Friday, December 17, 2010

Ho Hum


It's getting a little humdrum noting the speed with which teabagger-supported congressfolk are proving themselves to be no different from those they criticized. Seeking -- and getting -- lobbyist money while their words to the contrary during their campaigns are still vibrating in the air.

After Francisco "Quico" Canseco beat Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Tex.) as part of the Republican wave on Nov. 2, the tea party favorite declared: "It's going to be a new day in Washington."

Two weeks later, Canseco was in the heart of Washington for a $1,000-a-head fundraiser at the Capitol Hill Club. The event--hosted by Reps. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) and Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.)--was aimed at paying off more than $1.1 million in campaign debts racked up by Canseco, much of it from his own pocket.

After winning election with an anti-Washington battle cry, Canseco and other incoming Republican freshmen have rapidly embraced the capital's culture of big-money fundraisers, according to new campaign-finance reports and other records.

Dozens of freshmen lawmakers have held receptions at Capitol Hill bistros and corporate townhouses in recent weeks, taking money from K Street lobbyists and other powerbrokers within days of their victories. Newly elected House members have raised at least $2 million since the election, according to preliminary Federal Election Commission records filed last week, and many more contributions have yet to be tallied.

....

"The lobbyists are all saying, 'Welcome to Washington; let me help pay off your debt,'" said Nancy Watzman, who tracks political fundraisers for the Sunlight Foundation, a watchdog group. "It's particularly interesting when so many of this year's freshmen were running against Washington. But as soon as they get elected, they come to Washington and put out their hand."

It was obvious from the moment teabaggers appeared on the scene that they were being played for suckers by the corporate money-men bankrolling them behind the scenes. How much more of this will it take for them to realize it?

I'm not the only one to see it. (Which is unsurprising, since it's like a sun shining at night.)

Dear Tea Party voter: You've been had.

When the good people of South Dakota voted last month to send Republican Kristi Noem to Congress, they probably believed that she would give no quarter to the lobbyists and special interest groups who enjoyed, as she put it, "throwing money at the feet of a member of Congress."

But since she defeated Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (in part by making an issue of Herseth Sandlin's marriage to a lobbyist), Noem has hired as her new chief of staff . . . a lobbyist! And on Tuesday afternoon, she was the guest of honor at a "Meet & Greet" with Washington high-rollers at the powerhouse lobbying firm Barbour Griffiths Rogers (BGR). Once these boys start throwing money at Noem's feet, she'll soon be chin deep in lobbyist greenbacks.

What's next? Finding out the earth revolves around the sun?

5 comments:

  1. What??????
    No "Thank You" to the Republicans??, without who(or is it "whom"?) Our President's(Peace be upon Him) Tax bill would have gone down like KAL 007(look it up), y'know, sort of like the Civil Rights Act of umm (Now I gotta look it up)whatever year it was passed over virulent democrat opposition...hmmm who was that West Virginia Grand Dragon, I mean Senator who died...
    Seriously, don't worry, be happy, that 2% FICA cut will pay for a whole month of my Daughters private school...:)

    :) Frank :):):):):)

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  2. Too bad there's no law here in the US barring people, who chortle about how abortion holds down the number of blacks, from putting on the high dudgeon about racism.

    Anyways, Frank, as you know the Southern states refused to elect Republicans for many decades, so essentially everyone there was a Democrat during the Civil Right Act days (1964! I thought 1967). This was of course because you guys were terribly bitter about Lincoln taking away your slaves. Forgit, hell.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sam Sam Sam, and maybe I'd be for abortion to, If my name was Sam, cause if I had a Son, he'd be "The Son of Sam"....instead of "The Son of Frank"
    anyway, you fell for the bait worse than on of those Preverts on "To Catch a Predator" cause I've got some stats saved up for special equations like today.

    Civil Rights Act of 1964:

    Yey Ney

    Demo 153 91
    Rep 136 35

    Obama Tax Cuts

    Demo 139 112
    Rep 138 36

    Its almost uncanny.... and I wish the President (Peace be upon Him) would take off that Sour Puss, he's gonna save a cool $30,000 in Federal Tax alone, and along with that 2% FICA cut, it'll just about pay for my new(used) ZO6 Vette

    Frank

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  4. The article is about Lobby money and the GOP and your response was about the tax cuts for the rich? You Sir are one screwed up dude.

    Jim in Georgia and NOT PROUD OF ERICK ERICKSON OF MACON, GA

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  5. Touche, Frank. Again though, if you took out the Southern "Democrat" votes, the R and D tallies would be far closer. Still, I'm humbled. Fingers crossed that I don't end up on To Catch a Predator.

    The tallies for Obama's tax cuts don't mean as much I think. Many Dems sided with Obama in the belief that it was a necessary evil that some rich a-holes (not naming any names here) keep their break in order to pass the unemployment extension and whatnot. You guys, of course, believe that all taxes are unacceptable, so it was clearcut for you.

    ReplyDelete

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