Matt Wuerker for January 25, 2013

Of course this story is just a little bit (actually a lot) one sided in lambasting the Rep’s. They deserve it, but the article linked shows that a boatload of money, $141,000, was given to the Obama campaign and Amgen lobbyists were in the White House several times last year. One of their principal lobbyists is “Tony Podesta, whose fast-growing lobbying firm has unusually close ties to the White House.”

So once more we get a fine example of American politics where both congress and the president are on the dole from K Street lobbyists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/20/us/medicare-pricing-delay-is-political-win-for-amgen-drug-maker.html?pagewanted=all&r=0

http://www.amgen.com/about/corporate_governance_political

Needs to be like nascar where the congressmen have their sponsors logo’s on their suits.

For once at least I have to agree with you! If you really want to be a successful thief, “Never steal anything small!”

Or become a lawyer, or even better, a politician!!

‘One lawyer with his briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns’.- Vito Corleone

If elected officials had the same legally defined limits on their “lobbying” and punishments, as civil servants, the problem would basically go away. Shut down 85% of K street operations, and you’d still have 300 times the number of lobbyists pre-Reagan era. It was deregulation in this area as well, that led to the decline in government ethics, as “conservatism” overwhelmed “public service” as a mantra.

How come any corporation can give $1000 to a congressman or president, but I can’t bribe a judge before he sentences me? It can’t be “money is speech,” or there woudn’t be a distinction.

A Rodney, you are so right. like has been said“steal a little and they put you in jail. steal a Lot and they make you king”

ARodney said, 1 day ago

…“How come any corporation can give $1000 to a congressman or president, but I can’t bribe a judge before he sentences me? It can’t be “money is speech,” or there wouldn’t be a distinction.”…~~~~~~*Interesting query.I would submit that the corporation is legally making a donation to the public campaign organization of that congressman or president – not to them as a person. Also,It is legal to make such (legally-limited) donations to legally established political campaigns. On the other hand, the integrity of a judge is sacrosanct (cue the “laughter” card) and unless the judge’s position is both elective and in public campaign mode, no contributions are allowed as they might be construed as bribery (“Heaven Forbid!”). Of course, there are other kinds of contributions and donations which don’t fall under such scrutiny and are made all the time through back channels (wink* wink*).

mickey1339 said, 2 days agoto@The Wolf In Your Midst comment:“The fix for this sort of thing is so easy! Just remove all private money from the political process, and make it an act of treason to accept a single dollar for anything related to one’s political duties.”

mickey1339 said:It would be more than a theory when you extend the penalty to lobbyists giving the money and then prosecuted both sides of the transaction. Wouldn’t that be a novel change, politicians that hold the interests of the people above their own gain…?===Honestly, I would be all for such solutions as you suggest – I really do like your ideas…but who would vote such legislation into a bill, an’ what president would sign it into law? If it were to be a constitutional amendment, how in the world would it make its way to eventual ratification by two-thirds of the states?… And, what legal system would enforce it? OURS?That’s where the wagon of political sanity hits the potholes and careens off the cliff looming at the shoulder of the road…It just ain’t gonna happen – ‘Would that it could, …but our guv’ment is broken…an’ has proved beyond the shadows of doubt thoroughly and totally incapable of fixing itself.

actually there is a 1000 dollar bill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1000-2f.jpg