Democrats Embrace Corruption Like An Old Friend

/media/news/21305/0.jpg

Seems like it was only eight months ago that the Democrats were running on a platform to clean up Congress. The Republicans had controlled the Hill since 1994 and the corruption was astounding. Combine their shocking activities with the Iraq war and it was a recipe for a massive Democratic Congressional victory. And now it’s time to clean up Congress and tighten those lobbying rules, right? Wrong.

Democrats are suddenly backing off their promises to curb big campaign donations, stop expensive parties thrown by lobbyists and to force lawmakers (themselves) to wait an extra year to land high paying lobbyist jobs. Hell, it was the Republicans who couldn’t handle that shit; the Democrats have more self-control. Shouldn’t be a problem.

The House Judiciary Committee is supposed to take up the long-awaited legislation this week but desire to pass the bill is fading with time. The Senate passed their version of the bill in January, way back when Congress had scruples. Now House members are mumbling and grumbling about losing their perks

The issues are in danger of being dropped from the House version, a Democratic member close to the negotiations said Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because sensitive discussions were continuing.

The Senate bill forces lawmakers to wait two years before they can lobby Congress. They can get a job as a lobbyist after one year but aren’t allowed to start working over their old buddies on the hill. Currently they can immediately become a lobbyist but cannot have contact with Congress for one year. The House would prefer the “cooling off” period stay the same.

House members also don’t want to kill off the kick-ass parties thrown by lobbyists at conventions. There is a lot of booze that wouldn’t find a home in their tummy and that is flat out wrong.

The big issue is bundling.

It involves lobbyists soliciting and collecting campaign donations from other people and then presenting them in one package to the targeted candidate.

Under current law, each individual check-writer must report his or her donation. But the lobbyist-bundlers, who use the practice to ingratiate themselves to politicians, often go undetected.

The new law would require disclosure of bundling, which means the filthy little bugs that live under the rock would be exposed. But Democrats are now considering dropping the bundling provision from the bill and possibly allowing it at a later date as separate legislation.

I can’t believe the Democrats aren’t going to change the rules that lead to blatant corruption. My whole word is collapsing. What is there left to believe in?

web address: http://suicidegirls.com/news/politics/21305/Democrats-Embrace-Corruption-Like-An-Old-Friend/