Nothing highlights the ridiculousness of modern-day politics better than satire. A 2015 version of that means deciphering between some silly pop culture genre or theme and a political one. It’s this mentality that gave us the nuggets of awesome that were “Who said it, Donald Trump or Ron Burgundy” or a similar one picking out quotes from both the Donald and Lucille Bluthe from Arrested Development.
Now, in order to highlight just how utterly stupid most Super PAC names are, there is this one: Is it an ’80s band or a Super PAC? And ladies and gents, this one is hard.
I scored an eight out of 12 and was told that I either know a lot about ’80s bands or Super PACs but, certainly, not both. Thankfully it’s the latter I’m more familiar with.
I went 0 for 2 straight out of the gate guessing that Progressive Kick and Unintimidated were ’80s bands. Nope and nope.
Progressive Kick is apparently a Bernie Sanders Super PAC that has already raised $1 million while Unintimidated has doled out $1 million on Scott Walker, who has since withdrawn from the race.
Embarrassingly enough I guessed USA for Africa was a Super PAC forgetting that’s the allstar line-up of pop stars who put together “We Are the World” in 1985 with musicians like Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Lionel Richie, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.
My final “whoops” was on Maverick. It didn’t sound like much of a name for a Super PAC, but alas, it is. Ted Cruz was one of the “platform for engaging the next generation of American leaders in business and politics” PAC’s founders. While that PAC hasn’t officially endorsed a GOP candidate, one of its top donors is Rooney Holdings, who has also contributed to another PAC that supports Jeb Bush.
Other PACs listed in the quiz include the Madison Project, a group organized in 1994 to promote conservatism. They haven’t spent money on any campaigns yet this season, but does sell “Choose Cruz” t-shirts on its website.
There’s also the Correct the Record PAC, serving to dispel anti-Hillary Clinton propaganda. That PAC has raised a total of $1.4 million so far, according to the quiz.
Giant Steps sounds like a reasonable pit for dark money, but it’s just an ’80s pop band with the 1988 hit “Another Lover.”
The band behind the karaoke sensation “Don’t you want me,” The Human League, is also listed. A PAC by that name might work to establish world peace or something of the sort.
Other ’80s pop bands mentioned that sounded vaguely Super PAC-ish include the German band Modern Talking, Eye to Eye and the masterminds behind Revenge of the Nerds’ “Are you Ready for the Sex Girls,” Gleaming Spires.
