Chris Dodd Shows How Washington Works..He Joins HOLLYWOOD!

[KoKo]

http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2011/03/02/dodd/index.html


Chris Dodd shows how Washington works
By Glenn Greenwald

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Wikipedia

Over the last two years -- particularly during the debate over the financial reform bill -- Sen. Chris Dodd served on multiple occasions as chief spokesman for, and defender of, the interests of Wall Street and corporate America. That led to widespread speculation that the five-term Connecticut Senator, who announced that he would not seek re-election in 2010 in the wake of allegations of improper benefits from Countrywide Financial, was positioning himself for a lucrative post-Senate lobbying job -- i.e., peddling the influence and contacts he compiled over five decades in "public service."

Dodd responded to those suggestions by repeatedly and categorically insisting that he would not work as a lobbyist. In March of last year, he told The Hartford Courant that "he will not lobby, but, like Hagel and Nunn, he may teach." In an August article headlined "Dodd forswears a lobbying career," The Connecticut Mirror quoted him as saying: "No lobbying, no lobbying." That vow earned this praise from Public Citizen's Craig Holman: "That's excellent on Senator Dodd's part."

Here's what Chris Dodd's word and integrity are worth, from The Hill yesterday:

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Dodd to be Hollywood's top man in Washington

Former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) will be Hollywood’s leading man in Washington, taking the most prestigious job on K Street.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) named Dodd chairman and CEO on Tuesday. But heading Hollywood's lobbying arm could be problematic for the former senator, who accepted the kind of job he pledged not to take. . . .

Dodd's hiring, which had been rumored for weeks, ends months of media speculation regarding who would take one of the most glamorous jobs on K Street, whose perks include a $1.2 million-a-year salary and getting to attend the Academy Awards ceremony.

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Dodd is barred from formally working himself as a lobbyist for two years after leaving the Senate, but the core purpose of his new job is to oversee lobbying activities and to convert his influence and inside knowledge of Washington into favorable legislation and desired regulatory action (or inaction) for the MPAA. Dodd is replacing another long-time DC official paid to peddle his influence: Dan Glickman -- the former 9-term Democratic Congressman from Kansas and Clinton administration Agriculture Secretary. Leaving no doubt about what the MPAA seeks in this position -- a politician willing to sell his connections to the highest bidder -- the association chose Dodd only after it was unsuccessful in recruiting former Sen. Bob Kerrey.

[Inuca]

1. In partial defense of the MPAA

Bob Kerrey has been out of the Senate for... I do not remember exactly, but more than 10 years.

[KoKo]

2. Yep...Bob Kerry and "Many" others moved on to Lobby..and it STILL GOES ON!

Should we care about this? It seems kind of "corrupt" to me...but that's just My Humble Opinion.

:shrug:

[Inuca]

4. Actually, last time I heard

Bob KerrEy (not Kerry, like in John) was president of the New School in NYC, not a lobbying position.

[KoKo]

5. I think he's now left the "New School" and moved on...Google might show it.

[karynnj]

7. No - after a few years battling with the New School kids, he is gone

My oldest graduated from the New School and in her last year - she found he was not popular with the faculty either.

[KoKo]

10. I was student at "The New School for Social Research" in the 1960's...it was an incredible place...

When Bob Kerry was hired...I knew the NSFSR had sold out and was nothing but a shell of itself from it's former glory. I read some "better heads" of the memory of what was...booted Kerry out. I didn't dig deep into the article about it.

[EFerrari]

3. Chris Dodd lost me when he got preferred loans from Countrywide.

He's a poster boy for Congressional corruption.

[KoKo]

6. and the Watered Down Financial Reform his Committee put forth is so WEAK

we are Headed for another BUBBLE BUST in a year or two.

[karynnj]

8. Actually - it was stronger than most people thought possible

Not sure if Frank, Dodd, or Democratic amendments in the Senate - like Sanders' - but it is. I doubt they could have gotten the few Republican votes they did if it were better. As it was they needed to buy off Scott Brown.

[KoKo]

9. No. ...it wasn't if you read Finacial Sites like Krugman, Dean Baker, Barry Ritholtz,

Simon Johnson and the host of others like Pimco's Bill Gross and numerous other TRUTH TELLERS!

Adding Yves Smith at "Naked Capitalism," "The Economic Populist" and the numerous Financial Writers from the Nation Magazine (a long time Democratic Site) where Robert Sheer and numerous others have reported the LIES of the Bush Financial "Economic Team" that were Hold Overs from the Bush Administration that Obama now CHAMPIONS!

[karynnj]

12. I have read most of the sources you cite

My point was that the type of bill you are speaking of COULD NOT HAVE PASSED. There were many, who after the bill passed, wrote that while not sufficient, was better than what CW expected to get at the beginning of the process. This bill passed by the skin of its teeth - and it lost just one vote that wanted something stronger - Feingold's.

Feingold refused to vote on the bill as it was even before they made it worse to get the last vote needed - Brown's. None of the other votes against it would have voted for the type of bill you (and ALL of us here) wanted.

Two questions can be asked - Does it do everything it should - no; Are we better having it than not having it - yes.

[Canuckistanian]

11. Chris Dodd is an embarassment

He's practically hung a sign on himself saying "For Sale. Make Me An Offer"

He should be an icon for everything that's WRONG with the American political system.