If You Don’t Know About the K Street Project, You Don’t Know Jack
If You Don’t Know About the K Street Project, You Don’t Know Jack
To understand how the culture of corruption arose that now infects the leadership in Washington, DC, it is important to understand the origins and functions of the K Street Project. Below are some of the essential facts.
[Note: This information originally appeared in this morning's Progress Report, a daily email newsletter written by the authors of ThinkProgress. To sign-up and receive the news you care about, simply enter your email address in the box on the right-hand side of this page.]
In 1994, the right wing gained control over the House of Representatives on the strength of a series of reforms embodied in the so-called “Contract with America.” The contract ostensibly “aimed to restore the faith and trust of the American people in their government” and end the “cycle of scandal and disgrace†in government. A year later, then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX) was already plotting to breach that contract by undertaking a project to develop cozier relations with Washington, D.C. lobbyists.
High-minded policy goals would take a backseat in DeLay’s pay-to-play system where the success of lobbyists would be dictated not by how compelling a case they could make, but rather by how willing they would be to line the pockets of DeLay and his colleagues. Conceptualized as a tool for the right-wing preservation of power, the “K Street Strategy,†as it became known, created the culture in which Jack Abramoff’s criminal activity was encouraged and rewarded.
HOW THE K STREET PROJECT WORKED: In his dealings with K Street lobbyists, DeLay explicitly stated he would operate by “the old adage of punish your enemies and reward your friends.†(To gain influence over legislation, trade associations and corporate lobbyists were ordered to do three things: 1) refuse to hire Democrats, 2) hire only deserving Republicans as identified by the congressional leadership, and 3) contribute heavily to Republican coffers.) Despite being admonished by the House Ethics Committee numerous times for his conduct, DeLay’s pay-to-play machine continued to plow full-speed ahead. With federal benefits up for sale, corporations quickly identified the need to need to hire more lobbyists, giving rise to one of the greatest growth industries in America. Grover Norquist, head of Americans for Tax Reform, proudly proclaimed in 2002 that [conservatives] “will have 90-10 [percentage advantage in staffing] on K Street and 90-10 business giving.â€
IDEAS TOOK A BACKSEAT: Lost in the pay-to-play system is any concern for good governance. The Wall Street Journal recently editorialized, the real problem “isn’t about lobbyists so much as it is the atrophying of its principles. As their years in power have stretched on, House Republicans have become more passionate about retaining power than in using that power to change or limit the federal government. Gathering votes for serious policy is difficult and tends to divide a majority. Re-election unites them, however, so the leadership has gradually settled for raising money on K Street and satisfying Beltway interest groups to sustain their incumbency. This strategy has maintained a narrow majority, but at the cost of doing anything substantial. … Ideas are an afterthought, when they aren’t an inconvenience.”
IMBALANCE OF POWER: The K Street scheme had a dramatic influence on policy. While it is well-recognized that business interests profited from the K Street Strategy, less attention is paid to those who lost out. As Michael Crowley, a writer for The New Republic, recently noted on C-Span, “In times like these when we have a budget crunch, it’s not subsidies for corporations or tax loopholes that go; it’s Medicaid and aid and health care for low-income disadvantaged people who don’t really have lobbies in Washington with the clout equivalent to some of America’s biggest corporations.†The last few months of Congress are a testament to that fact. In the name of cutting federal spending, Congress recently proposed a budget trimming Medicaid funding, federal child-support enforcement, and student loans to save $40 billion. But the right wing quickly turned around and distributed these savings back out in the form of business-friendly tax cuts.
A SYSTEM MADE FOR ABRAMOFF: Jack Abramoff was “closely associated with the K Street Project.†In fact, the system was a perfect fit for Abramoff, given his stated desire to shun low-paying political activist work in favor of striking it rich. “I wanted to make money,†he said. A former chairman of the College Republican National Committee, Abramoff decided that his connections in the conservative movement could help him at a time when Republicans were rising to power in Washington. Abramoff developed a motley crew of right-wing allies, including anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist, Christian right-wing leader Ralph Reed, and a host of conservative lawmakers. “He is someone on our side,” said DeLay chief of staff Ed Buckham. “He has access to DeLay.†And Abramoff played the game as DeLay wanted it played. By securing clients with deep pockets and federal legislative interests, Abramoff was able to contribute heavily to Republican leaders (raising at least $120,000 for the 2004 Bush campaign). What eventually brought Abramoff down was how audaciously he worked the system. He now concedes that he illegally “offered and provided a stream of things of value to public officials in exchange for official acts and influence and agreements to provide official action and influence.†In return for legislative and personal favors, the things of value he provided to lawmakers included “foreign and domestic travel, golf fees, frequent meals, entertainment, election support for candidates for government office, employment for relatives of officials and campaign contributions.â€
RAMPANT ABUSE OF POWER: New York Times columnist David Brooks explained “the real problem wasn’t DeLay, it was DeLayism, the whole culture that merged K Street with the Hill, and held that raising money is the most important way to contribute to the team.” The culture permeated the entire congressional leadership; they were willing buyers of what lobbyists were selling. “We simply have too much power,” said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), speaking of lawmakers’ ability to target tax dollars for particular projects, contractors or campaign donors. The current race for the majority leader post left vacant by DeLay reveals the far-reaching impact of the K Street culture. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) shared connections to Abramoff and has taken other actions to benefit corporate lobbyists. Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) “has strong connections to lobbyists: He met weekly with leading lobbyists to enlist their support and discuss strategy during his four years as House Republican Conference chairman, from 1995 to 1998.†Very few of the congressmen who have been in positions of power over the last decade have clean hands. Many of them share the pay-to-play values of Tom DeLay and the K Street ideology of Jack Abramoff.
