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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBill Moyers/Michael Winship: Dividing the Spoils
Dividing the Spoils
Friday, 21 November 2014 12:54
By Bill Moyers and Michael Winship, Moyers & Company | Op-Ed
Weve been watching Congress since the mid-term elections and reading Zephyr Teachouts terrific history book, Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklins Snuff Box to Citizens United. That snuff box was a gift from King Louis XVI of France. His Majesty was a good friend of the American Revolution but when he gave Benjamin Franklin the gold box, featuring the monarchs portrait surrounded with diamonds, some of our Founding Fathers objected. They worried that the gift would corrupt his judgment and unduly bias Franklin in Frances favor.
The framers debated the meaning of corruption at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and Americans have been arguing about it ever since. Today, gifts to politicians that were once called graft or bribes are called contributions. The Supreme Court has granted corporations the rights our founders reserved for people, and told those corporations they can give just about anything they want to elect politicians favorable to their interests. Diamond and gold snuff boxes are as outmoded as the kings powdered wig. Now were talking cash millions upon millions of dollars. Quadrupled, quintupled and then some and its not considered corruption.
Consider the new report from the watchdog Sunlight Foundation: From 2007 to 2012, the two hundred most politically active corporations in the United States spent almost $6 billion for lobbying and campaign contributions. And they received more than $4 trillion in US government contracts and other forms of assistance. Thats $760 for every dollar spent on influence, a stunning return on investment.
.......(snip).......
Its not personal, Sonny, its strictly business. Our government has become a clearing house for corporations and plutocrats whose dollars grease the wheels for lucrative contracts and easy regulation. Its all pay for play, and look the other way. Partisans of the system say, hey, its just business as usual, but that, of course, is the problem. We were struck by this headline in The Washington Post after the November elections: Parties head back to Capitol to begin carving up spoils, remains from midterms. Right: Not only leadership posts and committee chairmanships, but carving, dividing up the spoils also means divvying up the loot. And those contributions were not made for the sake of charity. ...................(more)
The complete piece is at: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/27599-dividing-the-spoils
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Bill Moyers/Michael Winship: Dividing the Spoils (Original Post)
marmar
Nov 2014
OP
The Oligarchs, Corporations And Banks Own And Control The Politicians That Own And Control Us
cantbeserious
Nov 2014
#1
The #1 reason America is hurting is $$$ buying our govt. It should get more attention.
RiverLover
Nov 2014
#2
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)1. The Oligarchs, Corporations And Banks Own And Control The Politicians That Own And Control Us
eom
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)2. The #1 reason America is hurting is $$$ buying our govt. It should get more attention.
But its purchased our press as well.
I love Bill Moyers.
xchrom
(108,903 posts)3. du rec.