More Crony Capitalism -- "ObamaPhone" Style

Everyone remembers the horrendous "ObamaPhone" video, of course.

At the time, I noted that the "ObamaPhone" episode illuminated President Obama's expertise at "using taxpayer money to buy support, pay off supporters, or for overall self-glorification."  Huh.  I was just thinking about the support it bought from people like the woman using it, and attributing the benefit to Obama, rather than to the taxpayers who are actually subsidizing her phone use.

But now, it emerges (via Andrew Stiles in the Washington Free Beacon) that -- in another example of Chicago-style "crony capitalism" -- ObamaPhones are profiting Obama donors, too.  Specifically:

A wireless company profiting from the so-called "Obama phone" giveaway program is run by a prominent Democratic donor whose wife has raised more than $1.5 million for the president since 2007.

That works out nicely, doesn't it? Oh, and the couple has visited The White House at least seven times, according to visitor logs.  Rapidly escalating costs in the program -- subsidized through your phone bills -- has drawn bipartisan attention in Congress.

Gotta give President Obama credit: He's expert at putting taxpayer money to work . . . for his own benefit.