Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Bribery Used To Be.....
cash in an envelope. A wink and a nod between politicians and those seeking to do business with the government. Back room deals in smoke-filled rooms and sleazy meetings at a diner. The amazing thing was when people were caught, the amounts that were involved-$5,000 in cash, maybe a $10,000 payment for a contract or to grease the skids for a land use approval. Who would sell their souls-let alone for a pittance. Now it's all out there in the open and stakes are higher than ever:
After Massive Contribution To Scott Walker, NBA Owner Will Get $250 Million In Tax Dollars For New Arena
Wisconsin Governor and Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker will sign a bill Wednesday finalizing his controversial plan to spend $250 million in state, county and city funds — plus tens of millions more in interest and future tax breaks — on a new basketball arena for the Milwaukee Bucks. http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/08/12/3690020/scott-walker-signs-bill-to-spend-hundreds-of-millions-of-tax-dollars-on-a-private-stadium/
Wisconsin Governor and Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker will sign a bill Wednesday finalizing his controversial plan to spend $250 million in state, county and city funds — plus tens of millions more in interest and future tax breaks — on a new basketball arena for the Milwaukee Bucks. http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/08/12/3690020/scott-walker-signs-bill-to-spend-hundreds-of-millions-of-tax-dollars-on-a-private-stadium/
or consider this gem-one of many involving my favorite governor:
Chris Christie: Exxon's Lobbying Firm Donated To His Super PAC As Governor Pushed For New Jersey Environmental Settlement
As Chris Christie’s administration is being slammed by environmental groups for pushing in court for a reduced settlement with ExxonMobil, one group is expressing its support for the governor: the oil giant’s New Jersey lobbying firm.
Public Strategies Impact, the firm that represents Exxon’s interests in New Jersey, has donated $50,000 to "America Leads," a super PAC supporting Christie’s presidential campaign, according to federal campaign finance filings released Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/chris-christie-exxons-lobbying-firm-donated-his-super-pac-governor-pushed-new-jersey-2034448
As Chris Christie’s administration is being slammed by environmental groups for pushing in court for a reduced settlement with ExxonMobil, one group is expressing its support for the governor: the oil giant’s New Jersey lobbying firm.
Public Strategies Impact, the firm that represents Exxon’s interests in New Jersey, has donated $50,000 to "America Leads," a super PAC supporting Christie’s presidential campaign, according to federal campaign finance filings released Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/chris-christie-exxons-lobbying-firm-donated-his-super-pac-governor-pushed-new-jersey-2034448
and don't forget the Koch Brothers:
Florida Man Buys State: Koch Impacts in the Sunshine State
After Jeb Bush came into office, he didn’t waste time in helping to negotiate an agreement with Georgia-Pacific over the company’s pollution into the St. Johns River from their plant in Palatka, Florida. In 1999, days after Jeb Bush took office, GP and other paper mills began pushing for permission to build pipelines that would carry their pollution farther downstream. In 2001, Bush’s Department of Environmental Protection came to an agreement with GP, granting a permit that would allow GP to build a pipeline only if they could not meet water quality standards. Bush actually touted the agreement to constituents in emails in 2002, writing that he was “proud of our agreement with Georgia Pacific,” to one constituent, and telling another that “it is a win, win. the extremists are wrong again.’” http://bridgeproject.com/research/koch-impacts-florida/
After Jeb Bush came into office, he didn’t waste time in helping to negotiate an agreement with Georgia-Pacific over the company’s pollution into the St. Johns River from their plant in Palatka, Florida. In 1999, days after Jeb Bush took office, GP and other paper mills began pushing for permission to build pipelines that would carry their pollution farther downstream. In 2001, Bush’s Department of Environmental Protection came to an agreement with GP, granting a permit that would allow GP to build a pipeline only if they could not meet water quality standards. Bush actually touted the agreement to constituents in emails in 2002, writing that he was “proud of our agreement with Georgia Pacific,” to one constituent, and telling another that “it is a win, win. the extremists are wrong again.’” http://bridgeproject.com/research/koch-impacts-florida/
Examples of accountability are few and far between:
Ex-Va. gov sentenced to 2 years in prison for corruption
Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who asked a judge Tuesday for mercy for his wife and himself, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for public corruption.
McDonnell was convicted Sept. 4 of trading access to the power of the governor's office for more than $165,000 in loans and high-end gifts. Prosecutors had wanted him to spend more than 10 years in prison, but early in the four-hour hearing Judge James Spencer said federal officials misinterpreted the guidelines, contending the range was more like 78 to 97 months — 6½ to a little more than 8 years. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/06/bob-mcdonnell-sentencing/21321365/
Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who asked a judge Tuesday for mercy for his wife and himself, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for public corruption.
McDonnell was convicted Sept. 4 of trading access to the power of the governor's office for more than $165,000 in loans and high-end gifts. Prosecutors had wanted him to spend more than 10 years in prison, but early in the four-hour hearing Judge James Spencer said federal officials misinterpreted the guidelines, contending the range was more like 78 to 97 months — 6½ to a little more than 8 years. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/01/06/bob-mcdonnell-sentencing/21321365/
McDonnell's biggest mistake was probably transacting business with a two-bit snake oil salesmen instead of a giant corporation. He had so much more to sell and so much more to gain than a nice watch and a sports car.
These are but a few examples-there are so many more. The dollar figures involved in influence peddling have become much bigger but the concepts are the same. A politician makes a great pet. You're a nobody until you own one of your own. Citizens United has brought the transactions out of the back alley and into the sunlight, but its no less disgusting. Now, there are no consequences for selling the public trust to the highest bidder. In fact, it's a badge of honor. The shame of selling influence has been replaced by pride of having influence to sell and the arrogance of having the means to purchase it. The only cost for this behavior is borne by the public. Everyone else benefits handsomely-all you've got to do is play ball!
We're doomed as a country and as a society if this doesn't change. Proclamations about "taking our country back" made by politicians who have already been bought and paid for certainly isn't the answer. I honestly don't know what the answer is. I used to believe that people of good faith and good intentions could make a difference. Now, I'm having trouble envisioning any scenario where such a thing could be true. But that's a lie. I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't think there was hope. Things can always change for the better. I do know one thing, change will not happen on its own.
18 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
maybe a gofundme page-help us buy a public official!
I know its not anything to make light of but sometimes it helps.
Because they said so, and who can argue with that?...that would be a CT and that is not allowed.
It's done all the time...the prosecutor ask, Did you steal that money?...and when the answer is NO they he says OK you are good to go.
of course, if you benefit personally by being elected to office, doing the bidding of your corporate sponsors, then retiring to a massively lucrative job at one of your sponsors, well, that's just democracy in action, isn't it?
Rec 
