Both Parties Agree: Selling Out Is Worth It

[Uncle Joe]

Biggest of all the influence mills is Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, co-founded back in 1945 by former Democratic National Committee Chair Robert Strauss, the godfather of inside the Beltway wheeler-dealers, and the man who famously explained the boom in the lobbying business to journalist Robert Kaiser with these simple words: “There’s just so damn much money in it.”

As Bill Moyers and I wrote in September 2014, “Akin Gump handles Beltway business for everyone from Amazon and AT&T to UPS and the US Chamber of Commerce (ah, that champion of the people!), along the way making generous campaign contributions – hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth — to candidates of both parties.”

(snip)

“Members of Congress now make $174,000 a year — not a bad living,” Lee Drutman writes at Vox. “But usually they can at least quintuple that salary by switching over to lobbying once they retire. And many of them do just that.”

(snip)

Among Kay Hagan’s colleagues at Akin Gump are former Republican Senator John Sununu and ex-GOP Congressman Bill Paxon. So the lobbying racket is one part of Washington life that continues to pay little heed to party lines or past professions of purity. In other words, like the world’s other oldest profession, show me the money and I’m all yours.

http://billmoyers.com/story/both-parties-agree-selling-out-is-worth-it/

[awoke_in_2003]

1. I wish they wouldn't compare prostitutes to politicians...

I have never been screwed over by a prostitute.

[awoke_in_2003]

2. Oh, and K&R. nt

[Uncle Joe]

3. Thanks, awoke.

Peace to you.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. And to you

One more hour of work to go, then it's beer time

[KoKo]

5. "In other words, like the world’s other oldest profession, show me the money and I’m all yours."

[Uncle Joe]

6. And they don't have be told that they're "respected" in the morning.

Which happens to be convenient because they're not.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/1600/congress-public.aspx

That abnormal spike in 2002 came after 9/11 when everybody was rallying around the government.

[KoKo]

7. Interesting Chart...Worth the look!

It notes how they "Sold Us Down the River!" 's

YET...so many are Still There!