If you are in government and you want power, it seems that these days you need to curry the favor of the corporations. It is unfortunate that there is so much money in politics but that is something we need to fix once President O..... I mean the Democratic President steps into office. Too bad the Republicans don't realize that the current system that they have helped perpetuate can swing back and bite them in the ass.
From RawStory:
Congressional Republicans have been among the most vocal proponents of a plan that would spare telecommunications companies from paying millions -- perhaps billions -- of dollars in litigation costs and potential penalties for their participation in President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, which critics say was illegal.One might think that those expected savings would find their way into GOP campaign coffers, but party aides are griping to Roll Call that a surge in donations from telephone and Internet providers has failed to materialize.[...]
“These companies just won’t do anything,” the GOP aide told Roll Call's Tory Newmyer and Lauren W. Whittington. “Even when you have the Democrats working against their bottom line.”
No Republicans would speak to the reporters on the record, wary of the impression that their immunity support is little more than a legislative shake-down for campaign donations. But plenty proffered private complaints about the telco's shifting support.
Despite getting behind Bush and the telecommunications companies, the telcos smacked them down monetarily and are giving more to Democrats....even though the Dems are holding together to oppose retroactive immunity. Why would the telcos go against the party advocating for saving them millions or billions? Well because despite the lawsuits, getting legislation that favors them is always worth more than a few lawsuits, even if they have to pay something out. The key thing is, corporations employ strategists and lawyers to limit how much they'll ultimately pay out to the people they illegally spied on. They don't care about laws that envoke democratic behavior, they care about the laws that increase their bottom line.
It sounds discouraging and looks like no matter what we do, corporate America will win despite what party is in power. But. But.
You're wrong, because once we start to wake up as active citizens and elect candidates that serve us instead of the corporations, they can throw around all the money they want, it won't matter. All we need to do is become more active and aware. Now that sounds easy and it can be, but first, we must break through the money and corporate dominance. So go out and support your local progressive candidate, and if there isn't one, go out and run yourself. By the people, of the people and for the people. That is what our founding fathers wanted.
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