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This is why the Abramoff scandal is a Republican scandal. And, it would appear, any reforms being proposed by the Republicans at this point seem meaningless because of ties to Abramoff.
January 13th, 2006 at 2:38 pmIt’s hard to think of a “cycle of scandal and disgrace,†without thinking of DeLay.
K Street was a master stroke to gain political power to control the financial high ground formerly occupied by Democrats by counteracting the billions poured into the DNC by unions and ultra left organizations. If the Donks had any brains at all they’d have thought of it first but as we all know the DNC is now operated by people of low character and even lower ability.
2008 is going to be a very good year! USA! USA! USA!
January 13th, 2006 at 2:42 pmWell, my view is that we can use the “contract with America” to beat the Repubs silly. I don’t see why the Dems can’t put a simple message out there, like, the Repubs came to power promising to do this and that….
Among others, as I posted on my blog: http://liberalcitizen.blogspot.com/2006/01/hey-what-happened-to-contract-with.html
Sorry for the long post, but we should remind the American people of the fraud perpetuated by the Republican party in the last decade.
January 13th, 2006 at 2:49 pmAnd the leader of the K Street Project? Sen. Santorum. This one lines up nicely with the latest CQ Midday update:
Leave it to him to write the next Contract with America… I’m sure we can trust him.
January 13th, 2006 at 2:52 pmk street makes the mafia look ethical
January 13th, 2006 at 3:01 pmRick Sanitarium?
Well, I’m glad he a God fearin man, cause if he wasn’t I would be worried. :|
January 13th, 2006 at 3:04 pm‘if all the mothers of all the crooks we have in gov. had ABORTED…we wouldn’t have any problems, right mr.bennett???
January 13th, 2006 at 3:06 pm#6: No, you got it wrong, it’s pRick Sanitarium – but, I digress. I agree that the best Dem strategy is to take the Repub’s “Contract With America” and shove it back in their faces. Basically, a “here’s what you voted for” and look some years later – “here’s what you got”…
January 13th, 2006 at 3:09 pmI’m waiting for the Senate to throw Ricky to the dogs and force him to take one for the team. He will lose his reelection bid anyway and give the appearance of house cleaning on the hill. The temple still needs a lot more cleaning before this nation can truly claim a position of honor in this world…A Lot more cleaning mind you A LOT.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:10 pmThe Medicare bill is one of the latest projects of K Street. It was written in the conference room of a K Street lobbyist, at the direction of Tom DeLay, with representatives of the drug industry putting in things they would like.
The legislaation, lauded and loved by Bush because it give the drug companies billions of dollars, is the worst piece of legislation that DeLay ever got passed in the middle of the night.
The bill could have been written in a way that was understandable by the public, but DeLay and the lobbyist did not want that, they wanted the ensuing confusion. The bill offers over 40 different programs when only one should have been addressed. The same medicare and prescription for all low income americans, period.
DeLay and the others get together every once in a while and have a big laugh about what they pulled on the american people, and Bush, because he was so ignornat he did not even know what he signed into law.
All lobbying should be halted in its tracks. Abolish the practice and watch how effecient laws become, and how much cheaper things are. The consumers pay the huge salaries of the lobbying groups and it costs about two bucks a prescription. Didnt know that, did you?
January 13th, 2006 at 3:11 pmThe Medicare bill is one of the latest projects of K Street. It was written in the conference room of a K Street lobbyist, at the direction of Tom DeLay, with representatives of the drug industry putting in things they would like.
The legislaation, lauded and loved by Bush because it give the drug companies billions of dollars, is the worst piece of legislation that DeLay ever got passed in the middle of the night.
