

  (Source: Tristar Pictures)



I. The Rat Returns





II. Cornered, SOPA Meets Its End (For Now)


Rep. Smith ears shut

In his statement Rep. Smith writes:








III. Federal Bribery Must be Stopped




bribery pays
[Image Source: Google Images]












Comments     Threshold


RE: Here here
By JasonMick (blog) on 1/20/2012 6:53:48 PM , Rating: 3
What's Romney supposed to do? Apparently it takes $900,000,000,000 to run a campaign in this day and age that has a chance of winning, and if that's what he has to do to turn this disaster around, then so be it.

Of course. It's like sure Giaovani: "Sure I murdered Vincenzo, but how else was I supposed to get in the mob."

Well yes Giaovani is right, if you're trying to join a corrupt system you'll have to be just as corrupt -- probably corrupter.

Perhaps you're right. Maybe Romney is only moderately corrupt and not super duper corrupt so he will be unable to beat Obama... there's lots of ways you could look @ it philosophically.

But the bottom line is this, philosophizing aside:
You're either a force of change.
You're a force for the status quo.

Could a TRUE change President be elected? Perhaps not today. But maybe tomorrow. We can only hope.

Americans want change ... look how many voted for Obama. While I admit that on a handful of social issues like repealing don't ask don't tell Obama has been better, overall he's been more of the same, at least in terms of fixating on corporate tax breaks that got him in the White House.

Once Americans wake up and see the "For Sale" sign on the White House lawn and actually start to pay attention to the bribery that goes on, maybe things will get tough enough for lobbyists that their grip weakens.

After all under the current system candidates can legally get a large percentage of money from direct corporate donations. when you can pour out half the campaign funds in open "donations" (bribes), it's a lot easier to hide the other half (say in small untraceable <$200 cash donations), vs. if public outcry and/or laws forced you to try to hid all of it. Could you still funnel some money? Yes. Could you funnel as much? Probably not.

If the pork train dried up, the politicians would have to turn to the PEOPLE for support and hence give a bit more of d@mn about them.

I think the people need to insist on voting for the non-bribed alternative in any election there is one. People can easily find this info on sites Maplight and OpenSecrets.

Start with Congress, then move up to the President. Once the majority of the blatantly corrupt are flushed out, call for a constitutional amendment preventing corporations from bribing as defined by corporations funding candidates, pressuring employees to fund candidates, or sending bribes through a lobbyist, forcing these payout to go underground and marginalizing them.

Even many lobbyists I talk to off the record support such an idea.

Remember, part of the problem is just that politicians are so devoted to certain special interests that it actually HURTS some businesses -- these businesses have to hire their own lobbyists to try to counter. (e.g. nuclear v. solar, "carbon credits" firms v. automakers etc.)

Many of those involved in this system don't like it, even. It's just that like you, they're skeptical in that they miss that there's clear paths to change via education and responsible voting.

It's basic behaviorism. Politicians may be a bit thick at times like a dog, but if you teach your dog that when it whines for food, it doesn't get fed, it learns not to whine. You can teach the politicians. When they take bribes, don't vote for them or vote them out if they're already in office. Over time they'll get the message. They're not entirely dumb -- just exploitive.

RE: Here here
By Reclaimer77 on 1/20/2012 7:18:23 PM , Rating: 1

I don't know if he is or isn't. But I'll tell you one thing, the fact that other Republican's are bashing their own candidate because he pulled himself up and made something of himself, things that this party is SUPPOSED to stand for ( capitalism ), is abhorrent to me and scares me. It's seriously like they're trying to hand Obama the election already.

I'm enjoying this discussion, and I appreciate how much writing you're doing, old friend. I guess just talking about this stuff is depressing me and I can't reciprocate as much as I should. You're probably right, I dunno. I'm gonna go out and have a drink.

RE: Here here
By rdawise on 1/21/2012 12:50:48 AM , Rating: 3
I'm sorry but "pulled himself up"? Really? Because like time I checked his father wasn't doing too bad. I very much doubt how hard he how to "pull himself" up.

RE: Here here
By Reclaimer77 on 1/21/2012 1:06:54 AM , Rating: 2
Paris Hilton's father was doing pretty good too. Compare her life and achievements to Romney's. Just because your parents are well off doesn't mean everything you've ever done in your life is because of that, or all for nothing.

"Pulled himself up" is an expression. He could have pissed his life away living the good life, like several Kennedy's we know (yet the Left still idolize). You can flap your gums all day long about how terrible it is to be a CEO and run companies and organize businesses, I'm not hearing it. Those are the marks of a productive member of society and a responsible human being. Those are GOOD qualities, occupy crowd be damned.

Maybe you should Wiki him up and see all the things he's done. Only an idiot would say he hasn't worked hard to get where he is.

RE: Here here
By dark matter on 1/22/2012 4:00:13 AM , Rating: 2
Please put the hyperbole away. The gulf between CEO and their workforce is untenable. Not only that, but the directors still get their bonus, even if they fail (banks).

Not only that but remuneration in the board room is voted for by the directors peers, at the same time they are subduing domestic wages and offshoring work.

You talk about CEO's being productive members of society and RESPONSIBLE then you're utterly deluded. Greed is the motivation of CEO's these days, nothing more. You can flap your gums all day long, but the truth is there to see.

RE: Here here
By Reclaimer77 on 1/22/2012 2:09:32 PM , Rating: 2
he gulf between CEO and their workforce is untenable.

I'm one of these crazy kooks who still believes that anyone can be a CEO (or whatever they want) in America. The pursuit of happiness is, actually, guaranteed in this country. Sorry but that even applies to people and jobs that you, personally, have a problem with.

Greed is the motivation of CEO's these days (sweeping blanket statement)

Greed is a human condition. Our attempt to asses it as being inherently "bad" is a flaw. One that is quite frankly born out of ignorance. Everyone is greedy. Greed isn't just financial. It manifests itself in all shapes and sizes.

You're a small minded immature person. You want to believe that everyone with money is a bad person. This is how a child rationalizes the world.

