I have read the recent topics on Campaign Finance Reform and special interests groups. I am a bit skeptical. Asking the Senators and other government officials to tackle these issues is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. Our elected officials "tickle" our ears with pushing hot buttons like earmark reform, campaign finance reform and limiting the power of lobbiest and other special interests parties. However, has anyone other than me noticed how long these issues have been part of the canidates campaign platforms? Year after year, decade after decade - its the same story. Same outragious stories of abuse and corruption. Read the history books. There has been some attempts to address this in congress which has had limited affect. Why? Because the fox is in charge of the hen house. Do you think the fox is going to protect the hens and cut off his access to them? No, he puts a new gate up for show and knocks a hole in the back wall for him to get it. Same premise. Most of what has been introduced have been revised and remade with loop holes by time it gets to the floor.
IMO, when canidates are raising record sums of money for their campaign it should set off alarms! The fox is in the hen house. I have always been told nothing is free. Same thing here, 100+million is a lot of favors! Particularly if the money trail is traced, much of that money is from donors with agendas.
Yes, I am very dismayed at our current political system. Both Republican and Democrats alike are of the same ilk. Foxes of a different color.
It is my strong belief that any canidate / senator / representative that accept ANYTHING from a special interest group / PAC money / or lobbiest or whatever the political correct term is or will be should be charged with corruption. The person/s that dole out these bribes should be charged / convicted of bribery of a government official. No exceptions, no loop holes.
Oh, and please don't try to say allowing lobbiest to throw money / gifts to elected officials for consideration of their view on an upcoming bill / law vote is an expression of their freedom of speach.
It is time for the American People to take back our government from big corporations and big contributors and hold our elected officials accountable. Democrats or Republicans.
Some say that the Corruption and bribery is one of the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire... Hmmm, seems like history is repeating itself. In a few hundred years, what will the history books say our fall was contributed to. Or, if American is still intact, will the canidates still be addressing tried and true hot topics that merely get them elected and not much else. More of the same?
In the end, after everything is said and done - the American Voter is nothing more than a number. It is the special interests groups / Large Corportaions / lobbiest that truly have the support of our vaulted elected officials. The same elected officals that I have contacted several times over the years.
Speaking the truth as I see it.
B