The bill could have been written in a way that was understandable by the public, but DeLay and the lobbyist did not want that, they wanted the ensuing confusion. The bill offers over 40 different programs when only one should have been addressed. The same medicare and prescription for all low income americans, period.
DeLay and the others get together every once in a while and have a big laugh about what they pulled on the american people, and Bush, because he was so ignornat he did not even know what he signed into law.
All lobbying should be halted in its tracks. Abolish the practice and watch how effecient laws become, and how much cheaper things are. The consumers pay the huge salaries of the lobbying groups and it costs about two bucks a prescription. Didnt know that, did you?
January 13th, 2006 at 3:11 pmThe Medicare bill is one of the latest projects of K Street. It was written in the conference room of a K Street lobbyist, at the direction of Tom DeLay, with representatives of the drug industry putting in things they would like.
The legislaation, lauded and loved by Bush because it give the drug companies billions of dollars, is the worst piece of legislation that DeLay ever got passed in the middle of the night.
The bill could have been written in a way that was understandable by the public, but DeLay and the lobbyist did not want that, they wanted the ensuing confusion. The bill offers over 40 different programs when only one should have been addressed. The same medicare and prescription for all low income americans, period.
DeLay and the others get together every once in a while and have a big laugh about what they pulled on the american people, and Bush, because he was so ignornat he did not even know what he signed into law.
All lobbying should be halted in its tracks. Abolish the practice and watch how effecient laws become, and how much cheaper things are. The consumers pay the huge salaries of the lobbying groups and it costs about two bucks a prescription. Didnt know that, did you?
January 13th, 2006 at 3:11 pmThe K-Street approach attempts to prove that immorality is the highest form of moral action. It’s the ultimate in example of the ‘crusade’ mentality of the delusional belief that evil actions are the path to good results. Sometimes good results from evil, but usually in the opposite way those implementing the evil attempted. I mean after all, the good that might come of the Abramoff evil is either impeachment or 2006/2008 failures by Republican candidates over their obvious abuse of powers and immoral actions.
If we look in south america, all of the rightwing governments and the spying, disappearing of citizens and created poverty have produced a massive swing to the left. The same will happen here, even though those who prefer to believe in the good old days will fight and kick just as they have in south america.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:15 pmI-RIGHT-I just can’t help yourself here, so as a conservative, allow me to jump in and give you a hand. That tasteless crack about “donks” is really fitting, but be careful, as the lefties here might start calling you Donkeydick or something.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but you say 2008 is going to be a very good year? I agree. People are fed up with the “culture of sleaze” in Washington, pal. And don’t count out 2006 just yet. The latest polls say the voters are saying it is time the democrats took over again.
Gas prices rising, what appears to be an endless war on terror, a huge national debt, a failed foreign policy, lagging wages, unfair trade balance, a recession looming on the horizon, and every crook and scandal wearing a GOP elephant sticker?
Yeah, Donkeydick, looks like a good next couple of years all right.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:20 pmThis whole think makes me feel sick to work on K Street. Of course, I work at 21st and K and am not at a lobbying firm, but still… ^_@
January 13th, 2006 at 3:24 pmToo bad the party of “personal responsibility” won’t take responsibility for their creation of the K street project.
Somehow, they’ll spin like a dervish in order to blame it on anyone but themselves. “Because Pres. Clinton had sex, THAT is what caused the K street project!” “Because the Democrats questioned are rational for attacking Iraq, THAT is what caused the K street project!”
Too bad the current Republican regime can’t follow up on their Contact on America and actually restore ‘honorism and dignitude’ to politics. They had to ‘cut & run’ like cowards.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:26 pm.
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January 13th, 2006 at 3:27 pm.
21st and K?
Go east about 10 blocks and you will find Abramoff’s favorite hangout.
ARCHIBALD’s.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:38 pm#14 – “Right between the I’s” has no need for anyone to ’straighten’ out his misguided opinions. He’s got his head firmly shoved into the ground and wont acknowledge any facts to the contrary of the party line he’s swallowed hook-line-&-sinker.
By the way, what’s a good nick-name for the GOP elephants? A maharaja hemorrhoid. Get it? Cuz they all sat on elephants! Ha ha ha, I’m funny. . . looking! ;-)
January 13th, 2006 at 3:42 pmWORFEUS, actually I work next to a restaurant called Mr. Ks that says it’s a Chinese restaurant, but you can’t see inside the place from the street — floor-to-ceiling curtains on the glass window panels — and I highly suspect some.. erm… shadowy stuff. Not to mention there are Secret Service cars outside it all the time.
