratic Party and become a Repugnican, since that's what he really is.

    Bill is no Democrat. He hardly was one even when he was Governor. He is just another corrupt politician who was lucky enough to survive Alaska's only impeachment proceeding.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Was he starting his conversion to being a Republican before the impeachment proceedings or did they cause him to get jaded on being a Democrat so he joined the Republicans?

    I think this ad would be more effective for Lisa if he said, "I am registered as a Democrat, but like most Alaskans, I do it MY way. This time, I'm voting for Lisa!"

    Even better and more truthful that will never see print, "I have no values so I am voting my fears: Lease-a-Murkowski!" (This is no slam against Lisa because she is a nice lady. I always thought that Bill was kinda smarmy and it's not just me.)

    "Hi, I'm Bill Sheffield and believe me, I've seen plenty of train wrecks in my life which is why I won't vote for Joe Miller." (I like this best.)

    Why doesn't Bill like Scott McAdams? Scott should run an ad that says, "Bill Sheffield is endorsing one of the other candidates. Bill was the only Alaskan governor to have impeachment proceedings brought up against him. He was always a little smarmy, so I am glad I don't have his vote. For the sane people with values, vote for me, Scott Adams. . . because Bill isn't anything like you."

    We could really have some fun with this. I don't care what Bill thinks or does. I am astounded at his arrogance for telling us who he is voting for as if I should care.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow. Born and raised in Alaska. I thought Sheffield was Republican.
    That's not a comment on my ignorance (well, maybe it is), but on the genuinely non-partisan environment in which I was raised, as a life-long Alaskan.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You should include his APOC reports, here are some of his more notable contributions. To be fair, if you look at who he's given money to on a statewide level, he's pretty much across the board, I didn't do a close analysis, but he does tend to quite charitable to politicians on both sides of the aisle.

    https://webapp.state.ak.us/apoc/getname.jsp


    15 10/29/2009 $250.00 Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary
    16 12/29/2009 $250.00 Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary
    17 01/19/2010 $250.00 Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary
    18 05/13/2010 $100.00 Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary
    19 07/09/2010 ($250.00) Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary
    20 07/09/2010 $400.00 Monetary PARNELL, SEAN R. 2010 State Primary

    60 12/22/2005 $100.00 Monetary KOHRING, VIC 2006 State Primary

    3 11/15/2001 $500.00 Monetary STEVENS, BEN A. 2002 State Primary

    3 09/26/2001 $200.00 Monetary COWDERY, JOHN 2002 State Primary

    11 11/21/2006 $100.00 Monetary KOHRING, VIC 2006 State Primary

    ReplyDelete
  5. Read this post and then went to my mailbox where giant Alaskans Standing Together flyer awaited. Giant Sheffield quote and picture. Having just read about his contributions to republicans, the "democrat my entire life" kinda shocked me. Can you really consider yourself a democrat and contribute to Sean Parnell, Don Young, Lisa, Ted, etc. etc? Oh, and the graph on the flyer shows Lisa's poll numbers shooting up from a low of 36% to most recent of 44.9%!! Um. Yeah. Just like Sheffield's alway been a democrat.

    ReplyDelete

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