Driving To The Goal Line
As I wrote yesterday, while many people find their situation as dire as the banks or car companies, they are being made to wait because they aren’t a priority to Capitol Hill. They didn’t give politicians money.
As Congress mulls over a bailout for U.S. automakers, some may be thinking about more than jobs and the economy. The auto industry spent nearly $50 million lobbying Congress in the first nine months of this year. And people tied to the auto industry gave another $15 million in campaign contributions, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.
Take Sen. Carl Levin, who received $438,304 from the automotive industry. And in the House, Rep. Joe Knollenberg received $879,327. Rep. John Dingell got nearly a million from the industry. All have enjoyed generous support from the auto industry over their careers, with GM and Ford as their two top contributors. All support a bailout.
Remember this when politicians tell how they care and feel our pain. BTW – The upside for our elected officials…?
Should these carmakers get our money, politicians will get theirs on the back end. A good deal for them, a raw deal for us.
December 4th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Why is it always “Follow The Money”? The people should demand a law that says NO MORE money to Congressmen. Period, end discussion. No Pac money, no Union money, no money, no money, no money. We don’t elect people to go to Washington to line their pockets, we elect them to make decisions in our interests, not theirs. I’m so damn sick and tired of it. Every time you turn on the news some Congressman is exposed for yet another money deal. I thought they were limited to receiving something like $25 or less??? How do they manage to pick up $200,000 here or $80,000 there and tried to hide it away (freezers come to mind). CROOKS!! ALL OF THEM.
December 4th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Spot on Bob, per usual … however … some how, some way, the Auto Companies will get a piece of the pie … and you can take that, as they say, to the bailed out bank!
Jimmy Lewis
SCS, Michigan
Blog: http://rougerevival.blogspot.com/
December 4th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
@swampy:
These situations make me glad we have such a law up here.
Canadian Law clearly states that a Member of Parliament may not recieve a “gift” of ANY sort, monetary or otherwise, to “help” him change ideas on issues.
Any money given must be given directly to the Party of said MP, via his own fundraising efforts or via the general Party fundraisers.
But on the cheque, (or on the receipt for cash donations) it is clearly written the name of the party, and nowhere is it mentionned the name of the MP in question. The money may not be used for ANYTHING other than Party business (meaning ads, paying rent for the local party office during elections, rallies, etc)
And any MP who accepts bribes is eligible to 14 years in prison (and there is precedent)
Still there are corrupt politicians who take advantage of some loopholes (that were thankfully eliminated, at least a good number of them, following the AdScam Scandal in 2006)