:looking around furtively:
January 13th, 2006 at 3:50 pmGas prices rising, what appears to be an endless war on terror, a huge national debt, a failed foreign policy, lagging wages, unfair trade balance, a recession looming on the horizon, and every crook and scandal wearing a GOP elephant sticker?
Yeah, Donkeydick, looks like a good next couple of years all right.
Comment by Joe Sixpack
Hey, don’t get pissed at me. All I’m doing is having a little fun at the expense of certain losers who for the life of them can’t figure out that all their problems don’t rest on the shoulders of George Bush or rich Republicans. You people are so f’ing clueless that for me it’s fish/barrel/bang. Of course since you’re Joe Sixpack, conservative at large I’m not including you in with the losers. A couple more beers and you’ll be just fine. I’m sure of that.
January 13th, 2006 at 3:50 pmJoe Sixpack, see what I was talking about? “Right between the I’s” is like a skipping record. He parrots the party line like it’s his lifeline, and anyone who disagrees with his cries of “ditto” are automatically wrong.
Since the maharaja hemorrhoids haven’t been able to successfully blame the worlds problems on Pres. clinton having an affair, they have to start wars and questions the loyalty of veterans and average Americans to cover up their calumny and condemnation. They cannot take responsibility for their actions, therefore, they have to searh for someone else to blame. It’s like a mantra: It’s because of Pres. Clinton that !!!
January 13th, 2006 at 3:58 pmIf we look in south america, all of the rightwing governments and the spying, disappearing of citizens and created poverty have produced a massive swing to the left. The same will happen here, even though those who prefer to believe in the good old days will fight and kick just as they have in south america.
Comment by RightPunch
The people who live in those third world shitholes will follow anyone with a new promise. One of the reasons they live in third world shitholes is because they don’t have what it takes up here (tapping temple) to build a decent country. By turning Left they have shown they don’t have much of a memory either. They don’t remember that the Left will cheerfully wipe people out by the millions when they get unrestricted power — e.g. Stalin, Mao etc]
January 13th, 2006 at 3:58 pm# 20 .
WITCH, acutally Archibalds is a long time, fully nude Gentlemens club down on K street.
Of course, WORFEUS knows of it from reputation only :D.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:02 pmLobbying in DC is a culture of corruption that must END!
Abramoff Scandal is tied completely to the Republican party, but Democrats are in bed with other lobbyists too!
Every firm on K street must be closed and lobbying outlawed!
Every Politician who took Abramoff bribes must resign PERIOD.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:02 pmThe long and the short of it all is:
RACKETEERING!!!
RACKETEERING!!!
RACKETEERING!!!
RACKETEERING!!!
Now use the criminal laws and capture ALL their assests. I forgot what the act is called but I am sure there are enough law experts that recall the name of the act that is used against drug dealers and racketeers.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:08 pmEvery firm on K street must be closed and lobbying outlawed!
Every Politician who took Abramoff bribes must resign PERIOD.
Comment by Jay Randal
So, you like to take away the right of a citizen to petition his government? That’s almost as bad as your Liberal Supreme Court ruling that a city council can take away your property for little or no good reason. That’s almost as bad as the McCain Fiengold restriction on free speech at elections. Who’s side are you on anyway?
January 13th, 2006 at 4:09 pm#25 – Of course, you know that not one Democrat took money from Abramoff, despite the frantic spinning of the radical-right talking heads. Not one.
But, don’t take my word for it! Research it for yourself!
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?NumOfThou=0&txtName=Abramoff&txtState=%28all+states%29&txtZip=&txtEmploy=&txtCand=&txt2006=Y&txt2004=Y&txt2002=Y&Order=N
January 13th, 2006 at 4:11 pmNow use the criminal laws and capture ALL their assests. I forgot what the act is called but I am sure there are enough law experts that recall the name of the act that is used against drug dealers and racketeers.
Comment by EasyRider
If you were talking about the ACLU and PUSH and the myriad of other communist organizations who use our liberal laws to destroy us from within then I’d agree. Twenty years in Ft. Leavenworth minimum.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:11 pm2008 is going to be a very good year! USA! USA! USA!
Comment by I-RIGHT-I
What goes up,
must come down…
Spinnin’ wheels got t’ go round
Talkin’ ’bout yo’ troubles it’s a cryin’ sin,
Catch a stupid rightie let the spinnin’ wheel spin…
“You gain NOTHING, NOTHING”
Cpl Klink
January 13th, 2006 at 4:16 pmSo tell me I-GETPAID2BHERE-I, how much does a right winged lobbyist get paid to hang out in a blog all die and usurp the discussions and obscure valid posts and just generally stir things up.
