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THE EDUCATION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA
For your information, Mr President ~ The only way to eliminate the disproportionate influence of lobbyists is to break Congress' insatiable lust for campaign funds. Quite simply, if elections were publicly funded, then members of Congress would not be reliant on special interests for campaign funds: Allen L Roland
The average winner of a congressional race in 2006 spent $1.3 million. The average Senate winner spent $9.6 million. Where do you think much of this money came from ? Lobbyists.
Over a three-year period ending in 2005, nearly 1,600 former legislators across the country were registered at some point to lobby state legislatures for special interests, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity.
There are over 35,000 lobbyists in Washington, D.C alone and this two minute video on John McCain's lobbyist influence is a good example of their power. YouTube - John McCain's Lobbyist Friends . McCain had 59 Lobbyists raising money for his Presidential campaign.
According to Public Citizen: of members of Congress who left office between 1998 and 2004, 43 percent went on to become lobbyists ~ 42 percent of ex-House members and 50 percent of ex-Senators.
Ex- Senator Tom Daschle, who just withdrew from consideration for Obama's Secretary of Health and Human Services, is billed as a "special public policy advisor" in the Washington office of the lobbying firm Alston Bird, though he is technically not a federally registered lobbyist. But his wife, Linda Daschle, is a registered lobbyist at the powerful firm Baker Donelson, which does have some health clients.
Is it any wonder that almost half of adults in the United States believe their president and taxpayers will not be on the minds of federal lawmakers as they work on an economic recovery plan, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 47 per cent of respondents think Congress will listen to lobbyists the most.
Allen L Roland
Freelance Alternative Press Online columnist and psychotherapist Allen L Roland is available for comments, interviews, speaking engagements and private consultations ( allen@allenroland.com )
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on www.conscioustalk.net
Cartoon courtesy of Pat Oliphant / Washington Post |
