Lawmakers play hooky at corporate socials.
By on Jul 17th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
Lawmakers play hooky at corporate socials.
More than a dozen Members of Congress recently “took advantage of a light schedule at the Capitol” and headed to the firing range at the expense of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. Hundreds of informal lawmaker clubs have sprung up recently, “affiliated with foundations that can raise unlimited amounts of money from special interests…without having to disclose expenses or donations.”
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Basically, they’re like fraternities…
July 17th, 2006 at 5:35 pmFraternities have dues and are overseen by other organizations. These seem more like total free-for-alls to me!!!
July 17th, 2006 at 5:36 pm“…lawmakers could be seen getting into golf carts with lobbyists.”
It’s almost easier, but definitely guaranteed that you’ll get rich in politics FASTER than in any other line of work. Politicians who’d rather rub elbows with potential financial contributors than ACTUALLY do their jobs, need to GET THE HELL OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT!!!! You’re NOT a CEO who “does” lunch to gain favors, you SUPPOSED to be representing your constituents YOU PIECES OF SHIT.
July 17th, 2006 at 6:00 pm#4 –
at the same time it trashes the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment by not allowing me to contribute to the campaign of the candidate of my choice.
July 17th, 2006 at 6:24 pmChase,
July 17th, 2006 at 6:29 pmMe thinks lawmakers are more interested in money grubbing than your free speech. That’s why they spend more time shooting the shit with lobbyists than they do with YOU or me.
:)
I agree with all of the above. However, I would, as Emeril says, “Kick it up another notch.” All elected offices should be publicly supported with strict limits on spending and type of advertising. All elected officials should be prohibited from taking anything of value except their salary (said salary not to change during their terms in office, however long) either as a gift, an honorarium, or indirectly to a family member from anyone during their term of office or ten years after with immediate impeachment and/or jail time upon the appearance, not conviction, but appearance of same. There should also be term limits and bans on employment with companies that benefited from any legislation passed during the office holders terms. Many dedicated office holders, Federal State and Local Civil Service and Government contractors have functioned under rules quite similar to those above for years on end without missing a round of golf or a home cooked meal. Holding a public office should be a position of honor not a license to steal as expected by the current culture of corruption..
July 17th, 2006 at 6:37 pmThe (formererly the USA) Secret State of America is the most corrupt corporatist indulgent operation in the world. It runs continuous covert activities overthowing legitamate governments, others are held hostage at interest rates impossible to pay off, is part of most of the major terrorist activities both covert and overt, and controls 3/4 of the world’s drug trafficing. It’s all to keep power in fifedoms that need war, chaos and “markets” running 24/7 while proping up puppet dictatorships and faux democracies. Afghanistan is sure doing well in the opium trade as well as the far east golden triangle, as well as the Central and South American drug zcars. Iraq is one hell of a democracy isn’t it (why are we there?). Mostly scum exists on both sides of the isles as well as the court system. The media has been along for the ride since 1898 and has never looked back.
Even in the one “good war” of WW II, bombers were not hitting the American financed structures that created the German war machine. Multinaitional corporations and banks made sure of that. Then when the war ended, the US imported war criminals to help create the greatest terrorist organization in the world. The term fascism wasn’t coined in the US but it sure was created in the US. Capitalism turned into corporatism at the beginning of the 20th century. After WW I, it was the template for other empires to emulate including eugenics.
The plutocrats are know running the show along with their lap dogs in government. There is nothing left of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The basis of creating a new country identified in the Declaration of Independence is far far away from the minds of most Americans as well as the “representatives”.
The problem is that there is no way that the people in power in the legislature, executive branch, DoD, police agencies… will give up the power they have obtained over the last 100+ years. They would rather kill the people that they are supposed to protect and create a police or military state, which is what we are quickly becoming. Never have the legions of legislators and administration ignored the law and shown so much contempt for it. I dare anyone to go down the list of the Bill of Rights and identify which of the first 10 still are functional!
July 17th, 2006 at 6:49 pmYes Chase, we know the party of the rich and greedy wants to make sure that they guy with the most money wins. Contributing to a political campaign is not speech by any means.
July 17th, 2006 at 7:02 pmMoney does not equal free speech. Tell me, is George Soros’ speech more important than yours? He can and will spend a whole lot more money than you. Does that make him a better citizen? Does it make him more important to our Republic? Because politicians are going to listen to his “free speech” well before yours.
July 17th, 2006 at 7:02 pm#12 I disagree. I think if you look at the Constitution no person has more importance than another. I used the example of George Soros earlier. He could give 5 million to someone and not blink. His speech is not more important than mine no matter how rich but a politician would listen to him.
July 17th, 2006 at 9:56 pmI don’t beieve public financing of elections would prohibit anyone from making poltical contributions. It would, however ensure a more even playing field.
July 18th, 2006 at 12:53 am