Just curious. Might be looking for a career change soon.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:18 pmLOL
Die = Day.
Must have been a Freudian slip.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:19 pm[...] …Think Progress will walk you through the whole thing. From how it worked to why it sucks. You gotta love Think Progress. [...]
January 13th, 2006 at 4:22 pm#32 – A Freudian slip is revealing, but a Jungian slip is just a myth mistake.
My pardon. Just injecting a bit of levity to counteract the spinning and calumny the neo-cons are spouting.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:23 pmReply to post 27 I-Right-I > Whose side are you on guy?
K street firms represent sleazy corporations, oil cartels, and Abramoff swindles, so NOT average Americans!
END the lobbying in DC, so the politicians work for the people!
January 13th, 2006 at 4:24 pm#26 Did you see this great editorial by Sen. Harry Reid? It likens the GOP to the mob!
If we can beat mob, we can fight DeLay-style politics
January 13th, 2006 at 4:26 pm#35 – The straw man argument is that spending money for/against political parties is equal to free speech about political parties.
The part that is left out is that spending money to influence the political process is not the same as talking to the politicians to sway them to your argument. If your voice was as loud as the amount of money you spend, then Abramoff would be louder than a volcano, and the “average joe†that sends contributions to the political party of choice would sound like a mosquito passing gas.
When the disparity is that large, then lobbying is equal to one person being able to vote 100,000 times, and average folks would maybe get one vote.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:30 pmIRI, you are parroting Rush, really lame, dude. Get a thought of your own. Yeah right, those darn unions are destroying us. You know Rush is drug addict, right? You know he is still on the dope, right? I heard him again today and he just can’t finish a thought. What a terd.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:41 pm“If You Don’t Know About the K Street Project, You Don’t Know Jack”
A million comedians out of work, and I get one for a news informer, haha. Thank you. But really… this is not laughing matter.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:43 pmWhy don’t we just put a pricetag on the Oval Office and have done with all this bantar?
Whadda ya say, 350,000 Million and we forgo the bother with an election?
400,000 and they throw in free wire taps and you get to invade a foriegn country?
January 13th, 2006 at 4:45 pm#21 you really do need to go out there and look at the Bush policies and their effects. Then come back and try that silly argument that the nations problems are not the fault of Bush. I can’t honestly believe that you can say that witha straight face.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:48 pm“If you were talking about the ACLU and PUSH and the myriad of other communist organizations who use our liberal laws to destroy us from within then I’d agree. Twenty years in Ft. Leavenworth minimum. I-RIGHT-I”
I’m sure Rush was all upset that the ACLU actually defended him, and his civil rights. If you believe organizations that protect the constitution are ‘commies’, then you clearly don’t understand american values. Liberal laws don’t destroy us, they’re what make us stronger and different for Iran and Communist China. The far left, and far right don’t have liberal laws, because both believe in totalitarian control. The opposite of far left, and far right is liberalism ironically. And liberalism and american values are the opposite of the KStreet and Republican policies which seek authoritarian and unamerican policies.
Did you miss the news this morning that the NSA was doing warrantless spying on americans before 9/11? So much for this strategy protecting america. What protects america is our liberalism. What will destroy it is the corruption and disregard for laws that the rightwing conservatives represent.
America is not conservative or christian, it is liberal and secular.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:50 pmAmerica is not conservative or christian, it is liberal and secular.
Comment by RightPunch
No more than 30 or so percent. Probably less.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:53 pmDid you miss the news this morning that the NSA was doing warrantless spying on americans before 9/11?
Comment by RightPunch
That damn Bill Clinton again.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:54 pmHmmm….I don’t know I-PAIDLOBBYIST-I,
I am not sure there are that many trailer parks in the US.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:54 pm#41 – Don’t waste your time or energy. “Right between the I’s” has gone beyond ‘drinking the koolaid’ and has had an IV installed. That way, he can doesn’t have to use his mouth for anything other than repeating the party line.
January 13th, 2006 at 4:55 pmoxycotin. you might as well be on heroin.
you to irightiii. your in top form today.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:01 pmBut but but… the Democrats came to power in 1994 on a platform of ethics reform and proceded to create the largest corruption machine in history, too!
January 13th, 2006 at 5:14 pmReply to post 44 > former President Clinton just told the press that he wiretapped nobody without a FISA court warrant, so President Bush has committed an impeachable offense by doing bypassing FISA court!
