Something that doesn't look good: Freshman Democrats meet with a ton of lobbyists for fundraiser

[originalpckelly]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/19/new.congress.lobbying/index.html

Just saw the video report on CNN, and of course it's bothering me. These guys are so full of shit, they act like they won't meet any lobbyists. Well, they didn't, they met with "educators" and "interest representatives" that's not a lobbyist! Gee, no reason to worry here.

How long until we hear someone's been charged with accepting bribes? :shrug:

*Edited to remove the here mistake. I hear I'm a dork. :P

[autorank]

1. It was a Money Party fundraiser, we wouldn't understand.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0709/S00549.htm

k*r

[originalpckelly]

3. I'm about damn tired of this shit.

And they've got video, with some very embarrassing shameful comments by Steny Hoyer defending this bullshit.

[autorank]

17. Political re-education for the Congress is mandatory

The way I see it, what matters is what the people expect, the 70% who register approval of Obama.

One thing for sure is an end to the fat cat syndrome. With Congress at 14% approval, it's a
great opportunity for a strong presidency in behalf of the people. Quite literally, Obama can't
succeed unless he's great given the challenges. The nation is being looted before our very eyes.

That tape is part of the overwhelming evidence that greatness won't come from that crowd.

So it will get very interesting when there's a solid program for rebuilding and it goes to
the money pit on the Hill.

[originalpckelly]

22. kick for the morning crowd.

:grr:

[autorank]

23. Kick

:kick: for the USA

[MadHound]

2. Big pimpin'

Selling themselves out to the highest bidder(s). And the two party/same corporate master system of government grinds on.

[originalpckelly]

4. "Next on the auction block is the freshman Representative from New Jersey."

It's like one of those fundraisers where you buy a date.

[RB TexLa]

5. You have to get re-elected, the second campaign is always expensive

You haven't had time to secure much for the district in the way of pork or influenced much legislation. Everyone is going to meet and work with the lobbyists from the major employers in their district and state.

I don't know why lobbyist has become such a dirty word. You know groups across the political spectrum have lobbyists.

[girl gone mad]

6. That's an interesting bit of cognitive dissonance. n/t

[originalpckelly]

8. It became a dirty word when the very same people decided to make it one.

[brentspeak]

11. Thanks for that useless bit of DLC propaganda

Did you want your latte before or after you finish your conference call on how best to spin the company's latest wave of outsourcing?

[MadHound]

12. Yep, and those lobbyists buy and sell our so called representatives all the time

And instead of doing the will of the people, these so called representatives are doing the will of corporations and industries, because they can afford to open their wallet a hell of a lot more than even the largest environmental, socially conscious, liberal, peace loving PAC or lobby. Thus, our so called representative gets sold to the highest bidder be it Exxon, the NRA, coal, oil, what have you. And we the people get screwed.

[autorank]

18. It's a dirty word when legalized bribery is involved.

The only reason the payments to Congress aren't illegal is because Congress gets the payments.

The biggest paydays do the most harm. Look around.

Thanks why people hate them, find them lower than pond scum.

The people who represent non profits, the ACLU etc. are typically not paid lobbyists, that means
advocates who do not have to register as lobbyists.

There are some associated with non profits who are registered and they to are in the lower levels
of Dante's inferno.

You could randomly select 100 Senators and 435 or so Representatives from the states and districts
and come up with a group of people, who if walled off from outside money, would solve our problems
very quickly. The key is walled off from outside money, period. Make one term only in the Senate
and 2 for the House and bingo, you've got a real force for progress.

That's how bad the fat cats are - they reduce democracy to a side show and make the game all about
self enrichment and self aggrandizement for members of Congress.

[HillbillyBob]

25. Ever heard of Jack Abramoff?

it is time to take the bribery out of our congress.
Public oversight and funding of elections is what will at least start to make a dent.

[Mind_your_head]

7. Young pig(lets) who just can't WAIT to "belly up to the trough', eh...

EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeecccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkk, Squeal.........., what's that suckling sound?????

sn*ort, sn*ort, sn*ort.

A pig is still a pig, whether said pig has a 'D' or 'R' behind their ideology.

(No offense meant to real porcine).

[originalpckelly]

9. Well, considering it's all the newbies, and it probably happened before...

are they all pigs?

What the hell are we going to do about this?

[Mind_your_head]

10. I don't know/agree that it's "happened before"

'Young ones' have always/traditionally been filled with idealogical vigor (which is a good thing!)....before one gets "old & jaded" ~ heh ;-)

I'm not sure 'what to do about this'.

--------

Heck, maybe a good depression? :shrug:

[Solly Mack]

13. I saw the segment earlier. "We educate them" said the lobbyist

I just snorted

[Nikki Stone1]

16. Gotta love the lobbyist who said that.

Same shit, different day....

[GrpCaptMandrake]

14. And of course MY congressman had to be a co-host

For those scoring at home, Nick Rahall is a humongous coal whore. He literally puts coal companies and their billions before the health and well-being of his constituents. While he's done some good things in his time, most of it is erased by his slavish devotion to poisoning the state I live in ALL the time and he lives in SOME of the time.

God, that's a sickening thing to read at 1:30 a.m.!


Get On The H.O.R.N.!
www.headonradionetwork.com
America's Liberal Voice

[LatteLibertine]

15. I guess we will see what unfolds over the next year

I'm an advocate of the "common man" and at the same time I recognize wealth and power are intimately connected.

I won't be too upset if some sort of compromise is reached and if it's just "business as usual", I won't be a happy camper.

I hope PE Obama resists being bought out by the wealthy few and his temptations will be legion.

He has already made history in one way and he has an opportunity to do it in another. I hope that other, turns out to be good.

[earth mom]

19. Can you say rotten to the core?

:puke:

[formercia]

20. Watch this movie

don't rent it, buy it. You will never see DC the same again.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=distinguished+gentleman+murphy&search_type=&aq=f

[cobalt1999]

21. They are politicians, what do you expect.

The type of people who succeed in that line of work are not to be put on a pedestal.

They are in it for their ego, the money, the perks, the status. The best you can hope for is that a politician will do some good while achieving their primary goals.

"Since a politician never believes what he says, he is quite surprised to be taken at his word." --Charles De Gaulle

[GreenPartyVoter]

24. Well, that will never change unless we go with elections that are strictly funded

with even shares of public monies.