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Time to get the lobby money out of D.C.

JustMyPOV

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Calif. Congressman Admits Taking Bribes:

"Investigators said Cunningham, a (Republican) member of a House Appropriations subcommittee that controls defense dollars, secured contracts worth tens of millions of dollars for those who paid him off. Prosecutors did not identify the defense contractors."

From:
The Guardian

Fact is, I'd be willing to bet my last dollar that nearly every single representative, Republican and Democrat alike, is somehow being paid off by corporate interests to get Federal dollars/contracts. Most seem to have the sense to get it done in a way that doesn't get them caught, however.

Very simply, it needs to stop. Strict new laws WITHOUT LOOPHOLES need to be made that prevent the representatives we elect from accepting corporate/PAC gifts, trips, donations to their non-profit organizations from which they draw a salary, and every other conceivable way to get payola. If your case doesn't have enough merit to stand on its own without an accompanying bribe, chances are, its not in the best interests of the American people anyway.
 

That's a tough issue because the loopholes are usually found AFTER the laws are passed.
 
The Real McCoy said:
That's a tough issue because the loopholes are usually found AFTER the laws are passed.
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It's even tougher because the folks who pass the laws that would eliminate the loopholes are the same folks who get fattened by them. Remember Bush running on the "reform" plank? LOL!
 
Huh? Another republican taking bribes? Say it isn't so! What happened to their "Contract with America"? I thought that they were going to be so much more honest than the democrats in Congress had been prior to 1994.

Guess not. Bwhahahhahahhhaa
 

Unfortunately, I could not in all honesty give the Dems higher marks on this score. Politicians and politicians.
 
Iriemon said:
It's even tougher because the folks who pass the laws that would eliminate the loopholes are the same folks who get fattened by them.
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Very good point.
 
Iriemon said:
Unfortunately, I could not in all honesty give the Dems higher marks on this score. Politicians and politicians.
Click to expand...

I agree. My beef is that the republicans said this in their "Contract with America."

REPUBLICAN CONTRACT WITH AMERICA

As Republican Members of the House of Representatives and as citizens seeking to join that body we propose not just to change its policies, but even more important, to restore the bonds of trust between the people and their elected representatives.

That is why, in this era of official evasion and posturing, we offer instead a detailed agenda for national renewal, a written commitment with no fine print.

This year's election offers the chance, after four decades of one-party control, to bring to the House a new majority that will transform the way Congress works. That historic change would be the end of government that is too big, too intrusive, and too easy with the public's money. It can be the beginning of a Congress that respects the values and shares the faith of the American family.

http://www.house.gov/house/Contract/CONTRACT.html


It is presumed that politicians will be honest (yeah right), but the republicans went out of their way to make promises that they would be better than the democrats. And guess what? They are NOT.

Also, they have made government bigger and spent more $$$$.
 
aps said:
It is presumed that politicians will be honest (yeah right), but the republicans went out of their way to make promises that they would be better than the democrats. And guess what? They are NOT.
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In your opinion.

For me, once we got the sex addicted deviant out of the White House, I found my president to be very honest. And that's my opinion.
 
This is a bipartisan issue. We have to get rid of K-Street's control of the Gov. They would be bribing the Dems much more if they were in power, just like back in '92.

The corruption is out of control, and it's not good for ANY of us.
 
I don't think there are very many people who would approve of their elected representatives taking payola. No matter how you look at it, no matter how or through what loophole it is done, it is ethically and morally wrong. In some cases, like this one, even legally wrong.

Their salary is adequate, their staff is paid, their transportation paid... I just can't understand why they need the shady side-dealings. It needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. Those we elect need to get back to the business of the people, and stop making their decisions based on personal gain.
 
KCConservative said:
In your opinion.

For me, once we got the sex addicted deviant out of the White House, I found my president to be very honest. And that's my opinion.
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Then you're going to have a hard time with Guiliani right? Stick this in your pipe and smoke it.


http://www.armchairsubversive.com/
 
hipsterdufus said:
Then you're going to have a hard time with Guiliani right? Stick this in your pipe and smoke it.



http://www.armchairsubversive.com/
Click to expand...