January 13th, 2006 at 5:16 pmTo be fair, the bar for impeachment was set pretty low during the last Administration. I’d be a hypocrite if I said perjury in a bogus civil suit is worse than conducting surveilance operations without a warrant, and then calling them military operations after saying “We’re fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them here.” On the other hand, power is more important than morality, isn’t it? And as long as I get to draw the congressional lines, I think we’re pretty safe.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:23 pmThat oxy high is really showing today, I-HIGH-I
Keep up the good work showing what utter nonsense your neocon talking points are, some of the best laughs I’ve had all day.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:29 pmI-Right-I
Come on coward defend your president. Don’t just talk about everybody else’s name one damn thing your president has actually done to make America a better place to live.
Come on.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:30 pmWell Bruce Gorton,
In all fairness, he has made America a better place to live for white collar criminals.
Certainly that counts for something?
January 13th, 2006 at 5:33 pmWhy do conservatives always believe they’re comedians? Dennis Miller proves you guys are just tragic, not funny.
Actually the spying began just after Bush took office. Did you enjoy making that ‘lie/joke’, or did you feel you had to lie for the ends to justify the means?
Once again, I guess you missed the news that Bush had illegally spied, and yet didn’t stop 9/11. So much for Bush’s big excuse/lie on the subject. He couldn’t even be competent even with breaking the law.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:40 pmAbout 30% or so is ‘conservative and christian’, but they’re also the poor saps that believe the world is flat and that the sky is gonna fall during the rapture. You can always get 30% of the population to believe any fairy tale, as the material that you present clearly shows.
I feel for you little guy. I hope someday you actually wake up out of the fairy tale you live in. People who like to live in a fantasy world don’t like waking up though, so I’m not holding my breath for you or the other intellectual ‘children’ of the right. I know you’re scared and that’s why you believe in childish things, but a few of you will always grow up eventually.
January 13th, 2006 at 5:47 pmI-Right-I
Come on, where is your spirited defense? Pfft, I am going to bed. I will check to see if you have thought of anything at all tomorrow.
Goodnight
January 13th, 2006 at 6:21 pmWe all understand that the K Street project is blantantly unethical and the pay-to-play rational is antithema to good government. However, why isn’t the other side of the coin being more tied in. Its seems like the Duke Cunningham saga is being separated from K street as a guy who was really bad because he admitted to accepting bribes. We keep hearing you paid for access through the K Street project. OK but isn’t that just the logical however rehensible outcome of the lobbying profession?
What I think is the more horrifying truth is the illegal front of a Defense contractor MZM or whatever that company was that got millions in contracts from the Gov’t to do nothing and then turned around and used the same money to fund GOP political orginizations to turn around and fund lobby groups to turn around and fund campaigns and bribe congressmen, who turn around and vote to give more contracts to the fromt contractors. Isn’t that money laundering, or a RICO violation or something? I mean isn’t that worse than K Street or at least the worst part of the K street project? I mean private money coming in from lobbyists is one thing but taxpayer money being funneled back into the GOP coffers? Come on! Wheer is the outrage? Why isn’t this out there? Americans of any party shouldn’t stand for that in any way.
January 13th, 2006 at 6:49 pmWhat Faiz (and Nico) apparently don’t know is that support is growing for Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) under the banner of true reform. There also is a growing surge of demands for reform in the center-right blogosphere (check out http://www.truthlaidbear.com/archives/2006/01/13/an_appeal_from_centerright_bloggers.php#002137) and on talk radio (for example, Hugh Hewitt). Conservatives have looked in the mirror and are pushing for positive reforms; the Left just keeps pretending there’s nothing wrong with the mirror.
Personally, I support open elections for all leadership posts in the Senate and the House. Competition is as good for politicians as it is for everyone else. Plus the Democrats by comparison will look wedded to a past that voters know is corrupt on both sides of the aisle. Harry Reid’s refusal to return his Abramoff money is music to my ears!
Advantage: Republicans.
January 13th, 2006 at 9:14 pm“A ‘moderate conservative’ is an oxymoron.”
I didn’t use that phrase. I don’t say “moderate liberal” either. Better check your Kool-Aid.
January 13th, 2006 at 10:16 pm“And Harry Reid didn’t take any money from Abramoff, so why must you insist on spreading such a blatant lie?”
Like I said, I’ll be happy if you just keep thinking there’s nothing wrong with the mirror.
January 13th, 2006 at 10:18 pmI think the administration should start another war to get our minds off of these tough issues that take up all of our attention and tie up our courts.
Lets invade New Zealand since they are a nuclear free zone and that has to be anti-american.
Is anyone else sick of all this stuff?
January 13th, 2006 at 11:30 pmEach of these bent swine need to be allotted a CORRUPTOMETER RATING (CR) of 1 to 100, for those who saw a cance to make a buck, so they took it. Illegally. The Corruptometer Rating (CR)would be based on trough snouting ability, general shiftiness, offshore creativity etc.,then indexed,graphed and updated daily, like a stock watchlist on Nasdaq. Just the ticket in election year to enhance the frisson for recidivist political junkies who appreciate thinkprogress as a croaker most splendid. Also a great gimmick to wise up the rubes.
