Posted on 06/28/2015 7:03:08 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
Welcome to the age of vanity politics and campaigns-for-hire. What would our founders make of this nightmare?
Four qualities have distinguished republican government from ancient Athens forward: the sovereignty of the people; a sense of the common good; government dedicated to the commonwealth; and resistance to corruption. Measured against the standards established for republics from ancient times, the American Republic is massively corrupt.
From Plato and Aristotle forward, corruption was meant to describe actions and decisions that put a narrow, special, or personal interest ahead of the interest of the public or commonwealth. Corruption did not have to stoop to money under the table, vote buying, or even renting out the Lincoln bedroom. In the governing of a republic, corruption was self-interest placed above the interest of all—the public interest.
By that standard, can anyone seriously doubt that our republic, our government, is corrupt? There have been Teapot Domes and financial scandals of one kind or another throughout our nation’s history. There has never been a time, however, when the government of the United States was so perversely and systematically dedicated to special interests, earmarks, side deals, log-rolling, vote-trading, and sweetheart deals of one kind or another.
What brought us to this? A sinister system combining staggering campaign costs, political contributions, political action committees, special interest payments for access, and, most of all, the rise of the lobbying class. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
A better name for it is "Organized Faggotry". King of like "Organized Labor" (and just as damaging to America) but more disgusting.
...may be the most amazing part of the piece.
Organized Labor is connected to Organized Crime.
Come to think of it, the Stonewall riots were a 3 day hissfit over police closure of an illegal mob run speakeasy.
Hubert Humphrey would be a right-wing radical to today’s Demoncrats.
There was no outrage from the Left when Barack Obama was campaigning around the world in 2008 raising millions of dollars from foreign interests (not merely overseas Americans).
Gay market
2% of the public doesn’t have enough resources to make up for the lost revenue.
Geez, when even Gary Hart gets it...
Even Gary wants to play Mr. Obvious.
Yes but that 2% and those who sympathize with them constitute a greater impact on and control of corporate policy decisions.
“Fairy tales can come true, they can happen to you,
“If you’re Gary Hart.
“Donna Rice may be nice, like sugar and spice,
“If you’re Gary Hart.
“You can kick in the tush a Gephardt or Bush,
“And the polls say you’re good for one last big push,
“But here is the best part, you’ve got a head start,
“If you are the one and only Gary Hart.
From 1987. Even stranger than Monkey Business was Sen. Hart receiving a direct appointment to the rank of Lt. Cdr. in the Naval Reserve, with no prior military service. The year was 1979 and Jimmah Carter was desperate to gain allies in the Senate, so he directed his SecyNavy to give Hart a commission.
Repeal the 17th amendment and end Senate elections. Senate elections are 33 expensive elections that occur every two years.
-PJ
Liberals hate lobbyists because they often represent the opposition.
Gary Hart: America’s Founding Principles Are in Danger of Corruption
How about "has been corrupted"!! All this "we are crossing the line", "maybe getting closer", etc., just obscures the fact that we are well over the line, and this will cause many to become complacent believing that the line has not been crossed. We need to plan and act accordingly.
They are corrupt but not for the reasons he states. CFR was a blot, not a help. Hart would probably like tax funded campaigns where the government controlled everything. Try and get rid of ANYONE under those circumstances. Unless the elite wanted them gone, they would be fixtures.
For the current situation I would lay the blame at the media that has long laid down and taken sides. They are political activists and the stuff Hart talks about is more about countering their free ride than it is about being its own corruption. It is a symptom, not a cause.
[For the current situation I would lay the blame at the media that has long laid down and taken sides. They are political activists and the stuff Hart talks about is more about countering their free ride than it is about being its own corruption. It is a symptom, not a cause.]
Good analysis.
There is little to be expected from the “DISTRICT OF CORRUPTION” as in Washington, DC. Populated with low life, venal, useless so-called representatives of the people. We elect them to do something for America and we end up with them doing it to America.
Holds a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford. Has been a professor at the University of Colorado. Is a lawyer. Has served on a number of government commissions in recent years.
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