Comments on: GOP leaders force Barton to retract ‘shakedown’ claims

By: SteveK

SteveK — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:17:02 +0000

I meant to say read a book, not rea a book.

By: SteveK

SteveK — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 20:15:40 +0000

As I’ve said before, to eliminate lobbyist money there has to be free debate on all media at the same time. Politicians need lots of money for campaign adds, literature, signs, consultants, etc… Giving officials at the local and national levels free half-hour debates on all TV channels at the same time would eliminate the need for big money and force people to learn about their candidates (or at least turn off the TV and rea a book).

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:38:14 +0000

Just another comment from a wacky right wing old white man, that probably needs someone to help him wipe his rear.

By: Keith

Keith — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:31:13 +0000

Folks, my “Billions” comment was for ALL donations from ALL corporate sources over a span of several years. I was NOT just speaking about the oil and gas industry.

Indeed, corruption is corruption REGARDLESS of who shovels what money (and how much) into our politician’s pockets.

By: Almandine

Almandine — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:46:09 +0000

According to a May 16, 2010, Opensecrets.org article, the total oil and gas industry political contributions for the 1990 thru 2010 (to date) election cycles is $251,070,309. The amount in 1990 was a little more than $10M, indicating that it would have taken contributions equal to that amount for the previous 75 years to reach even $1B, which of course did not happen.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:30:39 +0000

Yes….BILLIONS.

To borrow a phrase from another politician of an earlier time (Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois)…”A million here and a million there and pretty soon it all adds up to real money.”

By: griff

griff — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:29:32 +0000

“One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.” – Plato

“Our democracy is but a name. We vote? What does that mean? It means that we choose between two bodies of real, though not avowed, autocrats. We choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.” – Helen Keller

By: Almandine

Almandine — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:42:15 +0000

BILLIONS of dollars?

we get what we vote for.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 11:49:01 +0000

Why is any of this surprising?

When crooked politicians are allowed to accept Billions of dollars in campaign money from those interests they regulate, it follows that there will most certainly be “conflicts of interest” when those interests run afoul of the law and are sitting in judgment to those whose coffers they’ve lined.

Some have said we get the government we deserve.

I say we get the government we allow.