24 September, 2004 - "Cha-Ching"

I talked to my brother who is currently serving in the United States Navy on Thursday. He said something in regard to politics that grabbed my attention, "Unless you know who is being paid by whom, you don't know anything about politics".

click our new flag to listen to an interview regarding corruption in bribery in the american political system

That makes me think about our political structure, of which is plagued by lobbyists. Lets start at the top and I am not talking about President Bush, I am referring to political party leaders such as Ed Gillespie (Republican), Terry McAuliffe (Democratic), and Michael Dixon (Libertarian).

Ed Gillespie before taking the chairmanship of the Republican Party was CEO of a lobbying firm that represented key Republican contributors such as Enron. Yes, sadly this guy is the head of the Republican Party and he was picked for the job by President Bush.

Terry McAuliffe before becoming chairman of the Democratic Party was its chief fundraiser and specialized in soft money contributions. Soft money contributions are basically illegal, but that can worm their way through.

Michael Dixon is a self-employed sales and management consultant. He has long been affiliated with the Libertarian Party before becoming Chairman this year. But he is not affiliated with the corrupting lobbyist groups as much to my knowledge as his counterparts are.

click the pic for interview with Investigative Researcher Charles Lewis

So what are solutions to these corruption in politics by lobbyists? So-called libertarian Larry Elder said on his website to "Pass a National Sales Tax--Also known as the "Let's Make Tax Lawyers and Lobbyists an Endangered Species Act." A simplified tax code gives lobbyists little to lobby about. A low tax rate spurs people to work harder without resorting to schemes to "shelter" income. At the turn of the century, government took 10 percent of the national income. Now it takes nearly 40 percent. Low taxes means higher productivity and greater job creation. Let's welcome any move to reduce our tax burden, whatever form it takes."

Democratic vice-presidential Candidate John Edwards proposed the following to stop Politicians from Taking Lobbyists' Money:
*Ban members of Congress and the president from taking campaign contributions from federally registered lobbyists.
*Bar individuals who acted as federal lobbyists in the preceding 12 months from taking senior executive jobs with responsibility for the subject areas on which they lobbied.
*Reinstate the five-year ban on top executive branch officials becoming lobbyists. This ban will apply to all top-level officials throughout the executive branch, including officials at independent agencies and in the United States Military.
*Require lobbyists to specifically disclose every two weeks which members of Congress or executive branch officials they met with, what specific regulatory or legislative matters they discussed, and what money they spent on that lobbying and how they spent it.
*Require expert witnesses at congressional hearing to disclose all their clients or financial supporters with an interest in the matters at issue.

Here is an interesting site to look at named moneyline. I have compiled a list of some good books to read about in regard to how the US political system is corrupted (click on the pictures to go the each link):

I highly suggest reading the article �Welcome to the Machine:How the GOP disciplined K Street and made Bush supreme�, as it is a real eye opener on this subject of lobbyists. Now that is it on politics! Except for a few of quotes�

My friend Hothead told me about this book she is reading and I added to my Amazon.com wishlist. The book is "FORTUNATE SON: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President" and look forward to checking it out. Cheryl and I had a great chat and I always feel better after one with her. Maybe the two of us can do an entry on politics together. I have missed vikingmaiden and better email her today. As I promised her this long email, which I never delivered to her as of yet.

I also talked to a close friend but won't go into that in this journal. He had some big news to tell me and it is surprising. I am happy for him and also sad for him at the same time.

I have been taking care of my parents� dogs Sasha and Bear this summer and trained them. I didn't realise though that they are now my pets. I am their master now, and it surprised even me.

I am still very upset over everything with my old job and my relationship with ex-fianc�e' Georgina. Sometimes I just want to get rid of the memories in my head as I feel hopeless. But I feel I have to try somehow to find some. To just feel alive again and happy once more if at all possible. I am also broke and need money. One thing is I need to purchase a membership on diaryland to make this diary better. Maybe I should do what hothead did and beg someone reading this to buy me one! I know I could give a good gift package in return.

Here are several quotes for today:

"There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning."--Louis L'Amour

"Death row is a state of mind."--Doris Ann Foster

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart."--Helen Keller

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country....corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."--President Abraham Lincoln, Nov. 21, 1864

"I'm convinced that Downsize DC will play an important role in restoring constitutionally-limited government to America."--former Libertarian Party Chairman Steve Dasbach

"At length corruption, like a general flood (So long by watchful ministers withstood), Shall deluge all; and avarice, creeping on, Spread like a low-born mist, and blot the sun."--Alexander Pope

Here are the song lyrics to the song "MONEY!" as played by the Sonics:

You know the best things in life are free
But you can give them to the birds and bees.
I need money, that�s what I want. Oh yeah, yeah.
That�s what I-------that�s what I want.

Oh, lots of things are gonna cure your ills,
But only one thing�s gonna pay my bills
And that�s money, yeah, yeah, that�s what I want.
Uh-huh-------that�s what I want.
WOW!

Money isn�t everything, it�s true
But what it can�t buy, I�ll never use.
I need money. Yeah, yeah
That�s what I want.
Stomp, Shout, work it on out yeah!
That�s what I want,
WOW!

Give me money, that�s what I want
Give me money, that�s what I want
Give me money, that�s what I want
That�s what I......!
That�s what I want. WOW!

Also one more thing, this from Star Wars:

Han Solo: Look, I ain't in this for your revolution. I'm not in it for you Princess. I expect to be well paid. I'm in it for the money.
Princess Leia: You needn't worry about your reward. If money is all that you love, then that's what you'll receive.

There is one final thing I will add from the band The Dictators:
It's not what you do,
It's what you say
and It's not who you know,
It's who you pay
Down on avenue a...