“Hey Tommy, how’s your CR rating?” “Same as you,Jacky Boy, can’t seem to shake triple digit territory.”
January 14th, 2006 at 2:09 amEastguy, Invade New Zealand? Get real! We have much more to gain by attacking Canada. :)
January 14th, 2006 at 5:00 amStill can’t think of anything I-right-I?
January 14th, 2006 at 7:00 amAmerica is not conservative or christian, it is liberal and secular.
Comment by RightPunch
No more than 30 or so percent. Probably less.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I #43
I-pusinfectedvermin-I,
America is CONFUSED!
January 14th, 2006 at 10:51 amSince “K” Street is really a extension of Wall Street, it shouldn’t suprise anyone that memnbers of Congress are bought and sold like stock..! I mean, why should a corporation send high profile people 200 miles south to Washington? For them, it makes more sense to have have your man or women, right there on good ‘ol “K” street, where you can corrupt any congress-member who works a few blocks away..! Congress has always been corrupt…but these Republicans running the show now, have corrupted all areas of the government..! They’re like a cancer, spreading their disease over all programs in the federal system. They in bed with health, health care, and pharmaceutical industries…defense, oil, mining, lumber, ect..”K” street is where a lobbist can make a buck,and a deal for his firm, and buy off a policican, (nowadays usually a Republican).
It makes sense NOW why part Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal was implimented…he CREATED BIG Government to CONTROL BIG Business..! Maybe it’s time to start re-regulating these businesses to stop the abuses…the era of a de-regulation sould be declared dead..! THEN maybe some of the worst of this sh-t will come to an end..!
Gene Campbell
January 14th, 2006 at 7:52 pmCentral Florida
http://www.markfiore.com/animation/jack.html
January 14th, 2006 at 10:15 pmReply to post 70 > That is why the Congress deregulated corporations, because they were bought off! After the Great Depression, President Roosevelt regulated industry and Wall Street, but after Nixon got elected the regulations were slowly removed! Bush Junior has finished that job and now all corporations are deregulated and corruption rules DC!
January 15th, 2006 at 1:38 amNo more than 30 or so percent. Probably less.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I
Hitler won with 30% too…
January 15th, 2006 at 1:01 pmTo # 72… Thanks for the imput, and understanding what I said. ( I saw some of my spelling mistakes…ugh.! ) I know what I’m trying to say…I just don’t always spell it right..lol..
Gene Campbell
January 15th, 2006 at 3:17 pmCentral Florida
Ummm… I’m foreigner, what stands “K” Street for? “Kroocs”?
January 16th, 2006 at 8:06 am[...] Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) has been a key player in the K Street Project. After the 2000 election, Santorum began closed-door meetings every Tuesday with “a handpicked group of two dozen or so Republican lobbyists“: Every week, the lobbyists present pass around a list of the jobs available and discuss whom to support. Santorum’s responsibility is to make sure each one is filled by a loyal Republican–a senator’s chief of staff, for instance, or a top White House aide, or another lobbyist whose reliability has been demonstrated. [...]
January 17th, 2006 at 4:15 pmThe corruption in Washington is not a Democrat/Republican issue, although I believe Republicans are more prone to corruption. Power corrupts and ultimate power corrupts completely. If our politicians have usurped our political process it’s because we allowed them to. The ultimate power in a democratic society rests with the voters, and along with that authority comes responsibility. The majority of Americans dont vote, but even more importantly they don’t know enough to vote responsibly. If Americans were informed, and I don’t mean by the boob-tube, we would hold our politicians accountable and they would see the results of their actions. Americans must take back the power over their government by reading, watching, learning and then voting to reward good politicians and punish bad ones. Our fore-fathers never could have envisioned the apathy of their descendants, especially after leaving their homes and families and taking up arms to combat a corrupt government when we won’t even go across the street to VOTE!
January 19th, 2006 at 9:06 amThe corruption in Washington is not a Democrat/Republican issue (see above)
yes, it’s limited to the financial-prison-military-industrial-complex and its benefactors in congress
January 19th, 2006 at 9:27 am#76
True, it’s not just Republicans who are corrupt, but during the current tribulations it’s just the Republicans who are involved. Any Democrat who is corrupt is a separate issue, and probably an individual event. The current Republican corruption is Congress-wide and of issues on a national scale. What K Street has done is undermine everything this Republic has stood for for 200 plus years. That ain’t hay brother…
January 19th, 2006 at 1:32 pmDemocrats can capitalize in the South on this IF: 1. They shoot straight with the American people. 2. They find good congressional candidates in the South to run in districts where the Republican majority is less than sixty per cent; 3. The DNC gives those candidates good financial and staff support. The South is where the greatest oportunities lie.
