July 3, 2009 archive

I’ve always thought the system of “private” contributions to the campaigns of Congress and Senate candidates was ridiculously corrupt and presented a clear conflict of interest.  Of course, those “private” contributions mostly consist of money from corporations and other special interests.  It should be clear to even the most closed mind that the money from these lobbies is how a Congress and Senate member gets and remains elected.  It also should be clear that the money received unduely influences the positions taken by these politicians, often without the best interests of the entire population considered.

The Bush years, combined with a period in my life where my major focus was on raising kids and finishing a career, almost made me forget the real problems.  Then along came Obama and his words of hope and change.  He almost had me for awhile.  The contrast from Bush, who I grew to hate, the symbolism of the first black president, and the worldwide exuberance from the commons, had me caught up in the moment as well.  

But five months later, there is the unmistakeable sign that everything is controlled by money.  The system is such that lobbies are an accepted and major player in everything that goes on in the beltway.

 

Might as well listen to the tacit assessments of a one ton hunk of tentacled protoplasm.  At least they’re fairly intelligent creatures.  Because you’ll never find out what’s really going on by heeding the corporate harlots squawking on the goggle box or the slatterns chattering from their Congressional cathouse where all the walls are papered green with lobbyist largess.

Elections have consequences we are told.  Just check the box on your ballot with the capital ‘D’ beside it and change will be on the way.  But when millions did just that in 2006 the Democrats immediately backtracked, telling us they didn’t really mean 2006 would be the start of something different. Because well, they couldn’t impeach the obviously criminal Republican in the bully pulpit because it would distract from all the important things that must be done, but because that same Republican president was still there they couldn’t pass anything he wouldn’t approve.  So they spent their first two years in control of Congress rubber stamping the Bush agenda or simply doing nothing of substance at all.  But all that would surely change in 2008 if we could just put a Democrat in the White House, maybe get a new Supreme or two, and then this nation would be altered like a Sunday school marm on an MDMA bender.  This stodgy authoritarian gray dame of a country would be transformed into something fresh and new.  We’d all get health care, better jobs, go green, stop the corruption and fraud, and end the wars that raged.  There’d be shiny happy people everywhere.  All the Whos would be singing and we’d all get roast beast.