So Damn Much Money

So Damn Much Money - The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government

By Robert G. Kaiser

A frank description of how Lobbyists have come to run Washington – Representative (Ca – Dem) Leon E. Panetta

Lobbyists are destroying America by turning our political processes into an auction.

 Jack Abramoff (the worst of the worst lobbyist) – “I was participating in a system of legalized bribery. All of it bribery, every bit of it.”

 “There is no shame anymore. We’ve blown past the ethical standards.” – Senator Chuck Hagel (R/Ne)

 “Members of the House and Senate rarely legislate, they basically follow the money.” – Representative (Ca – Dem) Leon Panetta

 Lobbyists propose entire bills.

 Our political process is distorted by dollars.

 A unanimous Supreme Court decision decided the lobbying case of Trist v. Child in 1875 – “The theory of our government is, that all public stations are trusts, and that those clothed with them are to be animated in the discharge of their duties solely by considerations of right, justice, and the public good. They are never to descend to a lower plane. - - - - Any departure from the line of rectitude in such cases is not only bad morals, but involves a public wrong.” – Justice Swayne

 When it comes to the corruption of lobbying, only public opinion can check and destroy it.

Let’s lobby against lobbying!

Let’s go to Washington D.C. and “Shut her down” to force our politicians into doing their duty as elected representatives.

It’s Painful to be an American

It’s a story you’ve probably heard but here goes. If you put a frog in boiling water they’ll leap from the pot as quickly as they can. If you put a frog in luke-warm water and slowly raise the temperature they’ll stick around until they can’t jump because they’re parboiled.

If I was a US Senator or a member of the United States House of Representatives and I was aware of what was happening to the average American it would be hard for me to sleep. I would wake early and peek out my window every morning expecting the citizens I represent to show up on my doorstep with some questions I can’t answer.

Why do Americans accept:

 Our government telling us there is no inflation when we see it all around us?
 That the average American can no longer afford to purchase the average-American automobile?
 That opportunity for our children and grandchildren is shrinking every day?
 That banks can borrow money from the Federal Reserve at 0-.25% while mortgage rates are climbing toward 6%?
 That bankers for Goldman Sachs get to make financial policy in Washington D.C.?
 Our Health insurance increasing 9% this year while real income is shrinking?
 That it costs so much for health insurance that you can’t afford to get sick because you’ll lose your health insurance?
 That Lobbyists for health insurance companies are presenting “solutions” for our health insurance problems?
 That politicians in Washington D.C. are provided with such grand health insurance they don’t comprehend what the average American is facing in the healthcare market?
 That corporations control our elected leaders through campaign contributions and high-paid lobbyists?
 Numbers out of Washington that don’t make any sense?
 Our jobs being exported to India, China, Mexico, et al?
 Our neighbors being evicted?

Is it because we have been hypnotized into unconsciousness by sports, cheap movies and video games?

Is it because of the confusing mass of information that comes out of our computers and the nightly news?

Is it because we’ve been conned into thinking that rushing around to make enough to survive is living?

Is it because we no longer feel a sense of attachment to society and we’re all living our lives in self-contained cocoons?

Do we accept this treatment because we’ve been slowly parboiled?

When are Americans going to recognize that what’s happening in Washington D.C. is not happening for our benefit even though we’ve elected politicians to work for us?

When are American citizens going to realize that corporations are eroding our freedoms?

When are Americans going to understand that it’s no longer just politics as usual; it’s crossed the line—it’s corruption?

For the most part we’re peaceable people who just want to be left alone. But I believe that time has past.

Our forefathers left foreign lands for the shining light of opportunity that was America. Are we going to let a bunch of stinking politicians and lobbyists take that away?

We are not frogs. We are Americans. And it’s time to do something about these questions.

I’m ready to shut her down, are you?

Five million Americans camped out in Washington D.C. and in the front yard of every Senator and Member of the House of Representatives should be enough to convince our elected representatives to do what they said they were going to do before they were elected and stop selling their votes to the highest bidder.

If you agree with this message, cut and paste and forward it to 10 friends. Let’s take back our country.