Sunday, August 05, 2007
Hillary Clinton and Lobbyists
Politicians know more than others which side their bread is buttered. This became evident when Hillary Clinton vigorously defended taking contributions from lobbyists. She was like a virgin without memory. "Core principles", my foot.
Covering the Second Annual Kos Convention in Chicago, James Rainey of The Los Angeles Times reported:
- Clinton said she had to raise money to be competitive and that her 35 years of public service proved she would fight for ordinary Americans. "I have stayed true to my core principles," Clinton said. "A lot of those lobbyists, whether you like it or not, represent real Americans" such as nurses, teachers and others who need a voice in the halls of government, she added.
Then there are lobbyists who are influenced by other special interest groups. The management of AARP, which wields considerable power as representative of elderly Americans, did not take much persuasion to support the president's Prescription Drug Plan which turned out to be a bonanza for the pharmaceutical and health care industries and does very little for Medicare recipients.
"The interests of business are diametrically opposed to those of the public."
---Dollars and Votes - How Business Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracy
by Dan Clawson, Alan Neustadtl, and Mark Weller
Temple University Press, 1998
---Dollars and Votes - How Business Campaign Contributions Subvert Democracy
by Dan Clawson, Alan Neustadtl, and Mark Weller
Temple University Press, 1998
