In the Senate, the top ten candidates by contributions:
Watts, Mikal (D) $4,991,752 Former Democratic Fundraiser listed by news sources as “One of the Biggest Influence Peddlers in Washington”.
Durbin, Dick (D) $3,805,220 Senate Appropriations Committee
McConnell, Mitch (R) $3,327,263 Senior member of the Appropriations, Agriculture and Rules Committees.
Franken, Al (D) $3,278,313 No Record
Levin, Carl (D) $3,226,226 Armed Services Committee
Coleman, Norm (R) $3,191,705 Foreign Relations Committee
Cornyn, John (R) $3,121,962 Armed Services Committee
Pryor, Mark (D) $2,869,693 Armed Services Committee
Baucus, Max (D) $2,755,382 U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
Dole, Elizabeth (R) $2,592,765 Armed Services Committee
Isn’t it a coincidence that out of twenty Congressmen and Senators that six are on the Armed Services Committee, six are on appropriations committees, and ALL have significant influence on appropriations in general (except for two new candidates for office)?
These members of Congress have significant clout. The corporate political machines know this and will cross party lines and ideologies in order to guarantee that they can conduct business as usual in Washington in the years to come. Nothing will change, although outward appearances will make it seem as if the playing field is being leveled. Anyone that does their homework can see that the deck is stacked in corporate America’s favor. The old saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same” is very appropriate in this day and age.
Let’s see how these corporate puppets vote on bills and amendments that come their way. Charles Rangel, with his seat in Harlem, needs campaign donations like Brittany Spears needs to get herself pregnant again. He’ll use that money to spread his influence around Congress by donating to other Congressmen’s campaign coffers as Steny Hoyer did in 2006 that insured his House Majority Leader’s post. We can keep a scorecard on their voting. Pick one politician and when that person scores 10 votes that benefit his or her corporate sponsors, you yell BINGO and get instantly screwed.
Seriously though, this is no joking matter. We need corporate money out of political campaigns yesterday. Those that look at the Democrats and see saviors need to look again. “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”. Maybe a third party that doesn’t take corporate money is a great idea whose time has come. You won’t get these good ‘ol boys to change the rules.
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