Wow, that certainly is a long list of city councilmen and county commissioners. You seemed to miss that I was referring to the President of the United States (Bill Clinton) and not your long list from armchairsubversive.com. Let's see what else that website says, shall we:

Liberal Blog Advertising NetworkBy bringing together more than seventy of the most highly trafficked, regularly updated and politically focused liberal and progressive blogs, the Liberal Blog Advertising Network now makes it possible for advertisers to reach virtually the entire liberal and progressive political blogosphere at once. Simply put, no other advertising opportunity can offer an audience so dedicated to liberal and progressive causes. Advertise here, and reach the people who manufacture the liberal and progressive zeitgeist.

Nope, nothing partisan about that. :roll: How's your pipe tasting?
 
While I lack the forebearance, I'm willing to bet money that someone would be able to cook up an equally long (or longer) list of Democrats involved in sex scandals.
 
The Real McCoy said:
While I lack the forebearance, I'm willing to bet money that someone would be able to cook up an equally long (or longer) list of Democrats involved in sex scandals.
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That's way too easy. Besides, Red State America expects it from the looney left, not us.
 
KCConservative said:
That's way too easy. Besides, Red State America expects it from the looney left, not us.
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True. But it'd be such a sweeter list, topped off with 2 U.S. presidents.
 
The last thing we need are campaign finance laws that restrict free speech but don't improve our democracy.

Campaign finance laws will ALWAYS benefit the incumbents, and that's the last thing we need right now. They're the ones who write the campaign finance laws. Also, if all the candidates in a race have an equal amount of money and none of them have any horrible scandals, chances are the one with the best name-recognition will win (usually the incumbent).

There will always be a certain amount of money in politics, but one way to minimize this is to minimize the ability of government officials to grant favors to its supporters. For example, if we had a flat corporate tax with no loopholes (or no corporate tax at all), corporations would no longer have their primary motive for donating huge sums of money to candidates.
 
KCConservative said:
In your opinion.

For me, once we got the sex addicted deviant out of the White House, I found my president to be very honest. And that's my opinion.
Click to expand...

Okay, that's your opinion. Personally, I miss him. He was fare more articulate than the current president. Everyone has their shortcomings--everyone. His I could live with (because if I was married to Hillary, I might look around as well).

hipster, did you notice that KC said nothing about the part of my post addressing the republicans' "Contract with America"?
 
aps said:
hipster, did you notice that KC said nothing about the part of my post addressing the republicans' "Contract with America"?
Click to expand...



Politician=LIAR


Why is anyone even surprised anymore?
 
What needs to be done is artificial persons should not have identical rights as real persons.
That simple change would go a long way toward cleaning up th egovt and making it more responsive to the electorate than it it to special interest PACS.

Artificial persons should not be allowed to contribute to re-election campaigns, political parties nor should they be allowed to lobby legislatures.
 
aps said:
Personally, I miss him. He was fare more articulate than the current president. Everyone has their shortcomings--everyone. His I could live with (because if I was married to Hillary, I might look around as well)
Click to expand...

There you go, folks. Bill Clinton lied under oath to a federal grand jury while serving as president of the United States and aps can "live with" that because, after all, he is a better speaker than the current president.

Makes me proud to be a conservative.
 
Give me a president that sleeps with an intern over one who hops in bed with any company that contributes to his party any day.
 
JustMyPOV said:
Give me a president that sleeps with an intern over one who hops in bed with any company that contributes to his party any day.
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One part of your statement is true, because he admitted as much. The other is an unsubstantiated accusation.

Tell you what. I'll provide links to the grand jury lies and I'll even provide evidence to corporate campaign contributions for every president in the last 25 years. What will you provide?
 

Ok, then. I'll substantiate it for you.

"The money flowing from Merrill Lynch employees is part of a $12.14 million tidal wave of cash to the Bush campaign from the finance and insurance sectors."

"Wall Street has stepped up to the plate in support of Bush, and Bush has sponsored legislation producing billions of dollars in revenue on Wall Street."

From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50364-2004May23.html

This is the contributor list from MSDW, another of the major holding companies who benefited tremendously from the reduction in capital gains taxes:

MSDW Contributors ranked by amount donated.

Here's the list from Merrill Lynch:

Merrill Lynch Contributors.

But wait! That's just one set of examples!

The Oil and Gas Industry contributed $1,517,622 to the RNC, and got BILLIONS in tax breaks.

The Pharmaceuticals/Health Products industry contributed $1,006,958, and Bush has been pushing to limit their liablities for injuries/deaths sustained as a result of their products since he took office.

Source: RNC Corporate contributors

The list goes on and on. But I think I've adequately substantiated my claim that Bush is in bed with corporate lobbies. Hell, I doubt he'd even deny it if he was asked. How could he?
 
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