January 20th, 2006 at 3:44 pmTesting.
January 22nd, 2006 at 1:35 amTHe corruption in washington IS a republican issue. This is a republican lobbyist, these are republican house members, this is a republican project. The entire K-street project proves republicans are corrupt. We cant blame them though. We must blame the uneducated no nothing voter who blindly votes for them based on insignifigant reasons/ideas.
January 26th, 2006 at 12:34 pm[...] While DeLay is gone, the corrupt system he set up — and is so proud of — remains. It’s that system that allowed people like Jack Abramoff to thrive. (More about the K Street Project and Abramoff’s role HERE.) [...]
April 4th, 2006 at 10:23 amUnfortunately ethics is not available, apparently, to either major party. See Areanna Huffington’s book “Pigs at the TYrough” for illustrations how both parties used the lobbying.
My thoughts are that Social Ethics, at least as taught in my liberal arts college in the late 40’s, deals with how society ought to operate. My understanding of JC’s teachings are that one should operate from compassion and not necessarily in the legal sense. I liked the story about mayor LaGuardia of NYC who, during the depression that I remember so much about, fined a man who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed his children because he did not have money to buy it and couldn’t get a job. The mayor then fined all theose present in the courtroom a like amount for living in a country where a man had to steal to feed his family. Let’s be compassionate for the unfortunate and try to understand their circumstances rather than criticise because they broke a law.
April 4th, 2006 at 4:01 pmPoliticians are pretty straightforward and honest about one thing. Politicians ask for money. And why not?? People have always paid plenty of good money to Politicians in return for hot air and empty promises, and faithfully do it every election cycle. People always have. People always will.
April 17th, 2006 at 9:56 am[...] who authorizes leaks only for the purpose of saving his sorry political ass.” Agreed. Permalink | | ‘); | ‘); The Great Society © 2005-2006 TGS was created using the Firefox web browser andmay not be viewed as cleanly in others. Navigation Home Login Comments Policy Blogroll AMERICAblog appletree Attytood (Will Bunch) Baghdad Burning Bloggerman (Keith Olbermann) Bob Harris Booman Tribune Brad Blog Brad DeLong's Semi-Daily Journal Carpetbagger Report Concurring Opinions Crooks & Liars Daily Kos Daou Report Democratic Underground Eschaton (Atrios) firedoglake From the Desk of Patrick J. Fitzgerald From the Left Gadflyer Hotline on Call Huffington Post Hullabaloo (digby) Informed Comment (Juan Cole) Intelligent Discontent Is That Legal? James Wolcott Jesus General Kicking Ass (Democratic Party Blog) Left Coaster Left in the West Liberal Avenger Liberal Oasis Malkin(s)Watch Max Blumenthal MyDD News Blog (Steve Gilliard) No Quarter (Larry Johnson) Open Letter to Chris Matthews Orcinus (David Neiwert) Political Wire (Taegan Goddard) PressThink (Jay Rosen) Raw Story Reid Report Roger Ailes Sadly, No! Seeing the Forest Shakespeare's Sister Sirotablog (David Sirota) Talking Points Memo TalkLeft: Politics of Crime Tao of Politics TAPPED TBogg Think Progress TPM Muckraker Unclaimed Territory (Glenn Greenwald) War and Piece Whisky Bar (Billmon) Wonkette Your Logo Here Printed Media American Prospect Boston Globe Financial Times (UK) Independent (UK) Los Angeles Times New York Times Newsweek Rolling Stone San Francisco Chronicle Telegraph (UK) The Hill The Nation The New Yorker TIME Magazine Wall Street Journal Washington Monthly Washington Post Washington Times Television Media ABC News BBC News (UK) C-SPAN CBS News CNN FOX News MSNBC Internet Media Excite News Google News Yahoo! News Radio Broadcast Media Air America Radio Public Opinion Polls ABC News American Research Group CBS News Gallup Pew Research Center Polling Report Washington Post Zogby International Political Activism Center for American Progress Center for Constitution Rights Common Cause Grassroots Campaigns Impeach the MoFo Already Media Matters for America MoveOn People for the American Way Non-Political Blogroll Athletics Nation Dynamic Hispanic Sports Blog MC Hammer Blog Mighty MJD Sports Blog Meta: RSS .92 RDF 1.0 RSS 2.0 Comments RSS 2.0 Valid XHTML Search [...]
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